But the thought of him resuming kennel life (awaiting his
forever home) haunted me then, and it haunts me now. I’ve glimpsed a fraction of what racing dogs endure — enough to ensure sleepless nights. Still, I refuse to retire my fight to save greyhounds, or find a caring home for Charly and others like him. For thousands of years, Greyhounds were revered amongst
ancient Egyptians as honored family members. With time, they made their way into the noble homes of Medieval England, saving the breed from extinction but also transforming them with American colonization into a lucrative sporting com- modity. For more than a century, Greyhounds have endured varying degrees of abuse and neglect as disposable products in a risky business venture. Too often they are considered an investment and nothing more. Animal advocacy groups have made great strides to protect dogs, but Greyhound life improved only marginally. Growing concern has led to progress, but the injury and euthanasia rate of racing dogs remains high. It is estimated that at least ten thousand Greyhounds are put down every year. With China now in the race (where adoption is not a consideration) and Australia exporting dogs to support them, the casualty rate can be expected to climb. Obviously, more needs to be done. Until public ignorance, ineffective regulation, and industry over- breeding are corrected, these majestic animals will continue to stand in ruins at the bottom of the underdog world. Adoption is currently the Greyhound’s only hope. It is also
a great way to own a pedigreed, purebred for about $200, and worth every penny. Greyhounds are remarkable dogs and lov- ing pets that deserve better than they’ve received. I remain hopeful that someday soon, with continued effort and increased awareness, Charly and other Greyhounds will no longer suffer the consequences of a decadent underdog world, but resume their former glory as the pride of a civilized society. On a cool, January morning in 2013, the sun shone
brighter and warmer for a beautiful, retired racer when a fam- ily believed he was a dog worth saving. Charly was finally adopted. The playful pup has settled into life in central Florida, where he now romps and snuggles with his Greyhound housemate. I am delighted for Charly, and wish our former foster pup a long and happy life in his new home. U
April Is Adopt A Greyhound Month The need to place surplus racing Greyhounds has never been greater. The Greyhound Project is spreading the message to ensure that 100 percent of the retired racers find caring homes. For more information, visit
Adopt-A-Greyhound.org. As we were headed to press with this issue of The New Barker, the Florida Legislature was scheduled to vote on passing Greyhound Decoupling and Injury Reporting at Greyhound racetracks. There are only seven states where Greyhound racing still exists. 12 of the 21 operational Greyhound racetracks are in Florida. This state’s dog racing mandate forces racetracks to offer live racing as a loss leader for more viable forms of betting such as the card rooms. Decoupling is not about whether dog racing should be legal, but whether the state should force a business to conduct one activity so that it may offer another. For more information, visit
Grey2KUSA.org A Central Florida organization, Sebastian Haul Fund, helps Greyhound rescue groups with the financial challenge of transporting Greyhounds to help them find permanent homes. Visit
SebastianHaulFund.org for more information.
www.TheNewBarker.com
Shopping Bliss for Pets and Their People.
s h
T upelo on 4th, 135 4th Ave. N.,
A PORTION OF PR OFITS WILL ALW AYS GO TO ANIMAL RESCUE.
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Spring ~ 2014 THE NEW BARKER 35
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