Sports Betting Firm Backs Retired Greyhound
Essex re-homing charity wins at largest retired greyhound gathering
Retired Greyhound of the Year, Sunny, received £5,000 in prize money from Betfair last week for taking the top title during the largest Great Greyhound Gathering, which saw some 500 greyhounds and their owners from across the UK, flock to Nottingham Racecourse.
Sunny formerly know as “Come on Flo” and owned by Karen Woods, was pleased to hand over the much needed funds to his proud Essex homing branch of the Retired Greyhound Trust (RGT), Greyhoundhomer. The branch is over the moon with the result and plans to invest the £5,000 in essential items to benefit other retired greyhounds they are trying to home.
Karen and Greg from Letchworth adopted Sunny from the Essex branch in February. Karen said “Sunny has brought a lot of love and laughter into our lives.” Being so pleased with Sunny, they also adopted his litter sister Sophie in June. “One of the best things about adopting a retired greyhound is watching their personality transform as they settle into life as a family pet.”
The RGT is a national charity dedicated to finding homes for former racing greyhounds. Almost 40,000 ex-racing greyhounds have been adopted successfully by all sorts of people, including families and retirees. The RGT is committed to finding the perfect match for the owner and greyhound. They even ‘cat test’ dogs to make sure they can fit it in with current pet and family arrangements.
Georgina Hard from Betfair said “The Retired Greyhound Trust is crucial to the sustainability of the industry. Betfair is pleased to be able to support their efforts to re-home this wonderful breed. Sunny winning the award and the cheque presentation will hopefully raise awareness of the long-standing goals of the RGT.”
A greyhound’s racing career usually begins at 18 months and finishes when they are four years old. Much like their human companions, they can live long and healthy lives after their careers are over. With approximately 9,000 greyhounds retiring each year from racing, there are many looking for a home retreat.
Ivor Stocker, director of the RGT, said “The financial support is greatly appreciated. Essential items including, neutering, parasite control and dentals, to make sure the dogs are happy and healthy before heading to their new home, make up a large amount of the cost to run one of our vital branches.
“Retired greyhounds make brilliant pets because they are a naturally gentle, affectionate and fun-loving breed that adapt easily to family life. While they certainly enjoy exercise, greyhounds require less than many people would expect, staying happy and healthy with just two short walks each day.”
The RGT always needs sponsorship and donations to continue to find homes for retired greyhounds. The RGT has branches of dedicated volunteers all over the United Kingdom, to find out more about adopting a retired greyhound or becoming volunteer dog walker contact your local branch by visiting
www.retiredgreyhounds.co.uk or call the charity’s headquarters on 0844 826 8424.
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In response to the above ‘freelance’ writer.
Before you even consider donating your hard earned money to the RGT and the Racing Industry, Please read the following FACTS! Yes, by giving money to the RGT, you are giving money to the Bookmakers, The National Greyhound Racing Club and the British Greyhound Racing Board, the very people who are responsible for their ex racing greyhounds, once they become ‘losers’ and therfore a financial liablity.
Fact 1
Before you are even asked to home one of the 10,000+ annually retired racing greyhounds, a large percentage of them will have been PTS for one of the reasons that the Industry finds acceptable. Such as:-
UNSUITABLE AS A PET
INJURY NOT TREATED ON ECONOMIC GROUNDS
NO HOME OR RETIREMENT PLACE COULD BE FOUND
Do you find these acceptable reasons to ‘dispose’ of a greyhound?
Are you happy supporting the Industry that does?
Fact 2
The British Greyhound Racing Board knows what happens to each greyhound upon retirement and how many are unaccounted for via their Retirement Forms.
The RGT branches and their volunteers claim to have re-homed nearly 4,000 greyhounds in 2006. A wonderful achievement yet the Industry will not make public statistics for the remaining 6,000+ annually retired greyhounds.
Do you think they have something to hide?
Are you happy supporting an Industry that is clearly deceitful regarding the fate of their greyhounds?
