From: toolan@scivax.stsci.edu
Subject: Re: Stopping greyhound track
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 14:13:45 GMT

In article crs@beta.lanl.gov (Charlie Sorsby) writes:

> I was going to keep out of the fray but...

	CHARLIE, COME ON.  THERE WERE NUMEROUS POSTINGS, MINE AMONG THEM, IN
RESPONSE TO *YOUR* POST REQUESTING TO KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH GREYHOUND
RACING.  YOU DIDN'T TRY TO KEEP OUT OF IT, YOU BROADENED A THREAD STARTED BY
SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO TRY TO KEEP A NEW TRACK FROM OPENING.
 
> Before I begin, I point out that, while I have used this post as a
> vehicle to comment on, my comments are not directed particularly to
> its author.  I haven't time to respond to all; this one happened to
> be around when I decided to post.
> 
> In article <1992Nov10.144844.1@scivax.stsci.edu> toolan@scivax.stsci.edu 
>	writes:
> = 
> = 	For anyone who wants to know of the horrors that can befall racing
> = Greyhounds in the hands of unscrupulous/uncaring people, get ahold of the
> 
> Why single out greyhounds?  That can be said of anything including
> people.

	NO ONE CAN DENY MAN'S INHUMANITY TO MAN.  BUT YOU ASKED ABOUT 
GREYHOUND RACING.  AND I'M ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT NO OTHER BREED RESCUE
GROUP IS STRUGGLING TO FIND HOMES FOR IN EXCESS OF 50,000 DOGS A YEAR.

> = August 1992 issue of Readers Digest and read the article entitled "The Shame
> = of an American Sport" (or something close to that).  It speaks of dogs that
> = are nearly starved to death; of sick dogs not receiving treatment without
>       ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^
> 
> This makes absolutely no sense.  Only an absolute idiot would
> starve a dog and expect it to be able to run faster than another
> dog fed adequately.  Ditto for a sick dog.  I can think of two
> possibilities:  First Readers Digest needs something to compete
> with the "I had a martian's baby" rags at the supermarket checkout
> or, more likely, people accustomed to the appearance of overweight
> dogs don't know what a dog in working condition *should* look like.
> It's the same problem with trying to show a field dog--if the dog
> in in proper field condition, it is "too skinny" to show in many
> cases.

	YOU DON'T THINK A HUNGRY DOG WOULD WORK HARDER TO CATCH ITS SUPPER?
THAT'S WHAT MANY RACE TRAINERS BELIEVE.  THERE MUST BE A LOT OF IDIOTS INVOLVED
WITH GREYHOUND RACING, THEN.  I SUSPECT YOU'LL FIND MOST OF THEM AROUND THE
LOWER CALIBRE TRACKS.  THE CLASS A TRACKS ARE WHERE THE CREAM OF THE CROP 
GATHER.  AND I RATHER RESENT THE IMPLICATION THAT A GREYHOUND IN "WORKING 
CONDITION" SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO HAVE EVERY RIB AND VERTEBRA JUST ABOUT POKING 
THROUGH ITS SKIN.
 
> Frankly, I have little confidence in anything that I read in, or
> hear on, the mass media, including Readers Digest.  First, the
> people who write those articles (or shows) rarely know anything
> about the subject so they try to interpret something about which
> they haven't a clue in terms of their own experience with unrelated
> things.  Being human, it isn't easy to interpret something you
> don't understand--some honestly try, some don't.  Second, a
> question:  Which will sell more magazines (or produce better
> ratings), a story about these horrible abuses or one that calmly
> describes what goes on with a typical X (where X can be any subset
> of the known or unknown universe)?  Sensationalism sells...

	TRUE, SENSATIONALISM SELLS.  BUT MANY OF THESE ARTICLES ARE WRITTEN
IN RESPONSE TO AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE CARING BREEDERS/OWNERS/TRAINERS/RESCUE
GROUPS IN ORDER TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS.  GEE, I SUPPOSE THAT WHEN BETTY
ROSEN (HEAD OF MD GPA) UNEXPECTEDLY FOUND HERSELF IN FRONT OF CNN CAMERAS A 
COUPLE WEEKS AGO, SHE SHOULD HAVE SAID *NOTHING*?
 
