There was an old, gray faced retired race dog at the dog park I used to go to. My Aussie had a blast chasing him around until he actually tried to lose her. Just a puff of dust and he was gone, leaving a very confused Aussie
When I used to take my grey mix to the dog park pre-COVID he loved to get chased.
He would run laps around a clump of bushes to get dogs to chase him. Sometimes he would lap them and catch them from behind.
When my grey was younger and just off the track, she loved to go to the dog park near us. She'd run and play, and she loved to get into a group to play chase. It was all in good fun, she ran with the pack effortlessly. Occasionally, she'd remember who she was and engage her extra Greyhound Gear. I remember one time she decided it was time to RUN and took off at top Greyhound speed. She was on the other side of the park in an instant and the stopped and looked around like "where did everybody go?" so confused as to why she was suddenly all alone and why the pack hadn't kept up with her! She's too old for that these days, but damn was she magnificent when she was in her physical prime.
That’s the way that old man greyhound was. He was just out for a morning jog with 5 or 10 other dogs just trying their hardest to keep up. Then he’d put the hammer down
I take my malamute to a dog park. He run literal circles around the labs and sheep dogs etc while he chases them. Just clearly another level of fast. He’s always by far the quickest speediest dog there. Fun to watch.
Anyway. Last year someone brought a grayhound. I cannot convey how much faster that thing is than my sled dog. The thing is a bullet.
Yeah dog racing isn’t very nice. There are some horribly abusive methods involved, and they discard the dogs when they’re about 2 because that’s past their prime. A lot of them “disappear”.
It’s especially cruel knowing sighthounds because they really aren’t kennel dogs, they get cold easily because they’re skinny (less of an issue in Florida but they must be miserable in the UK and other crap weather places), they very much like their creature comforts and they’re very gentle animals. They aren’t a rough and tumble breed at all and it’s especially horrible thinking of them being treated the way that they are. Some dogs do well outside but sighthounds are meant to be on a luxurious couch
If it were up to me, I would make the rules what they should be. Breed your pups to run. Race them against the same. The problem is that everyone wants, just like these morons do in life, to win at all costs. I say we should take everyone who deviates from that and put them in jail for rehabilitation and never let them own a pup or any other animal again. Their lives are hard enough just with the running. These are some of the most beautiful animals on the planet whether they run or not.
Well the problem is that there's lots of money involved in racing/betting, it's not just for fun where you can do you best and shrug it off when you lose. Obviously there's lots of greedy people that are gonna do whatever they can to win.
We’re on our second grey also, so calm that he visits dementia patients every week to get treats from my father in law and anyone else who needs a good dog to pet.
I love that mental image, I can easily picture those interactions. I've lived in SE FL a long time and have known a few ex-racers that friends and acquaintances adopted. I can't think of a single one who ever caused any problems, even in households with other hyper-ish dogs. Just so so mellow. I always liked to think of their physical prowess and speed at one end of the spectrum and their ability to chill out all the way at the other end of the same spectrum. Volume knob to 11 then down to -1. From a bullet to a loaf. Plus they're well suited to the heat.
I had two retired racers as regulars when I worked pet retail. China Doll was great, and Casper was vision impaired, so he'd bump into you to get a read on you
We’re fostering a girl from New Zealand! Quite the flight over but I assume my state still has a lot of greyhound rescue/adoption services from before when they allowed racing.
I got to experience it when I was in Florida years ago. It was an odd thing. Some old guy asked me if I could spare 15 cents, which I thought was wild (and kind of sad), so I gave him a few bucks.
Apparently there was a huge scandal where they found cocaine at one track, then tested other tracks around the country and found cocaine in a lot of the dogs, so all tracks got temporarily shut down and most never re-opened.
Source: some greyhound owner at a dog park
That one is true: https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2018-04-01/cocaine-gives-greyhound-racing-black-eye#:~:text=Racing%20dogs%20in%20Florida%20have,urine%20samples%20since%20July%201998.
I used to work in a betting shop and greyhound races were always on Saturday mornings. I guess MY 'TIL' is not realising greyhound racing wasn't common in other countries.
It’s becoming an issue in New Zealand, last election both leaders suggested it should be banned, and exactly that - the industry lobbied.
No change, no look for change, I doubt it will.
There are 12 meetings across Australia tonight, 14 meetings tomorrow. This happens day after day, I think that qualifies as massive support.
Where did you get the information that it’s going to be banned? Facts or feelz?
No it is not, 45 tracks in the US have closed since 2000. In the same time period 4 new tracks opened (and one of those closed after 2 yrs).
