Brian Monteith in the Edinburgh Evening News

Mike N · Old Hand

Brian Monteith in the Edinburgh Evening News

Rowen · Master

Laws about the treatment and up-keep of these graceful dogs should be put in place to protect them from the money hungry trainers and owners who have no care about the dog unless it is a sure winner. There would be no outcry about the dog racing if it weren't for the abuse these dogs get if things dont work out for the owner/trainers, these dogs, if bred for racing, should cost as much as the horses do, that way the b******s will think twice about throwing away £150,000 animal. Lets face it, you dont come across abused and abandoned race horses in the middle of the motorway, horses with there ears cut off and dumped at the back of the track.................. i'm sure the bloke was just trying to annoy those of us that care about these dogs but lets get real, this is no longer a laughing matter
Rant over

-- Edited by Rowen at 13:29, 2008-02-04

Ambers Mo

Denise

Can you ask Rowen if he would like to be kept in a kennel and taken out to race for his life!

Or is he enjoying his time with you and the kids lounging about and going for a leisurely stroll, so long as it's not raining, of course!

I think I know which option he would prefer.

Unfortunately these fabulous dogs don't get a say in their fate.

silverhippo · Master

Firstly I think that yes the person writing the article should have got his facts right. The line that annoys me is "Indeed, such is the exercise they need, few people would want to keep them and greyhounds could become a threatened breed." So where did he get the idea that they need loads of exercise. This is just the type of ignorance that we at GAL have been trying to clear up and here is someone putting in the paper that they need loads of exercise. On the other hand he does us a service that he makes going for a night at the dogs sound like something that is done by selfish beer swilling blokes. An image the racing industry keeps trying to throw off with initiatives aimed at young people (Ann Summers sponsoring race nights to get young women involved).

I think that if there was the correct legislation in place maybe things would be better but it would have to be across the whole industry. If every dog had to have a retirement trust fund before it could race to make sure that it would be cared for in the event of injury and looked after in retirement. But that does not solve the problem of all the dogs that don't make the grade and who just disappear. So we are back with would have to be policed very strictly and what about unofficial tracks. It would only be a small part of the answer.

Horse racing is actually just as bad but we dont see the wastage there as it is perfectly legit to ship your horses off to other countries as food or for the pet food industry.

weejake · Master

I am so angry I am nearly crying, I remember when Powderhall closed greyhounds were being found dumped with their ears cut off and this was reported in the local newspapers. I remember being so shocked and horrified by this as like everyone else around that time knew nothing about this "sport" and any greyhounds I saw I (please forgive me for this) I thought were weird looking. There was no internet then but I managed to ask around about it more and knew then which was early 90's maybe??? not sure, anyway I knew that one day I would have a greyhound.

Then when we came back to the Uk in 2001 we worked in London, I opened the Mirror one day and the middle pages were splattered photo's of the greys and galgos all hanging by their necks while grinning Spaniards posed for the camera, I nearly threw up. As soon as I was able to work part time I got Rufus. etc etc.

This man is clearly an idiot, for either believing this utter s@*t or thinking it's funny to provoke people who care, and no doubt labelling them as animal right "loonies". AAAAAAAAGH. MUST.....CALM....DOWN.

On a lighter note I think that sighthounds/ greys in particular are THE most graceful and beautiful dogs in the world, even when they are upside down grinning.

And relax.........

Jacks
xx

Mike N · Old Hand

silverhippo wrote:

I think that if there was the correct legislation in place maybe things would be better but it would have to be across the whole industry.

Good post. It is the scale of the problem that is daunting and the idea of having to get cross-industry legislation put in place is something I can't get enthuasisatic or hopeful about....but the idea of making one stadium that treats dogs brilliantly, educates the general public about greyhounds, encourages them to adopt greyhounds and lets them see the spectacle of them racing is something I'd like to be part of. Again, maybe I'm being hopelessly naive in even imagining it can be done.

I have no moral or ethical qualms about people betting, though I don't think I'd be too fast to put a bet on.

skydivingturtle · Master

Good grief, they let anyone be a journalist these days. Here was me thinking you had to research and reference your sources when all along you just have to waffle a load of s***. I notice he's been challenged to visit a rescue centre for greys, some how i doubt he'll swallow his pride and appologise or visit. It's opinions like these in daily 'rags' that influence the masses.
High amounts of excercise ha. No chance, Summer has been for her morning walk 8 hours ago and as she is currently in a semi vegetative state on the futon is unlikely to move until mooching time when the dinner is on, then out for another walk in about 6 hours from now.
Non researched journalism like this is why I don't buy papers anymore. Except to line the parrot cage with lol.

Vent over...... time for a cuppa

feldandjack · Guru

Is this balloon related to Peter Monteith the racehorse trainer evileye

tootsmazza · Enlightened One

I would point out Brian Menteith is not a journalist, he is a columnist in a local paper who gets to voice his ill-informed views regardless of facts. I personally do not think for a second Meadowbank will be a racing stadium, the whole point of it closing is that its far more valuable to edinburgh City Council as property. It will soon be luxury flats.
His comments concern me as much as the recent Kennel Club list of 'endangered breeds' which claimed greyhounds were endangered because they only registered 49 last year! That was reported in some of our esteemed broadsheets as fact and made my blood boil because, of course, they were talking aboutshowdogs, not racing dogs and implying they were dying out

weejake · Master

I remember that article about endangered breeds, It was pointed out to me by my friend at the RSPCA who was also spitting blood, as at that point there were over 30 greys in the shelter, bearing in mind it's a regular shelter not exclusively greys, and there isn't even a racecourse in York. She and I both wrote to the kennel club for what it was worth. Which was nowt, of course.

Also we met a "show greyhound" breed on Sunday at Celias greyhound walk, he was stunning but completely different to the others, huge, narrower i think and with a more pronounced brow and shorter snout. Very bonny. And had a racing grey as a sister. Both clearly adored by their mum.

Jacks
xx