> Note that I'm not saying that there are no abuses.  There are
> abuses in every field humans touch.  What I am saying is to take
> some of the mass-media hype with a grain of salt.  How often have
> you read stuff in the media that happened to relate to your field
> of expertise only to say "What incredible hogwash!"  If they can't
> get it right in *your* field of expertise, what makes you think
> that they can in others?
> 
	BELIEVE ME, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE FACT THAT THE MEDIA CAN BE INCREDIBLY
WRONG.  BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T BELIEVE ANYTHING THEY SAY.  I HAVE
NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MEDIA.  I HAVE A GREYHOUND WHO WAS SEVERELY ABUSED.  A 
CO-WORKER ADOPTED A GREYHOUND WHO WAS SEVERLY ABUSED.  OTHERS WHO HAVE POSTED 
HAVE GREYHOUNDS WHO WERE ABUSED--AND I DOUBT THEY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE 
MEDIA EITHER.  ONE LOCAL PET SUPPLY STORE OWNER RESCUED HER GREYHOUND FROM A 
MEDICAL LAB.  HE HAS A STUMP FOR A TAIL AND ONE LEG IS SHORTER THAN THE OTHERS.
REFUSAL TO BELIEVE THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM IS PART OF THE REASON THAT MORE 
THAN 50,000 GREYHOUNDS A YEAR ARE TRASHED.  THE LUCKY ONES GET TO THE VET TO 
BE EUTHANIZED.  THE REST... KILLED BY BLEACH INJECTION; BLUDGEONED TO DEATH; 
SOLD TO RESEARCH LABS; THROWN IN PITS AND BURIED ALIVE; SHOT, NOT NECESSARILY 
ACCURATELY ENOUGH TO KILL; BODIES LEFT IN HEAPS IN ISOLATED AREAS.  WHEN 
SLAUGHTER ON THIS SCALE HAPPENS TO HUMANS, WE CALL IT GENOCIDE.  APPARENTLY, 
UNLESS CHARLIE SEES IT HAPPENING, IT CAN'T BE BELIEVED.  CHARLIE, I DON'T THINK 
YOU CAN SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES.

> [...]
> = 	This is not to say that there are not reputable, caring 
> = breeders/trainers of Greyhounds--only that SOMETHING must be done to police
> = the scumbags who see only $$$$$$$$ and feel that the dog that doesn't win is
> = worthless trash.
> 
> I repeat:  There is no shortage of disreputable, unscrupulous,
> scumbags in *any* field.
>
	WITH THIS, I AGREE.  BUT DON'T SAY, "IF THE MEDIA SAYS IT, IT'S NOT
TRUE."  MANY TIMES THE RESCUE GROUPS ARE USING THE MEDIA TO REACH AND EDUCATE
THE PUBLIC.  WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO GO FROM DOOR TO DOOR WITH OUR DOGS
AND EXPECT PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO US THERE.  THE FEW WE SAVE ARE A DROP IN THE 
BUCKET.  IT WOULD BE BETTER TO ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM, RATHER THAN IGNORING IT.
BUT RACING MEANS BIG MONEY, AND THE RACING LOBBY IS POWERFUL. 

	I SUPPOSE YOU SCORN THE RESCUE GROUP FOR USING THE MEDIA TO TRY TO 
REACH MORE PEOPLE.  WELL, SORRY CHARLIE, BUT I FOR ONE WANT TO STOP THE 
MASSACRE.  MAYBE IF IT WAS RETRIEVERS INSTEAD OF GREYHOUNDS YOU WOULDN'T BE SO 
SKEPTICAL.
  
> -- 
> Best,
> 
> Charlie "Older than dirt" Sorsby				"I'm the NRA!"
> 	  crs@lanl.gov


		*	*	*	*	*
				*
	Sharon Toolan		*	My opinions are my own;
	toolan@stsci.edu	*	no one else would want them!
				*
		*	*	*	*	*

	      Make a fast friend--adopt a Greyhound!

"Mom" to Amber (8 yr old rescued racing Greyhound) and
	 Topaz (3 yr old rescued racing Greyhound),
         who are vibrant, beautiful, and are not overweight!