GREY2K USA Investigates Greyhound Racing in the United Kingdom

A Ladbrokes Betting Shop

Over the past few years, our mission at GREY2K USA has been slowly expanding to include international campaigns. This shift is partly due to investigative work by Board member Charmaine Settle, who has made fact-finding trips to Macau and Vietnam. Her research led to the Rescue Brooklyn campaign, and our joint effort with Animals Australia, Animals Asia and ANIMA to push for an adoption program at the Canidrome.

This week, we are starting a new chapter in our international work with a fact finding trip to the United Kingdom. Our goal is to learn as much about the British dog racing industry as possible. GREY2K USA Board President Christine Dorchak and I are meeting with established animal welfare groups, adoption leaders and grassroots activists. We are also documenting as many different parts of the industry as possible. To reduce costs we are staying with advocates, and volunteers are helping us travel across the country. Our schedule is extremely full, and unfortunately we don't really have any downtime. I've always wanted to visit Buckingham Palace, but that will have to wait!

We landed on Saturday morning just after 6:00 AM, and hit the ground running. A few hours later, we visited a Ladbrokes betting shop. We have seen dozens of these betting shops since we arrived, an they are clearly one of the reasons why greyhound racing still exists in the UK. In these shops, gamblers are able to bet on dog races from throughout the country. Horse racing is also offered, along with slot machine gambling. The individual manning the betting shop we visited was gracious and even offered us tea or coffee, which we politely declined.

A trialing race at Henlow Dog Race Stadium

Later that night we visited our first track, Henlow Dog Racing Stadium. I was surprised at how narrow the race course was, compared to dog tracks in the United States. There were about two hundred people attending the races, and the crowd included young people and women. The track also had a hand-written sign about greyhound adoption posted in an area where people purchased food.

Overall, the track was much smaller than the large-scale commercial operations we have documented in America. Only six dogs compete in each race. Christine spoke to a greyhound trainer who had dogs that were being given trails to determine whether they can enter official races. After one of his dogs failed to post the necessary time Christine asked him what would happen to the dog, who is not yet two years old. He told her that he would simply have to get rid of her.

Dr. Caroline Allen

Yesterday we participated in a series of meetings with animal welfare experts, including veterinarian Dr. Caroline Allen, the national spokesperson on animal issues for the Green Party. Dr. Allen has been an outspoken voice for the greyhounds in the debate over Walthamstow Stadium.

Today we are meeting with several grassroots organizations including GreytExploitations, a group that has extensively documented humane problems in the British greyhound racing industry.

I'll try to write as much as possible about this fact finding trip, and share what we learn. So far, I'm very encouraged. It's clear that there are many people in the UK who care about greyhounds, and want to see positive changes.

Help Push London Greyhound Campaign Over the Finish Line

A British greyhound kennel. Photo by Greytexploitations, 2011.

Last week, greyhound advocates in London won a major victory when a proposal to build affordable housing at the former Walthamstow dog track was approved.  The approval of this housing plan means the end is finally near for one of the most prominent dog tracks in the United Kingdom.

There is, however, one last chapter in this important debate.  Next week, London Mayor Boris Johnson will weigh in on the approved housing application.  The Mayor has the power to reject the plan, which would give hope to dog racing supporters that the track can be reopened.

Countless dogs suffered and died at Walthamstow.  Greyhound advocates from all over the world should be grateful that the track is closed, and may soon serve a new purpose in the community.  At the same time, we must all send Mayor Johnson a clear message that dog racing is cruel and inhumane and the track should not be reopened.

This fight is critically important to the future of dog racing in Britain, and should be a priority for greyhound advocates all over the world.  Please do three things today to help the Walthamstow campaign:

1. Please sign this petition by Greyhound Safe, urging Mayor Boris Johnson to not support a reintroduction of dog racing at Walthamstow.  More than 1,500 people have signed this petition in only a few days, but I know we can do better than that.
2. Please e-mail the mayor directly at mayor@london.gov.uk and tell him why dog racing is cruel and inhumane.
3. Finally, please watch this powerful video by Greyteploitations to learn more about why Walthamstow should remain closed.  Then, forward this video on to others.

