Greyhound racing banned in Massachusetts!

[TomFool]

I must admit that I know very little about greyhound racing & have only wagered on them a handful of times in my life but I was rather shocked to see this outcome in the latest election. I know many in horse racing will say "who cares" that means nothing to us but it should. I'm not about to compare horse racing to dog racing because I know nothing about dog racing & I know there is no comparison with money & the size of the sport but they are alike in many ways & I would stay very aware of things & do what I could to educate & promote for in the future when this could be a real issue. I know its a different sport banned in a pretty different minded state in Mass but for many of the xtream animal rights wackos its momentum for future endeavours that could change many of ours way of life.

[Sunday Silence]

Thoroughbred racing employs too many people and earns too much money to ever be shutdown.

[pokeyman]

Thoroughbred racing employs too many people and earns too much money to ever be shutdown.

Don't bet on that.

We live, breed, and race in MA. Suffolk was already shut down once for a good period of time.

In fact, we use to have a half dozen TB tracks in New England and are now down to one.

Suffolk is close to closing again. If we don't get slots or a casino than it's over for good.

The greyhound tracks are now trying to get slots as well to take the place of the dog racing. Big article today in the Boston Globe about it.

I am not shocked the ban passed in our election. There has been an uproar over the inhumane living conditions the dogs are kept in; the injuries; and the lack of accountability.

The tracks ran ads that said don't vote against us as we will lose our jobs. They didn't address the care and well being of the dogs at all. I knew it was over at that point......

[wallinga]

I must admit that I know very little about greyhound racing & have only wagered on them a handful of times in my life but I was rather shocked to see this outcome in the latest election. I know many in horse racing will say "who cares" that means nothing to us but it should. I'm not about to compare horse racing to dog racing because I know nothing about dog racing & I know there is no comparison with money & the size of the sport but they are alike in many ways & I would stay very aware of things & do what I could to educate & promote for in the future when this could be a real issue. I know its a different sport banned in a pretty different minded state in Mass but for many of the xtream animal rights wackos its momentum for future endeavours that could change many of ours way of life.

the ridiculous thing is, not only are jobs out the window, but they now have to find homes for all these dogs or else they will be chasing lures in the sky.

[pfrsue]

the ridiculous thing is, not only are jobs out the window, but they now have to find homes for all these dogs or else they will be chasing lures in the sky.

I'm in greyhound re-homing in the Midwest and it's definitely a concern when tracks close. Currently between one track closing and two kennels getting out of the business, the group I'm affiliated with is looking at trying to distribute 150-200 greyhounds to adoptive homes, foster homes and other rescues with the overflow. I'm not up on how many tracks Mass has, but the better quality dogs will probably move to different tracks in different states and the majority of the lower standard racers will most likely end up in the adoption networks.

In other words, if anyone has ever considered owning a retired racing greyhound, now would be a very good time to do it!

[Hotwalker]

the 2 greyhound tracks in Mass will close by 2010. The same legislation was on the ballot a few years ago and narrowly lost, so it had gained momentum over time.

Regarding Suffolk, there is a very well healed owner in Fields, and he has the mayor of Boston and the governor on his side to get slots. That, and there is a mounting scandal surrounding the senate president, who is the chief opponent of slots in Mass. All this, along with reduced state revenues, could be a climate for getting the casino bill passed.

[Sock Monkey]

I don't know much about greyhound racing either. But, I suspect it's much like horse racing and the animal rights' groups focus on a tiny segment of the industry and make broad sweeping generalizations from there. In other words, horse racing could easily come under similar attack and we should take note.

This legistalation makes me nervous.

[madelyn]

the ridiculous thing is, not only are jobs out the window, but they now have to find homes for all these dogs or else they will be chasing lures in the sky.

I'm in greyhound re-homing in the Midwest and it's definitely a concern when tracks close. Currently between one track closing and two kennels getting out of the business, the group I'm affiliated with is looking at trying to distribute 150-200 greyhounds to adoptive homes, foster homes and other rescues with the overflow. I'm not up on how many tracks Mass has, but the better quality dogs will probably move to different tracks in different states and the majority of the lower standard racers will most likely end up in the adoption networks.

In other words, if anyone has ever considered owning a retired racing greyhound, now would be a very good time to do it!

I would LOVE to have a greyhound - I think they are just wonderful dogs. But the adoption agencies and rescues I have found have positively PROHIBITIVE fees. It would be cheaper to buy a puppy!!

[pfrsue]

I would LOVE to have a greyhound - I think they are just wonderful dogs. But the adoption agencies and rescues I have found have positively PROHIBITIVE fees. It would be cheaper to buy a puppy!!

Really? Yikes! The group I work with charges a $200 adoption fee, but that includes: spaying/neutering, de-worming if required, all vaccinations, including rabies, three months of heartworm preventative medication, teeth cleaning, a new "greyhound-safe" collar with matching leash, an I.D. tag, squawker (a recall noisemaker for if they get loose,) lifetime support and on-call advice from the organization and a guarantee to take the dog back at any time and for any reason.

(I went onto their website to make sure I had it all.) Anyway, by the time you add it all up, it doesn't seem like a bad deal. Adoption fees definitely don't turn a profit for the organization. We survive by donations and a major fund raiser every year, and by having an all-volunteer staff.

[jurneeka]

Thoroughbred racing employs too many people and earns too much money to ever be shutdown.

If that were true, I wouldn't be driving past the corpse of Bay Meadows Racetrack - the grandstand is just about torn down and it is a sad sight to say the least.

Had the city of San Mateo approved the installation of slots or other forms of gambling, perhaps the track would have remained open. Perhaps...but it came down to dollars and cents. The developers were set on tearing a piece of history down and the city council was in its back pocket - the citizens didn't even get a chance to VOTE on it.

I hear now that even SANTA ANITA is in danger of being developed. That is sad and scary to say the least. I believe Hollywood Park is probably on its last leg - the worst thing is that I don't recall of hearing any plans to build new tracks to replace the old ones. At one point there was talk of a new track in the Central Valley to replace Bay Meadows but I guess they just figured we'd be better freezing our hineys off by Highway 80 at GGF.

How many race tracks were in the US 15 years ago compared to now? Without the tracks, there is NO industry. And with fewer tracks come fewer races being run, fewer horses required, fewer folks employed.