Animal Activists Shocked at High Number Of Dog Injuries at WV Racetrack

News — 07 March 2011

A recent report from the West Virginia Racing Commission has revealed that over 152 greyhound dogs have been euthanized, due to injuries acquired while racing, since 2005. The injuries occur because of the design of the tracks’ first turn.

I would think that a greyhound racetrack that makes thousands on a daily basis could afford to fix the problem, but just like a recent post on the abuse and killing of over 100 sled dogs in BC, where the sled dogs were euthanized because they were no longer a money maker to the sled business, the racing dogs are just a monetary concern to the racetrack owners.

A nonprofit organization that works to end dog racing and advocates for greyhound protection laws is now raising concern about the number of injuries dogs receive at West Virginia racetracks.

More than 3,200 greyhound injuries were reported at Mardi Gras Casino from 2005 to 2010, according to records with the West Virginia Racing Commission, and at least 152 of them were injured so severely, they were euthanized.

Carey Theil, executive director of Grey2k USA, a nonprofit organization that advocates for greyhounds to be treated humanely, adopted and works to outlaw greyhound racing, said the sheer number of injuries in West Virginia is alarming.

“There are things that can be done to make life better for the dogs,” Theil said. “But serious injuries are an inevitable result of having greyhound racing, most simply because of the design of the track and the first turn.”

Theil said his organization requested records from both Mardi Gras Casino and Wheeling Island Hotel Casino Racetrack, and Wheeling Island has already renovated its racetrack in an attempt to minimize injury.

He said Mardi Gras Casino has had some decline in its greyhound injury numbers, and he said he hoped the casino would continue to address those injuries.

WV interim Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s mother operates the kennels and breeds the greyhounds for racing. For sure, the killing of the dogs will continue without anything being done to stop it. That’s how it works in West Virginia.

Whoever is in office can destroy and kill whatever they please, as the citizens’ opinions do not count. As long as the dog track is bringing tourism dollars to the state, unfortunately, all is well.

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WV Outpost

Protecting the environment, voicing concerns over issues that effect everyone. Preserving our childrens future, so they can live in a healthy environment.

(5) Readers Comments

Val Wolf
March 8, 2011 at 2:29 pm

Greyhound racing is cruel and inhumane. Greyhounds endure lives of nearly constant confinement, kept in cages barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around. While racing, many dogs suffer and die from injuries including broken legs, paralysis, and cardiac arrest. And many greyhounds are euthanized every year, as the number retired from racing exceeds the number of adoptive homes.

At racetracks across the country, greyhounds endure lives of confinement. According to industry statements, greyhounds are generally confined in their cages for approximately 20 hours per day. They live inside warehouse-style kennels in stacked cages that are barely large enough to stand up or turn around. Generally, shredded paper or carpet remnants are used as bedding.

An undercover video recently released by GREY2K USA shows the conditions in which these gentle dogs are forced to live: http://www.grey2kusa.org/azVideo.html

For more information on injuries these dogs suffer, please view:

http://www.grey2kusa.org/azInjuries.html

http://www.grey2kusa.org/eNEWS/G2K-022811Email.html

Dogs play an important role in our lives and deserve to be protected from industries and individuals that do them harm.

Val Wolf Board Member, GREY2K USA

Reply
WV Treehugger
March 9, 2011 at 1:41 pm

Val,
Thanks so much for extra info, I will repost this story on Planetsave.com I also write for them. Once again Thank you. With all the money the Dog track brings in they could provide these animals with better conditions. I think it should be banned myself.

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