As a global community, we can have an impact on this important debate.  Please join me in helping this effort.  The greyhounds can't speak for themselves, and are counting on us to be their voice.

Fight Over Walthamstow Dog Track in East London Enters Homestretch

In just a few weeks, the long fight over Walthamstow Stadium in London could finally be over.

The track closed in August 2008 due to declining attendance. At the time, the track's owners acknowledged that dog racing had become "unsustainable." The land under the track was then purchased by an association named London and Quadrant, which plans to build affordable housing on the site.

For years, dog racing supporters have opposed this sensible plan, and tried to bully London and Quadrant into selling the track back to them at a loss. Thankfully, the association has stood its ground and the housing proposal has continued to advance.

Now, after months of public debate the Waltham Forest Council Planning Committee has announced that they will rule on the Walthamstow housing proposal on May 8. If London and Quadrant's proposal is approved, it will finally end the sad history of greyhound racing at Walthamstow. Meanwhile, if the proposal is rejected it is possible dog racing could eventually return to the site.

Last year, the advocacy group Greytexploitations released a powerful video about the humane consequences of reopening Walthamstow Stadium. Please watch this video today, then visit Greyhound Safe to find out how you can help.

Together, we can make sure May 8 is a good day for the greyhounds in London.

Five Things I'm Thankful For

As we head into the holiday season, we should all take a moment to reflect on the things you are thankful for. Here are a few of mine.

• I'm grateful that my rescued greyhound Zoe is happy and healthy. We had a scare this Fall when she was misdiagnosed with bone cancer. Thankfully, she only had a minor neck issue that has now been resolved. Facing the prospect of losing Zoe reminded me that every day with her is a blessing.

• I'm thankful for the global outpouring of support we have received in recent days for the Rescue Brooklyn campaign. This includes coverage of the effort by award-winning pet reporter Julia Szabo, and fundraising support by the Simple Dog Company.

• I'm grateful for lawmakers across the country who are fighting for stronger greyhound protection laws, including Florida State Representative Dana Young.

• I'm thankful that advocates all over the world are giving greyhounds a voice, including Animals Australia, ANIMA, Greytexploitations and the Greyhound Protection League of New Zealand.

• Finally, I'm grateful to have such a wonderful staff at GREY2K USA. I am surrounded by humane advocates who are dedicated, savvy and hard working. Because of them, I believe our best days lay ahead of us.
  

A Global View for Greyhounds

When GREY2K USA was formed a decade ago its founders, including myself, had just suffered a heartbreaking defeat in our home state of Massachusetts. Despite our best efforts, a November 2000 ballot question to end greyhound racing had been defeated by the narrowest of margins, 51% to 49%.

Despite this setback, we were committed to moving forward and fighting for greyhounds. We also believed in the need for a global view, and wanted to help greyhounds in other states and countries. It would have been easy to only care about the greyhounds in our community, but we knew that was a shortsighted view.

To start with, the dogs in our community were not more worthy of our efforts than greyhounds elsewhere. Further, having a global view was particularly important because the greyhound racing industry is not a local industry. In the United States, for example, racing dogs will often be born in one part of the country, shipped to several states to race, and then end up being adopted out or discarded in yet another part of the country. Also, the greyhound racing industry is increasingly becoming a global entity. Because this cruel industry is multinational, a multinational solution is called for.

That is why I am so proud to support the efforts of groups like Greytexploitations. Based in Britain, this all-volunteer organization is leading the way for greyhounds in the United Kingdom and has already won many important victories.

