WALLYFORD GREYHOUND STADIUM

max · Enlightened One

WALLYFORD GREYHOUND STADIUM

Steve · Master

Dave - if it is to go ahead and its not the white elephant that folks have been saying, what line will GAL take on it? Work with them to get the dogs and try and get cash for the Kennel Fund or have nowt to do with it?

Suzanne · Guru

oh dear god....i can feel my blood boiling again....Maybe all the powers that be that rule the roost on these decisions have taken a leaf out of the horse-racing industry & decided that its best to run these ideas flat out whilst blinkered, that way you cant get distracted from what the opposition are trying to do.......

In their eyes clearly the whole "transformation" of the Greyhound racing industry with a brand spanking new super dooper stadium, is a black & white issue....

pity they dont see the shades of Grey.......

Dave · Enlightened One

Very interesting article, even the wording. I have 2 VERY similar articles here on the Wallyford track, the wording in those 2 articles and this one are almost identical. Only difference? The first article I have is from 2004 and the second one is from 2005.

Interesting question Steve, not really sure at the moment what will happen it's very much suck it and see for now. Bottom line I guess is if the track becomes all Mr Wallace is cracking it up to be then it will get it's official NGRC licence which probably means the formation of a new RGT 'Wallyford' branch if the RGT can actually make that happen, there used to be an Edinburgh branch of the RGT but I've not heard much from them recently. I guess in addition if the stadium does take off it's going to attract trainers from England on race nights. Another factor I guess to consider is the effect the track will have on the racing at Shawfield. Anyway, off on a tangent, bottom line is of course we will work with them, somehow, to make sure the dogs are well cared for, Mr Wallace has already voiced his 'concerns' over the welfare aspect of racing and his aim to have retirement plans in place for ALL the dogs that run there, what those plans are remain a mystery at the moment but if we can be involved we will...

Christine Young · GAL Newsletter Editor

Dave - is it possible to contact Howard Wallace just now to ask what his retirement plans for each dog entail? And also if he would consider contributing to our Kennel Fund. Steve's suggestion of getting him to help build GAL's Kennel is a good one. It may give us an indication how serious Mr Wallace is about greyhound welfare!

I can't see any of us at GAL having nothing to do with the greyhound stadium once it is up and running (sorry about the pun) even if RGT are active. Where possible, I believe GAL members will be there to help any dogs needing us.

Christine

Lorna · GAL Shop Co-Ordinator

-- Edited by Lorna at 06:45, 2006-03-08

Ambers Mum · Old Hand

Hello, I am based in West Yorkshire and have adopted 3 greyhounds via Sheffield Retired Greyhound Trust - 2 were ex racers at the Sheffield stadium - 1 was an ex coursing dog. Sheffield now employ a full time person - Lynda Cattlin, based at Sheffield, responsible for the rehoming of the dogs and they do a fantastic job in rehoming the dogs - 110 last year.

See their website.....

http://www.sheffieldretiredgreyhounds.co.uk/

I think it's a great idea for GAL to work very closely with the track - it can only do good - even if RGT is already linked with the track.

I think we all have to accept that greyhound racing, just like horseracing is here to stay. We have to focus on ensuring that we do what we can to highlight issues linked to the cruelty to greyhounds once their racing career is over (and during). Fortunately, the whole industry is not all mixed up in this cruelty - there are alot of responsible kind people out there, who put the dogs first. By gaining the support from the good people, they too will help us sift out the wrong doers.

We all have wonderful dogs. Unfortunately alot of those dogs have crossed paths with irresponsible, uncaring, self-centred people, but, many of them have also had good racing lives (which they have enjoyed) and are now living out their twilight years with the likes of you and I.

Good luck in your discussions with the stadium!

mclarchitects · Old Hand

Ambers Mum wrote:

........ but, many of them have also had good racing lives (which they have enjoyed) and are now living out their twilight years with the likes of you and I.

I agree. Anyone who can let their dogs run free will know how much they like to run. I don't believe that racing is a problem as long as there is suitable provision for the dogs when they are no longer able to race. The use of a full time re-homing co-ordinator is certainly a step in the right direction.

Alan.

max · Enlightened One

I personally think that some sort of anonymity or arrangement could be the way forward with stadiums like Wallyford. If a handing in area was possible at the end of that days racing, complete anonymity for the owner and the dog taken into care no questions asked could be a way of saving the lives of some of these dogs that do not make the grade. It would mean working hand in hand with the RGT and the stadiums to one day stop the dumping and destruction of such dogs with no fear of reprisal for the owner. With this would come the responsibilty of rehoming such dogs and would make the need for a greyhound sanctuary even greater. Nora

Amber · Master

It's all very well for Wallace to talk about 'retirement plans' etc. but the point that he and some others seem to be missing is that there are never going to be enough good homes for all the greyhounds involved.

Scotland is a relatively small country - already the rescues are struggling to rehome the greyhounds that currently race here and he plans to import many hundreds more into the area to run at his stadium. This is a large stadium with a lot of racing going on and that means that a lot of greyhounds are needed at any one time to 'service' it.