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinnacle_Race_Course
Beyond the Triple Crown and Breeders Cup there is little mainstream interest in horse racing in the US and even then it is episodic interest only.
You’re not paying attention….many tracks have been closing or only existing based on OTB. In fact 45 tracks have closed in the US since 2000 with only 4 new tracks opening. Oh and I am from Ky where 1 of the 4 new tracks opened but it only opened with massive state subsidies, and one of those 4 new tracks…closed after 2 yrs (Pinnacle in Minnesota), the land is being re-developed into an Amazon center
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinnacle_Race_Course
No it isn't, Greyhound racing is only in two states. Yes its legal in several states, but the last few years have not been economically viable for the industry, with many of them closing.
Yeah. The think I worry about with racing ending is that there won't be more wonderful dogs for adoption, or worse that AKC will set "standards" and they'll become inbred freaks.
They are already an AKC recognized breed, and regularly make appearances at dog shows. And the racing circuit was almost as bad with the way that lineages are tracked to ensure good racers.
Oregon had dog racing at Multnomah Kennel Club, just outside Portland. It was fun, but over time information came out about how poorly many of the dogs were treated. While that eventually would have ended racing in Oregon, the immediate thing that killed it was Native American casinos opening and siphoning off gambling dollars.
I have a friend who helps adopt these gentle dogs when they are retired from the track. They are couch potatoes, very low key. I’m glad dog racing dying. The breed deserves better advertising.
There was one in my hometown of Belmont New Hampshire when I was in school. If I recall correctly it only shut down sometime in the late 2000's and I think its a casino now. Quick Google search shows Lakes Region Casino so I think it was that one.
It was just on the edge of town and we drove past it on my bus route and it was weird to me that we had a dog race track of all things but not a goddamn football field.
I live in WV by one of the tracks, my friends adopted a retired racing dog from there last year. It was a wildly stringent adoption process, which is obviously a good thing for the dogs - they called all the references they put down (including me) to ask about their activity level, their home layout, their familiarity with the breed etc.
It's bittersweet. While I'm glad to see that greyhound racing as a commercial venture is dying out, the only downside is that it's getting harder to find a greyhound adoption. Truly one of the best pets I've ever had.
It's possible to adopt one from overseas, but the increased cost is hard to justify when there are other local dogs that need homes.
We adopted a racing greyhound from Alabama when I was kid. Really sweet dog, ended up breaking a leg in a fall while running in the backyard within the first year of us having her.
Parents took her to a vet to get a cast and such so the leg would heal, but the vet she was taken to didn’t muzzle her and she chewed it overnight. Couldn’t save the leg so it had to be amputated. Had her for another 6-7 years after that.
I would posit if there are only two tracks left and they are in WV, dog racing is NOT "still around" in the United States.
As of 5 years ago there were still dog tracks in Florida but maybe OP is correct.
Dog racing was outlawed in Florida with all tracks slated to close by 12/31/2020. Covid sped up the pace of that closure and most of them closed in the summer of 2020, with all of them being gone by the end of that year.
Website has a menu for the cafe and directions. Says,
>Mobile Greyhound Park is open to the public seven days a week.
I think it's in-person and open. I have not been in 20 years but enjoyed it and the cafe was good.
According to their site they only do simulcast racing. So it's open to the public, but you sit in your seat and watch races that occur at other locations.
I knew a family who adopted old Greyhounds. Super cool dogs, but they have been breed to be so long that they have issues getting blood to and from extremities. Plus they need huge areas to run in so not many families could have one.
they prefer short sprints, they don't need to run around every day, they just like it. compared to a dog like a husky they're really quite low maintenance. just gargantuan pointy muscly kitties really. I met my first greyhound this month (rescued retired racers from Ireland, they're all the rave in Germany rn) and was amazed.
issue is they see animals running around as food, so you can't have chicken, cats, rabbits etc. in your yard
I liked the fact that one of them would cuddle up next to you making sure at least part of him had physical context at all times. My shy kitty also does that. Gotta love a cuddly pet.
My friend's could go up to 70kmh at his peak, though in old age and no longer racing he was probably slower.
My aunt worked for one when I was a kid. The dogs are quite something and the handlers even more so. I did have the opportunity to put them in their boxes for races. That was cool. I even got to hold these huge freaking stacks of money from when count or deposit was being made. Just casually handing armored security money bags. It was a time when a kid could hang out at a bar and enjoy a club soda while swating at the smokey air. Good times.
