In Macau, an Historic Moment for the Greyhounds

First International Roundtable on Greyhounds, photo by Heather Neil

After meeting with greyhound advocates in New Zealand and Australia, GREY2K USA Worldwide President Christine Dorchak and I ended our marathon campaign trip in Macau. All over the world dog racing is the subject of controversy, and the center of this debate is the Canidrome greyhound track, where every racing dog is eventually killed.

Christine and I inspected the track, a sad facility that reeks of death. Greyhounds with visible bandages and severed tails race before an empty grandstand. Seeing the worst dog track in the world strengthened my resolve to end this animal cruelty.

The Canidrome sits on government land, and has a lease that expires at the end of this year. Nearly 300,000 citizens from across the globe have already signed a petition to Macau Chief Executive Chui Sai On, asking him to let the track close. While in Macau, we were given a high level meeting with the Macau government, and left encouraged that a victory for the dogs is possible.

Our trip to Macau also made history. For the first time, top level animal protection leaders from all over the world joined together, in person, to address the cruelty of greyhound racing. We were incredibly honored to be joined at this meeting by Lyn White from Animals Australia, Paul Littlefair from the British RSPCA, Heather Neil from RSPCA Australia, Nancy Lai from the Taiwan SPCA, Teresa Lee and Chris Cui from the SPCA Hong Kong, Karina O'Carrol and Irene Feng from Animals Asia, Qin Xiaona from the Capital Animal Welfare Association, Kirsten Mitchell from Kirsten's Zoo and others. This all-star panel of animal protection advocates planned a strategy to close the Canidrome, and discussed other greyhound welfare issues.

This historic event was hosted by non-profit group Anima Macau and its dynamic President, Albano Martins. Albano is a true champion for all dogs, and it's a good sign that he is leading the fight to help the Canidrome greyhounds.

Christine and I are now back in the GREY2K USA Worldwide office, catching up on domestic campaigns in Florida, West Virginia and other states. Although the United States will always be our top priority, I see how intertwined the many fights now underway to help greyhounds truly are. This is a global problem, and deserves a global solution.

Report Reveals Stark Conditions at Macau Dog Track

In late June, a trade group for the Australian racing industry, Greyhounds Australasia, released a review of greyhound exports. This report includes new details about the Canidrome dog track in Macau, where hundreds of greyhounds die every year. According to the review:

"Construction of the kennels is almost entirely concrete and metal. Each individual kennel is numbered and has a raised bed with some bedding ... the entire facility can house up to 900 greyhounds."

"The kennels are 50 years old and appear dark and uninviting but were clean and cool."

"There were no runs' or outdoor yards for exercise ... many of the greyhounds chose to lie on the concrete floor of their kennels."

The report also indicates that as many as half of all greyhounds that race at the Canidrome are killed annually:

"Macau management confirmed that close to 50 per cent of their racing stock were euthanized each year due to serious injury."

The greyhounds that aren't killed instead live the rest of their life in dismal conditions. This is partly because greyhounds are imported to Macau under a working dog license, and not allowed to be pets. This means that Brooklyn the greyhound may still be alive, and being kept in a concrete kennel with hundreds of other dogs. According to the review:

"At the end of a greyhound's career, its owner decides on what will happen to the greyhound. Some continue to pay their kennel fees and the dogs are simply housed at the Canidrome until old age - GA delegates met a number of these elderly residents during our visit."

Regarding injuries, the review indicates that "many" of the Canidrome greyhounds were previously hurt in Australia before being sent to Macau. It also states that there are serious problems with the Canidrome track surface, including issues that cannot be resolved:

"The track has two parallel straights with quite tight turns at either end ... there is no possibility of the track shape being able to be modified due to the other land uses both inside and outside the track."

What does the future hold for the Canidrome?

"The track surface appears to be too dry and too hard most of the time and the manual methods of preparing the racing surface is likely to lead to inconsistent race surfaces ... it is not possible for the track shape to be altered."

Incredibly, after documenting all of this cruelty, Greyhounds Australasia was still predisposed to defend the Canidrome. According to the review, group representatives found it "extremely difficult to be overly critical of the greyhound racing operations in Macau." Further, although the group has suspended greyhound passports to the track, their decision has not prevented Australian greyhounds from being shipped there.

