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they banned racing in sydney last year but the trainers killed the dogs so they lifted the ban
the dogs are hard to re home because they are trained to only chase prey

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today the CEO of BMW came and brought the new BMW i8 with is an electric car. he showed us the future of electric cars and their benefits. I found this presentation extremely beneficial as it showed me how sustainable these cars are and the impact that combustion engines have on our environment.

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Today we had a guest speaker who founded her own organisation called 'one girl'. it is an organisation that helps to provide an education to girls in Africa. to date, over 1400 girls have benefited form this organisation. they provide scholarships education about health and cleanliness.

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What's wrong with racing greyhounds? Dogs love to run, right?

Sure. But do they love to race? Read these 7 shocking truths about greyhound racing and decide for yourself ...

If a dog breaks a leg or injures himself on the track (which is quite common), sadly his time is pretty much up. Not because he can't get better ... because of course he can! But because he is unlikely to ever win another race and therefore becomes 'worthless' to his owner. 4--5 dogs every week are killed on the track, or behind closed doors after the race, simply because they are no use to their owners anymore.

(Image thanks to Friends of the Hound)

The dogs who die on the race track are only part of the story. Racing is a competitive 'sport' after all and only the fastest dogs even make it to the track. What happens to the ones who aren't fast enough? Around 8000 pups every year are deemed unlikely to win races and most of those are killed.

I'm about to tell you something that the people involved would prefer was kept secret because it is so horrific that it would surely disgust everyone. Not to mention that it's illegal! Recent investigations by Animals Australia and Animal Liberation Queensland have revealed that 'live baiting' is a widespread and routine practice for a significant number of greyhound trainers.

'Live baiting' is where a defenseless live animal -- a rabbit, piglet or possum for example -- is tied to a mechanical lure and flung around a race track at a high speed, chased, and eventually mauled and killed by dogs. Dogs are provoked and encouraged to attack the animals. It is truly sickening that this is happening. The RSPCA is investigating and you can help end brutal live baiting by signing the petition.

State governments have spent millions of dollars on greyhound racing. If you, or your family, pay taxes then sadly your money could be part of the huge amount of tax payer money that's used to encourage more people to go to the races, to build new tracks or other infrastructure, and even to encourage the industry to breed more dogs. (Breeding incentives?! When thousands of dogs are being killed every year. That's bonkers!)

I know that, like me, you'll hate the thought of your hard-earned dollars going towards animal cruelty. You can help end this by writing to your State MP and demanding an end to government support of greyhound racing.

Racing greyhounds can be kept in pens, crates or kennels for up to 23 hours a day :( I can't imagine any animal being happy living like that, can you?

(Image thanks to Friends of the Hound)

Australia has a problem. A gambling problem. Did you know that NSW is second only to Las Vegas when it comes to having the most poker machines? This might seem off tangent but it just goes to show that some things that might seem normal to us are really not that normal. Heaps of other countries have carried on just fine without greyhound racing. And the suffering caused to animals is simply not worth it. C'mon Straya!

(Image thanks to Friends of the Hound)

Greyhounds are naturally very sweet and gentle and kissable animals. I should know, I work with one. Sadly, although there are plenty of shelters dedicated to rehoming greyhounds, there are just too many discarded by the racing industry to find homes for them all and about 10,000 young and healthy and lovable dogs are killed every year.

If you can offer a home to an ex-racing greyhound you could consider adopting or fostering one from your local rescue group. If you want to know more about the true nature of greyhounds, you might like to meet the boy who would be my favourite if I chose favourites but I don't.

Did these facts surprise you? You're not the only one. Many Australians simply do not know the truth about greyhound racing. You can help change that. Start a conversation with someone today, share this post or even write something of your own to help spread the word that greyhound racing is cruel and if you love animals then don't bet on 'the dogs'.

" 5 recipes that will change the way you think about vegan food (+ WIN a cookbook!) * 15 reasons #slacklyf beats #tracklyf, according to a rescued racer "

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7 horrifying truths about greyhound racing

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What's wrong with racing greyhounds? Dogs love to run, right? Sure. But do they love to race? Read these 7 shocking truths about greyhound racing and decide for yourself ... If a dog breaks a leg or injures himself on the track (which is quite common), sadly his time is pretty much up.

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After I had collected all of my wanted information, I sorted it into sub topics (racing, live baiting, living, retirement, export, overbreeding and Government) and re wrote it in my own words.

