Texas Dog Track Closes – Financial Woes
Good news: Today (December 31, 2007) is the last time greyhounds will have to run for their lives around the dog track in Corpus Christi. Hopefully, that saves the lives of a few thousand greyhounds who won’t be overbred just to make a buck.
According to the article, the Corpus Christi dog track was facing financial losses of $3.5 million a year. That oughta send a message to the powers the be that the cruel blood sport of greyhound racing is no longer entertaining to the masses.
The article says that the track still has 70 dogs that need homes and will feed them until adoptions are made. We hope that is truly the case. We hope the dogs don’t disappear like dogs do in Tucson.
Imagine a track closing because of financial woes. It appears that Texas is far superior than Arizona where the greyhound racing tracks not only get away with murder but also not paying any pari-mutuel state taxes.
This is fantastic news!!!! Yes, hope they keep an eye on those 70 greys until they find loving forever homes.
Well…this should make us all realize that is finance that finally brings the doors slamming shut.
The folks who own the Corpus track also own Florida tracks and at least one of those, Naples-Ft. Myers, is struggling to stay afloat. A recent series of articles in the Naples Daily News (which read more like a paid advertisement than a journalistic endeavor) have attempted to glorify dog racing in their coverage of the 50th anniversay of the Naples-Ft. Myers track. I’m thrilled to see numerous letters to the editor which object to this representation of a brutal “sport” as something the citizens of this area condone. One of the owners, Izzy Havenick, is quoted as saying, “We love it. We have a great time every day going to the tracks.” Obviously, Izzy spends no time in the kennels where the suffering occurs, or if he does (yes, Izzy’s a “he”!), it’s disturbing to think he loves it.
Funny that they keep blaming the demise of dog racing on casino-style gambling without giving much credit to humanity for refusing to support an industry whose foundation is the suffering and mistreatment of greyhounds and other animals (remember the live lure used for training racers).
I believe that people who grasp the seriousness of what goes on behind the scenes of dog racing, and refuse to accept it will be the downfall of dog racing. Even those who claim to be in it for the dogs will eventually be exposed.
Step aside all you “neutrals” and you racing fanatics – we’re coming through with a message the general public supports: Racing is NOT something greyhounds WANT to do – it is something they are TRAINED to do and then tossed aside when they don’t perform up to expectations. Dog is man’s best friend, not his best tool to exploit.
WAKE UP racing industry AND the adoption groups who accept it as something over which they have no control. Dog racing is dead….help us carry it to the grave and bury it. Speak up!
The only good thing I have to say about Corpus’s dog track closing is there is plenty of dog tracks I can gamble at………………..thank you Arizona and Florida and Mexico
David-
hopefully, it won’t be long before you have no tracks to wreck your karma on. Yes, I do think it is immoral to bet against these beautiful animals.To bet on one is to gamble with their lives. Greyhound racing is a dying sport both for the dogs and the people that would exploit them. Arizona racing is not for long- the hardest battle is going to be Florida. maybe you will have to move there in order to assist in the killing of innocent dogs.
I don’t know who to contact to take this woman down. She has been swindling people out of money for years, pocketing 1000s of dollars and praying on people and their love of dogs. I’m just a latest victim. Maybe you know what I should do next? I’d like to get my money back. I know, these are pennies in comparison to cases you are working, but this just hurts…
A few months ago I decided that I wanted a dog. I decided on an Afghan Hound. The breed is stunning, their temperament matches mine. I decided to get a rescue young adult. I contacted AHCA for a dog, but they did not have one available. But Debbie White, owner of Hatari Afghans (http://hatari-afghans.com), a rescue rep and Evangers rep from Texas had a young adult ready for adoption. Debbie sounded like she cared about her dogs, was knowledgeable and professional. I bit and entered into a contract with her. TRUSTING HER WAS MY GREATEST MISTAKE.
I started talking to her in mid May with the understanding that she will send me the puppy after my event in Tahoe, mid June. She got the money, I did not get the dog. She charged me $700 for his adoption, $400 for flight, $200 for a kennel, $100 for health certificates. That Ìs $1400. AGAIN, she got the money, I never got the dog. First he needed grooming, then he got into fire ants, then Debbie got busy, then, well, something else happened. Delay turned into another delay and finally ended in silence as Debbie stopped communicating with me completely. I reported her to AHCA. It took a call from AHCA director Barb Hastings for Debbie to actually email me back, letting me know that she will return my money. But guess what! Though she promised the refund, she never sent it.
I was made aware that she is helping with the pretty bad ìpuppy millî situation in New Mexico. But if this is the way she treats people, I wonder how she treats her dogs. For example, she mentioned that the dog I was supposed to have gotten was house trained. Then she let it slip that he only lives outside. Afghans need constant care and companionship. If she did not clean him take care of him, how much socialization has he gotten? And other dogs in her possession? For Afghans thatís imperative. On the website she lists a few more pups for adoption. These are just from her own breeding. And now with the other pups in he possession, if she has no time for her own dogs, how will she be able to handle others? I think that with her bubbly personality she taking people and the dogs in her possession for a ride!
I donít want other people to go through this sort of experience. Getting an animal is an emotional experience. I prepped for this dog. Debbie works for Evangers Dog Food. I purchased the food she suggested. I got a whole bunch of toys, I prepped the house for the animal only to get suckered in and screwed. Please pass this along to anyone who is thinking of purchasing an Afghan / getting one from a rescue. Hatari Afghans is a scam. Debbie White and her operation should be closed. She is not to be trusted and should be avoided at all costs.
Hope you can help…
Marti