It's now clear that the greyhound racing industry will take no serious action to address the problems in Macau. The government has no choice but to close the track, and we are asking it to do so when the Canidrome's lease expires at the end of 2015.

Florida Greyhound Breeders Tell Lawmakers a Tall Tale

Seamus lives with a loving family in New York

In January, the Florida Greyhound Association distributed a press release which claimed that gambling on dog races is actually increasing. The missive was based on data from a single month, and titled:

"Florida's Greyhound Racing Venues See Revenue, Attendance Rise"

According to the release, dog tracks in Florida are "experiencing steady growth" and are "on an upward trend." There is only one problem with these statements: they are completely false.

According to data from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, betting at Florida dog tracks for the first eight months of the Fiscal Year is actually down by $670,731. Further, several tracks are experiencing declines that are nothing short of catastrophic. Pari-mutuel gambling at Pensacola Greyhound Track, for example, is down by 35%. Similarly, wagering at Ebro Greyhound Park is down by 11%.

In its press release, the Florida Greyhound Association also singled out tracks that it claimed are doing particularly well. The lobbying group claimed that betting is up at Derby Lane and Tampa, because "both tracks have full time racing advocates in marketing and public relations." Once again, this is proven wrong by the facts. According to state data, greyhound gambling at Derby Lane and Tampa is down by 8.9% and 7.6%, respectively. It's also important to note that there is no live racing at Tampa, which essentially operates as an off track betting parlor.

Were these simple mistakes by the Florida Greyhound Association, or an attempt to intentionally mislead lawmakers? Nearly a month before it went out, greyhound breeders were warned that the data they based their press release on was "inflated a bit." This apparently did not deter them from making these false statements, just weeks before the start of the legislative session.

Finally, the decline of dog racing is not limited to Florida. According to data that was released today by the Macau government, gambling at the Canidrome dog track is down by a staggering 23% for the first quarter of 2014. Meanwhile, new data from a racetrack regulator in Alabama indicates that betting on dog races at Birmingham Race Course fell by 8.7% in 2013.

All over the world, greyhound racing is dying. This is good news, and brings us closer to the day when greyhound racing will inevitably end.

Progress in Our Fight to End Dog Racing in Macau

Greyhounds at the Canidrome, 2011.

Last week, we learned that our campaign to end greyhound racing at the Macau Canidrome has taken a major step forward. In a filing with the New South Wales government, Australian dog racing officials indicated that greyhound passports to Macau are now banned.  According to Greyhound Racing New South Wales:

"GRNSW does not support the export of greyhounds to any country that do not meet contemporary animal welfare standards ... and supports the decision of Greyhounds Australasia to suspend the issuing of 'greyhound passports' to Macau in March 2013. That suspension still exists."

Since this ban has been in effect, the number of greyhounds exported to Macau has significantly dropped. More importantly, this development should send a powerful message to the Macau government that the track is not viable.

Unfortunately, greyhounds are still being shipped to Macau by individuals who are flouting the industry imposed ban on exports. This proves that the Australian dog racing industry is incapable of regulating itself, and further change is needed.

The Canidrome is now completely isolated. Animal protection groups from across the world have called on the government to close the track, because of  policies that are cruel and inhumane. Now the Canidrome has been rejected by the dog racing industry itself, a sure sign that the end is near for this death track.

The Canidrome sits on property that is owned by Macau, and its land lease expires at the end of 2015. The lease should be allowed to end, finally closing a sad chapter in Macau's history.

Animal Advocates in Asia Speak Up for Greyhounds

A racing greyhound in Vietnam, March 2012

Asia is a key area in the global fight to end greyhound racing. In Macau advocates have joined Anima Macau in an effort to close the Canidrome, a dead-end track where Australian dogs go to die. Meanwhile, greyhound racing is expanding in Vietnam and Cambodia, and humane groups are cracking down on illegal greyhound racing in India. Other Asian countries, including Pakistan, have non-commercial forms of greyhound racing.

