Greyhound Welfare

I appreciate that you had the fairness (and stamina) to read and print my letter correcting GBGB’s / BGRF’s erroneous statement that Greyhound Trust (originally NGRC RGT) was an industry-led initiative when in fact it was embarrassed into forming it. The correction did nothing constructive to benefit the dogs of course, apart from perhaps raising more awareness of the industry’s deviousness.

The real hope and purpose behind the letter was (and remains) that vital funding needed and morally owed to benefit the dogs’ welfare could come from making bookmakers’ contributions compulsory instead of voluntary and, by a greatly increased amount. Disappointingly my question on the matter was not mentioned in your reply / comments.

In view of Brexit, the possible obstacle of EU regulations, as mentioned during APGAW’s balanced enquiry into greyhound welfare in 2006, will no longer exist and, in any case, it was suggested even at the time of the enquiry that DEFRA should seek an exemption in order to find a method by which all bookmakers could be required to contribute. Chief Executive of the Association of British Bookmakers also stated at the time that more money could be made available from its fund’s resources. I received no reply to a letter I sent to them on the subject and David Lord Lipsey did not get very far with them either.

Multi millions are needed initially to cover welfare improvements necessary to trainers’ kennels in order to achieve UKAS accreditation, plus sustained millions annually thereafter, to fully cover running costs, particularly home-finding which, apart from promotion, also involves kennelling and veterinary costs of health checks, neutering / spaying, dental attention, vaccinations and, often, care of repairable injuries (the latter often neglected by owners / trainers in favour of the cheaper and less time consuming option of euthanasia or just patching the injury up (hence banana-shaped hocks and big bent toes) and passing the dog on for homing, with life-long welfare requirements which would be unnecessary had the injury been properly cared for when first incurred.

With regard to the label of “unsuitable for homing”, thus providing another excuse for euthanasia and conveniently reducing the number needing to be homed, you had the fairness in your comments to invite me to challenge the belief that some greyhounds were and still are, too unsafe to home, despite the introduction of Australian / American breeding. I am not versed in genetics so can only judge from facts and my own experiences and observations.

Certainly, I never came across any who were a threat to their handlers although I wouldn’t have blamed them if they had. Not all kennelhands are kindly and sometimes the sensitive ones left because they were upset by the abuse and conditions that the dogs were obliged to endure. I do not forget my father’s distress when I took a 38kg dog home to foster until a home was found. He had severe muzzle sores and initially cringed to ground level in apprehension of any men. It was known that he’d been whacked for fretting as well as muzzled 24/7 for chewing his kennel but, yes, he’d been a successful racer. It was his only outlet. At home, he curled up safely with my 3 cats.

Yes, some dogs did initially pose a threat to other animals. Who can blame them for their initial confusion with regard to family pets when live bait was commonly used in their training and to revitalise jaded racers and those with whom a trainer was ‘trying’ (mainly using chickens and pre-injured squealing rabbits but even live kittens and piglets on some occasions). Responsibly homed, properly handled by people with understanding and patience and given a home environment and interests away from kennel existence and racing, my experience was that those dogs did mellow and become gentle members of their adopters’ families, often including other pets – even those dogs with such frantic pre-race behaviour that parade girls refused to handle them and their kennelhands were obliged to stand in.

These days, conditions continuing and endured by the dogs in trainers’ kennels also cause undesirable behaviour by which they can be judged unsuitable for homing eg: persistent barking, chewing the kennel (or their own skin due to stress or parasites. Black boot polish was regarded as handy camouflage for black dogs’ sores on race nights during my kennelhand years – another example of the industry’s tendency towards cover up) – and yes, aggression towards fellow kennel-mates does sometimes occur and result in their being undeservedly labelled “unsuitable for homing”. Put yourself in the dogs’ position. Covid-19 restrictions are mild in comparison yet are already causing stressed behaviour in humans. Encarcerated in a kennel with only four walls and each other to look at for 23 hours out of each day’s 24, boredom, stress, frustration, sad resignation or extreme nervousness can result. Racing is the only release. Small wonder that most are rarin’ to go.

