Response To A Comment From "Anonymous"

I don't know about you, but after a busy 6 day week, I like to kick back and relax... read a book, play with my doggies a little more than I do in the week, cook, have a bath etc etc. I love Sundays and don't usually go anywhere near my computer but I did check my email today for some unknown reason and found the following comment on one of the posts on here in my inbox, which appears below completely unedited:

"Wow... taken right off of the GPL website. I don't know if I care to waste the time to refute all of these assertions and lies seeing as how nobody actually reads your blog, and you certainly are of one mindset.

Matter of fact, I don't think I will.. but, if you feel like educating yourself as opposed to being a lemming, I'll be happy to discuss things with you. FACTUALLY."

This was a response to "10 Reasons Why Greyhound Racing Should Be Banned" and was left by an anonymous visitor. I was undecided as to whether to respond to such a blatant personal insult but, after reading it a few times I decided to respond... but not in the comments section (very few people read comments anyway). I decided to highlight it here, where it matters, so everyone can see what I and everyone else that tries to do a little good for one of the greatest dog breeds alive is actually up against every day.

Firstly, thank you for your comment Anonymous, although it is hard to have an intelligent debate about what I believe in with someone who has failed to leave even a name! I'd like to take the opportunity though to reiterate that I welcome any and all opinions on this blog, even if you do not necessarily agree with me.

I fundamentally believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, including me and you too, Anonymous. I will also admit that I am human and therefore am not right 100% of the time, but you are right in that I do have one mindset on this particular topic and will not back down from it one iota. I am here to stand up for what I believe in, regardless of any derogatory messages I get from people disagreeing with me. However, I do not respect the fact that you are unwilling to stand up for your convictions by leaving such messages and yet refusing to justify comments and mark them as your own.

In terms of the accusation of plagiarism, a quick check of copyscape would have told you that there are three word for word copies of this post on the Internet, and all of them lead back to this site. However, there are bigger issues here so I will swiftly move on...

Unfortunately Anonymous, you yourself have proved that I am not a lemming because I do not agree with you and my opinion has evolved from much of the research that I have completed over the past few years. Also, unlike some individuals out there, who are also entitled to their own opinion, I do not believe that all greyhound trainers and owners are fundamentally bad. In fact, I know of at least four trainers in my local area that go out of their way to find a good home for their retired racers and never have a good dog put to sleep, whether or not they are injured.

At least one of those trainers will keep all of her greyhounds on at her own personal expense until she has found them a good home. However, she is in the minority, as are all of the trainers and owners that love their dogs and treat them the way they should be treated... and this is why so many are left to starve in the streets, have their ears cut off so they cannot be identified, or are murdered in cold blood. All because they are no longer useful. If you do want to discuss facts then how about that? Even one owner/trainer abusing his or her greyhounds is one too many. Fact!

The minority referred to above should be commended, but a quick Google search will highlight just how many animals are murdered every year or left to die because they can no longer earn their heartless owners money. I will not apologise for the blog, or for publishing my opinions, for that very reason.

I am writing about the mistreatment of greyhounds for one reason only - to help educate others about the greyhound racing industry. If one person reads this blog and decides to help out or forms an opinion or is even inspired to look into the issue a bit further than I have had the effect I established this blog for.

Your personal comment about nobody reading this blog may have been designed to hit a nerve but it missed every single one in my body by a mile because... guess what! In order to comment you had to read it yourself! Therefore someone has read this blog! If you felt the need to comment instead of disregarding what I have put then I have had an effect on someone and that is what counts.

There are hundreds of fantastic people out there who devote their lives to helping abandoned, mistreated and abused greyhounds every single day, and I salute them all. This kind of abuse and scorn is what they have to put up with every day. I have only just begun my personal journey, but by God I will be here every step of the way and nobody, not even Anonymous, will change that.

Your Greyhound And Children

Is there anything more adorable than a child playing with a pet that they hold dear? They love the family pet with all of their heart and what better to love to pieces than man’s best friend? When deciding what type of dog to adopt into your family, you'll want one that will be good with children, whether you have them or are planning on having them at some stage in the future. If this is the case then the greyhound may be the perfect pet for you and your home. They are intelligent and loveable because they enjoy bonding with their human companions... and this is why they can be trusted with your children.

There are many reasons to get a pet greyhound puppy for your family. For example, they are calm and lazy inside of the house as long as they are given an opportunity to get some exercise on a regular basis. Despite what some may think because they are used for racing, the greyhound is quite relaxed and fits in well just lounging along on the couch with the rest of the family!

