Racing Industry Promotional Claims* |
Reality |
|---|---|
| Greyhound racing is a humane, fun and harmless sport. | The business of greyhound racing is responsible for the death of thousands of greyhounds every year. |
| Racing greyhounds are prized athletes that receive the best of care. We treat our greyhounds better than most people treat their pets. | Greyhound adoption organizations routinely receive racing dogs riddled with external and internal parasites, open sores and untreated broken bones. Race dogs are caged up to 22 hours a day. The standard industry feed is 4-D meat from diseased livestock. |
| Cases of abuse and killing of racing greyhounds are rare isolated incidents. | Over the last two decades, hundreds of cases of abuse have been documented including greyhounds that were shot, starved, electrocuted and sold for research. Industry insiders report that this is only the tip of the iceberg. |
| Critics of the dog racing industry are wacko animal rights extremists who are opposed to the use of animals for any purpose. | This statement is merely a public relations ploy designed to marginalize industry critics. The killing and abuse of greyhounds is a mainstream issue that has been taken to heart by the American public. Opposition to industry practices has been publicly stated in newspaper editorials, by government officials and mainstream animal welfare organizations. |
| Humane Societies euthanize thousands of unwanted dogs. | Humane Societies do not breed dogs; make money off of them; kill them. Then repeat the cycle. |
| We would not have to euthanize greyhounds if more people would adopt them. | It is not the responsibility of private charities like adoption organizations or the American public to white wash the image of the dog racing industry. |
| Racing greyhounds would not run if they were not well cared for. | Running is instinctual for greyhounds. In fact, it is not uncommon for a greyhound to finish a race in spite of having suffered a serious injury. |
| Greyhound racing is a highly regulated sport with high standards of animal care. | In most states, dog racing regulations are essentially concerned with gambling rules; breeding and training farm operations are virtually unregulated. |
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* Claims were made in support of greyhound racing by various industry representatives in a variety of public forums.
greyhounds.org 1-800-446-8637 |
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