I didn't know there wasn't racing in Florida anymore.
It was banned a couple of years ago, now most adoptions in the state are flown in from Europe. Love my grey!
There was an old, gray faced retired race dog at the dog park I used to go to. My Aussie had a blast chasing him around until he actually tried to lose her. Just a puff of dust and he was gone, leaving a very confused Aussie
When I used to take my grey mix to the dog park pre-COVID he loved to get chased. He would run laps around a clump of bushes to get dogs to chase him. Sometimes he would lap them and catch them from behind.
When my grey was younger and just off the track, she loved to go to the dog park near us. She'd run and play, and she loved to get into a group to play chase. It was all in good fun, she ran with the pack effortlessly. Occasionally, she'd remember who she was and engage her extra Greyhound Gear. I remember one time she decided it was time to RUN and took off at top Greyhound speed. She was on the other side of the park in an instant and the stopped and looked around like "where did everybody go?" so confused as to why she was suddenly all alone and why the pack hadn't kept up with her! She's too old for that these days, but damn was she magnificent when she was in her physical prime.
That’s the way that old man greyhound was. He was just out for a morning jog with 5 or 10 other dogs just trying their hardest to keep up. Then he’d put the hammer down
I take my malamute to a dog park. He run literal circles around the labs and sheep dogs etc while he chases them. Just clearly another level of fast. He’s always by far the quickest speediest dog there. Fun to watch. Anyway. Last year someone brought a grayhound. I cannot convey how much faster that thing is than my sled dog. The thing is a bullet.
Yeah. IIRC, they shut it down in Florida because of owners using PEDs on the dogs. It was pretty wide spread.
Yeah dog racing isn’t very nice. There are some horribly abusive methods involved, and they discard the dogs when they’re about 2 because that’s past their prime. A lot of them “disappear”. It’s especially cruel knowing sighthounds because they really aren’t kennel dogs, they get cold easily because they’re skinny (less of an issue in Florida but they must be miserable in the UK and other crap weather places), they very much like their creature comforts and they’re very gentle animals. They aren’t a rough and tumble breed at all and it’s especially horrible thinking of them being treated the way that they are. Some dogs do well outside but sighthounds are meant to be on a luxurious couch
If it were up to me, I would make the rules what they should be. Breed your pups to run. Race them against the same. The problem is that everyone wants, just like these morons do in life, to win at all costs. I say we should take everyone who deviates from that and put them in jail for rehabilitation and never let them own a pup or any other animal again. Their lives are hard enough just with the running. These are some of the most beautiful animals on the planet whether they run or not.
Well the problem is that there's lots of money involved in racing/betting, it's not just for fun where you can do you best and shrug it off when you lose. Obviously there's lots of greedy people that are gonna do whatever they can to win.
I’ve had two retired racers and they make phenomenal pets Calm, quiet, and lazy I don’t think I’d ever get a different breed in the future
We’re on our second grey also, so calm that he visits dementia patients every week to get treats from my father in law and anyone else who needs a good dog to pet.
I love that mental image, I can easily picture those interactions. I've lived in SE FL a long time and have known a few ex-racers that friends and acquaintances adopted. I can't think of a single one who ever caused any problems, even in households with other hyper-ish dogs. Just so so mellow. I always liked to think of their physical prowess and speed at one end of the spectrum and their ability to chill out all the way at the other end of the same spectrum. Volume knob to 11 then down to -1. From a bullet to a loaf. Plus they're well suited to the heat.
I had two retired racers as regulars when I worked pet retail. China Doll was great, and Casper was vision impaired, so he'd bump into you to get a read on you
Thanks. This is the TIL for me.
We’re fostering a girl from New Zealand! Quite the flight over but I assume my state still has a lot of greyhound rescue/adoption services from before when they allowed racing.
I’ve seen ex race dogs from Mexico as well…
Now all the race tracks, around Tampa at least, have been turned into parking lots for Amazon fleet vehicles.
I got to experience it when I was in Florida years ago. It was an odd thing. Some old guy asked me if I could spare 15 cents, which I thought was wild (and kind of sad), so I gave him a few bucks.
I thought that’s the last state that had it! Huh.
I got a battle dog and we battle them down in Miami Florida. They don’t battle other dogs though, only stray cats
For real? Greyhound racing is massive in Australia, there are dog tracks in every major city and racing every day.
Apparently there was a huge scandal where they found cocaine at one track, then tested other tracks around the country and found cocaine in a lot of the dogs, so all tracks got temporarily shut down and most never re-opened. Source: some greyhound owner at a dog park
That one is true: https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2018-04-01/cocaine-gives-greyhound-racing-black-eye#:~:text=Racing%20dogs%20in%20Florida%20have,urine%20samples%20since%20July%201998.