They do need some exercise, but usually don't have a lot of stamina despite their racing image! Around forty mnutes a day will be more than anough so it is a great excuse to take your greyhound and family out for some fun in the park. Greyhounds do need room to run in a safe and enclosed environment but this is also a good excuse to encourae your little ones to play and get exercise too. This kind of dog, despite it’s size, is great for small children because they do not like rough house play either and so won't maul them. A little run is great for both children and dog so you can just relax and enjoy!

Another great reason to get a geyhound if you have children is thhe breed's loyalty. They are protective over their family and bond strongly with the members. They also don’t tend to bark much, preferring to lay quietly on a warm bed! As such, there's very little chance of startling your little ones!

Loyal, intelligent, and calm with minimal exercise required, these animals are a great choice if you have a little one. The pet greyhound is a beautiful dog who will not disappoint if given the chance to be a part of your family and the best friend of your child.

Protecting Your Greyhound To The Best Of Your Ability

If you are adopting a greyhound or considering it in the very near future then there are several factors (routine, dog insurance, the rules and so on) that you need to take care of in order to greyhound-proof your home in advance. For a greyhound that has been used to an outdoor kennel, which is effectively a confined space, having a warm, large house to wander around is often daunting. This is the main reason why you should have everything ready to welcome the new edition to your family before he or she arrives!

First things first, make sure that you have decided upon the rules and routine that your greyhound will have to live by. Establishing a routine is very important when you are caring for an adopted greyhound because he or she will settle much better and be less inclined to panic or bolt and injure his or herself as a result! This is why you should also have a good dog insurance policy in place to cover your new pet. Dog insurance will cover any medical expenses that you have, aside from the excess of course. As greyhounds can take time to settle in and can be a little nervous to begin with, a dog insurance policy is always a good idea!

As a greyhound is a purebred dog, it is important to compare pet insurance before settling for one policy because they can work out to be extremely expensive. I was once quoted in excess of £400, so the current equivalent of $800, for a 12 month policy. This is the reason why you should compare pet insurance! My current policy is £220 and is actually a lifetime policy. I found it on a comparison site called About Your Money. It seemed to have the best deals and plenty of providers to choose from and I’ll look there again if the need ever arises.

One final tip about insurances - if you are adopting a greyhound make sure that your home contents insurance covers damage caused by pets. Nothing may ever be damaged but it is worth taking the precaution. Many policies do not so double check!

How Home Friendly Is a Greyhound?

If you are considering a Greyhound adoption, you may be wondering if the Greyhound will be a good fit for your home. Having children in your home will bring up concerns of how well the Greyhound will get along with your children, as well as pets you may all ready have. Sometimes bringing a new pet into your home where there are all ready pets can cause jealousy or anxiety. Some dog breeds are not fond of small children and may have a low tolerance for them. Finding out all that you can about the Greyhound before you apply for a Greyhound adoption is a great idea.

Most Greyhounds that are up for Greyhound adoption have retired from racing and have never been in an actual home before. Many of them are not house trained and you can expect each Greyhound to react differently as they all have their own personality.

Children should never be left alone with a new dog. There should always be supervision when your children and your new Greyhound adoption are interacting. The Greyhound is one of the most tolerant breeds of dog that there is. However, the Greyhound can become aggravated when being mistreated and may try to defend himself, or could even possibly become frightened of the child.

Children should also not be allowed to walk your new greyhound adoption without being watched over by an adult. Separate any children that may be pestering him from the dog for a while. Allow him to get a break and some uninterrupted rest.

When introducing your Greyhound adoption to other pets that are in your home, always use caution. Remember to not make your pets jealous that were all ready there by not giving them just as much attention as you do your new greyhound.

When you introduce your new Greyhound to your dogs, make sure both are leashed so that they can be easily separated if need be. Same with your cat, show your Greyhound adoption that holding and petting your cat. Let the Greyhound sniff and get close to the cat, with a muzzle on, and get on to him if he gets out of line.

Never leave your new pet alone with your other pets until you are sure that they will get along. Eventually they will get used to each other after they see that the other one is there is to stay.

The Process of Adopting a Greyhound

Greyhound adoption is not a complicated process, but one that is well worth the effort to bring a Greyhound into your home. If you are looking to adopt a Greyhound for your home and family, you may be wondering just what kind of process you will have to go through to get the pet that you want. Keep reading while I walk you through the steps of Greyhound adoption below.