Fact 3
Lord Lipsey claimed at the beginning of 2007 that this year would be a ‘Make or break’ year for the Racing Industry and further stated that by the middle of 2007 the Racing Industry would be in a much more ‘defensible welfare position’. Finding themselves in a much more ‘defensible welfare position’ the RGT then planned
to make extensive cuts in the numbers of kennelled greyhounds by 31st August 2007
Do you think they have been using you, the volunteers to project good re-homing figures?
Are you happy to continue to support an Industry that shows so little gratitude to the RGT?
http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=ZykPOX9ncgY
Fact 4
In 2006, The British Greyhound Racing Board received a donation of £100,000 at its disposal to award grants to ‘Independent Greyhound Rescue Centres’.
Of that £100,000. 2 commercial kennels received grants of £2,000 each, 3 greyhound trainers received grants of £5,000 each, one RGT branch received a grant of £5,000 and a Deborah Mullins(Essex) received £5,000. Only 71% of the remaining fund went to established/Independent Rescue Centres.
Do you think it’s fair that nearly £30,000 was allocated to Commercial kennels, Greyhound Trainers, a new RGT branch and a Ms Deborah Mullins?
Are you happy supporting an Industry that diverts grants back into its Commercial Sector, when it is intended for hard working, volunteer run Charitable Rescue Centres that are far more cost effective?
http://thedogs.co.uk/index.php?m=aid&id=268
Fact 5
In July alone, the National Greyhound Racing Club held 5 Stewards Inquiries regarding ‘drug’ incidents and a further 9 into ‘enhanced/decreased’ performances.
The vast majority of the trainers received only a caution or small fine.
Do you think it’s fair to abuse greyhounds for pure financial gain?
Are you happy to support an Industry that tolerates cheats?
http://www.ngrc.org.uk/rec_inquiries.asp?cat=6&page=242
Fact 6
During 2006, the British Greyhound Racing Fund
awarded over £11 million in grants. More than 36% (£3 million) to support Prize Money, just over 18% (£2 million) to refurbish Racing Stadiums and 13% (£1.5 million) being given to the RGT.
Do you think it’s fair that Prize Money should be increased for the elite few winners and restaurants should be fitted with plush surroundings, whilst there are still huge waiting lists of retired losing greyhounds to be re-homed?
Are you happy continuing to support an Industry who considers Prize Money and luxuries priority over greyhound welfare?
http://www.bgrf.org.uk/expenditure.asp
IN OUR HUMBLE OPINION
The Racing Industry has never been responsible in its attitude to Greyhound Welfare. It has only been since the The Times exposure of greyhounds being slaughtered on a massive scale at Seaham, did the Industry bow to public pressure and commence a PR campaign to win public confidence by publicising increased funding to the RGT. The Industry did not suddenly find themselves guilt ridden neither did they voluntarily introduce welfare improvements, the Industry were forced into such by the public.
If you sincerely care for the long term welfare of ex racing greyhounds, then dont attend Greyhound Racing and support campaigns to abolish it.
The British Greyhound Racing Board has just announced an extra £150,000 is to be allocated in prize money to trainers and owners!!!
Mr Stoker, do you think its actually moral to emotionally blackmail the public into supporting the RGT, when the industry has more than enough funds to ensure the welfare of each and every ex racing greyhound?
Reply
In a Northern Echo article dated 24th August, far from condeming David Smith, Ivor Stocker chose to claim that David Smith and his supporters were ‘clearly dog lovers who have dog welfare at heart’.
The whole issue and evidence suggests, Mr Stocker, is that they had their finances at heart and chose to dispose of the greyhounds as cheaply as possible. £10 a greyhound with a bolt gun.
I believe that it would be ‘fantastic’ if the Racing Industry as whole, were to accept that ex racing greyhounds were their responsiblity and fund the greyhounds retirement, no matter what the cost.
http://archive.thenorthernecho.co.uk/2006/8/24/231256.html
Ivor Stocker, director of the Retired Greyhound Trust said: “The trust exists to find loving homes for ex-racing greyhounds.”It would be fantastic if a few of those 2,000 people who have signed the petition in support of David Smith, many of whom are clearly dog lovers and have dog welfare at heart, were able to offer homes for these wonderful animals and help them live out their retirement to the fullest.”
Reply