» VBites of wisdom
Heather Mills on the grim fate awaiting many racing greyhounds
If someone you knew was keeping a starving and emaciated dog inside a kennel only big enough to stand up in for up to 23 hours a day, what would you do? Call the police? The RSPCA? Exactly. So why does society turn a blind eye to racing greyhounds being kept in this way? The government is going to bring new regulations in this year covering the time the dogs spend at the tracks. But the RSPCA and The Dogs Trust say the government’s proposals ignore the real issues: conditions in some kennels away from the tracks, and the thousands of greyhounds that disappear every year.
Brighton and Hove has its own greyhound track and I’m not saying this track treats the dogs badly. The truth is greyhounds like to run! But the spectators have no idea what can go on behind the scenes all over the country. You’re sold a fun night out with friends or family but these beautiful creatures, second only to the cheetah for speed, are not always adequately protected from unscrupulous owners.
Greyhounds are graceful, dignified and affectionate dogs but some are kept in the most appalling of conditions while their owners make money out of them. They are not well socialised and miss out on everything that makes a dog’s life happy. Instead, there are greyhounds being subjected to confinement and deprivation for most of their lives. As I see it, these are the lucky ones.
“Thousands of greyhounds ‘disappear’ every year because they didn’t make the grade – 20,000 could be being put to death”
Thousands ‘disappear’ every year because they didn’t make the grade. Maybe they aren’t fast enough, fight with the other greyhounds, or can’t fathom a good reason for chasing an artificial hare. I doubt anybody really knows how many disappear every year, but some campaigners say 20,000 could be being put to death. The Dogs Trust says ‘retirement’ can range from shooting or drowning, to being exported to a hot foreign country to race in terrible conditions. Mass graves are found in Ireland where most of the greyhounds racing in England are bred. In 2006, a man in County Durham was charged with killing 10,000 over 15 years, and in 2008 an undercover Sunday Times investigation found the largest greyhound breeder in Britain selling healthy, but slow, puppies to be killed and dissected for research. Dogs are found, both dead and barely alive, with their ears cut off so they can’t be traced back to their owners – they have a tattoo identifying them in their ears.
I have years of supporting animal rights campaigns behind me, and what I find most shocking about the whole greyhound racing industry is all those that are meant to be responsible putting money ahead of the welfare of the dogs. The RSPCA says at least 10,000 greyhounds retire each year and the fate of many of these is unknown. Lots of owners keep them as pets but these are the lucky few. Many more are adopted. But for every lucky greyhound you see being taken for a walk around Brighton, another one disappeared somewhere, its fate unknown.
Heather’s diary
Dancing On Ice has been the most amazing way to start the year. I have absolutely been having the time of my life. I’ve fulfilled a massive physical challenge, and I know from my website that I’ve inspired other amputees to have a go at the challenges they face in their lives. Whatever your challenge is for this year, please, get out and do it.
I am looking ahead to life after Dancing On Ice – and I think my battered body has earned a short respite! But as the frozen days of winer recede, there’s so much to look forward to – starting with VBites Valentine celebrations and Pasta Party for the Brighton Half Marathon runners from 18 to 20 February.
Pasta with Asparagus, Sun dried Tomatoes and Pesto
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
1 bunch fresh asparagus chopped into 3cm pieces or 1 tin asparagus, drained and chopped
250g fusilli spirals or other pasta such as penne
1⁄2 pack of moist sun-dried tomatoes chopped into bite-sized pieces with scissors
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped (crushing them doesn’t work so well as they tend to stick together in a lump)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
200g jar vegan pesto such as Zip or Motherhemp
Handful of fresh, chopped coriander or couple of pinches mixed herbs such as tarragon and oregano
Method:
1 Cook pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions.
2 Meanwhile, if using fresh asparagus, steam gently for about 3-5 minutes.
3 Test to see if it’s done – cook
for another minute or so if not. Keep warm.
4 When the pasta is cooked, drain and keep warm.
5 In a small pan, heat the olive oil, add chopped garlic and fry gently until lightly browned.
6 Add oil and garlic to pasta and mix thoroughly.
7 Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the pasta together with cooked asparagus, pesto, herbs – mix in well.
8 Add salt, ground black pepper and a little more olive oil if liked.
February 10th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
Heather, I suggest you spend a few days travelling to visit Greyhound Racing Kennels. I cannot blame you personally for the poor representation you have given the sport of greyhound racing, however I strongly urge you to be wary of who you listen to and instead look deeper into things before the type of statements you have made.
As a greyhound lover myself, and also an owner, I can assure you if this was a cruel sport I most certainly would not be involved.