That is why we were so pleased last month for the opportunity to provide information for the Asia for Animals (AFA) Coalition's 2014 Conference. AFA is a coalition of 14 well known and respected animal protection organizations including Animals Asia, the RSPCA and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

We put together a short presentation for the conference, outlining the challenges greyhounds face throughout Asia. In response, the AFA coalition officially endorsed two policy positions created by its Animals in Entertainment working group:

The AFA animals in entertainment coalition "support(s) the ANIMA campaign to close the Macau Canidrome"

The AFA animals in entertainment coalition "support(s) the GREY2K USA international campaign to prevent further development of the greyhound racing industry in Asia"

We are grateful to have this support, and look forward to working with our new partners to make life better for Asian greyhounds.

All over the world, leaders of the humane movement are speaking up for greyhounds. This is fantastic news, and yet another sign that the cruelty of commercial dog racing will eventually end everywhere.

Good Greyhound News From Both Sides of the World

Pilot lives with her adopted family in California

All across the world, the fight to end greyhound racing is moving forward.

According to new data that has been released by the Arizona Department of Racing, gambling at Tucson Greyhound Park amounted to just $12.6 million in the last Fiscal Year. That represents a catastrophic drop of 21.7% in just a single year, and is the lowest level of business for the track since at least 2001.

Tucson is a dead end track with a long history of humane problems. Based on this new data, I am more optimistic than ever before that it could soon close. It also provides some perspective on the recent attempt by Arizona Department of Racing Director Bill Walsh to thwart the will of the voters, and overturn a prohibition on anabolic steroids in the dog race industry. Rather than regulate this dying activity, Walsh has apparently decided to perpetuate industry standard practices that are cruel and inhumane.

Meanwhile, more good news for greyhounds was announced seven thousand miles away at the Macau Canidrome. According to new government statistics, the number of dogs imported to the track from Australia is down by 56% compared to a year ago. Because the Canidrome has no adoption program, this drop in imports likely means that the number of greyhounds killed has also been greatly reduced.

While greyhound breeders continue their campaign of innuendo and personal attack, the racing industry is collapsing around them. This progress should encourage everyone in the humane community, and motivate us to work even harder for the dogs.

Dog Race Revenue at Macau Track Drops by a Staggering 31%

In Macau, the Canidrome racetrack is losing the debate over greyhound racing.

According to new statistics from the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordinator Bureau (DICJ), in 2012 dog race revenues at the Canidrome declined by a staggering 31%. This revenue drop shows that public opinion is turning against the track, and it is starting to pay a heavy price for its stubbornness.

Over the past year, GREY2K USA has fought for changes in Macau, working with Animals Asia, Animals Australia and ANIMA. The Canidrome has no adoption program, and every greyhound that competes at the facility is eventually killed. More recently, we have reached out to the global animal welfare community to ask for its help, and the response has been overwhelming. Today, there is a global chorus of voices speaking up for the Macau greyhounds.

So far, the Canidrome's owners have tried to simply ignore this wave of criticism. They have pretended as if nothing has happened, and are continuing to kill dogs. This callousness goes against our global humane values, and as a result the track is now in great danger of a total loss. The Canidrome's land lease expires in 2015, and it is quickly running out of second chances.

The Canidrome's owners must now make a choice: they can stop killing greyhounds or be prepared to face future losses and eventually see the track close. Either way, change is on the way for the greyhounds in Macau.

Macau Government: Brooklyn is Still Alive

According to the Macau government, Brooklyn the greyhound is still alive.

Brooklyn is a four-year-old red, white and fawn greyhound who was born in Australia. He has spent the last several years at the Canidrome dog track in Macau, a deeply troubled facility where all greyhounds eventually die.

GREY2K USA Board member Charmaine Settle took Brooklyn's photograph when she inspected the Canidrome in October 2011. Since then his story has been reported by newspapers across the world, and he has become the face of a global campaign to help all of the Macau greyhounds.

More than eight months have passed since Brooklyn last raced, and with each passing day we have become increasingly concerned. On May 5, 2012 he apparently fell during a race, was injured and finished sixth. According to a translation of the tracks' website, his "hind leg" was "cut wounded on web." Six days later, an update was posted which stated that his injury had been "cured."

