Update: Greyhound Racing at a Crossroads in Rhode Island

categories: Activism and Actions, Animals in Entertainment, Companion Animals, Politics and Law

Published June 26, 2009 @ 02:49PM PT

UPDATE: Disregard the petition alerts for now. I didn't realize the General Assembly was rushing to finish up a session--it voted late this afternoon or early this evening, and it indeed voted, 61-9, to force the track operators not only to continue racing greyhounds, but to race them even more. I'll update more later. A Providence Journal blog post indicates that after the Senate's final vote (following House-made amendments), the governor plans to veto. Let's hope so.

I wrote a couple days ago that a Rhode Island greyhound track operator had referred to the outdated, cruel practice as a "dying industry." As you may recall, the article from which I quoted explained that the operators of the financially struggling (and bankruptcy-filing) gambling facility were planning to end greyhound racing there. The Twin River facility is home to the only dog track in Rhode Island. Its closure would be the effective end of greyhound racing in this small state.

But now the Rhode Island state government is taking extaordinary steps to force the business to continue racing greyhounds. It's time for people who care about these dogs to speak up and keep that from happening.

The Grey2K team explains, "Current state law now mandates that the dog track hold 125 days of live racing each year, and it is up to lawmakers to repeal this requirement" in order for Twin River's current restructuring proposal to go through. But in the late hours last night, Rhode Island's WPRI reports, the RI House Finance Committee rushed through a bill that would obligate the track to not only meet the currently required number of racing days per year (125), but meet an increased number of racing days per year (200).

Remarkable, right? Legislators are pushing to force continued greyhound racing. The operators who want to end it aren't concerned for the dogs, of course; nor are most of the politicians who are in favor of ending it. Their reasons are financial. They know what is becoming increasingly obvious: greyhound racing is not financially profitable; it is dying out. But this is an excellent chance for those of us opposed to greyhound racing on moral grounds--because it's a cruel, inhumane practice--to step up and remind legislators that this isn't just about money. It's about living beings too.

[Petition information deleted. See update at top of post.]

Share this Post

Comments (3)

I would like to know who is lining the pockets of the Rhode Island state reps THIS time. It couldn't be the very track operator who claims to be ready to give up on his "dying" industry, could it be? Is he feigning poverty? I don't get it. But I smell a rat. Oops, sorry, sweet rats, I don't mean you. I mean some human rat.

By the way, whenever I meet a rescued greyhound and his/her guardian, I am always filled with happiness for them both. Sometimes I tell them about Grey2K and ask if they would like to get involved in that great organization.

Attention, R.I. reps: what you are mandating is reprehensible. How could you be so callous about the pitiful living (and dying) conditions of these beautiful dogs? How could the dollar signs in your eyes blind you to the cruelty inherent in this "sport"?

It seems that the minute people view an animal as a money-maker, that animal instantly becomes a commodity, an investment, a piece of property, in their eyes. The needs, desires and rights of the animal take a back seat to the profit incentive and are often lost sight of completely. When such exploiters become desensitized to the feelings of animals, they also become dehumanized. Such is the case with dog track operators and their puppet politicians.

One day this immoral business will be as obsolete as bear-baiting and bull-baiting are now, at least in "civilized" countries.

Posted by Olivia White on 06/27/2009 @ 06:32PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- Like
Actually, a Providence Journal article that came out today mentioned whose money the legislators are trying to hold on to--the dog "owners" themselves, the ones who've gotten rich off of breeding, exploiting, and ultimately killing greyhounds and who are also campaign contributors.

One of the reps opposed to the move remarked during the debate, "We have taken about 10 dog owners and made them multimillionaires" (via, e.g., state subsidies). But it wasn't any kind of indictment of the dog owners--he also made sure to remark that they were all "wonderful people." *eye roll*

http://www.projo.com/generalassembly/twin_river_dog_racing_06-27-09_F3EK6IO_v34.3cf8c2b.html

Posted by Stephanie Ernst on 06/27/2009 @ 06:45PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Like
Gotcha. "Good" to know. *eye roll*

Posted by Olivia White on 06/27/2009 @ 07:18PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Like
Reply to thread
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Olivia
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply

Add a Comment

For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

Comment

Check Spelling

Email me when there are new posts to this thread
Comment Policy

Comments on Change.org are meant for further exploration and evaluation of the ideas covered in the posts. To that end, we welcome constructive comments. However, we reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive, abusive, or off-topic; that contain ad hominem attacks; or that are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion.

Author

Stephanie is an independent animal rights advocate, a vegan, a tree-hugging environmentalist, and a freelance editor and writer. She lives in St. Louis with an aging corgi-lab and an adolescent rescued pit bull.