Frontline Scotland - Special Report

mclarchitects · Old Hand

RE: Frontline Scotland - Special Report

JENNY · Big Cheese

Just an example of how much money is involved here's the statistics from the Greyhound Action website for Ireland

Irish Government's Priorities

In the recently published weekend review of the Irish Times, the Irish government published their book of estimates for 2005. They were given as follows:

Combat Poverty Agency is to receive 4.1 million Euros

Education and Welfare Board - 7.8 million Euros
(...the Government's big initiative to tackle the disastrous level of absenteeism from Irish Schools)

National Education and Psychological Services - 600,000 Euros
(..which has the job of saving children from losing their chances in life because their problems go unrecognised and untreated)

GREYHOUND AND HORSE RACING INDUSTRIES - 69 MILLION EUROS!!!!!

This shows better than anything what the Irish government's priorities are!

max · Enlightened One

What a slap in the face to those other bodies, shocking. Nora

Amber · Master

That programme really made me angry, but not for the reasons you might expect!

It promoted Walthamstow and it promoted the new Victory Lane development. However, I notice that Howard Wallace was keeping very quiet about what will happen to the many hundreds of greyhounds that will race at Victory Lane when their career is over. He supposedly will build a 'retirement' kennel for them - as he said to me in person, greyhound rescues have waiting lists of PEOPLE don't you know, who are waiting to adopt a greyhound! What planet is he on?!

the programme basically said that all the problems with greyhound racing in Scotland are due to flapping tracks (and the Spanish!) and all NGRC tracks are whiter than white - though I notice it didn't go into what happens to NGRC dogs once their careers are over - not all end up on a couch, which seemed to be the implication. It also inferred that all NGRC rules are adhered to, which they are not; it did not mention the paltry fines that are dished out when rules are not adhered to.

In fact, the programme implied that greyhound racing can be self-regulated with no problems whatsover, when I would argue that is not the case.

It implied that so long as a stadium is new and large and had swanky restaurants and a nightclub in the car-park then no dog abuse goes on.

I also fail to see the relevance of devoting 50% of a programme that was supposedly discussing greyhound racing in THIS country, to what is happening in Spain. I should think that only a very few failed flapping dogs from Scotland end up in Spain, since the Spanish buy Irish dogs from the Irish greyhound auctions that take place in Ireland.

TBH I have seen greyhounds in Scotland in worse conditions than the footage shown of the ramshackle kennels in Spain - why did they not investigate properly and show that?

Overall, I would not be surprised if the whole programme wasn't set up by Howard Wallace, the developer of the new Stadium in wallyford, to promote his own venture.

Amber · Master

mclarchitects wrote:

Some dogs are being sold as Racers for a few hundred pounds. I hate to imagine what will happen to them in a few months. As I mentioned in my earlier post, there is far too much money at stake for Greyhund Racing to be banned.

A few hundred quid is a normal price for a young untrialled greyhound pup. If you think that is bad you should visit the greyhound auctions in Ireland. Young dogs that have passed their first trials are paraded around a ring and go to the highest bidder...some for as little as £50. The most expensive dogs were around the £1000 mark, but the average when I went was maybe £300-£400. Some do not sell at all and get sold in the carpark for even £15, or get killed on the way home.

Greyhounds lives are cheap and many of the dogs being bred are cheap. They have little monetary value and as you rightly say, these are the ones that end up getting the worst treatment.

Amber · Master

I have sent off this complaint to the programme makers. The address is frontline.scotland@bbc.co.uk

I write with criticisms of the Frontline Scotland programme 'Dogs' Abuse' that was aired last week.

I felt that the programme openly promoted greyhound racing at NGRC tracks, in particular Walthamstow Stadium and the forthcoming development Victory Lane Stadium in Wallyford.

