Remembering Rusty Weekend

[Brindlebabe]

Street stalls, demos, other events nationwide

 

On Sunday, May 2nd 2004, a black male greyhound (later found to have been called Rusty) was

discovered by a dog walker, who heard him whimpering in agony in a rubbish tip on Fochriw Mountain

in the Rhymney Valley, South Wales.

 

Rusty had been injured in several ways, including being shot in the head with a captive-bolt pistol,

and his ears had been hacked off (presumably, because they contained tattoos that could identify

him).

 

Despite this appalling torture, Rusty was still alive - and wagging his tail - but his injuries were

so extensive that he was later "put to sleep" by a vet.

 

Later that year, at Caerphilly Magistrates Court, greyhound "executioner" Andrew Gough was sentenced

to 6 months imprisonment for torturing Rusty and banned from keeping animals for life.

 

It is almost six years since poor Rusty was mutilated and left to die, because he was no longer fit

to race. On the first weekend of May, we will be remembering him, and all the other dogs that have

suffered and died at the evil hands of the greyhound racing industry.

 

It emerged during Gough's trial that Rusty's "owner" and trainer had handed him over to Gough to

kill, after a toe injury had ended the greyhound's racing career.

 

On May 1st & 2nd, to mark the sixth anniversary of his suffering and death, we will be holding

Remembering Rusty Weekend, in memory of Rusty and of all the other dogs who have suffered and died

at the hands of the greyhound racing industry.

 

Greyhound Action supporters throughout the country will be organising/taking part in street stalls,

demos outside greyhound tracks etc. to mark Remembering Rusty Weekend by persuading the public to

boycott greyhound racing.

 

If you're interested in organising/taking part in an event in your local area for Remembering Rusty

Weekend, please contact Greyhound Action as soon as possible at [email protected] or on

01562 700 043, so we can send you leaflets, posters and other campaign materials and give you any

advice you may need.

 

See www.greyhoundaction.org.uk/justiceForRusty.htm for more info about the Rusty case and previous

events in his memory.

 

It would also help greatly if all of our supporters/sympathisers could write letters, as soon as

possible, to their local papers about Remembering Rusty Weekend. Below is a sample letter you can

send, or if you so wish, you can compose your own.

 

SAMPLE LETTER RE REMEMBERING RUSTY WEEKEND

 

May 1st and 2nd is Remembering Rusty Weekend, when events are held across the UK to draw public

attention to the plight of greyhounds.

 

May 2nd is the 6th anniversary of the death of a greyhound called Rusty, who was shot, tortured

and abandoned on a South Wales mountain, after a toe injury put an end to his racing days.

 

According to international greyhound protection organisation Greyhound Action, more than 12,000

greyhounds, bred for the British racing industry, are "put down" every year, after failing to make

the grade as racers or when their "careers" on the tracks come to an end.

 

An RSPCA report on greyhound racing has stated that "at least 20 greyhounds a day - either puppies

which do not make the track, or 'retired' dogs aged three or four - simply 'disappear', presumed

killed".

 

In addition, a large number of greyhounds sustain serious, sometimes fatal, injuries whilst racing,

due to the dangerous nature of the tracks.

 

Members of the public can help put an end to this horrific situation by not attending dog tracks or

betting on greyhound racing, so this appalling death-industry fades away through lack of financial

support.

 

For more information, please visit Greyhound Action's website at www.greyhoundaction.org.uk

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Name, Address, Telephone number (many newspapers require this in addition to your name and address,

but it doesn't get published)