All the money and retirement plans in the world will not buy good homes for ex-racers

The last time I spoke to the Shawfield RGT they assured me that they have a waiting list of greyhounds waiting to get into their retirement kennels. Yet Mr Wallace seems to be under the misapprehension that greyhounds that race at his stadium will be flying out the door into pet homes...I really cannot imagine where he gets this idea from or what will happen when his 'retirement' kennels (if they ever get built) get full up and there is nowhere for the rejects to be parked.

Hopefully the whole thing will go bust and we will stop seeing these ridiculous articles in the local press.

-- Edited by Amber at 16:39, 2006-03-20

max · Enlightened One

The 126 air-conditioned kennels are not for the use of dogs needing rehomed, quite the opposite, these are to hold the dogs that are racing on any given race time. A vet will only be at the stadium during race times. Any dogs that are to be " handed over " do not even come into the equation. So your guess is as good as mine as of where Mr Wallace is going to put all these unwanted dogs. That is why I suggested the idea of a handing in area. Nora

-- Edited by max at 21:56, 2006-03-20

Amber · Master

max wrote:

The 126 air-conditioned kennels are not for the use of dogs needing rehomed, quite the opposite, these are to hold the dogs that are racing on any given race time. A vet will only be at the stadium during race times. Any dogs that are to be " handed over " do not even come into the equation. So your guess is as good as mine as of where Mr Wallace is going to put all these unwanted dogs. That is why I suggested the idea of a handing in area. Nora -- Edited by max at 21:56, 2006-03-20

Well, that is interesting. At the meeting I attended with Wallace (and I have the bumpf he handed out somewhere to prove what he said at that time) he stated that the stadium will have a kenneling facility nearby specifically for retired dogs - indeed a 'retirement home', from whence ALL the dogs that ever raced at his stadium would be rehomed.

So is he not building these retirement kennels any longer? Where does your information come from, if you don't mind my asking?

max · Enlightened One

The imformation was told to me by Mr Wallace, he did also add that dogs would be held there after retirement but only for a short time. He has said lots if things which seems to be a bit of a PR job to keep the mobs at bay. I passed the stadium the other day as a far as can be seen from the time of his last statement there has been no more building happened. As Dave said the recent statement is almost word for word as the past two and they were printed in 2004 and 2005.

I am sorry but I do not want to cause a debate here about who said what, at the end of the day there will be many dogs that will slip the net unless some sort of plan is put in order. Nora

Amber · Master

max wrote:

I am sorry but I do not want to cause a debate here about who said what, at the end of the day there will be many dogs that will slip the net unless some sort of plan is put in order. Nora

I am not trying to start any debate, but I do not see why Wallace cannot be held accountable to the care of the greyhounds that he previously promised (in a political meeting that would have been minuted). He marketed the stadium to the Animal Welfare committee on the premise that all retired greyhounds would be cared for by the stadium and rehomed by the stadium. At the time yes, many were sceptical of that, but if he is now changing his plans, then that is important.

I also don't really see what you mean by putting plans in order for the dog, do you somehow expect small rescues with few resources to magically promise to take these dogs?

The whole point of Wallace's PR was that the retired greyhounds would not be anyone else's 'problem'.

haz25a · Old Hand

I agree with the post by "Ambers Mum" from Yorkshire.

Hazel.xx

haz25a · Old Hand

Totally agree with this post. If it was part of the "Business Plan" to provide a retirement home for ex-racers then he must follow through with this. It is not the responsibility of already over-stretched small greyhound rescue groups to bail him out! Although I don't see any reason why GAL could not be involved in the "assisting" of this. It could raise public profile and they could charge for the service! Maybe I'm being a bit idealistic about GAL's involvement and it may not be as straightforward as that??

I've also got a sneaky suspicion that the retirement home won't be up and running at the same time as the stadium. Building delays..........excuse after excuse. After all this guys priority is about making money not saving greyhounds!

haz25a · Old Hand

Totally agree with this post. (the last one by amber). I'm getting confused now with "Amber" and "Ambers Mum"! If it was part of the "Business Plan" to provide a retirement home for ex-racers then he must follow through with this. It is not the responsibility of already over-stretched small greyhound rescue groups to bail him out! Although I don't see any reason why GAL could not be involved in the "assisting" of this. It could raise public profile and they could charge for the service! Maybe I'm being a bit idealistic about GAL's involvement and it may not be as straightforward as that??

I've also got a sneaky suspicion that the retirement home won't be up and running at the same time as the stadium. Building delays..........excuse after excuse. After all this guys priority is about making money not saving greyhounds!

haz25a · Old Hand

One last thing, I don't agree with the anonymous handing over of unwanted dogs. I can see your point about stopping dogs from being dumped, but I don't believe this is the way forward. This would make it really easy for people not to take responsibility for their dog! I know it doesn't always happen like this but in a properly licensed track all dogs and owners should be registered therefore exposing and eliminating the bad guys. I know, i know....................... but if proper legislation was put in place and enforced and I see no good reason why it shouldn't be. This stadium is gonna make this guy a lot of money, he has a duty to ensure all trainers and owners adhere to regulations.

Hazel. x