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Greyhound Cruelty is a campaign that is run by Animals Australia and Animal Liberation Queensland. It has collected interviews and investigations from these two organisations and created a campaign that exploits trainers and the Greyhound racing industry. This campaign is very reliable as it is created by very reputable organisations and extensive research has been conducted.

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They do this in the name of 'sport'. Don't let them.

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Groundbreaking investigations by Animals Australia & Animal Liberation Queensland have exposed widespread live baiting in the greyhound industry. Join the campaign to end the cruelty.

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The ABC is a national broadcaster that reports on current news in Australia in response to other investigations. Although the ABC may conduct some of their own investigations, they mostly report on the findings of other sources, making it a secondary source. This source is very reliable due to its previous reputation and accuracy of information. This sources however, explains the inaccuracy of an investigation that led to the ban of greyhound racing in NSW.

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Updated August 09, 2016 15:04:09

A report that led to a greyhound racing ban in NSW contained a number of factual errors and was based on flawed calculations, the barrister representing the greyhound industry has told a court.

When New South Wales Premier Mike Baird announced the ban last month, he said his decision was based on the findings of a scathing report by former High Court Judge Michael McHugh about cruel and illegal practices in the industry.

Representing the NSW Breeders, Owners and Trainers' Association, barrister David Bennett QC told the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney the report was unreasonable and contained many statistical errors.

He also said it included flawed calculations on how many greyhounds are destroyed every year.

Mr Bennett slammed the reliance of the Special Commission of Inquiry report on the concept of a "social licence" saying it was "a very heavily denigrated figure of speech with no validity of any kind, yet [it was] relied on as main aspect of the report".

He also claimed there were a number of factual errors contained in the report.

"Findings in relation to numbers of greyhounds being put down are based on statistical errors," Mr Bennett said.

He said the report's calculations were based on a flawed, rudimentary mathematical calculation based on how many dogs were whelped each year and their average life expectancy.

Live baiting prevalence findings questioned

Mr Bennett was also scathing about the report's conclusions on how rife live baiting was in the industry.

He said of the 3,800-odd breeders in Australia, 10 were caught live baiting.

Those 10 were then asked by the Special Commission of Inquiry about whether it was a common practice.

Mr Bennett argued this evidence should have been inadmissible.

"Of course they'll say everyone is doing it, to mitigate their own wrongdoing."

On Monday night, a group of National Party MPs met to discuss their hopes for the industry to be given three years to implement the recommendations of the report.

NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley has previously promised to reverse the ban if elected in 2019.

Today, he said he agreed with the proposal to give the industry a timeframe to implement the recommendations.

"Let's give that a try and, you know, what if it does fail? Well, the industry should be shut down, but it has to be given a chance first, which it hasn't been under the Premier's plan," Mr Foley said.

The bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council on Wednesday and, if passed, is expected to go to the Legislative Assembly by the end of the month.

Legislation will be considered by the Upper House first: Premier

Premier Mike Baird denied there was a strategy behind introducing the legislation in the Upper House before the lower.

"What there is, there is a broad cross-section of parties in the Upper House," he said.

"There are minor parties that have got strong views on this so I think it's a good place to start.

"Everyone will have a good opportunity to have their say."

The Premier said the Government would work through whatever issues come forward in court.

"We will get on with what we would said we would do a few weeks ago and that is present the legislation," he said.

The matter is due back in court on September 29.

Topics: state-parliament, states-and-territories, government-and-politics, other-sports, animal-welfare, sydney-2000, nsw

First posted August 09, 2016 11:53:50

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Report that prompted greyhound racing ban 'contained factual errors'

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Updated August 09, 2016 15:04:09 A report that led to a greyhound racing ban in NSW contained a number of factual errors and was based on flawed calculations, the barrister representing the greyhound industry has told a court.

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The RSPCA is a non-government charity that looks after the welfare of animals. RSPCA has been running since the 1870’s, making it Australia’s leading animal welfare charity. The RSPCA is very reliable as it conducts its own investigations and research. The RSPCA is very reputable and informant.

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The Age is a newspaper company that has a network of other newspapers such as The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times. It reports on current news in Victoria in response to other investigations. Although The Age may conduct some of their own investigations, they mostly report on the findings of other sources, making it a secondary source. This source is very reliable due to its previous reputation and accuracy of information.

