Greyhound Protection Review – 2008
January
Supporters email the racing and betting industries with a New Year message – requesting they consider virtual greyhound racing as an option to live greyhound racing – accompanying the message with a graphic video.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tKfgAYH5qTo&feature=channel_page
Both industries declined to respond - formally at least.
Greyhound Action stage their annual demonstration at the industry’s Awards Ceremony and dozens of supporters shouted loud and proud for the voiceless greyhounds.
Supporters at the Industry’s Annual Awards Ceremony
February
Greyhound Crusaders successfully lobby Cockermouth council and plans for a new greyhound stadium are thwarted.
http://www.timesandstar.co.uk/1.60034
March
Daniel Foggo of the Sunday Times exposes a ‘Vets secret trade in body parts’ – involving a greyhound clinic in Essex killing healthy greyhounds and selling their warm organs to the Royal Veterinary Clinic.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3466712.ece
The RSPCA submit a report to DEFRA in response to the APGAW and Donoughue reports – imploring the government ‘by simply using these reports as a blueprint for change would be a major mistake’
http://www.greyhoundcompassion.com/news-82.htm
Greyhounds Galore release a heart-warming video showing the appalling conditions of the hounds they rescue and how these beautiful creatures return to ‘Innocence’
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fIInZ80tnFo
April
Greytexploitations release ‘Magical Greyhound Friendships’ in response to TV vet Emma Milnes’ article in Dogs Today magazine.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=X3vkxtF2-bg&eurl=http://uk.youtube.com/my_videos_edit2
Greyhound racing at the Cheltenham Festival is cancelled due to a link between the fatal greyhound virus and equine flu, posing an obvious health risk to horses. Greyhound protection groups continue with plans to peacefully leaflet race goers and thousands of horse racing enthusiasts are educated on the inherent cruelty of greyhound racing. The Racing Post has recently reported greyhound racing will NOT be held at the 2009 Cheltenham Festival.
Leafleting at the Cheltenham Festival
May
Daniel Foggo exposes the racing industry again with an excellent piece of investigative journalism of how the largest greyhound breeder in the UK is selling healthy puppies failing to make the grade – too slow or wont chase – to Liverpool University for research and dissection.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article3908388.ece
June
The RSPCA successfully prosecute former greyhound trainer – Rebecca Hagger – for causing unnecessary suffering to three greyhounds and failing to meet the welfare needs of another four greyhounds.
http://greytexploitations.com/greyhound-watch/trainer-guilty-of-cruelty
The Save Our Stow campaign goes into full ‘spin’ and Greyhound Crusaders launch an international appeal to lobby the new owners of Walthamstow Stadium – L&Q – raising awareness and requesting L&Q disassociate themselves from any future plans to reinstate racing at the stadium. L&Q are forced to publicly declare they ‘do not wish to be legally associated with the running of a greyhound racing business’ and eventually release this statement dispelling the Save Our Stow media propaganda.
http://www.lqgroup.org.uk/data/files/letter-walthamstow-stadium-707.pdf
July
Greyhound Remembrance Weekend sees flowers laid at stadiums in memory of the 100’s of thousands of greyhounds who have died at the hands of the racing industry and a host of ‘awareness’ campaigns are held nationally including street stalls and media appeals.
Remembrance Sunday at York
July 12th marked the second anniversary of Clash Nitro and Rent a Flyer’s death by David Smith.
http://greytexploitations.com/in-remembrance
The powerful ballad ‘Racing to Death’ by Maria Daines and Paul Killington is officially released in conjunction with the anniversary of the Seaham Slaughter and Greyhound Remembrance Weekend.
http://www.maria-daines.com/music-57.html
July 16th marked the second anniversary of Daniel Foggo’s exposure of the Seaham Slaughter in the Sunday Times. The exposure sent shockwaves around the world and has had the most dramatic impact on the decline of greyhound racing to date.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article688422.ece?token=null&offset=0
August
Greyhound Watch has an excellent article published in The Star – serving South Yorkshire – questioning whether Sheffield’s Owlerton Stadium is the most dangerous track in Britain.
http://www.thestar.co.uk/headlines/Owlerton-track--is-39dangerous39.4376123.jp
Generous supporters donate a staggering £1,444 to Action for Greyhounds UK after founder member - Annie Boddey - Skydives from 12,000 feet in a daredevil attempt to raise awareness and much needed funds.
Wild child – Annie Boddey
Walthamstow Stadium closed its doors for the last time on August 16th and Greyhounds UK commence the tracking and monitoring of dogs displaced by its closure.
http://www.greyhounds-uk.org/
Greyhound Watch have another well researched article naming and shaming trainers who irresponsibly and economically give away ex racing greyhounds without home checks or neutering only for the neglectful new owners to abuse and abandon them.
http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/727/greyhound-homing-scandal/
September
Greyhound Action Scotland were represented at a Fringe event during the SNP’s annual conference by two of its youngest supporters - Finleigh and Kalya Wells. The two sisters were interviewed by Christine Grahame MSP about why animal welfare is important to the voters of tomorrow.
http://greytexploitations.com/how-you-can-help/greyhound-action-scotland
October
Reading stadium closed its doors for the last time and Greyhounds UK commence the monitoring and analysis of greyhounds displaced by the stadiums closure.
http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2037701_end_of_the_track
Greyhound Action has an excellent article published on Dogs Magazine reporting how Frisby Foreman sustains an injury during a live televised race at Belle Vue and is consequently euthanased on ‘economic’ grounds. The article generates a much heated debate between supporters of the racing industry and greyhound protection campaigners.
http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/1086/shock-and-outrage-as-dog-fatally-injured-live-on-tv/
Jean Snelling runs the Dublin Marathon and raises much needed funds for Greyhound Action.
Support for the greyhound protection campaign strengthens as an industry official turns ‘informer’ and advises Greyhound Action that Glandore Queen and Hanoi Son are both raced to their deaths at Peterborough Stadium on October 18th.
http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/1133/renewed-calls-for-greyhound-racing-at-stadium/
November
Daniel Foggo exposes what has been an age old tradition of slaughtering healthy greyhounds at knacker’s yards, once they have served their usefulness.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5063056.ece?Submitted=true
Annette Crosbie OBE has a demanding letter published in the Racing Post – questioning why the industry did not embark on an analysis of the displaced Walthamstow greyhounds and calls for more openness.
Greys2k USA successfully campaign the people of Massettusetts, who vote ‘YES’ to a ban on greyhound racing – the first state ever to do so purely on the basis of a citizen vote.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/11/question_3_setu.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed4
Daniel Foggo exposes a ‘race fixing ring’ involving a trainer who also admits to having 23 greyhounds ‘put down’ over a period of only 10 months. Both William Hills and the NGRC elect to hold ‘internal’ enquiries rather than the suspended manager – now dismissed for fraud – being dealt with in a public criminal court.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article5162657.ece
December
ISAERA produce a brilliant short documentary featuring Tia Greyhound and Lurcher Rescue – highlighting the importance of the forthcoming public consultation period for Secondary Legislation.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=U2zlPSAxJ3s
Santa comes early in the form of the Greyhound Star with good news of a huge drop in attendances - as much as 20% and predicting many stadiums would be forced to close midweek in the New Year. That prediction took only days to materialise – with six stadiums announcing they were discontinuing at least one midweek meeting.