Last month we sent a letter to the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, and asked them to determine Brooklyn's fate. In part, we wrote:

"Seven months have now passed since Brooklyn was reportedly 'cured' of his injury, yet he has never raced again.  Sadly, we fear he may no longer be alive."

Today, we received an official response from the Macau government which claims that Brooklyn is in fact still alive. According to the government:

"Please be notified that Brooklyn, which is now under the ownership of Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome Co. Ltd., is still in recess after his injury had been cured."

The government's response also addressed the effort to create an adoption program at the track, a program that has still not been implemented:

"During the past few months, we found that the IACM has already been discussing and co-operating with Macau Canidrome and Macau's Society for the Protection of Animals (ANIMA). Also, they are now still in the process studying and arranging the adoption program for the dogs retired."

Finally, the government said that they will continue to monitor the situation and Brooklyn in particular:

"As being compliance with our competences and obligations, and respecting the willingness of the owner of Brooklyn, we should continue to pay close attention on the development of this issue."

We are relieved to hear that Brooklyn is apparently still alive. At the same time, there is much more work that needs to be done to help the Canidrome dogs. Please visit RescueBrooklyn.org today, and lend your voice to this important fight. I know that together, we can bring about change at this terrible track.

Animal Protection Groups From All Over the World Calling for Change at Macau Dog Track

More than a year has passed since we reached out to the Canidrome dog track in Macau, and asked them to make positive improvements for the greyhounds. Although there have been hopeful signs that change may soon occur, the track has so far used a delay strategy in hopes the greyhound debate would just go away. That is not going to happen.

Two weeks ago, we joined Animals Australia, Animals Asia, and ANIMA and together sent a letter to every major animal protection organization in the world. We urged these humane groups to join together as one unified voice, and intensify the pressure on the Canidrome. In part, we told these organizations:

"Although we feel optimistic that a humane solution may be found for the dogs at the Canidrome in time, this will only come about through sustained international pressure on the governments of Macau and Australia ... We are confident that if the global animal welfare community stands together and speaks up for the greyhounds in Macau, this is one cruelty that can end."

The response to this call to action has been overwhelming. So far, more than two dozen major humane groups have agreed to help, including Humane Society International, the International Fund for Animal Welfare Australia, SPCA Auckland, GreytExploitations, the League Against Cruel Sports, the National Greyhound Adoption Program, Greyhound Rescue Holland and World Animal Net. These compassionate organizations are directly contacting the governments of Macau and Australia, and asking them to close the Canidrome and end the export of greyhounds from Australia to Macau. Many of these groups are also asking their supporters to weigh in.

This incredible wave of support for the greyhounds in Macau is humbling. It also gives me great hope that we are on the verge of a major breakthrough. However, to win this effort we will need the help of everyone who cares about greyhounds. Please assist this effort today by doing two things:

• Send a polite e-mail to Macau Chief Executive Dr. Chui Sai On at gce@raem.gov.mo, and ask that the Canidrome be permanently closed.

• Send a polite e-mail to Australia's Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig at joe.ludwig@maff.gov.au, and ask him to immediately halt the export of greyhounds to Macau.

Finally, I sent a letter today to the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau and asked them to determine whether Brooklyn the greyhound is still alive. According to the Canidrome, Brooklyn was injured in his last race, and has not competed in seven months. I hope he is still alive, but fear that he may not be. Once we hear from the government, we will share any news we receive on his current status.

It has been a long road in our fight to help the greyhounds in Macau. But together, I know we can see it through to the end and make life better for these dogs.

An Urgent Request From 11-Year-Old Max Greenberg: Please Help the Greyhounds in Macau

Max Greenberg with a homemade drawing of a Macau greyhound

Over the last year, humane leaders from around the world have called for changes at the Canidrome dog track in Macau.  Thousands of people have written to the government asking them to create an adoption program to help the greyhounds, including Brooklyn.  Additionally, animal protection groups like Animals Australia and Animals Asia have urged that the export of greyhounds from Australia to Macau be stopped.

These efforts have led to an encouraging dialog between the Macau government, Canidrome management and local animal protection group ANIMA.  However, despite these talks no real changes have yet occurred.

