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Greyhound RacingIn the United States, betters wager billions of dollars on

dog races every year. Only four states, California, Maine,

Vermont, and Virginia, have banned greyhound rac ing.

These state laws prohibiting racing are largely ineffectual,because federal law does not prohibit the interstate

shipment of greyhounds used in racing. One state may ban

the breeding of dogs used for racing, but dog handlers in

another state can breed the same dogs and ship them

across state lines.

The greyhound racing industry breeds approximately 50,000

puppies each year. Of these animals, only 15,000 actually

become racing dogs. The rest are "retired," used as

breeding stock, or, in a more likely scenario, shot and

destroyed. The racing industry also sells thousands of dogs

considered unfit for racing to laboratories, which experimenton animals. Thus, greyhound racing functions not only as a

"sport" and gambling enterprise, but as a breeding facility

for cruel vivisection practices.

Dogs that become racing animals do not live less cruel lives.

Several thousand rabbits and other small animals die yearly

during the training of greyhounds. Trainers use these small

animals as live bait, exhorting greyhounds to chase the

animals around a t rack in order to simulate race conditions.

Trainers allow dogs to catch and destroy those bait animals

that are no longer able to run effectively.

Dogs that have no propensity to kill are placed in cages atclose quarters with rabbits. The trainers then deny the

dogs food, starving them until hunger drives them to kill

their caged companions. In this way, trainers awaken

bloodlust in dogs that are non-violent by character.

A few states have outlawed the use of live animals in

training. Trainers in these states sometimes employ a "jack-

a-lure," a more humane training method. These

electronically powered lures race around tracks, attracting

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the attention of greyhounds. Yet many trainers manage to

circumvent state anti-cruelty laws. They ship dogs out of 

state for live animal training, then ship them back, a

practice that is not prohibited by federal interstate

commerce laws.

Greyhounds that actually become racers live life in small

cages, usually no greater than three feet in diameter.

Handlers remove them from their cages only rarely; to go to

the bathroom, and for infrequent races during the course of a week.

Protest greyhound racing by: Refusing to patronize dog

tracks and encouraging others to do the same. Writing

letters to representatives in states where dog tracks exist.

Educating the public about the greyhound racing industry’s

cruelty to animals.

For more information on greyhound racing, and what you

can do to stop it, please visit: Greyhound Protection

League

Horse RacingHorse racing takes place throughout the United States.

Individual state governments have their own racing

commission agencies. Ostensibly, those commissions exist

for the regulation of the racing industry. According to state

law, however, the racing industry must share revenue with

stat es, and racing commissions function as umbrella

organizations for the racing industry rather than regulatory

agencies. State governments become hesitant to prosecute

racing or animal rights abuses, because they share in animal

racing funds.

Around 800 racehorses die each year from fatal injuriessuffered on US racetracks. An additional number of 

approximately 3,566 sustain injuries so bad that they

cannot finish their races. Several breeding and horse

handling abuses contribute to the great risk of death and

injury that horses face.

Breeders often race horses as young as two. These horses

lack fully developed bone structure, and are more likely to

suffer injury.

 

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Due to selective genetic pairing and breeding, many

racehorses are born with fragile bodies to begin with.

Selective breeding does not provide the gene pool with

diverse enough genetic material to avoid genetic defects

that arise largely as a result of inbreeding. Because jockeys

race horses year round on hard tracks, which give less and

are therefor harder on a horse’s joints and bones, horses

incur greater injury risk. Large corporate breeders race their

"investments" too often in pursuit of profit.

To keep horses racing through pain, handlers administer

Lasix and Bute. These pain relievers numb pain, but do not

treat the injuries that cause pain. Consequently, these

injuries get worse. Horses that suffer severe injuries as a

result of drug induced racing get sold to slaughterhouses, a

more profitable venture for breeders than euthanization.

These horses suffer long cramped rides to the

slaughterhouse without painkillers, in unfit t railers. Handlers

also use Lasix to mask the presence of illegal substances

such as steroids.

A horse that fails to win also faces death in aslaughterhouse, where operators sell the horse's flesh

overseas for human consumption, or provide horsemeat to

glue factories.

While horse racing is no longer legal in Belgium, it is a

sanctioned event in many other places in the world. Work

to end horse racing by: Refusing to patronize tracks and by

encouraging others to do the same. Lobbying against the

construction of new t racks. Educat ing the public about

horse racing industry’s cruelty to horses.

In Defense of Animals 3010 Kerner Blvd., San Rafael, CA 94901. Tel.: 415-388-9641  www.idausa.org email: ida@idausa.org

 

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