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OT: Final call for Florida dog tracks.

dollarbill

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Jul 25, 2001
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Today's the last day. Rusty the Rabbit will probably head to the scrap heap. Guess it's long overdue. Happy New Year. $$$$
 
Having owned four greyhounds as pets, including one now, my question is where are the greyhounds in the future going to come from? All the dogs coming from the tracks have been/will be neutered. The only non-racing greyhound breeders are doing it for show and there aren't many. There are no greyhounds bred as pets.
 
I used to go to Raynham Taunton Greyhound Park back in Massachusetts back in college. Also the one off I-75 on the way from Ft.Myers to Marco Island. But yes, their time has come. Godspeed Rusty the Rabbit!
 
What will the tracks be used for now? Will the new owners/use keep the employees?
 
I used to go to Raynham Taunton Greyhound Park back in Massachusetts back in college. Also the one off I-75 on the way from Ft.Myers to Marco Island. But yes, their time has come. Godspeed Rusty the Rabbit!

Been to that one between Ft Myers and Marco Island. Saw how the dogs are kept after one of the races. Criminal.
 
Having owned four greyhounds as pets, including one now, my question is where are the greyhounds in the future going to come from? All the dogs coming from the tracks have been/will be neutered. The only non-racing greyhound breeders are doing it for show and there aren't many. There are no greyhounds bred as pets.
I have had that same conversation with a Veterinarian friend of mine this past summer. You are 100% right. It's a breed that hasn't been bred to be a pet. Yet they are a fabulous pet.
 
Horse racing will be next.
Horse racing (particularly NYRA) did pretty well last year. On track attendance will likely never approach years past, with the exception of premier tracks like Saratoga, but all source handles are doing fairly well. NYRA TV coverage has been outstanding- I would compare it favorably to any sport. Current talent like Jonathon Kinchen, Richard Migliore , Maggie Wolfendale and others have changed the vibe- its not your grandpa's horse racing.

 
I have had that same conversation with a Veterinarian friend of mine this past summer. You are 100% right. It's a breed that hasn't been bred to be a pet. Yet they are a fabulous pet.
Indeed. Great pets but they may no longer be available. Our current greyhound, Tor, came from Greyhound CrossRoads in Columbia SC. I just looked at their listings of available dogs and after one, Irvin, they noted he and his kennel mates were among the last to come from a Florida track.

 
As I said, we’ve have had four over the last 20-30 years and no indication that any have been abused or otherwise mistreated. They were not hand shy or scared of people. Three were retired as their skills diminished. With one exception they were healthy and all in great physical shape considering their careers as athletes. The one ended his career because of an injury, which was resolved by vets paid for by Greyhound Pets of America. I don’t follow horse racing but there have been enough scandals with drug use on the tracks to make me wonder if there are more problems with horse racing then there was with greyhound racing.

As an aside, greyhounds are prone to cancer. We lost our first two that way. See this article about a former professor at Ohio State U, which does extensive research on greyhounds.

 
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The way so many have died, I think you are right.

A serious problem at one track - Santa Anita - created a media storyline and public impression that isn’t true. The fact is that fatalities have declined.

 
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