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Animals Australia are the leading organisation in animal protection. Their investigations and campaigns are recognised globally. Although they have conducted their own investigations and interviews, some of their content is from ABC news or rumours from other sources. Despite being a government website, by using someone else’s research, it website is easy to question.

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PETA Australia (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is an organisation that aims to protect the rights of all animals. Since its establishment in 2008, PETA has worked through Public education, research, legislation, cruelty investigations and protest campaigns. PETA is an extremely reliable source as it sources its own information, forms its own research and investigations, and has many interviews with the people involved in the specific issue.

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After much consideration, I decided on the topic of my Signature Project: Greyhound Racing. The first thing I did was resaerch the topic by reading newspaper articles and the websites of organisations. after choosing the most reliable and reputable sources, I copied all of the most important information into a word document

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The Greyhound Racing industry is overseen by each state and territory's Greyhound Racing Authority. This self-regulatory model fails to ensure that the welfare of greyhounds is prioritised and can lead to serious conflicts of interest, such as the use of financial incentives to promote greyhound breeding and, in turn, wastage rates.

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Few of the estimated 20,000 greyhound pups born each year have the athletic capabilities and top speed to become a race winner. Bred for no other purpose than to race and win, many young and healthy greyhound dogs are discarded and killed because they are not 'profitable' enough.

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Greyhounds are just like any other dog: they're loyal, loving, and sensitive.

Although the breed is known for running faster than any other, these dogs also love snoozing more than most and can sleep for up to 20 hours a day!

Just like the dogs we share our homes with, greyhounds are friendly and happy animals who love snuggling, scratches behind the ears, and tummy rubs.

But rather than being revered as "man's best friend", greyhounds are often grossly exploited for human entertainment.

They're held in high esteem for their speed, agility, and strength, but it is unfortunately these same qualities that have condemned greyhounds to be victimised by the racing and gambling industries.

Learn more about the problems associated with greyhound racing, and support calls for a nationwide ban.

Running for Their Lives

Generally, if greyhounds new to racing don't win or place in their first six races, they're sentenced to an early death.

An estimated 18,000 greyhounds are killed every year in Australia - simply because they aren't deemed fast enough to win races. Eight thousand of those killed are puppies.

Tragically, these otherwise gentle and sensitive living beings are taunted and provoked into chasing different species of "lure". Greyhounds' fate lies in how well they chase the lure while puppies, and failing to perform can be a death sentence.

Those dogs who do make it to the racetrack are at significant risk of sustaining serious injuries, such as head trauma or broken hocks or legs, during training and racing. The intensity of racing also means dogs can suffer from seizures (from lack of oxygen) and cardiac arrest.

Even if treatable, these injuries often result in euthanasia because of economic factors. Each week, five sensitive greyhounds are killed on the track.

Off-Track 'Welfare'

Greyhounds are considered to be "working dogs" and, as such, are treated as possessions - rather than the sensitive, loving animals they are.

Often confined to tiny, barren pens and kennels, they're completely deprived of human companionship and stimulation. They can be left in these sad conditions for up to 23 hours a day.

Not a 'Retirement' Any of Us Would Choose

Ninety per cent of all greyhounds born into the racing industry do not live out their full life expectancies of 12 to 14 years.

Racing "careers" usually end when dogs are between the ages of 3 and 5, at which point they're considered too slow.

In many cases, "retirement" for greyhounds means euthanasia.

Other dogs may be sent to university veterinary schools to be killed for teaching and training, and some end up being part of puppy farm-style breeding programmes.

Even those who are placed into homes have still experienced the physical and mental trauma involved in being used for racing. And of course, it is highly irresponsible to breed greyhounds when so many dogs are already languishing in shelters, desperate to find a home.

'Live Baiting' Cruelty

Other victims of the greyhound-racing industry have historically been hidden from the public.

Live baiting is a horrendous - and illegal - practice designed to "blood" greyhounds and corrupt their sensitive and placid nature, supposedly giving them the winning edge.

Terrified piglets, rabbits, and native possums are all victims of live baiting - tied to lures, flung around racetracks at breakneck speeds, and then mauled to death. Some animals who survive their first attack are exploited multiple times.
In 2015, Four Corners exposed these atrocities - and shocked the nation.
In 2016, a special commission of inquiry into the greyhound-racing industry released its findings and reported that even though this horrific practice is illegal, "a trainer, who admitted to engaging in live baiting, testified that about 10 to 20 per cent of trainers engaged in live baiting".

