With the good news recently coming from the GBGB’s Injury Recovery Scheme starting to address welfare which will go in part to address the needless euthanasia numbers, I would push for this scheme to be expanded a lot further.

It certainly is incumbent on the sport in general to embrace this initiative to its inevitable conclusion. The conclusion being that no greyhound is destroyed because it’s expedient to do so, these greyhounds are just treated like a worthless commodity that are no longer required or gone past their usefulness.

The fact is that the destruction of these animals in this way to the majority of the good people in racing is anathema with the very idea of this happening a sickness the sport could and should do without, there really is not excuses for this situation to occur.

Unfortunately taking the 2017 euthanasia figures along with the perceived needless percentage from the very good Kinsley Pilot report of 85% means that in the order of 664 greyhounds were destroyed that year without any justifiable reason for their destruction apart from no effort or care to these greyhounds.

We are not just talking about injuries that we all know can be expensive but also the easier and more cost effect options of homing. This failure to home the greyhounds after racing does only take a donation to many of the Trust’s public, private or effort to do this one’s self.

But let’s be frank. It’s easier to just not to feed the greyhound on a particular day pop it in the van along with the other racers, walk into the Vets room at the track, injection then carried out in a bag, jobs done. Everyone’s a winner. Another easy solution to an inconvenient problem.

This situation is not uncommon as it is being carried out by a small but not insignificant number I would suggest.

Just take a stab at the numbers, say 700 needlessly destroyed greyhounds divided by 20 per year = 35 offenders or divide by 10 = 70 offenders per year, therefore it may be reasonable to say between 35 to 70 sets of connections “are at it” along with a few smaller numbers thrown in.

This is not a scientific study but an attempt to give some sort of idea to the scale of needlessly euthanised greyhounds.

A few home truths we all usually face apart from certain individuals is that if any one is to buy a greyhound then be prepared at some time for that greyhound to be not racing and be prepared for Veterinarian bills at some time or another.

If this is going to be a problem then either belong to a syndicate or don’t buy a greyhound for racing in the first place. If a greyhound is bought for as little as a few hundred pounds then that greyhound is not worthless, we have responsibilities to it and should be taken seriously not flippantly.

What’s to be done to eliminate this dreadful situation I would suggest the following to expand and in addition to the GBGB’s Injury Recovery Scheme that will pave the way to eliminate this utterly dreadful convenience of this type of euthanasia.

  1. We are all stakeholders in the welfare of the greyhounds so we must not only be seen to be but should be committed to do so by the registration and obligations to allow for racing to occur.
  2. When a greyhound is registered then that fee associated with that registration should reflect those commitments.
  3. Reporting of euthanasia to the GBGB has to reflect the correct reasons and absolutely no economic or convenience euthanasia should be allowed. Heavy sanctions against connections has to be applied to the extent of all forms of banishment in racing, putting your greyhounds in different names will not wash as anyone doing this should also face the same consequences including Trainers.
  4. All the data for injuries and euthanasia must be released each year with the figures broken individually to the tracks themselves who if they wish publish their data for Trainers who have raced there.

It is only fair that owners are not totally burdened with the costs but must take a prominent role as legally after all the greyhound do belong to them along with the responsibility.

The registration fee should be made up from the owners, sellers of the greyhound if imported by the owners then that part should be also born by them and the tracks.

The betting industry should and must make the biggest contribution as they in fact are the biggest recipients of the spoils. Any further registration should also reflect welfare but not to the same degree as the initial fee. Welfare has to be the be all and end all of the sport as once this has been achieved then the fight with the Anti’s then will be easier to win in the eyes of the public as no battle with the Anti racing could ever be won.

The sport will be able to promote itself in a clean and forceful way so then main stream sponsorship can be sought as these sponsors to date would not touch the sport with a barge pole.

Garry Phillips

I hope you don’t mind me contacting you with my own views on euthanasia.

In actual fact, if I heard more cases of trainers taking ex-racer to the vet to be euthanised humanely, I would feel a great deal of relief.

I know not everyone shares my point of view but my reasons are as follows……

The stories I have heard over the years of what happens to greys when they are done racing, is beyond belief……broken legs, left to die, buried alive, shut in allotments, rounded up and shot, shipped abroad where there are no animal rights….etc etc. This is when I believe in euthanasia. I believe they live on in the next life (but only with joy).

I always said I would rescue a greyhound. I’ve done that now but I deeply regret it. Not really for his sake but for mine.

He finished racing a year ago and has been languishing in kennels until I took him home. During the time in kennels, he bit off part of his tail due to stress and he also killed a pet dog whilst out walking.

I was assured however, that if he was kept on the lead and muzzled, he would be no problem to me and I could expect a docile companion, which is what I wanted.

I don’t think they make great pets. I don’t think they even have much of a life, never being off the lead to run free and expel the energy etc.

It is my belief that had he been euthanised say, 6 months in to his kennel stay, or after he killed the pet, he would be running free and happy.

My family refuse to visit because they know he has lunged at me a few times, I can’t see my little grandchildren anymore and I know I’ve made a major mistake. I’m 62 and he has me exhausted and depressed.  I love dog walking, I have always had a dog, but I have to use every ounce of strength I can muster just to control him.

He drools when he spots little dogs and I’m just not happy! He’s also far too big to be in a house and I’ve had to get rid of all my furniture that he was bumping himself on. And no-one told me about this ‘sleep-startle’! He is quite terrifying at times.

As for the dog, he has every comfort and I will give him this home for life, no question about it. He has love and care , good food and all those things. He knows he is loved.

Thank you so much for reading, I’m sorry if I’ve crossed a line. It’s a relief to tell someone

Kindest Regards

S Smith

(There are various thoughts that spring to mind in reply to this letter. Instead I would invite our readers, many of whom have far greater experience with retired greyhounds than I, for their responses – Ed)