Last weekend, this international effort received a boost from a new source: 11-year-old Max Greenberg.  Max learned about the sad fate of greyhounds at the Canidrome and decided to make a difference.  In an open letter he wrote:

Dear Dog Lovers,

I am a dog lover just like you. I love dogs because all they want to be is your friend.

I was very sad when I found out that Greyhounds are being killed in Macau because they are raced at the Canidrome and after they are done racing, the government cannot do anything else with them. A Greyound is “done” if it does not win enough times in the races ...

Anyway, I have a project for school to try to change the world in some way and that’s why I thought of telling people about the Greyounds because I don’t think that Greyhounds are only good for racing. I have read that Greyhounds are very fast but they are also called “couch potatoes.” They are very gentle, rarely bark or shed. They also like to be with their owners and follow them around ...

But the Greyhounds in Macau don’t even have a chance to show what good dogs they are because there is a law that prevents them from being adopted in Macau! And Hong Kong owners have to pay a lot in quarantine fees just to own one!

There have been a lot of people like Grey2K, Global Animal and Animals Asia who have been asking the Macau government to stop since 2003. I heard that the government people said they would shut down the Canidrome in two or three years, but they have made promises before and that’s not soon enough!

Max then asked readers to send an e-mail to the Australian Prime Minister and like the Stop Greyhound Racing in Macau Facebook page.  Finally, he asked readers to join him last Saturday in Hong Kong for a sit-in with his dog Pepe.

We have not yet received an update on Max's event, but I'm hopeful that it was well attended. Above all, his leadership should be applauded.  Max may only be eleven years old, but his compassionate voice is being echoed by people all around the globe.

Historic Agreement Reached to Help Dogs Racing in Macau, but Track Breaks Promise

Four months ago, we wrote to the Canidrome racetrack in Macau and asked them to release Brooklyn the greyhound. Brooklyn is a four-year-old white, red, and fawn greyhound who is currently racing at the Canidrome. Like other greyhounds at the track, Brooklyn was likely born in Australia.

Every year, hundreds of greyhounds are killed at the Canidrome when they are no longer profitable. The track has no adoption program, and we knew that if we were unable to help Brooklyn, he would eventually be killed.

Because of this impending peril, we hoped to receive a quick response from the track's management. But days passed, and no response came. Soon, days became weeks and weeks turned into months. To this day, we have received no formal reply.

A few weeks ago, however, things began to change for the greyhounds in Macau. At the request of the Macau government, the racetrack entered into formal negotiations with government officials and ANIMA, a local animal protection organization headed by director Albano Martins. After hours of talks over several days, a groundbreaking agreement was tentatively reached.

Under this historic agreement, Brooklyn would be transferred to ANIMA and eventually adopted. This would be a sign of good faith on behalf of the Canidrome, which also agreed to create an adoption program for all the the greyhounds racing at the track.

It is important to keep in mind that this agreement would not address all of the problems at the Canidrome. Unfortunately, a large number of greyhounds are injured at the track. Also, it is unclear how many of the Macau greyhounds can be adopted. There are significant logistical challenges in finding homes for all of these dogs, which will likely need to be shipped to other countries.

Nonetheless, this agreement was an important first step for the greyhounds. All of the parties should be proud of this accomplishment, which would not have been possible without the leadership of ANIMA and the Macau government.

Sadly, over the past few days this historic agreement has begun to falter. The first greyhound was scheduled to be transferred to ANIMA yesterday, and the deadline passed without the track meeting its obligation. Track managers are now claiming that they must obtain independent approval from the legal owners of dogs in order to move forward. This is simply nonsense, and is refuted by the fact that the largest owner of greyhounds at the Canidrome is the track itself.

Despite this apparent setback, I am hopeful that we are on the verge of a major breakthrough in our effort to help the Macau greyhounds. We are encouraged by these recent developments, and will continue working with Animals Australia, Animals Asia and others until this situation is fully resolved.

In his most recent race, Brooklyn finished first. It would be wonderful if his next race was straight to a couch, and the home of a loving family.

