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Post by petpet on Sept 18, 2009 17:23:35 GMT
what can you say about dog fights and dog races? i think those are so cruel and should never be done to any animal
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Post by brandykins on Sept 18, 2009 17:36:32 GMT
I hate dog fights and would love to put those who encourage their dogs to fight in a ring with a pride of Lions!! Let's see how brave they are then!!
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Post by micki on Sept 18, 2009 18:48:39 GMT
good debate.. i think dog fighting is cruel but i dont have a problem with dog racing. one of our dogs is a retired Greyhound and i know these dogs love to race.. they are in their element on that track and i truely believe they enjoy it or they wouldnt run. they get so excited chasing that pretend hare.. treatment of the dogs when they retire could be better but as for the racing i love it as much as the dogs do.
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Post by paws on Sept 18, 2009 22:54:11 GMT
Our neighbour has had 4 ex racing greyhounds. Their oldest one just passed away leaving them with 3. When they got the first 2 10 years ago they were in very bad shape. One had holes in her spine from rubbing on the cage her whole life, and was terrified of everything. She was a winner on the track though when you research her records, but she didn't seem to have been well cared for there. Their other one needed eye surgery from a cut from a fight that hadn't been treated properly, and both dogs were badly bruised from beatings and fights. This year they got 2 more and they weren't in as bad shape though they were both well underweight. They might like to run, I know I have watched these guys run too but I don't think they are always treated that well when they are at the track.
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Post by micki on Sept 18, 2009 23:01:28 GMT
here in the UK the dogs are treated quite well at the track. they are all inspected before they race and if they dont pass they dont race. if a dog isnt happy in the traps then all 6 dogs are brought out and taken back to the holding area so they dont damage themselves gettin excited waiting for the hare.
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Post by paws on Sept 18, 2009 23:07:09 GMT
We don't have dog racing here in Canada and I have never been to a track, all their rescues were shipped up here from tracks in the States. Hopefully the treatment is getting better, their last 2 were in much better shape then their first 2. I just remember how sad and sick they looked when they first got here.
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Post by Karen on Sept 18, 2009 23:26:13 GMT
Do not like dog fighting, and I am totally against it - puts heavy arguments and laws on the dog breeds involved, for completely no reason - it's the owners fault after all, but yet all dog owners of that specified breed have to suffer.
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Post by lynx on Sept 19, 2009 8:31:51 GMT
Dog fighting is abhorrent. I believe the police have 'sprung' a dog fighting 'ring' and arrests made just recently. Lock anyone involved up and throw away the key but I feel so sorry for the dogs that will be destroyed because it will be impossible to rehabilitate them. I hope by discovering this little group wider discoveries will be made.
Dog racing is a totally different subject. As Micki said dogs do love to run and anyone who loves dogs cannot help but get a buzz out of seeing a fit animal race like the wind. I've never been to a dog race and I am glad Micki reassures that conditions on the track are excellent. The part of racing that upsets me greatly is the treatment of dogs (I should correct myself to say some dogs) are treated after their useful racing life. We make stacks of rosettes for the Retired Greyhound Trust an organisation that in my opinion should not even have to be. These magnificent dogs welfare and retirement should be the responsibility of their owners. The Trust send me their quarterly magazines which is very kind of them and I love hearing about some of the rescues that have taken place and even more I love seeing pictures of the greyhounds that have found loving, forever homes. However the stories connected to the lucky re-homed dogs breaks my heart. For me I would say the beauty of a greyhound running a race is marred by the treatment of some behind the scenes.
How kind of your friends to adopt retired greyhounds Paws. I have a tremendous soft spot for the breed, as much as I adore my Northern Inuits I would say a greyhound is my favourite breed of dog.
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Post by laplady on Sept 19, 2009 9:23:21 GMT
I am against any form of dog fighting, including the training of the dogs and the poor animals they use as bait. If the owners of the fighting dogs could turn the tables and make the human lead the same life it wouldn't be enough punishment.
Racing if all aspects are managed properly is just allowing and enhancing the dogs natural ability to run and chase. I know that not all racing kennels are A1 and lots of things go on behind closed doors as in all sorts of sports, but it is a joy to see these hounds move.
