New Hampshire Tracks Closing. The Reality Of The Action.

I will start off by saying that this post is not an anti-racing or pro-racing, but simply the reality of what happens when a track closes, much less three. The struggles that adoption groups face in these situations and most importantly what it means for the greyhounds; immediate and long term.

Recently, Grey2K USA began heralding the closing of the 3 greyhound race tracks in New Hampshire. For those of you who do not know, Grey2K USA is an anti-racing lobbying group determined to ending greyhound racing, through the claim they are "Protecting Greyhounds Nationwide." Feel free to check out their website at www.grey2kusa.org.

First, you have to understand that every track has x amount of kennels and that number varies depending on the track. Each kennel holds x amount of greyhounds typically between 72 and 78 dogs. (six hold kennels.) On average each track has approximately 700 greyhounds available for racing at any given time.

As you can imagine when a track closes, suddenly, adoption groups across the country are scrambling trying taking in 700 greyhounds. (Thrice the tracks, thrice the number of greyhounds) The trainers and kennel owners help in securing placement at other tracks to reduce the burden on greyhound adoption groups. After the panic settles, the announcement comes. "All of the greyhounds have been placed." Happy ending right? Wrong.

There's a phenomenon that happens when you move x amount of dogs somewhere. The same number is displaced at the receiving end and on down the line, until, the only option left is the final vet visit. Those in greyhound adoption know this phenomenon as the "trickle down effect."

I know what you're thinking. "Why doesn't another group take them in?" Well, every adoption group out there has a track or kennel they work with closely; taking dogs in as fast as they can. If they take in x number of dogs from the track, x number dog needing placement from the 700 perish. If they take in x number from the 700, x number of dogs at the track or kennel they work with perish. The ultimate reality, 700 dogs were not saved, 700 perished. All we did was switch which greyhounds would perish. I don't see how anyone can claim that obvious failure as a "victory" for the greyhounds.


Now let's look at the long term ramifications associated with ending greyhound racing. Assume, greyhound racing has ended. All the tracks have closed. Greyhound adoption groups across the nation flock to save as many as they can. Then, they do what all good adoption groups do, they fully vet the dogs in preparation for adoption. Problem is homes just are not coming in fast enough to help the remaining dogs at the tracks and farms. No longer able to care for the dogs, only one option remains; euthanasia. Thousands of greyhounds will be sent to rainbow bridge.

When this day comes and it is coming; it will be the darkest day in the history of the NGA line. I refer to this time as living extinction. All of the greyhounds that managed to be pulled into adoption groups will be spayed or neutered. The remaining population that was capable of breeding; gone. For the precious few that managed to hit an adoption group they will be the last of their kind.

Many that favor ending greyhound racing have not considered the long term consequences to this action. Stating, coursing will keep the spirit of the greyhound alive. It very well might but what about the NGA line? What about the thousands that have already perished and will perish because racing has ended? Do the lives of these greyhounds matter? When are we going to stop standing on one side of the racing debate or the other and work for the betterment of the racing greyhound. I understand the need and desire to protect the racing greyhound, but I fail to comprehend how genocide achieves the desired goal.