The fallout from the Greyhound Live Baiting scandal continues to create suffering and grief in Australia.
As predicted in my last post, Australian greyhound adoption agencies are being overwhelmed with record numbers of hounds as people seek to exit the industry ahead of investigations and inspections, putting their dogs up for adoption.
This is creating the perfect storm for adoption agencies who are now faced with the costs of neutering, vaccination, chipping, feeding and homing record numbers of hounds on a shoe-string budget.
Greyhound Rescue Australia (http://greyhoundrescue.com.au/) are already besieged and say that
"Greyhound lovers, we beg for your help. Due to the recent airing of Four
Corners we are under the most pressure we have ever been under, to take
surrendered greyhounds. Our inbox has been flooded and phones have not
stopped ringing."
Sadly the wave of negative publicity is also likely to slow adoptions, putting agencies such as Greyhound Rescue under even greater financial pressure.
The really sad thing is that the Live baiting issue isn't so much about the dogs, but is about the evils of people who put making a fast buck over the welfare of animals.
Most greyhounds are gentle creatures that definitely don't deserve the negative attention they're getting in the Australian media.
If Greyhound rescue agencies do go under it will be even worse for the dogs whose retirement could come to sudden and permanent end.
There is good news however
This is avoidable. If like me you care deeply about the plight of these magnificent hounds, please visit greyhound rescue and make a small donation - every single bit helps!
Thursday 19 February 2015
Tuesday 17 February 2015
Saddened and Shocked: Live Baiting
New Zealand’s Greyhound racing body have released a statement distancing themselves from the live baiting scandal that's sweeping through Australia.
After complaints from industry insiders and animal activists, 16+ prominent Greyhound trainers were caught by hidden cameras attaching piglets, guinea pigs, rabbits and other small animals to the mechanical lure for greyhounds to chase.
The practice is called “blooding”. It screened to a shocked Australian public on ABCs Four Corners current affairs show on Monday.
6 NSW greyhound trainers as well as 10 in Victoria plus several in Queensland have all been stood down after investigations by the RSPCA.
In Australia the practice is punishable under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 and can result in a jail term of up to two years plus fines of up to Au$30,000.
Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) announced that a task-force will investigate live baiting within the NSW greyhound industry. Similar efforts are likely in other Australian states.
The unfortunate reality is that no amount of investigations will fix the damage done to public perceptions of Greyhounds.
Even though 16+ trainers may end up in jail and are now banned from the industry, public perceptions of Greyhounds as violent canines are likely to linger. Greyhound adoptions in Australia are also likely to suffer as a direct result.
Dealing with the large numbers of Greyhounds owned by the banned trainers (many of whom own upwards of 70 dogs) could also create a double-whammy.
Now they're banned from racing, they'll struggle to afford to keep their dogs.
Many will have little choice but to put a large number of Greyhounds up for adoption. Doing so when public perceptions of these gentle and loyal animals is at an all time low will probably see many euthanised.
Footage from the Four Corners expose makes for pretty harrowing viewing (viewer discretion is advised). As a greyhound owner and an animal lover, I found it deeply upsetting. That a small number of people could put money ahead of animals to create this dire situation in which so many hounds will lose their lives is despicable. Years of work done by so many to change public perceptions of Greyhounds has now been undone.
Posts are already surfacing in Greyhound forums with Australian Greyhound owners posting that they're getting accosted by people on the street who are asking how they can own such "violent" dogs (check out http://www.reddit.com/r/Greyhounds/comments/2w82db/australias_live_baiting/) as an example.
The reality is of course the complete opposite. Most Greyhounds I’ve ever met have been more interested in hogging the sofa than being aggressive towards anyone. Some may chase cats and other animals but after 4+ years of chasing a lure around a race track its easy to see why this happens. If you’ve read any of my previous blog entries you’ll also know that while my two hounds may not be saints, they’re no danger to anyone.
So what can we take out of this horrible situation? If anything it’s this:
Blame the people not the dogs. Greyhounds make excellent pets. they're gentle, intelligent, loyal and lazy. Please don’t let the despicable acts for a few idiots change your views of these beautiful animals.
After complaints from industry insiders and animal activists, 16+ prominent Greyhound trainers were caught by hidden cameras attaching piglets, guinea pigs, rabbits and other small animals to the mechanical lure for greyhounds to chase.
The practice is called “blooding”. It screened to a shocked Australian public on ABCs Four Corners current affairs show on Monday.
6 NSW greyhound trainers as well as 10 in Victoria plus several in Queensland have all been stood down after investigations by the RSPCA.
In Australia the practice is punishable under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 and can result in a jail term of up to two years plus fines of up to Au$30,000.
Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) announced that a task-force will investigate live baiting within the NSW greyhound industry. Similar efforts are likely in other Australian states.
The unfortunate reality is that no amount of investigations will fix the damage done to public perceptions of Greyhounds.
Even though 16+ trainers may end up in jail and are now banned from the industry, public perceptions of Greyhounds as violent canines are likely to linger. Greyhound adoptions in Australia are also likely to suffer as a direct result.
Dealing with the large numbers of Greyhounds owned by the banned trainers (many of whom own upwards of 70 dogs) could also create a double-whammy.
Now they're banned from racing, they'll struggle to afford to keep their dogs.
Many will have little choice but to put a large number of Greyhounds up for adoption. Doing so when public perceptions of these gentle and loyal animals is at an all time low will probably see many euthanised.
Footage from the Four Corners expose makes for pretty harrowing viewing (viewer discretion is advised). As a greyhound owner and an animal lover, I found it deeply upsetting. That a small number of people could put money ahead of animals to create this dire situation in which so many hounds will lose their lives is despicable. Years of work done by so many to change public perceptions of Greyhounds has now been undone.
Posts are already surfacing in Greyhound forums with Australian Greyhound owners posting that they're getting accosted by people on the street who are asking how they can own such "violent" dogs (check out http://www.reddit.com/r/Greyhounds/comments/2w82db/australias_live_baiting/) as an example.
The reality is of course the complete opposite. Most Greyhounds I’ve ever met have been more interested in hogging the sofa than being aggressive towards anyone. Some may chase cats and other animals but after 4+ years of chasing a lure around a race track its easy to see why this happens. If you’ve read any of my previous blog entries you’ll also know that while my two hounds may not be saints, they’re no danger to anyone.
So what can we take out of this horrible situation? If anything it’s this:
Blame the people not the dogs. Greyhounds make excellent pets. they're gentle, intelligent, loyal and lazy. Please don’t let the despicable acts for a few idiots change your views of these beautiful animals.
Wednesday 11 February 2015
Here's how NOT to lose your dog
Morning walks with our two Greyhounds are a much loved daily ritual. Bomber (aka tinklebert woofledink) goes totally nuts at the mere mention of the word "Walk". Lottie (aka the insinkerator) races to the front door.
This mornings walk started out like any other. A casual stroll around the block saw Bomber watering lamposts and wondering why they don't grow, while Lottie maintained a vigil for the ginger tabby-cat she's so become besotted with.
We were almost home when I spotted a Hunterway/Rottweiler puppy tearing into a rubbish bag. Aside from being cute, this pup was clearly an escape artist and was not accompanied by a human. The street it was on was particularly busy, morning traffic was building. This poor pup could run out onto the road and hit by a car at any moment.
Heart in mouth I handed my wife Bombers lead and she crossed the road (so the pup wasn't startled by our two hounds). I walked up to the pup gently calling to it in a high pitched friendly voice so it wasn't startled and knew I was there. Luckily it was used to people and didn't panic. I patted its fur, checking it out. There was no collar, tags or anything else to connect it with human owners. It wasn't injured or starving and its tail wasn't between its legs. These were all good signs.
I had no way of getting directly in touch with its owner so I pulled out my phone and went to call animal control so the dog could be picked up and hopefully re-united with its owners. Finishing the call, the unthinkable happened. The pup bolted across the road. Luckily there was no traffic. I watched as the pup scooted up a path to one of the houses across the road.
By now I was running seriously late for work, but turning my back on this pup wasn't an option. I crossed the road and wandered up to the house whose path the pup had wandered up. I knocked on the door. They'd never heard of the dog, but said that they had new neighbors who might own a dog. Several door knocks later I finally caught up with the owner.
It turns out that the sneaky escape artist was already inside curled up on the sofa and owner hadn't even noticed the pup had got out.
So what can we take out of what could have been a tragic tale involving a lost pup or a road fatality? Here's 4 simple steps that can be the difference between losing a dog and making sure it doesn't escape.
1 - Dog Proof your Property
This might sound a littler obvious, but an ounce of prevention goes a hell of a long way. The pups home had no front gate - or fences. It turns out that the owners kids had left the back gate open and the pup had wandered off.
If you get a dog, make sure your property is dog proof. Use several gates and make sure your property is surrounded by a dog-proof fence. Never underestimate the ingenuity and finkiness of a determined mutt. Even if our hounds manage to sneak into our front section, it's still gated and fully dog-proofed.
2 - Make sure your dog is identifiable
This is such a simple thing but is so often overlooked. The escapee pup had no collar, no tag and no means of contacting its owner. This meant I had to involve animal control. If an an animal control officer had of captured the pup it might've been reunited with owners assuming its owners had got it chipped (Chipping your dog is a must-do). Trouble is the pups owners would then be liable for a whopping fine from the council.