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Post by micki on Sept 19, 2009 10:50:41 GMT
it is difficult when thinking about Greyhound racing. many dogs do get a raw deal thats true, many get forever homes which is lovely... its a multi million pound industry so will never be stopped. all we can do is raise awareness... i wouldn't want it banned, imagine all the dogs which would be destroyed. of course some dogs get injured on the track and are carried off to see the vet, some are destroyed there and then depending on what the owner wants.. yes it is sad but if these dogs crash at 40mph then injury will happen. I'm not saying that thats ok but many dogs are treated, ours broke his hock, he could've been destroyed there and then but the owners spent a lot of money having him fixed and trying to get him race fit again, so some dogs are well thought of. you often see people protesting at the gates against racing but i dont think they realise that these dogs actually enjoy racing, they only think about the bad side... i understand what it is they dont like about racing, but would they understand what it is that millions love about it? i must admit tho when i go to the track i always want to bring a dog home with me. the fundamental difference between racing and dog fighting is that in racing the dogs love it, the object is to cross the finish line 1st... dog fighting the object is to inflict physical harm and terrible injuries, those dogs are fighting for their lives in that so called sport.
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Post by chaz on Sept 19, 2009 14:47:03 GMT
I've never seen racing and fighting put in the same place before, but fighting I hate, one thing that really upset me about fighting was when I was looking up bull terriers, where it stated that the 'owners' of the dogs would stand in the ring in the dogs eye line, as the dogs would fight more seeing their owner, as if to please them, that makes me sick, there is so much more that these dogs can do, all of them great. I use to also be against dog racing, now I'm agaisn't certain trainers , there was one man who said that a dog wasn't starving unless it can't stand, if it can stand it can race, that made me angry, I would also think that a dog fed properly could run faster anyway I also know someone who rescued one Grey who was scared of the gun, it never got to a track because the 'trainers' thought that they could beat the fear out of the dog, needless to say it only got worse poor thing. My dogs aren't Grey's, but they live to run, and when Honey has done some of her injuries people would probaly think that I was abusing her, but running at the speed they do theres always a risk of some sort of injuries, many also have thin skin, some dogs can even break there tail when they wag it, also I've heard of some Grey's whose muscles have been so powerfull that in full run they've ripped the joints apart, so I wouldn't judge how a Grey's treated by any injuries on face value, but the dogs temperment, and the trainers training methods. All in all I don't think that racing should be banned, but more stricter rules put on it, off course I could probaly be called baised as I want to get Diesel into coursing, but that is my opinions.
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Post by becky on Sept 19, 2009 21:10:33 GMT
I actually think that you can't put the 2 things in the same catergory at all. Dog fighting is disgusting and i feel the dogs should be set on the people who make them fight. Dog racing...i can't say i am right against it coz i have enjoyed going to watch them with micki and zoe. From what i see the dogs enjoy to race its what they are bred to do. I understand sometimes they get badly injurred but i think given the choice they would chose to run! I do however believe that there should be better treatment of the dogs when they retire and that the owners should have more responsibility when it comes to rehoming them coz lets face it they make good money out of the dogs so its the least they could do.
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Post by lynx on Sept 20, 2009 6:11:04 GMT
Spot on Becky, I agree wholeheartedly.
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Post by barbara on Sept 20, 2009 9:33:07 GMT
I wouldn't be sorry if everyone involved with dog fighting were lined up and shot. They are not the kind of people I'd tolerated in society.
I agree dogs love to run and chase rabbits. Did anyone see that programme where an Afgan club hired a race-track for their dogs. They are not up to greyhound speeds but they looked stunning chasing the 'hare'.
My only concern is the number of greyhounds up for adoption. Every dog should be born to be loved - not just to make money from. I don't know how anyone could own a dog knowing they were going to discard it after a couple of years.
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Post by becky on Sept 20, 2009 12:14:52 GMT
Spot on Becky, I agree wholeheartedly. Thanks Lyn i am not surprised you fel the same as we normally agree on this kind of thing ;D
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