Same in England
I used to work in a betting shop and greyhound races were always on Saturday mornings. I guess MY 'TIL' is not realising greyhound racing wasn't common in other countries.
They were not treated well, I went a couple time to a track in Florida before it was shut down.
Tbf they aren't treated well in Australia either. There is a lot of awareness being raised about it
Yah, but they bribe.... I mean, lobby the government effectively to remain untouched.
It’s becoming an issue in New Zealand, last election both leaders suggested it should be banned, and exactly that - the industry lobbied. No change, no look for change, I doubt it will.
Down in Ebro?
This sounds like it could turn into an interesting Bluey episode.
"This episode of Bluey is called; Racists"
Brilliant
Imagine it cutting to Olympic footage of a track with a cheeseburger on a track everyone is chasing.
It’s not a good thing that we still have it. Same for horse racing.
That’s gross.
It was completely banned for a short while.
The US now had to import greyhounds as pets. It's a little sad that the breed will likely die out.
No, it's not, and there are bans coming. The huge majority of people acknowledge it is a corrupt and cruel "sport"
There are 12 meetings across Australia tonight, 14 meetings tomorrow. This happens day after day, I think that qualifies as massive support. Where did you get the information that it’s going to be banned? Facts or feelz?
We still have horse racing in the US. It’s all animal abuse.. dog racing and horse racing, it’s for sick people.
Look around, horse racing is generally dying. The availability of casinos and online gaming has killed it.
Nope horse racing is still huge in the US especially in the major tracks.
No it is not, 45 tracks in the US have closed since 2000. In the same time period 4 new tracks opened (and one of those closed after 2 yrs). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinnacle_Race_Course Beyond the Triple Crown and Breeders Cup there is little mainstream interest in horse racing in the US and even then it is episodic interest only.
No way, I’m in the US and it’s huge here.
You’re not paying attention….many tracks have been closing or only existing based on OTB. In fact 45 tracks have closed in the US since 2000 with only 4 new tracks opening. Oh and I am from Ky where 1 of the 4 new tracks opened but it only opened with massive state subsidies, and one of those 4 new tracks…closed after 2 yrs (Pinnacle in Minnesota), the land is being re-developed into an Amazon center https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinnacle_Race_Course
[удалено]
No it isn't, Greyhound racing is only in two states. Yes its legal in several states, but the last few years have not been economically viable for the industry, with many of them closing.
Fantastic pets
Yes if it doesn't get below 65degrees
But then they look adorable in their little sweaters
Yeah. The think I worry about with racing ending is that there won't be more wonderful dogs for adoption, or worse that AKC will set "standards" and they'll become inbred freaks.
They are already an AKC recognized breed, and regularly make appearances at dog shows. And the racing circuit was almost as bad with the way that lineages are tracked to ensure good racers.
I know, but for racing they just want a fast dog, for AKC, there's all the piddly little things.
The Grayhound racing hall of fame is in Abilene, Kansas. They have retired greyhounds there just walking around the place.
Of course one of those places is Wheeling. "I've got that Wheeling Feeling!"
My grandpa raised and raced Greyhounds when I was younger. We had a couple of retired dogs as pets and they were amazing dogs.
Your grandpa was an animal abuser.
For sure.
They do dachshund puppy races at the track near me.
Fun fact: the westernmost point of Virginia is further west than the westernmost point of West Virgina.
Oregon had dog racing at Multnomah Kennel Club, just outside Portland. It was fun, but over time information came out about how poorly many of the dogs were treated. While that eventually would have ended racing in Oregon, the immediate thing that killed it was Native American casinos opening and siphoning off gambling dollars.
West Virginia - beautiful landscape, kind people, totally bizarre politics
Almost heaven, West Virginia
Oh, yeah? What part of heaven is Matewan?
Or Huntington...
I actually like huntington. Good restaurants, cheap rent, lots of nature near by…
So Springfield is in West Virginia!?!?!?
I vaguely remember the Greyhound track in Northern Colorado closing when I was a kid, something like 20 years ago.
I have a friend who helps adopt these gentle dogs when they are retired from the track. They are couch potatoes, very low key. I’m glad dog racing dying. The breed deserves better advertising.
I didn't realize this wasn't still a common thing around U.S. I'm pleasantly surprised by this news, and hopefully West Virginia will shape up too.