The really annoying thing is that this was all so avoidable. Just by making sure your dog has a collar and a tag that with its name plus your contact details. This means that whoever finds your dog can call you rather than the council, saving you a tonne of fines and council related grief.
3 - Neighbors are your dogs best friends
None of the neighbors whose doors I knocked on even knew who owned this dog, even though it only lived next door. Neighbors may be home when you're out. They may see your dog on the lose and could let you know and save people like me a heap of shoe leather wear, door knocking and unneeded stress. Introduce your dog to your neighbours. Its dead easy to do and may make a big difference one day should your pooch escape.
4 - Keep an eye on your dog
The pups owner wasn't even aware it'd escaped until I knocked on their front door. Situational awareness (that is knowing where your dog is and its regular habits) can be the difference between a lost dog and a foiled escape attempt.
So there you have it. If you're thinking of owning a dog please think about these 4 simple steps. They may save you and your dog a tonne of grief.
UPDATE: While out walking yesterday the pup was once again on the street. Sigh
This mornings walk started out like any other. A casual stroll around the block saw Bomber watering lamposts and wondering why they don't grow, while Lottie maintained a vigil for the ginger tabby-cat she's so become besotted with.
We were almost home when I spotted a Hunterway/Rottweiler puppy tearing into a rubbish bag. Aside from being cute, this pup was clearly an escape artist and was not accompanied by a human. The street it was on was particularly busy, morning traffic was building. This poor pup could run out onto the road and hit by a car at any moment.
Heart in mouth I handed my wife Bombers lead and she crossed the road (so the pup wasn't startled by our two hounds). I walked up to the pup gently calling to it in a high pitched friendly voice so it wasn't startled and knew I was there. Luckily it was used to people and didn't panic. I patted its fur, checking it out. There was no collar, tags or anything else to connect it with human owners. It wasn't injured or starving and its tail wasn't between its legs. These were all good signs.
I had no way of getting directly in touch with its owner so I pulled out my phone and went to call animal control so the dog could be picked up and hopefully re-united with its owners. Finishing the call, the unthinkable happened. The pup bolted across the road. Luckily there was no traffic. I watched as the pup scooted up a path to one of the houses across the road.
By now I was running seriously late for work, but turning my back on this pup wasn't an option. I crossed the road and wandered up to the house whose path the pup had wandered up. I knocked on the door. They'd never heard of the dog, but said that they had new neighbors who might own a dog. Several door knocks later I finally caught up with the owner.
It turns out that the sneaky escape artist was already inside curled up on the sofa and owner hadn't even noticed the pup had got out.
So what can we take out of what could have been a tragic tale involving a lost pup or a road fatality? Here's 4 simple steps that can be the difference between losing a dog and making sure it doesn't escape.
1 - Dog Proof your Property
This might sound a littler obvious, but an ounce of prevention goes a hell of a long way. The pups home had no front gate - or fences. It turns out that the owners kids had left the back gate open and the pup had wandered off.
If you get a dog, make sure your property is dog proof. Use several gates and make sure your property is surrounded by a dog-proof fence. Never underestimate the ingenuity and finkiness of a determined mutt. Even if our hounds manage to sneak into our front section, it's still gated and fully dog-proofed.
2 - Make sure your dog is identifiable
This is such a simple thing but is so often overlooked. The escapee pup had no collar, no tag and no means of contacting its owner. This meant I had to involve animal control. If an an animal control officer had of captured the pup it might've been reunited with owners assuming its owners had got it chipped (Chipping your dog is a must-do). Trouble is the pups owners would then be liable for a whopping fine from the council.
The really annoying thing is that this was all so avoidable. Just by making sure your dog has a collar and a tag that with its name plus your contact details. This means that whoever finds your dog can call you rather than the council, saving you a tonne of fines and council related grief.
3 - Neighbors are your dogs best friends
None of the neighbors whose doors I knocked on even knew who owned this dog, even though it only lived next door. Neighbors may be home when you're out. They may see your dog on the lose and could let you know and save people like me a heap of shoe leather wear, door knocking and unneeded stress. Introduce your dog to your neighbours. Its dead easy to do and may make a big difference one day should your pooch escape.
4 - Keep an eye on your dog
The pups owner wasn't even aware it'd escaped until I knocked on their front door. Situational awareness (that is knowing where your dog is and its regular habits) can be the difference between a lost dog and a foiled escape attempt.
So there you have it. If you're thinking of owning a dog please think about these 4 simple steps. They may save you and your dog a tonne of grief.
UPDATE: While out walking yesterday the pup was once again on the street. Sigh
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