While Greyhound Racing Dies in Most Countries, New Tracks May Open in Vietnam

Last month, a businessman named Nguyen Ngoc My announced that he intends to build greyhound racetracks throughout the country, starting with a track in Ha Tinh Province. This expansion occurs at the same time that dog racing is dying in most parts of the world, and raises significant concerns about the welfare of greyhounds that compete in Vietnam.

My opened the first Vietnamese dog track, Lam Son Stadium, in 2000 after being granted a 25 year license. He has also been granted a 30 year license for greyhound racing in neighboring Cambodia, and is working to introduce dog racing there. According to a published report in the Viet Nam News, the track originally imported greyhounds from Australia but now operates as an independent breeding facility:

"Since 2000, My has imported 200 greyhound dogs from Australia, which have given birth to 400 dogs. Around 350 of the total of 600 dogs take part in races. His centre is the only one of its kind if Asia."

Yesterday, GREY2K USA Board Member Charmaine Settle returned from Vietnam, where she investigated the dog racing industry. She took the photographs in this post, and we will soon release a detailed report on her visit. Charmaine did indicate that there appears to be no greyhound adoption effort there.

In addition, in the last few days a local advocate named Lisa Warden has posted two videos on YouTube that she says are of the Vietnamese dog racing industry. According to Lisa, the first video documents the racetrack kennel at Lam Son Stadium, while the second video documents the way in which greyhounds are transported in Vietnam.

As dog racing ends in the United States and elsewhere, greyhound breeders have falsely claimed that this positive trend could somehow lead to an expansion of dog racing elsewhere. This is patently false. The sad reality is that if there are places in the world where greyhound racing can be profitable, then people will try to take advantage of these beautiful dogs for their own benefit. That will happen irregardless of what is happening in the United States or the United Kingdom.

As a humane community, we should be concerned about greyhounds suffering wherever it occurs, whether it is in Tucson, Arizona or Vung Tau Vietnam. To truly help greyhounds, we must join together as a global community and support each other, until dog racing ends everywhere.

Hundreds of Greyhounds Injured at the Canidrome Racetrack in Macau

Over the last few months, GREY2K USA has been working with a coalition of animal protection groups from all over the world in an effort to help the greyhounds currently racing at the Canidrome track in Macau.

For the most part, our campaign has focused on the fact that the Canidrome has no adoption program, and all the dogs who race at the track are eventually killed. To address this problem, we have asked track management to let us rescue a single dog, named Brooklyn. If we are able to send Brooklyn home to Australia, his adoption can be a test case and help us determine if all the Canidrome greyhounds can be saved.

It turns out, however, that the death of young greyhounds is only one of the humane problems in Macau. Sadly, hundreds of greyhounds also suffer serious injuries at the facility.

Our research team, led by GREY2K USA Research Director Amelia Cook, closely examined the track's own records between October and December 2011. The results of our analysis were shocking:

• During a ten week period, 302 greyhounds were reportedly injured. This amounts to nearly half of all greyhounds racing at the track.

• The most commonly reported injuries were cuts, tears and infections. Other reported injuries included sprains, broken legs, and an amputation.

• Fifty-four greyhounds were "recommended retired," likely meaning that they were euthanized.
  

• Fifty-two greyhounds suffered multiple injuries.

The records also tell sad stories of individual greyhounds who suffered at the Canidrome. For example, a two-year-old black greyhound named Grove Enforcer suffered shoulder muscle myositis and wrist sprains on November 14, 2011. Only four weeks later, she suffered a broken leg and was recommended to “retire permanently."

Our analysis also provides new information about the general population of greyhounds now racing in Macau. For the first time, we know that 93% of the greyhounds are less than five years old, most of the dogs are female, and most of the greyhounds have black as their primary coat color.

This new data is being widely reported, and covered by news organizations like the South China Morning Post and the Macau Daily Times. We are grateful for these reports, and are hopeful that this new information will lead to positive changes at the Canidrome.

However, time is running short. If the track continues with these destructive policies, the Macau government should intervene. There have already been discussions about removing the track's slot machines, and that might be a good way to get the attention of track management. If the Canidrome managers are not going to be good corporate citizens, they should pay a heavy price for their failure.

Happy Birthday to Brooklyn the Greyhound

Today, Brooklyn the greyhound turns three years old.

