THIRTY-TWO ADOPTION GREYHOUNDS RUN LOOSE IN THE STREETS OF PHOENIX THURSDAY EVENING

Dec 09, 2005 - Greyhound Advocates Cite Underlying Disregard for Greyhound Welfare

Phoenix – Thirty-two ex-racing greyhounds were put in extreme jeopardy late Thursday when they escaped through a broken board in the fenced enclosure that surrounds their kennel turn-out pen on the Phoenix Greyhound Park property. The flow of traffic on route 153 was severely disrupted as private citizens desperately tried to catch the dogs and prevent them from getting hit by oncoming vehicles. Miraculously only one dog was hit by a car and the other greyhounds were eventually rounded up and returned to the kennel. The injured greyhound was taken to a vet hospital where it is recovering from a dislocated shoulder.

“The escape could have resulted in a huge catastrophe and significant loss of life,” said Greyhound Protection League President, Susan Netboy. “It’s just amazing that it wasn’t worse.”

The incident has brought into focus an issue that has long been a concern to greyhound advocates: the living conditions that are provided for the track’s adoption greyhounds.

Netboy alleges that Phoenix Greyhound Park treats its adoption greyhounds like second-class citizens. “They are relegated to space in a dilapidated, rundown kennel that’s not fit for any living creature. This incident is directly related to a lack of concern for the welfare of ex-racers who are no longer a profitable commodity,” said Netboy.

The League is advocating that Phoenix Greyhound Park spend some of the vast profit it makes off of racing greyhounds and provide up to date, safe living conditions for their ex-racers while they are awaiting adoption.

“The adoption greyhounds provide the track with more positive publicity than they could ever buy. These dogs deserve much more than what they’re getting,” said Netboy.

The Greyhound Protection League is a national non-profit greyhound advocacy organization. For more information visit: www.greyhounds.org.

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