You will find the story you paint is not the truth. Greyhounds Racing under GBGB Licensed rules are regulated to ensure they are given adequate care at a bear minimum (the vast majority exceed this minimum in any case). The kennels are not anything like the size you mention, and the greyhounds are let out at regular intervals, taken on walks, massaged & groomed regularly, some go swimming, out for gallops on specially designed surfaces for greyhounds.
Greyhounds are prized athletes and despite the propaganda that the papers and anti racing groups would rather people believe, they do not earn their owners money in most instances and the vast majority actually cost a lot to keep. Greyhounds who are poorly cared for, and ‘starved/emaciated’ would firstly not be permitted to race in the first place, and secondly be unable to race properly anyway. Greyhounds are turned out at their very best when attending the racetrack, and relish the opportunity to do something they enjoy so very much. Greyhound ownership is an expensive hobby.
Training fees range between £5 and £10 per day, plus additional extras such as travelling costs, physio costs, flea treatment, worming treatment, vetinary check ups and vaccinations. Prize money varies across the country from track to track, and whilst the top end prizemoney for a very small percentage of greyhounds is very high, on average the majority of prizemoney is low and only in very exceptional instances to owners actually come out showing a profit!
So maybe if you take the opportunity to go behind the scenes and check out the truthful facts, you will see a very different story. You only need to look at the relationship greyhounds have with their trainers, kennel staff and owners to realize these dogs are not ill socialized and missing out on things that make them happy.
Thousands of greyhounds supposedly disappear each year….This is not an acceptable statement to make. Many greyhounds are homed via specially set up homing organizations, taken home by their owners, retained for breeding purposes, see out their retirement in retirement kennels or homed privately by their owners of trainers. Therefore a vast majority of greyhounds retiring each year ‘disappear’ simply because they do not enter the dedicated homing system, not because they are disposed of by some of the means you describe.
February 10th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
think some of the things about greyhounds you said were quite right, but most is just bad mouthing the sport, why dont people like you ever talk about the good owners in the sport? i can assure you, theres alot!!!
Theres bad people in every sport, greyhounds, horses, what happens when horses are retired from racing? do you think every single race horse is found a home? i dont think so.
February 10th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
Ref Heather Mills article regarding greyhounds,It appears she has not investigated this at all and has just quoted from the anti greyhound lobbies literature. I feel you should allow us the owners and homefinders for greyhounds raced at Hove some column space to explain the true story.
Firstly greyhounds raced at Hove are either homed via the owner, trainer, or as is the norm our own RGT ( Retired Greyhound Trust ) kennels. We and the track at Hove look upon greyhound welfare as the number one factor in greyhound racing, not the racing itself. The number of dogs we have rehomed over the years counts to many thousands and so far this year over twenty have been rehomed following retirement from racing. We invite her through you to visit our kennels and see the life these animals lead, compared to other breeds in kennels incl puppy farms etc our dogs lead a life of luxury until they are rehomed whether it is four weeks or four years. The story does not end there because there are regular social events walks,fundays etc where the proud owners of retired greyhounds meet with their dogs.
In conclusion the invite is there if you wish to take up the offer cameras included we would welcome yourselves and Ms Mills, transparency is our motto at Hoves Retired Greyhound Trust.
David Ide
February 10th, 2010 at 6:44 pm
Dear heather,could i ask how many greyhound kennels you have been to.As an owner of racing greyhounds i find your comments desturbing so i would like to know where your facts came from as i have not been to a kennel yet where dogs are kept in the kennel for 23hrs at a time (if you know one please feel free to correct me) you obviously have a problem with greyhound racing/kennels,what i would like to propose is i will personally take you to every kennel that i keep dogs at and if you can see any sort of cruelty going on with any dogs i will personally phone the rspca,i will also rehome everyone of my dogs and come out of racing i can assure you apart from the odd bad apple which you get in every walk of life that greyhound kennels are clean tidy all dogs are very very well fed ie scrambled egg or cereal for breakfast biscuit mixed with human consumption meat for dinner and vegetable soup for tea (a typical day).Im sorry this is a bit long winded but i thought you needed to know that you have the wrong impression of greyhound racing\kennels as i say if you would like me to prove you wrong please feel free to get back to me. yours sincerely
Andrew Hannah
Great yarmouth
February 10th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Maybe you should spend some time with breeders, trainers and retirement kennels………. Then you would understand what actually does happen without the need to speculate on a sport which you quite apparently know nothing about!
I have worked with greyhounds for well over 20 years, I have been to many breeding and retirement kennels and have homed ALL greyhounds that have been in my care, injured, retired from age or young ones that never made it to the track.
So take off your skates and go and have a look at what really goes on, I am sure you would be pleasantly surprised!