Cross Breeds

Feelings on Massachusetts dog racing ban?

I was torn on 3. It passed and dog racing will be phased out by 2010 in Massachusetts. I think that people established in it will just scatter to the surrounding states, and that while it won't make much of an impact here that is one less thing to spend money to regulate. I know that the "horrors" of dog racing are sometimes exaggerated, but I don't think it is a necessary service and it is hard to ensure the animals are cared for. Do you think that dog racing will eventually be illegal in all of the US? Do you think it should be? Why? When I said exaggerated, I meant that there are probably some people that do care about and care for the dogs. I do beleive there are also horrible owners that race their dogs, and I think its a waste of money to try and filter through the good and bad ones because dog racing isn't even necessary. Good point Kirk- I don't know if the law covers people racing their dogs for fun- I think this is for comerical dog racing. I hadn't thought of recreational competitions with pet dogs I will need to look into that. It is just for any type of dog racing where there will be people wagering on the dogs speed. I am fine with letting the dogs race- I do think that dogs are pets and that people should not raise them just for profit and then discard them when they can no longer racing them.

Public Comments

1. I think it's brilliant news and only wish we had that here in the UK. If you think the horrors of racing are exaggerated you might want to look at the videos/pictures and the statistics of how many dogs just 'disappear' (i.e. are killed) after retiring from racing at about 4 years of age.
2. Dog racing is cruel and inhumane. Glad that it will be outlawed.
3. Not familiar with the laws of Mass., but as the owner of whippets, I know they LOVE to race, and I agree that there should be some sort of forum that allows them to do this. I think that the main problem might be some of the owners that breed hounds for the sole purpose of racing, and they are destroyed when their usefulness has been outlived. This affects the people that have a genuine interest in their dogs and not the money.
4. I lived in Massachusetts for 9 years and saw first hand how emaciated, sickly and neglected many of those race dogs were. Massachusetts is an extreme case and is oft to happen, extreme measures were taken and in my opinion, it's better to halt all racing than put any more dogs at risk. But if the people who do race dogs and abuse them to go to other states, Massachusetts will serve as a case study and perhaps it can be better regulated elsewhere. I don't think racing greyhounds is abusive...they were bred for sprinting and they enjoy it, or so the dog experts say. But what went on behind the scenes at Wonderland and with many breeders who killed animals who got sick or didn't perform was just unacceptable.
5. I do not live in massachusetts, i live in texas and I think all dog racing should be banned and here is why: people breed,sell,and buy greyhounds just to race them, when they are retired they end up in a shelter or rescue center and it pis*es me off that people use their animals to win trophy's and money and when their dog can no longer perform and win they get rid of them. To use a dog and have that dog be your bread and butter for so long and then get rid if it cause it cant work for you anymore is wrong and should be considered animal cruelty. My animals are my best friends.
6. More pandering to the IDIOT cry-baby AR/humaniac/peta-nutz by the SPINELESS elected crooks!!! ALL imagination...ALL PROPAGANDA ....ALL ANTHROPOMORPHISM!!!! The human-sheep will blindly follow ANY lie into their pens,won't they?
7. It was a triumph for feeling beings everywhere, and especially for those beautiful little creatures. It was also an indication that "Accept Reality Face The Facts" above and others like him are in the minority, their hatred and hostility and numbed consciences and feelings, which they couch in "get tough, get real" pretensions, are pathetic human beings who desperately want the compassion and love they seek to deny the world. In short, i am delighted for the sake of those beautiful animals. It was a great day. The good guys won.
8. While it's true that banning something in one place just makes it pop out somewhere else, kind of like squeezing a water balloon, I personally would love to think that all dog racing will eventually be banned nation-wide. The images I've seen and the stories I've read about what is sometimes done to racing greyhounds, once they stop winning races, tears my heart out. I'm talking killed and thrown away like a broken couch or a bag of trash...... I'm hoping to adopt a retired racer (or two) here in the near future. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of PETA, but there is such a thing as compassion, you know. I say ban ALL dog racing, especially if the owners are as bad as I've read about.