Should Greyhound Racing Be Banned?

[RATTER15]

Considering the large amount of deaths and hounds being abandoned due to greyhound racing, is it time to ban this cruel sport?

[RATTER15]

I feel the same way about horse racing!

[bhg481]

spath // it is mostly the upper crust of society betting on these races//

Where do you get that from? I've yet to see a toff come out of a betting shop.

[youngmafbog]

Not many tracks left in the UK, I have been known to frequent Poole dog track and the dogs seem ok at the track and I have never seen any deaths. I did a brief search for deaths but couldnt find anything really concrete so not sure whethe to be concerned or not.

I do agree with the point on abandonment, although that is the case for may animals which is why we have donkey sancturies and the such like. Perhaps more could be done in this area.

[youngmafbog]

Beat me to it BHG!

[douglas9401]

If we go down that road the first problem I see coming is what to do with all the greyhounds.

If the answer is 'rehome them with good people who will look after them', that already happens, we have at least three people with multiple dogs near me.

[weecalf]

greyhound are bred to run and seem happy to do so .Its the aftercare that need to be improved. Maybe it will happen ,virtual greyhound racing is streamed in to the bookies like other sports is so maybe that day could be not in the too distant future

[bhg481]

Spath - just look back to the photos at Aintree on Grand National day.

[bhg481]

//The dogs can live how they do they just wont experience track days //

Who is going to spend a fortune on the best food to keep a greyhound if they can't race it? The same applies to racehorses - they'll just become extinct.

[Ken4155]

I've been called many things in my lifetime, but never "upper crust of society".

[RATTER15]

BHG.
"Who is going to spend a fortune on the best food to keep a greyhound if they can't race it?"
Why would you need to, they can be kept on very ordinary dog food. Also grey hounds were around many many years before they started racing them, they actually make excellent pets, so no they would not become extinct, no way!!

[kvalidir]

There needs to be a total ban on the export of ex racing greyhounds to make sure the atrocities that take place currently can't, and I would like all dogs logged so that what happens to them can be closely monitored but the sport itself will be hard to kill I think.

[bhg481]

Pets would remain; breeding dogs for racing would instantly cease. I suspect (but have no figures) more people who currently keep greyhounds keep them for racing, not as pets. I would also argue that the majority of greyhounds are racing dogs, not pets, so the number of greyhounds in existence in the UK would be dramatically reduced, perhaps not to extinction but certainly by a very large amount.

[RATTER15]

BHG, I would say there are far more greyhounds kept as pets than for racing, due to the fact they make very gentle and excellent pets.

[RATTER15]

Also a reduction of the amount of greyhounds wouldn't be a bad thing if they were just bred for pets and many breeders are breeding greyhounds for pets, as seen at Crufts recently.

[Cloverjo]

I used to own a racing greyhound. He was very well looked after and very happy to run. The trainer was a good man who kept some of the dogs himself when they retired and rehomed the others.
The sport is not known for deaths and injuries in racing, unlike horse racing. I don't think it needs to be banned. Just a careful watch on the treatment of retired dogs.