Sadly, he will not celebrate his special day with a loving family. Instead, he is living inside a cage at the Canidrome racetrack in Macau. Because the track has no adoption program, he is literally on death row.

Twenty five days have now passed since we sent our letter to the Canidrome asking for his release. Even though we have not yet heard from track management, every day brings new victories for all the Macau greyhounds.

Earlier this week Animals Australia joined the effort, and is asking their supporters to contact the Minister for Agriculture to urge him to stop Australia's export of greyhounds. Animals Australia is a national, non-profit charitable organization with an impressive record of investigating and exposing animal cruelty. Their work adds yet another voice to a chorus of humane organizations from around the world who are speaking out for the Canidrome greyhounds and calling for change.

Animals Australia's timing could not be better. Shortly after their alert went out, the urgency of this problem was underlined by a tragic case in India, where a greyhound was abandoned do die in a New Delhi airport. According to the Times of India the dog was shipped to India from Australia, where he was refused entry by the Animal Quarantine and Certification Services and abandoned by his importer. The greyhound was then left in a wire cage at the airport for forty days before being rescued by wildlife activist Maneka Gandhi. This case clearly highlights the perils of exporting greyhounds around the world.

Meanwhile, a newspaper in Sydney has reported on Greyhound Rescue's willingness to find Brooklyn a loving home once he returns home to Australia. According to Greyhound Rescue co-founder Peter Flann, their effort is also aimed at educating Australians about their part in the death of Macau greyhounds:

"This is one of the Australian dog racing industry's dirty little secrets, and needs to be revealed."

Never before has there been so much global momentum to help the Macau greyhounds. On Brooklyn's birthday, the entire world is watching and waiting to see how the Canidrome will respond.

Perhaps this unprecedented awareness is Brooklyn's birthday gift, sent to him by people all over the world who are fighting on his behalf. I like that thought, but of course would prefer a much nicer gift. For his next birthday, I would like to give him a loving family and home of his own.

Is Brooklyn the Greyhound Running Out of Time?

Two weeks have now passed since GREY2K USA sent a letter directly to the Canidrome in Macau regarding Brooklyn the greyhound. So far, we have received no response. Meanwhile, the Rescue Brooklyn campaign is still gaining steam.

In recent days, Rescue Brooklyn has picked up the support of Animals Asia, an Asian-focused registered charity with headquarters in Hong Kong and offices all over the world. Earlier this month Animals Asia sent a letter to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Their letter was cosigned by eleven notable animal protection organizations, and asked the Prime Minister to end the export of greyhounds to Macau:

"We urge you to consider the welfare implications of allowing this trade to continue, leading to many hundreds of dogs breed in Australia being subjected to inadequate care, poor welfare, suffering, neglect and death each year. On behalf of all of our members globally, we appeal to the Australian Government to end the export of greyhounds to Macau and protect the welfare of dogs bred in Australia."

The Rescue Brooklyn campaign also took another step forward last week when ANIMA, an animal protection organization based in Macau, agreed to take care of Brooklyn during the required quarantine period. Without question, an overly burdensome quarantine law is one reason why greyhounds are dying at the Canidrome.

In order to be released to Australia, Brooklyn must pass through a 90-day quarantine in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, an import application and fee must be submitted to the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service. Its rules require that any dog entering the country travel with bona fide health certificates completed by official government veterinarians. Dogs must also have proof of rabies vaccination and be microchipped. They must then undergo another 30-day quarantine in Australia itself.

I am grateful for ANIMA's willingness to help Brooklyn with the quarantine requirement, and their partnership means we are closer to helping him.

Brooklyn last raced yesterday, November 29. He finished 6th, and has not yet been scheduled to race again. If you haven't already, please e-mail the Canidrome right away at inquire@macau-canidrome.com and ask them to allow us to Rescue Brooklyn. If you e-mailed them previously, please do so again. I remain hopeful this story will have a happy ending, but Brooklyn's time may well be running out.

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.
  

Australian Group Steps Up to Help Rescue Brooklyn the Greyhound

Even though the effort to Rescue Brooklyn is only hours old, it has already won an initial victory. This morning, the Macau Daily Times reported that an Australian non-profit organization named Greyhound Rescue has agreed to rehome Brooklyn.

