Brutalised greyhound found buried alive

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http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/10/05/1096949508212.html

The brutal live burial of a greyhound near Hobart has prompted a campaign to ban greyhound racing in Australia.

Animal activists Greyhound Action claim the incident highlights the dark side of a sport that breeds and discards up to 15,000 dogs a year in this country.

The Tasmanian RSPCA is investigating the case. The greyhound was heard whimpering in bushland two weeks ago. It was found buried under a sheet of tin and rock with its ear cut off to remove registration tattoos. It was later put to sleep.

Other greyhound remains were found at the bushland dumping ground.


Tasmanian RSPCA's chief animal welfare officer Graeme Lewis said yesterday he was confident the dog's owner could be traced through DNA testing and tattoos found on the dog's remaining ear.

"Greyhound racing has had a bad name - deserved or otherwise - for some time and this sort of thing doesn't help," he said yesterday.

Greyhound Action Australia coordinator Emma Haswell said the killing highlighted an unspoken practice in the industry.

She said there were people who loved greyhounds but many greyhounds were destroyed by foul means.
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Ms Haswell, a former vet, first became aware of international campaigns against the Australian industry while living in the UK last year.

Many dogs that weren't killed when their racing careers were over faced being used for experimentation in Australian universities or were exported to Asian countries where some ended up on dinner plates, she said.

But the racing industry's peak body, Greyhounds Australasia, yesterday vigorously denied the accusations of barbarity and said the industry was appalled by the Hobart incident.

Greyhounds Australasia chief executive Geoff O'Connor said claims of laboratory experiments and abuse after exportation to Asia lacked evidence.

While the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service did not keep figures on the number of greyhounds sent to Asia, Mr O'Connor said his organisation had instituted a passport system to make dog exporters more accountable.

Retired Australian dogs are exported to the fledgling greyhound racing industries of China, Macau and Vietnam but animal activists claim there is no accountability for their welfare once their two-year racing careers are over.

Greyhound Action claims many find their way into the illegal dogmeat trade.

That is just sick. I read it in the paper this morning and burst into tears. How could anyone be so cruel??? :evil:

[BuddysMom]

Aaaauuuuugggggh!! :cry: :evil:

[imported_Kat]

I hate greyhound racing. Its big in N.Ireland but used to be much bigger. When I worked at the surgery it sickened me to have a guy come in with a dog for euthanasia that "was useless" , through injury or just not fast enough. :(

[marion]

That is sick, have they no feelings for these dogs. :x The human race stinks. :evil:

We live about 20 minutes drive from Belle Vue a greyhound racing track. I'd never been in my life until about two years ago when I visited twice. I enjoyed it but at the time didn't know what went on with the dogs :oops: etc etc and have never been since.

[imported_Debbie]

:cry: That is so EVIL :evil:
Until this sport is wiped out there will be more stories like this....... :(
There was a similar story some months back about a Greyhound found with it's ears cut off bleeding to death (the owner cut the ears off to hide the identity of the dog....ears tattooed) poor dog ultimately died from his injuries.
A local Pet Shop in our area hosts a Greyhound Adoption Weekend quite often !! These are retired racing Greyhounds, they are lovely dogs !!! :angel: