The Wrong Way to Close a Greyhound Track

by Stephanie Ernst · 2009-02-11 06:13:00 UTC
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When activists are the ones working to close a specific greyhound track or end greyhound racing throughout a state, those activists mobilize ahead of time to find homes for the greyhounds who will soon be free. But activists didn't get a say in what initially happened to the dogs at a Guam racetrack when the owner shut it down in the last few months for financial reasons, though they're working feverishly to save the dogs now. Mary of Animal Person reports this morning on what happened--and what is still happening--in the U.S. territory and what you can do to help.

The bad news is that Baldwin just started giving away greyhounds to anyone who came to the track. None of the hounds were spayed or neutered, and no records were kept. Obviously, no home studies were done and no background information was taken, and some of the hounds were given to dog fighting enthusiasts who used them as bait dogs. Many who took dogs later dumped them in remote places. It is not known exactly how many escaped from their new "homes" or how many have died (until their corpses are found, as a handful have). Evidently approximately 120+ dogs are ready for forever homes (more on that in a bit). . . .

Not all of the dogs were given away. Some were simply released into the villages and jungles to fend for themselves. There is an also unknown number of dogs at the track whose futures are unclear and in the hands of the track management. Why any of this occurred this way when any rescue group would find a way to take them, I have no idea.

Want to help? See the original post at Animal Person for more details on the situation and on the rescue effort.

Images of Louie (top) and Tara (bottom) courtesy of Guam Greyhounds

Stephanie Ernst wrote the original Animal Rights blog at Change.org until December 2009. She can now be found at Animal Rights & AntiOppression.
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