The programme reported that the only problems within greyhound racing lay with the unregulated or 'flapping' tracks. It implied that the 'self regulation' of the NGRC tracks worked without any problems whatsoever. This is not the case. Whilst the Retired Greyhound Trust rehomes a small proportion of dogs that race on NGRC tracks, it by no means rehomes them all.

Many registered dogs that have raced on NGRC tracks are unaccounted for. The NGRC, contrary to what it says, does NOT have good control over what happens to retired dogs and if a trainer or owner is found to be in breach of the correct paperwork on disposing of a dog, then they are at most given a small fine, but no other action is taken. Some NGRC owners/trainers will off -load dogs by selling them to others who then race them on flapping tracks. Some NGRC trainers are (against the rules) operating on both NGRC and flapping tracks themselves!

Yet, the programme implied that as long as a stadium is NGRC registered and has expensive restaurants, then there is no welfare problem with greyhound racing.

I also fail to see the relevance of devoting 50% of a programme that was supposedly discussing greyhound racing in THIS country, to what is happening in Spain. I should think that only a very few failed flapping dogs from Scotland (if any) end up in Spain, since the Spanish buy Irish dogs from the Irish greyhound auctions that take place in Ireland.

To be brutally honest, I have seen (in person) greyhounds in Scotland kept in worse conditions than the footage shown of the ramshackle kennels in Spain - why did you not investigate properly and show that?

Overall, I would not be surprised if the whole programme wasn't set up by Howard Wallace, the developer of the new Stadium in Wallyford, to promote his own venture.

If the programme had interviewed rescues that are actually operating in this country, instead of greyhound stadium developers and rescuers in Spain, then perhaps a less one dimensional truth would have been revealed.

Suzanne · Guru

well done you!! Very articulate indeed.....I wonder if the BBC will do anything to rectify their numerous errors....cant help but be dispondant about the bookies odds on that however....

carolineasb · Old Hand

Unfortunately I missed the programme.

Surely the BBC have to be accountable to those that pay for a licence fee!

Is there not a "Broadcasting Ombudsman" (Can't remember the name of it) that receives complaints about programmes?

It's worth a try anyway

Caroline

bobalina5050 · Graduate

I'm not sure if anyone will remember much detail about this show, as it was a while back now. However, a big white dog is shown going lame at Armadale during the a race. It finishes the race despite having pulled up on the first bend and is shown limping off with it's trainer later in the show when they were being secretly filmed! The vet on the show and the trainer they were interviewing were speculating on what fate might have awaited this dog, saying that he would probably have been PTS or worse.

Good news! As you can see from the photo above, big Shane was indeed a lucky dog and was rescued by a vet when his trainer took him to be put to sleep 24 hrs later. I adopted him last June after he'd had surgery to fuse the joint in his hock after the break failed to heal on its own. After months of vet's trips, countless dayglo 'stookies' and a metal pin and bone graft, Shane is now walking on all four legs (with a bit of a hop now and again) and well on the mend! It breaks my heart thinking of him in the vets waiting room to be put down after being in pain for all that time, but he is currently lying on his duvet looking very pleased with himself indeed which is brilliant!

I did think it was a real shame that Scottish greyhound rescue groups didn't get more of a mention. Never mind, at least it might have opened people's eyes a bit and if one more greyhound found a home after someone watching it then it can only be a good thing. :)

scoobcleecook · Master

Didn't see the programme at the time unfortunately, though I read the thread with interest!

What a happy ending for Shane! I bet he's the apple of your eye!

Cheers!

Jean

tootsmazza · Enlightened One

What a wonderful end to a very sad story smile

I'm so glad to hear Shane is well, you should email Frontline his fate as a possible follow up - it might get more publicity for the charities wink

max · Enlightened One

Well I,ll be that is one very relaxed hound, who would believe that was the same dog, WOW !!!! I do remember him. Well done you for taking Shane on , he looks fantastic and so good to hear he survived. When you see things similar to what happened to Shane you are left wondering what happened next, now we know his story. Please keep in touch and more photo,s would be just great. biggrin Nora
P.S. I agree with Marie get in touch with Frontline !!!!!!!