1. The Application

The first step for your Greyhound adoption in most places is the application. Many greyhound adoption centers will have you fill out an application so that you can be approved for the adoption. The application will ask you a series of questions to make sure that a Greyhound will be the right pet for you and your family.

The questions on the application will be geared towards your home environment for your new Greyhound adoption. They may ask if you have children and their ages, as well as if you have a fenced in yard, and whether or not your Greyhound will be kept indoors or outdoors.

2. The Background Check

Well it’s not really a background check, but the center you are considering your greyhound adoption with may want to call the vet that you use for your pets and make sure that you have kept all of your pets healthy. This would include bringing them in for regular check ups, worming and shots. They may also want to contact a few family and friends of yours as well to make sure that you are capable of caring for your new addition to your home.

3. The Search

Once your Greyhound adoption application is approved, most centers will search through their greyhounds and find the perfect fit for your home. Sometimes this step may take a while, as they may not have the Greyhound that is recommended for your household on hand at the time. However, you are considered for each and every Greyhound that comes through the center and that can be adopted until yours is found.

4. Meeting Your New Greyhound

Once the perfect Greyhound is found for your family, some greyhound adoption centers will want to bring the Greyhound to your home to meet everyone for the first time. They do this to see how the Greyhound will react in his new environment. It is a good idea to make sure that everyone in your household is at home for this step. In the event that everything goes well, the greyhound adoption is finalized, and you will own your new pet.

5. Follow Up Of Your Greyhound Adoption

Many places that offer Greyhound adoption will want to call or visit the home that has adopted the greyhound. The centers will want to make sure that you are caring for your Greyhound correctly and staying within the guidelines that you agreed to on the application.

Greyhound adoption is a great way to get a family pet that you will fall in love with. If you are considering adopting a Greyhound, contact your local Greyhound adoption center for more information.

10 Reasons Why Greyhound Racing Should Be Banned

Greyhound race tracks operate legally in more than a dozen of the fifty states in the US and many countries around the world. There is a lot of controversy over how well greyhound racing actually is regulated. In the US, there is very little oversight for the welfare of the greyhounds. There are strong advocacy groups petitioning for banning this “sport” in the US altogether, however, race supporters have a lot more money than these volunteers and argue that allegations of dog abuse are overblown. We do know, however that abuse does happen and for the following reasons greyhound racing should be regulated:

1.) Race dogs live in crates or pens an average of 20 hours per day. Pens are for the most part not climate controlled and the dogs are subject to weather extremes and the elements. Pens and kennels have been found to be squalid.

2.) Even with the greyhound rescue groups, greyhounds continue to be euthanized simply because they cannot run fast enough or have outlived their racing usefulness. This happens at 3½ to 4 years of age, when a companion greyhound can live to be 13 years old.

3.) Many more greyhounds are bred than are actually used for racing; puppies are culled, which is just a nice word for killed off, if they do not appear to have racing potential.

4.) Many times the dogs endure inhumane treatment with no real professional veterinary care and very little human contact.

5.) Greyhounds are very prone to injury and greyhound racing needs to have stronger regulations to ensure proper and professional care of injured animals.

6.) Small animals such as rabbits are used as live bail during practice sessions and are maimed and killed. The argument that this is necessary because it enhances the greyhounds “taste for blood” is totally invalid as greyhounds are sight oriented in hunting. They will chase moving objects; they are not motivated by the scent of blood.

7.) In the US greyhound racing is not governed by the Federal Animal Welfare Act, which is enforced by the United States Department of Agriculture. There are regulations in some countries such as the Australian Greyhound and Harness Racing Regulatory Authority, but unregulated tracks still persist.

8.) In 2000 the Wall Street Journal reported on a disreputable greyhound racing track that was under criticism from the neighborhood. When neighbors attempted to have the track shutdown the owners greatly inflated the number of employees, citing that a shutdown would send all these people out on the streets looking for work. Since there is no regulating body for greyhound racing in the US, there was no way to know if these numbers were true. It was only through investigation by the newspaper that they discovered the owners were lying.

9.) By regulating greyhound racing, greyhounds will be registered; coming under the protection of Animal Welfare and recording of ownership and transfer will be enforced. However unregulated tracks will still exist.

10) Current regulations for greyhound racing are applied only to the gambling aspect of the track and need to be applied equally to the welfare and oversight of the animals.