Cross Breeds

What's your opinion on dog racing?

I've heard different things. Some people say the dogs are pampered and very well cared for. Other people say that the dogs are killed or abandoned when they get too slow. What do you think, and do you have any first hand experience with dog racing? I'm talking more about track racing, like with greyhounds.

Public Comments

1. I'm sure both those things are turn depending on the owner, just like some people will get a puppy and care for it well for life and others will abandon it when it is no longer a cute puppy. It happens in all aspects of animal ownership not just sled dogs. As for the racing itself I have no problem with it at all, that is what those dogs were bred for and what they love to do. I have no problem with a dog doing the work it was bred to do (assuming of course that work is still legal)
2. After living near two dog parks that are now out of business and reading the news articles about the dogs found shot in the head at the side of the road near these tracks, and seeing all the rescued ones coming into my store with scars and emaciation, I am inclined to equate dog racing with dog fighting. Both businesses for profit and profit only.
3. My dog is a sled dog and LOVES racing/ pulling sleds. We do it every weekend with her we do not do it for money we do it for fun :-) and trust me my dog is pampered. She loves having a job to do and getting out and running with her friends (the other dogs). Last weekend was the first weekend she got to pull with another dog. Running and pulling is what she was bred to do and its what she loves to do. But I am sure there are those owners out there that take advantage of their dogs. I think it is more so the greyhound racing dogs though. Even though I know a lot of tracks that have it set up so when a dog retires if the owner doesn't want to keep the dog or find it a new home they go right into adoption centers. Most sled dogs are also family dogs. If you want to you can check out a video of my Siberian Husky pulling a sled last weekend I will post the link to it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByvnYsgcMRc I starred this so you can get more answers! I only have my opinion and where I live there are laws to protect race dogs not saying that it stops all abuse. My aunt adopted a retired greyhound race dog and he is a very loving dog and does not show any signs of abuse. But I know it happens :-( and I know that some people are seeing these dogs as their income and not having them race for the love of the dog. ADD- GreyhoundAdopter I know where you are coming from as I said my aunt adopted a retired greyhound. BUT there are still people out there that do not put their dogs into adoption centers when they are done. There are those people out there that do not take good care of their raceing dogs. There will ALWAYS be people like that. And I do think that there are people that see their raceing dogs more as money then as a dog in both greyhound racing then dog sledding. The reason I say that is because when dog sledding you are doing it with your dog and not just watching it. There is a team of dogs that run together as a pack in dogsledding. In my opinion with dogsledding you need to much more money into the dogs and equipment. As a dog sledder you never really come ahead.... you do it for the love not for the money. The money you pay for the sleds, hanesses, ganglines, boots, clips, and so on and thats not even what you have to pay for the gear you need to wear. Plus the entery fees and so on. And yes I do think there are sled dog owners who are useing their dogs and do not treat them right. But in my opinion there are more greyhound racing dogs being taken advantage of. I am very happy that there are great places like the rescue you work with to adopt the dogs out after they are done racing I know that it has saved a lot of dogs lifes! But in my opinion there are a lot more stupid dog owners that buy puppies because they are cute and then do not take care of them then there are raceing dogs being abused. And a lot more back yard breeders and puppy mills abuseing dogs then people abuseing their race dogs. And I know that there are even shelters where people are suposed to be helping abused and abandoned dogs that are abuseing dogs. It is a horible thing. I do not see how anyone could abuse or neglect any animal.
4. I don't have a problem with OWNERS racing dogs for sport or hobby, because the dogs were bred to race and it's what they love to do. If the dog is well cared for by the owner, it's fine. HOWEVER ... the dog-racing INDUSTRY as a whole treats the dogs as a commodity to be used up and discarded when they are no longer profitable. Those dogs are NOT pampered. They spend their lives in stacked crates with no socialization or affection. When the dogs are no longer making money (some never DO make money)' on the track, they are considered worthless to the industry. Many are euthanized. The lucky ones are taken in by rescues that specifically rehab and socialize retired racers, and rehomed.
5. I'm sure that there are both types of owners, just like there are good pet owners and bad pet owners.
6. I think that there is good and bad in all things. I know there are responsible breeders, and dog racers but there are also really bad ones. There are Greyhound rescue groups for that reason. Many dogs especially the "no winners" are horrible mistreated, thrown away or killed. Or the dogs that no longer race have no loving futures. These dogs are bred in mass amounts to find those winners. What about the ones that are not? Or when they are done? Kind of like horse racing. Many of them face a horrible painful fate and I think that is wrong. I am okay with the responsible participants, the ones who care for their animals, the ones that find homes and care for the unwanted ones. The pampered or well cared for ones are the winners and they are treated that way as long as they are winning and making money. But there are thousands upon thousands that are not so lucky and that is where my problem comes in. The lucky ones are the ones that end up with rescue groups. Many of those dogs, and horses have no idea how to live as a pet. Especially the dogs. I have worked with the rescue groups and I know many people who have adopted race dogs. But thousands die and suffer each year as a "by product" of the industry.
7. I thought that maybe you would like an answer to your question from someone who actually works with a Greyhound Rescue group. I am on the board of directors of such a group and have worked placing retired racers for more than a decade. Many of the answers you have gotten so far are full of misconceptions and not made with of any real first hand knowledge by the people answering them. First thing I want to say is in ALL sports and all businesses there are good and bad people. But the public outcry about any type of abuse of Greyhounds has made it so the bad apples have been mostly pushed out of the industry. In the past decade, Greyhound adoption groups have been formed all over the world to give the owners of these dogs a place to place their dogs when they are done racing, or if they are chosen for breeding stock, to place them once retired from their breeding duties. Greyhounds are one of the most socialized dogs you will find. They are raised WITH their siblings until they are old enough to go into race training. When they are actively racing, they are still turned out in groups with their peers several times a day for potty breaks and to socialize with each other. (they do not spend 24/7 locked in cages - they get out several times a day) These dogs are very well cared for when they are racing. They are fed well, as you can't expect a good performance from an unhealthy dog. They run because they LOVE it - there is no way you can MAKE a dog run around a track and race. It's not like horse racing .... there is no jockey beating the crap out of them making them run. There are still not enough homes for all the Greyhounds, so some still DO get put down. But that is true of any breed of dogs these days. But for the most part, adoption groups, like the one I am with - do a good job of placing these kind and gentle dogs into forever homes.