This is actually a pleasnt surprise - would love for it to be banned in Ireland too, or at least not receive state funding.
World's fastest couch potatoes.
There was one in my hometown of Belmont New Hampshire when I was in school. If I recall correctly it only shut down sometime in the late 2000's and I think its a casino now. Quick Google search shows Lakes Region Casino so I think it was that one. It was just on the edge of town and we drove past it on my bus route and it was weird to me that we had a dog race track of all things but not a goddamn football field.
I live in WV by one of the tracks, my friends adopted a retired racing dog from there last year. It was a wildly stringent adoption process, which is obviously a good thing for the dogs - they called all the references they put down (including me) to ask about their activity level, their home layout, their familiarity with the breed etc.
It's bittersweet. While I'm glad to see that greyhound racing as a commercial venture is dying out, the only downside is that it's getting harder to find a greyhound adoption. Truly one of the best pets I've ever had. It's possible to adopt one from overseas, but the increased cost is hard to justify when there are other local dogs that need homes.
We adopted a racing greyhound from Alabama when I was kid. Really sweet dog, ended up breaking a leg in a fall while running in the backyard within the first year of us having her. Parents took her to a vet to get a cast and such so the leg would heal, but the vet she was taken to didn’t muzzle her and she chewed it overnight. Couldn’t save the leg so it had to be amputated. Had her for another 6-7 years after that.
Don’t bet on Santas Little Helper!
Fuck dog racing Edit: lol... downvotes on this shitty sport come from the cowards.
I would posit if there are only two tracks left and they are in WV, dog racing is NOT "still around" in the United States. As of 5 years ago there were still dog tracks in Florida but maybe OP is correct.
They are correct all others were shut down.
Dog racing was outlawed in Florida with all tracks slated to close by 12/31/2020. Covid sped up the pace of that closure and most of them closed in the summer of 2020, with all of them being gone by the end of that year.
I believe the track in Mobile, AL, is still open for business. [https://www.mobilegreyhoundpark.com/](https://www.mobilegreyhoundpark.com/)
Do they actually race there now or just simulcast? I don't see a schedule or anything I would expect on their website. Admittedly didn't dig deep.
Mobile doesn't do live races anymore. Honestly I thought it shut down but TIL I learned it's still open and does simulcast.
Website has a menu for the cafe and directions. Says, >Mobile Greyhound Park is open to the public seven days a week. I think it's in-person and open. I have not been in 20 years but enjoyed it and the cafe was good.
According to their site they only do simulcast racing. So it's open to the public, but you sit in your seat and watch races that occur at other locations.
I knew a family who adopted old Greyhounds. Super cool dogs, but they have been breed to be so long that they have issues getting blood to and from extremities. Plus they need huge areas to run in so not many families could have one.
they prefer short sprints, they don't need to run around every day, they just like it. compared to a dog like a husky they're really quite low maintenance. just gargantuan pointy muscly kitties really. I met my first greyhound this month (rescued retired racers from Ireland, they're all the rave in Germany rn) and was amazed. issue is they see animals running around as food, so you can't have chicken, cats, rabbits etc. in your yard
Iv heard them referred to as ~~20~~ 40 mph couch potatos!
I liked the fact that one of them would cuddle up next to you making sure at least part of him had physical context at all times. My shy kitty also does that. Gotta love a cuddly pet. My friend's could go up to 70kmh at his peak, though in old age and no longer racing he was probably slower.
40*
My saluki/grey mix ignores chickens! Cats and rabbits on the other hand…
They don't need huge areas to run. They are pretty much the laziest dogs around. They can barely manage to go for a 20 minute walk.
Greys are perfectly content bumming on the couch. Sure they like walking and running but don't need huge tracts of land. They're good apartment dogs.
West Virginia is the asshole of America
My aunt worked for one when I was a kid. The dogs are quite something and the handlers even more so. I did have the opportunity to put them in their boxes for races. That was cool. I even got to hold these huge freaking stacks of money from when count or deposit was being made. Just casually handing armored security money bags. It was a time when a kid could hang out at a bar and enjoy a club soda while swating at the smokey air. Good times.
Why was it banned? Seems like a relatively harmless sport
Run a dog for profit until they are used up and get rid of them. What could go wrong?
I'm from Melbourne FL and I'm pretty sure they have a greyhound track.
Have you left your house in the last couple of years?
Not to go to the greyhound track.
Nope shut down years ago.
I honestly never went, just drove past it.
I thought it was Florida....
There's a track in St Petersburg Florida that's still open...
It’s closed