This morning, Greytexploitations launched a new campaign to prevent the return of dog racing at Walthamstow Stadium, and needs your help. The Stow, as it was more commonly known, was an iconic racetrack in East London that closed in August 2008. When greyhound racing ended at the Stow, it's owners cited falling attendance and said that dog racing "simply became unsustainable." The land was then purchased by an association named London and Quadrant, which specializes in quality, affordable housing. L&Q has submitted plans to develop the site, and those plans are being considered now.

Unfortunately, greyhound breeders have not given up on the Stow, and are pushing for greyhound racing to return. They have tried to force L&Q to sell the property to a dog track owner named Bob Morton, at a price that is far below market value. Their reckless campaign has been helped by a few local politicians, including Member of Parliament Stella Creasy. These politicians are resorting to the worst kind of political opportunism, putting the interests of a handful of greyhound breeders ahead of the interests of the community as a whole.

Most importantly, if this dangerous campaign succeeds, greyhounds will pay a heavy price. This morning, Greytexploitations released powerful video footage taken at Walthamstow before the track closed. Please watch this footage, and forward it to everyone you know.

Then, take action. To help this important campaign, please do the following:

1. If you are on Facebook, join and "like" the new Facebook support group for the Say No to the Stow Campaign.
   
   
2. Submit a comment to the Waltham Forest Planning Explorer in favor of L&Q's plan to build affordable housing at the site of Walthamstow Stadium.
   
   
3. Send e-mails to the local officials who represent Walthamstow, asking them to oppose the reintroduction of greyhound racing. To find the e-mails of these local officials, visit Greytexploitation's website.
   

Together, we can make sure that no greyhound ever suffers at Walthamstow Stadium again. That would be a victory for greyhounds everywhere.

Macau Greyhounds Running For Their Lives

At the same time that greyhound racing is slowly ending in the United States and Britain, it is trying to expand in other parts of the world. Sadly, this expansion is already resulting in the suffering and death of thousands of dogs.

One terrible example is the Canidrome in Macau. As the only operational greyhound racetrack in Asia, it exists by importing dogs from Australia. The dogs race for a short period of time, and are killed when they are no longer profitable. According to a former director of Macau's Civil and Municipal Affairs Bureau, the track does not allow greyhounds to be put up for adoption because it doesn't want "complaints about the dogs causing problems or damage." Reporting by the South China Morning Post indicates that 383 greyhounds were euthanized in Macau in 2010, and 45 dogs died at the track in a single month earlier this year.

This is not a new problem, and the greyhound racing industry has been aware of severe humane issues at the Canidrome since at least 2008, when rampant euthanasia was reported by Time Magazine. Despite this reporting, Australian greyhound breeders and regulators have turned a blind eye to Macau, and allowed this cycle of death to continue.

Thankfully, there is now a real effort underway to help Macau's greyhounds. Last month, Chinese animal welfare groups wrote to the Prime Minister of Australia calling for a ban on the exportation of greyhounds to the Canidrome. Following this announcement animal protection groups from across the globe, including GREY2K USA and Greytexploitations, added our voices to the debate. We recently launched an online petition that has already accumulated more than 5,000 signatures, and our campaign was reported yesterday by the South China Morning Post. More media attention is now being focused on the Canidrome than ever before, and this weekend an Australian television station also aired a groundbreaking report on greyhounds dying at the track.



Perhaps the best argument in favor of ending greyhound racing at the Canidrome was made today in a guest column authored by GREY2K USA board member Caryn Wood, and published in the Macau Daily Times. In part, Caryn writes:

"There is no way out for the Canidrome greyhounds, as they cannot be adopted and cannot leave Macau. Out of touch with 21st century mores, Macau lacks licensed veterinarians and lacks current animal welfare laws, instead relying on statutes dating back to the 19th century. The result is that the unfortunate pawns in this scenario, the Canidrome greyhounds face a bleak prospect and are routinely killed."

I agree wholeheartedly with Caryn's sentiments, and am hopeful that we will soon see greyhound racing end at this cruel racetrack.