Comments on: International Greyhound Racing Holocaust http://www.EndTucsonGreyhoundRacing.com/blog/2009/02/16/international-greyhound-racing-holocaust/ Dogs race to their death Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:36:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: pat getz http://www.EndTucsonGreyhoundRacing.com/blog/2009/02/16/international-greyhound-racing-holocaust/comment-page-1/#comment-121 pat getz Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:52:37 +0000 http://www.EndTucsonGreyhoundRacing.com/blog/2009/02/16/international-greyhound-racing-holocaust/#comment-121 In 2008 the Greyhound Protection League was asked to provide information to Elizabeth Snyman regarding the possibility of legalizing greyhound racing in South Africa. We provided her with extensive information and dozens of links to articles regarding the state of greyhound racing in general (more and more closing and closed racetracks for lack of sufficient revenue to keep them going), and the particularly sad circumstances for both the people and the greyhounds in poor and third-world countries where legalized greyhound racing exists. One of the issues GPL addressed was: if a portion of the population in poor areas does not have adequate food, housing and clothing, it is unlikely, that hundreds, perhaps thousands of greyhounds in South Africa would be adequately cared for, particularly when they are not winners. And most greyhounds are not winners; at least not for long. GPL also provided information demonstrating that legalized greyhound racing rarely produces the revenue its proponents claim it will bring in, as evidenced by the number of tracks closing in the US. We also spoke of the costs to the community when gambling addiction occurs, and it often does in the underclass communities where tracks are often housed. We spoke of the costs of treating the addiction itself as well as the cost to the families which are often devastated by the loss of their income, their homes and the support of their loved one(s). And the cost to the community to support the family now in dire financial straits. And we provided articles demonstrating the horrors that many times occur to the thousands of no-longer useful greyhounds. Our conclusion at The Greyhound Protection League, and our position paper to Elizabeth Snyman and the Department of Trade and Industry of South Africa indicated that: GREYHOUND RACING IS A LOSING PROPOSITION FOR SOUTH AFRICA. We could find no winners, only losers; especially the greyhounds. In 2008 the Greyhound Protection League was asked to provide information to Elizabeth Snyman regarding the possibility of legalizing greyhound racing in South Africa. We provided her with extensive information and dozens of links to articles regarding the state of greyhound racing in general (more and more closing and closed racetracks for lack of sufficient revenue to keep them going), and the particularly sad circumstances for both the people and the greyhounds in poor and third-world countries where legalized greyhound racing exists.

One of the issues GPL addressed was: if a portion of the population in poor areas does not have adequate food, housing and clothing, it is unlikely, that hundreds, perhaps thousands of greyhounds in South Africa would be adequately cared for, particularly when they are not winners. And most greyhounds are not winners; at least not for long.

GPL also provided information demonstrating that legalized greyhound racing rarely produces the revenue its proponents claim it will bring in, as evidenced by the number of tracks closing in the US.

We also spoke of the costs to the community when gambling addiction occurs, and it often does in the underclass communities where tracks are often housed. We spoke of the costs of treating the addiction itself as well as the cost to the families which are often devastated by the loss of their income, their homes and the support of their loved one(s). And the cost to the community to support the family now in dire financial straits. And we provided articles demonstrating the horrors that many times occur to the thousands of no-longer useful greyhounds.

Our conclusion at The Greyhound Protection League, and our position paper to Elizabeth Snyman and the Department of Trade and Industry of South Africa indicated that: GREYHOUND RACING IS A LOSING PROPOSITION FOR SOUTH AFRICA. We could find no winners, only losers; especially the greyhounds.

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