To date, permanent muzzling has long been the industry’s solution to the undesirable behaviour described, although it is often denied or explained away as “only a temporary measure” when stewards call round, even though some stewards turn a blind eye to it anyway. Some trainers are known to be dismissive of more compassionate solutions. They regard them as too time consuming and resent them as criticism of traditional practice. However, since permanent muzzling contravenes the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the values of which were to be incorporated into the 2010 Welfare of Greyhounds Regulations and which must now extend to cover trainers’ kennels, the practice must surely be rendered obsolete in the dogs’ living quarters through restructuring of kennels and routine and be prohibited. Nothing less will do. Welfare-wise it cannot gain acceptance as a normal necessary practice “peculiar to greyhounds”.

Prohibition of muzzling in their living quarters will reduce the prevalent dental decay and will also remove the risk of any more dogs suffocating in vomit (and their owners being told that they’d “had a heart attack and died” (another of the industry’s cover-ups) Lampshade collars can be used to protect wound dressings. In a sanctuary I had for 43 recently retired racers, no muzzle was ever used or needed, despite a regular change in groupings when some were homed and newly rescued ones arrived. It isn’t that difficult to organise their accommodation and routine without using 24/7 muzzling. Plenty of outings and kennels with windows to allow natural daylight and through which they can see more than just other kennels are helpful. They like to watch the outside world and general goings on.

Without muzzles, the dogs can enjoy the natural function of cleaning and grooming themselves and have unhampered access to water, which should surely be provided and would be welcomed by dogs on arrival back at trainers’ kennels after racing, especially in heatwave temperatures which shamefully continues to be permitted. The British Veterinary Association failed to reply to concerns expressed on the matter, yet what vet in a morally right mind would sanction it, particularly when trainers’ kennels still lack air conditioning on the dogs’ return and currently still commonly involve being muzzled. Free access to water was never available during my kennelhand years “in case it affected the dogs’ weight” but dogs only drink excessively if they have particular health problems. When dogs first go to homes they often exhibit delight at the luxury of water being freely available.

The question remains, how many really will go to homes. There already appears to be considerable discrepancy about the number of dogs involved. The figure of 16,800 is quoted by GBGB as being currently in trainers’ kennels. Your reply to my previous letter states a figure if 7,252 dogs registered in 2019, down from 11,912 in 1994. Presumably the 16,800 is comprised of an accumulation of dogs still being raced, plus retirees not yet homed, plus newcomers to a track career. Additionally, we are told that GT branches hold 675 awaiting homes, bringing the total number of homes required for 100% homing to 17,475 and that’s without those already lined up to enter trainers’ kennels at a later date.

Homing groups and the public who provide the homes will have their work cut out to cope and, scant time for fundraising, which should not be expected of them anyway. 100% homing requires 100% financing from the industry itself, including all bookmakers, plus 100% financing for the life-changing welfare improvements needed in trainers’ kennels in order to deserve and achieve UKAS accreditation.

Can we please be enlightened as to how the planned bond scheme will be adequate to cover all costs of 100% homefinding and how much longer it will be, on top of the 13 years grace already enjoyed, before the life-changing welfare improvements in trainers’ kennels will become a reality? Concern is widely shared.

Finally, despite your polite label of legend, I shall never remotely regard myself as such. Right from the start it has been teamwork: my late parents, fellow kennelmaid, Beryl and, the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection being the earliest supporters, swiftly followed by Johanna Beumer in her own right (and still going) plus so many others. It is shameful that any of us to continue to be needed. How can it ever really be right that dogs are put at high risk and exploited in the name of entertainment? However unpalatable it might initially be, as implied in your comments, the alternative of virtual greyhound racing does exist, involving zero welfare issues. Without full achievement and sustainment of the welfare standards now required of the live industry, it might yet become the only option.