We are proud to work with Greyhound Rescue and its founders Janet and Peter Flann. Janet and Peter have been rescuing dogs for more than twenty years, and their partnership bodes well for the Rescue Brooklyn effort.

Now that a group is ready to take Brooklyn, our job is to get him safely to Greyhound Rescue. There, he can be given the forever home he deserves.

If you haven't already, please visit RescueBrooklyn.org and find out how you can help with this important campaign. Together, we can make a change for all of the Macau greyhounds.

Help Us Rescue Brooklyn the Greyhound

A few weeks ago, GREY2K USA board member Charmaine Settle inspected the Canidrome racetrack in Macau. Without question, the situation is bleak for greyhounds at the track.

According to news reports, 383 healthy greyhounds were killed at the Canidrome last year. The dogs are imported from Australia, sent to Macau by greyhound breeders who want to increase their profit margins. Once the dogs arrive, they have no way out. When they are no longer competitive, or are injured, they die. This is a dirty little secret of the Australian dog racing industry, and must end.

That is why I am asking for your help as we try to rescue Brooklyn. Brooklyn is a two-year-old, white, red and fawn greyhound. He lives at the Canidrome, and won his last race on Sunday. Charmaine took a photograph of Brooklyn during her inspection, and he is very handsome. I am hoping he will eventually make some family very happy.

For that to happen, however, we will have to overcome significant logistical challenges. Because Brooklyn comes from Australia, the simplest way to help him is to send him back to a rescue group in his home country. However, even though greyhounds are frequently exported from Australia to Macau, they are rarely sent back. We will have to deal with a quarantine law and other legal challenges, provide transportation from him, and identify an adoption group in Australia that is willing to help him. In short, rescuing Brooklyn will not be easy.

Most importantly, we will not be able to rescue Brooklyn unless the Canidrome management cooperates with us, and allows us to send him home after his racing career is over. Today, we sent a letter to the track, asking for their cooperation. We told them, in no uncertain terms, that refusing to work with greyhound advocates would send a very troubling message to the rest of the world.

Of course, this effort is about much more than Brooklyn. It is also an opportunity for us to explore the challenges that exist in trying to help all of the Macau greyhounds.

To support this campaign, we have launched a new website at RescueBrooklyn.org and will provide further updates as they become available. Please visit RescueBrooklyn.org today, and find out how you can help this important effort.

We have made the first move in the campaign to rescue Brooklyn, and must now wait for the Canidrome to respond. The answer we receive will tell us a lot about the future of all the greyhounds in Macau.

Greyhounds Continue to Die at the Canidrome Racetrack in Macau

This morning, the Macau Daily Times reported again on the cruel fate greyhounds face at the Canidrome dog track. This track has no adoption program, and hundreds of greyhounds are killed every year.

The Daily Times has doggedly covered this problem, and is giving the Canidrome greyhounds a voice for the first time. Their report today ran as the lead story on the front page, and is based in part on an interview with GREY2K USA Board Member Charmaine Settle.

I am proud to have the opportunity to work with Charmaine, who has a long history of helping greyhounds. Last month, she traveled to the Canidrome to see for herself how dogs live at the facility. Here is part of what she had to say:

"I was at the Canidrome around 3pm in the afternoon when the dogs are let out of their kennels. I felt so sad looking at the dogs eyes as they passed by me knowing every one of them will probably be killed within a matter of months for no reason. It certainly is a one way death sentence when they are sent from Australia to Macau where they are exploited, suffer and die for the sake of a bet."

Charmaine also took several photographs at the Canidrome, including a close-up of a greyhound we believe is named Brooklyn. According to the track's website Brooklyn last raced two nights ago, although I fear he could be killed at any time.

We are committed to helping these dogs. Last year we launched a petition urging the President of the Civil and Municipal Bureau in Macau to make positive changes, and already more than 8,000 people from across the world have added their names as signatories. If you haven't signed this petition yet, please do so today.

We are also preparing a new campaign to raise awareness about the greyhounds at the Canidrome, and will be announcing further details soon. Dogs like Brooklyn can't afford to wait any longer.

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.