Live Export

In 2015, 624 greyhounds were exported from Australia to stimulate international greyhound-racing industries. There is no formal tracking of these exports, and the dogs all face uncertain futures.

Dogs are exported to countries which often lack adequate animal-welfare legislation. Export to Macau has been banned since 2013, but it has continued to occur in the years since:

Canidrome in Macau houses 700 Australian greyhounds in conditions that are well below the already-questionable Australian standards. Because of insufficient animal care and poor track quality, 30 dogs a month are euthanised at this track.

There are often no adoption services for greyhounds in destination countries, and greyhounds are also at risk of being killed for dog meat once no longer deemed useful or profitable to the racing industry.

How to Help Greyhounds

Thankfully, the cruelty inherent in greyhound racing is something that has steadily been revealed to the public in recent years.

Speaking of the historic decision to ban this cruel "sport" in New South Wales, Premier Mike Baird said the following:

Greyhound racing has been banned in many countries and many states of the US and is legal in only eight countries around the world. NSW will be the first state in Australia to ban it.
Unfortunately, a decision to backflip on this ban was subsequently announced.
It's now more important than ever that we stand together and send a strong message that the Australian people will not tolerate any kind of animal abuse. It's only a matter of time before this "sport" is stamped out in Australia.
Please write to your State Premier and ask that he or she make the compassionate decision to ban greyhound racing.
You can also give a home to a greyhound who has been discarded by the industry. Just be prepared for your life to be filled with lots more love as a result!

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Greyhound Racing: 'Man's Best Friend' Abused and Killed | Animals Used for Entertainment

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Although the breed is known for running faster than any other, these dogs also love snoozing more than most and can sleep for up to 20 hours a day! Just like the dogs we share our homes with, greyhounds are friendly and happy animals who love snuggling, scratches behind the ears, and tummy rubs.

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The Age

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Those who make money from racing dogs have seemingly all received, and are singing loudly, from the same script. Descriptions such as "draconian" and "callous" have been thrown around by more than one industry supporter at the decision by the NSW government to ban greyhound racing from mid-next year. Others themes have been to argue that all but a small number of trainers actually love their dogs, and to ask the public to trust that changes are being made. You know, give us a go it will all be different now.

Greyhound Racing Victoria on Friday emailed me a list of all the positive actions they have been taking since Four Corners last year exposed the horrific use of live-baiting in training dogs. They included doubling its integrity budget and quadrupling the number of animal welfare officers. However, new regulations still allow trainers to euthanise up to five dogs a month, if they cannot be rehomed.

And a reading of the special commission report into the NSW industry gives a damning insight: up to 68,448 dogs killed because they were too slow or did not have the necessary drive for racing, deceptive behaviour in reporting of injuries, and examples of animal cruelty.

So my initial reaction to the news was of joy. Goodbye to bad news. As a sports reporter, who has a strong interest in animal welfare, I do not like greyhound racing. To me, it is not a sport. It is an industry - and one where money presides over all else, particularly the welfare of the central participants. It is an opinion that was echoed in many of the comments made in the McHugh report.

I do not pretend to know the correct approach to greyhound racing because while ACT announced it would follow NSW's lead, other governments, including the Victorian, have declared they will keep faith in the cleaning up process that the respective state bodies have undertaken.

It is a stance supported by the RSPCA, as opposed to many animal welfare and rights groups that applauded the NSW decision. However, the Victorian chief executive Dr Liz Walker says the RSPCA feels the industry has many deep-seated "animal cruelty issues" that must be corrected but they were willing to work with the industry to stamp out the core practices. "Until animal welfare comes first we cannot support this industry," she says.

However, for me the crux of the matter comes down to a few paragraphs in the McHugh report where it refers to whether the industry has lost its social licence - and therefore the trust of public to do the right thing by the animals. While acknowledging that there were "many people in the industry who are animal lovers", it went on to say "the reality is that, for many, perhaps most, of those who participate in the industry - whether as punters, breeders, owners or trainers, greyhounds are commercial commodities, not animals to be cherished or loved".

Let's hope that true change does continue.

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Those who make money from racing dogs have seemingly all received, and are singly loudly, from the same script. Descriptions such as "draconian" and "callous" have been thrown around by more than one industry supporter at the decision by the NSW government to ban greyhound racing from mid-next year.