Thank you for your further time and, hopefully, answers to main queries i.e. compulsory contributions from bookmakers, adequate (100%) financing of homefinding costs and kennel improvements plus time-scale still involved. Your concern and fairness is appreciated.

Ann Shannon

Owners participation

All greyhound owners have been looking forward to Mondays restart to racing. God willing everything will proceed without any problems for all the staff involved. My thoughts are when we (as owners) can see our dogs at the track.

My idea would be after two or three weeks of getting back to normal (virus permitting) that owners be allowed to go to the track for the night that there dog is running.

This would minimise the attendance for each meeting for 2 or3 weeks, followed by all owners for a couple of weeks. Then, hopefully by then lockdown would have eased and we should be close to normal back to full time racing.

Wayne Morris

Stud table

It would be interesting to see the latest  leading stud dog  standings before  open racing resumes

Don Henley

A bit late but . . . .

Gary Griffiths/Belle Vue

I’m a regular Belle Vue attendee and greyhound owner. I have dogs with Gary Griffiths. As you are aware trainers have been trialing dogs there in recent weeks. It must be hard for all trainers & kennel hands to keep motivated over the last 10 weeks.
Gary Griffiths, my trainer, has been exceptional in keeping in touch with what’s going on most days and has taken the time to improve his facilities for the dogs.
His continuous hard worked has obviously paid off. As from the first 2 trial session several of his dogs have recorded brilliant sprint times
Rockmount Buster 15.19 last Wednesday one tick behind the very useful pup Bills Direction. Hazeldene Chip, clearly not a sprinter 15.27 (FTOTD)
I think he should have a mention in the Star for his skill in keeping the dogs ticking over and producing some excellent times.
Also I believe the track staff at BV have got the track spot on in this hot weather

Phillip Jones

Poole

I just can’t express my disappointment on the news that Poole may never reopen. In this once great sport there seems to be a never ending of bad news. I’m sure we all hope its not as bad as it looks but at the moment its in serious decline

Keith Smith

Sid Wood

Following on from recent anecdotes about legendary trainer Geoff DeMulder I was reminded of the Hall Green Racing Manager at that time, Sid Wood. He was an old school racing manager and most people had to address him as Mr Wood (I think even his own wife and son had to call him that). A few people called him Sidney and a very select few knew him as Sid. He was very strict and had his own way of doing things. For my sins I was his Assistant for twelve years.

On one occasion the owner of a bitch called Miss Clonee spoke to me and said he was fed up with her being constantly placed in trap three and getting knocked about when she was an obvious wide runner, I said the best thing to do was telephone Mr Wood and have a chat with him. The following meeting I bumped into the same owner who said ‘thanks for nothing I phoned Sid and he’s put her on the card on Saturday he’s dropped her down two grades and put her in trap ONE!.
On the night of the race Miss Clonee opened up at 4/7 favourite, she pinged out of the traps and was Immediately three lengths clear but moved straight out wide eventually romping home by six lengths, Sid turned to me in the Stewards Box and tutted saying ‘there you go I told the owner it wasn’t a wide runner’.
The final blow was that the next meeting the bitch was back up two grades and you guessed it back in trap three. So if owners think they have a troublesome rm these days they should count themselves lucky.
As we have just missed out on the Derby due to Covid -19, I would share a story of how sometimes things happen to lighten the mood during the Derby which can often be tense time.
I was at kennelling for a pre Derby trial session when a trainer turned up who was new to Wimbledon, he weighed and kennelled his dog, but then came back over to me all agitated saying that his dog was down for a 480 metres trial but he had only prepared him for the 460 metre distance and that the greyhound wasn’t fit enough for the extra trip.
I explained that we had two winning lines and that we used the same starting traps and the dogs finished at same pick up point for both distances. He couldn’t grasp this and I even went out to the track with him and showed him the traps, winning lines and pick up. He wasn’t placated by this and took his dog and left only to return about ten minutes later with a big grin on his face saying ‘I’ve been a bit of twit haven’t I’
Happy days!

Simon Harris