This past Saturday, June 25th, we saw the last dog race to ever occur at Tuscon Greyhound Park in Pheonix Arizona. After years of dwindling numbers of spectators plus the pressure received by Greyhound Rescue and lobbying groups, Governor Doug Ducy signed a bill earlier this year to outlaw the brutal “sport” of dog races in the Grand Canyon state.
Arizona was one of the first states to hold greyhound races in the nation in 1944. It is now one of 40 states who made greyhound racing illegal in the United States.
Arizona was one of the first states to legalize greyhound racing. It has taken 10 years by activists for this to be a thing of the past. Finally, greyhounds will no longer suffer at the hands of their owners, handlers, or trainers in Arizona.
Unfortunately, some of the dogs will be shipped off to other Greyhound parks to be used for racing. Rescue groups go to these race tracks to save quite a few of them. When the dogs no longer make money, they are killed in an inhumane and quick manner. I know of groups who save these dogs from this life of hell.
These dogs endure abusive conditions when not racing. They are kept in small cages almost 23 hours a day. The cages are stacked on top of each other. You will find them wearing muzzles even when not racing. They live a life of isolation.
If a dog becomes injured, there isn’t much care given to them. More likely, they will face death.
Greyhound racing dogs aren’t treated like pets. Instead, they are treated like a commodity with no social interaction, no blankets or toys to call their own. They aren’t loved.
They are used for their fast racing abilities. That’s it.
Greyhounds are beautiful dogs who are sensitive, intelligent and fun-loving. They aren’t given the chance to be a dog while living as a race dog making money for people. This is changing in Arizona and greyhound advocates are helping them find homes.
“Since the beginning of April, Southern Arizona Greyhound Adoption has been coordinating the efforts to move the dogs from the track into new homes.
Mary Freeman is with the organization and says in the past two months 175 dogs have been placed with adoption groups. Another 44 will head to Oregon this weekend to find their forever homes.”
“Some of the dogs have injuries, Freeman says, like broken hocks and toes, and surgeries can be expensive. In the month of May the non-profit spent more than $8,000 for medical expenses.
The group tries to put the dogs in foster homes before adoption, Freeman says. Many of them have only lived in kennels and have to adjust to their new surroundings.”
If you want to adopt or help the dogs, contact Southern Arizona Greyhound Adoption.
Tina Evangelista-Eppenstein is a television talk show host, speaker, writer and animal advocate. She hosts the show, ” A Close-Up Look at Animal Welfare Issues.” Have a story, please email Tina at tevangelistaepp@yahoo. Like my tv page at https://www.facebook.com/ACloseUpLookAtAnimalWelfareIssues and check out AnimalWelfareIssues.com for all the tv shows you may have missed!
The people who race greyhounds will kill a greyhound puppy if it isn’t the right color. Like puppy mills, they don’t care about the welfare of the animals. They care about the money they can make and the cheapest way to get there. Greyhounds are fed dirty and old meat. Their water is usually not clean. It’s difficult to ascertain how they keep such a sweet disposition after their “career” is over when they get adopted. All they want is to be loved. God Bless all these babies. I wish every single last greyhound used at the park would’ve been given to rescues. I wish I could have one but I live too far away.
Hoorah!!!!!!!
I love greyhounds. They are so gentle.
I wish I could afford to adopt one but they are way too expensive from the rescue groups. It’s the only way to get one. Rescue groups are very stringent with the adoptees. I understand why but I wish they would let up a tiny bit.
The greyhound rescues are also stringent to whom they adopt. You need a fence. They make you feel like you’re adopting a human baby. I know they want to make sure the dogs go to good homes but the whole process is a bit over the top. If you’re not good enough for them, you can’t adopt. Only rescues get the greyhounds. You’ll never see one at a shelter.
It’s about time. The rest of the states need to line up and do the same and we’ll soon see the end of greyhound racing in the United States! `This is certainly good news!
I hope all of them find homes. ?
End this madness of dog racing! It’s stupid and cruel. I hate people and what they do to innocent animals.
I hate people for what they do to animals! 🙁
yeah, baby! 10 more states to go until it’s done in the U.S.!!! Can’t wait!!
Woo hoo!
I will forward this article to him. Quite certain he will have a great read.
Thank you for sharing!
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