Christine Young · GAL Newsletter Editor

That's just the best news I've heard for a long time! Shane is one of the lucky ones and I'm so pleased for him that he's found a home with you after such an uncertain fate at the vet. I too think you should contact Frontline Scotland and let them know that Shane is safe and well with you, after being saved by the kind vet from being pts. He looks fantastic now - what a great job you've done with him. Please keep us updated on he's getting on.

Christine

Isla · Enlightened One

Bless that vet and well done you. Great to see that he didn't meet the fate of so many. biggrin

greyluvver · GAL Membership Co-Ordinator

Yes, I remember the programme also. This is wonderful news. It is such a joy to know that a lovely dog such as Shane was rescued and is now enjoying life with you. He is gorgeous. aww Thanks for sharing this with us smile smile

Indiana · Guru

I don't remember the programme - but any news about a greyhound being rescued is good news. Definitely get in touch with Frontline. It's such a happy ever after story - well done for giving Shane the happy ending he deserves x

bobalina5050 · Graduate

We did contact the show a while back about perhaps doing a follow up concentrating on the good work of the Scottish rescue agencies, but they didn't seem very interested. The chairman of the branch of the RGT our dogs rehomed by also tried but to no avail. Never mind. I did get a lovely email from Sam Polling, the journalist who went undercover at Armadale etc, saying she was glad Shane's story had a happy ending and she is sending me a copy of the show to keep. Nice to have a wee reminder of where the big man came from, even though it makes me sad when I watch it! He's a big pest now! Well, at walk time anyway! Very keen indeed, although he wasn't keen at all until the pins came out his leg and the stookies came off! Haha! Furries beware! biggrin

I've got a few more pics of him on the site, one in the introduce yourself section and a couple in the favourite photos section. My other wee greyhound was also 'past her best' allegedly, but luckily she had a great trainer who looked after her until the rescuers found her a home here. She'd been a well loved wee dog by the trainers family! She is a total nightmare in the house! A real little madam! She steals, chews, hides things, digs in the pot plants, took MONTHS to toilet train... the list is endless! Yet she looks like butter wouldn't melt! Haha! Wouldn't change her for the world though! She's the complete opposite of big Shane who's massive (38 kilos at last weigh-in) and completely laid back in the house! biggrin

Does anyone else have terrible thiefs to contend with? It wouldn't be so bad if only they couldn't reach anything! Haha! confused

-- Edited by bobalina5050 at 20:58, 2007-09-11

feldandjack · Guru

Does anyone else have terrible thiefs to contend with? It wouldn't be so bad if only they couldn't reach anything! Haha!

You are spot on, wee Bella is thief but she is way to short and fat to reach most things biggrin

I've had big tearaways before and like you I found them a nightmare at times, but wouldn't part with them. Nature makes the challenging ones extra special for a reason wink

Isla · Enlightened One

Yep - Tigger. Total nightmare! The bin is fair game as is anything edible on the worksurfaces. biggrin

tandemsandy · Master

Well we've been lulled into a false sense of security I think. Red never raided or tried to eat rubbish on the pavement. Lenny well there's another story he managed to open a door, pick a tin of paint of the dog proof food bin (carry the paint tin up the stairs to my bed), and broke into the dog proof food bin GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. Have a huge bit of chain on the door now. He is a real clever escape artist too... Now whether it is just Red truely settling in but the last two days he has suddenly taken my dirty washing out of the bin and put it in his bed. Emptied the waste bin in the bathroom carrying all the wet wipes etc and leaving them around the house. And walking past the P.O. is a nightmare as he now seems determined to get all the chewing gum up of the floor and heavens help me if someone has dropped a crisp... Of course Red says he is just copying Lenny hmmmmmmm he thinks I am stupid!!!!lol.