Good News for Greyhounds

We who want humans to stop using sentient nonhumans have few victories to celebrate. But one area that continues to provide them is the fight against the use of greyhounds as a source of entertainment (and gambling revenue) by forcing them to race.

Here are a couple recent bits of good news . . .

• You may recall that Massachusetts voters let their opinions about dog racing be heard when they voted to ban racing in their state. That decision was threatened, however, when Senate Budget Amendment 155 was introduced, which would have allowed racing to continue for several years beyond the original (2010) date of cessation. But voters called and e-mailed and sent letters to their legislators making sure that the original decision was preserved!
• Rhode Island's only dog track, Twin River, will be "suspending" dog racing.

I urge everyone to read and circulate "Heartbreak at 45 mph" by Michael J. Mooney, which features Michelle Weaver, who was dedicated to finding my Violet Rays a suitable home. Her dedication included taking Violet back after her first adoptive home didn't want to deal with her diabetes, and even keeping her in her own home, away from other dogs (to control her condition and food intake and exercise) until we found her and demonstrated that were prepared to properly care for her.

There are people who care for the animals they use and trade, as the article shows. And not every dog's career ends in death or broken bones. Some get adopted into great homes. But for me, the number of adopted dogs doesn't make up for the fact that we have no right to breed dogs to use them as gambling chips.