April - Greyhound Celebrations And Sadness

April is Adopt A Greyhound Month in the USA - A month dedicated to promoting greyhounds and their needs of adoption and awareness.

This April has good ideas - causes - and action from opposite ends of the world for greyhounds.

This April has given some heart-warming news, such as: Purple Heart Veteran Greyhound Service Dogs - where veterans, suffering with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, 'benefit from the protective companionship' and the greyhounds 'appreciate the unconditional love'.

This April has given shocking and alarming news that the IGB(Irish Greyhound Board/Bord na gCon)are to introduce school children to gambling and animal abuse.

And this April has also given profound and sad news from Ireland, where a press-release from Greyhound Rescue Association Ireland gave news of 'Racing Greyhounds Killed and Dumped in Mass Grave' and news from USA of greyhound deaths at Texas Dog Track.

Such saddening and horrific news shows us, almost tangibly, the tragic lives of the greyhounds sustaining an inherently cruel industry.
 * It, sadly, shows how it is vital that we campaign, and speak out for the numbers of greyhounds - the secret slaves of the industry.
 * It ,sadly, shows us the very reason why a month dedicated to adoption and awareness is even necessary, and why we are especially endeared to any heart-warming news of greyhounds.

Please take a moment to write a polite email to Ruairi Quinn, Irish Minister for Education and Skills, with your concerns that the IGB are offering 'School Tours With A Difference', introducing school children to gambling and animal abuse.
Email Ruairi Quinn: minister@education.gov.ie

As always, thank you for joining in with campaigns for greyhounds - please remember to share awareness of their plight.

Greyhound Plight Of Victoria, Australia

Introducing Denis Napthine - Liberal Party Member - Member for South West Coast in the Victorian Parliament  - Minister  for Racing - Former Veterinary Officer - Member of Warrnambool Racing Club, to name a few of his titles.

On monday 26th March it was announced by Minister Denis Napthine that a Victorian Coalition Government investment 'will provide significantly greater incentives to breed and race greyhounds in Victoria.' Boasting how the new incentives for Greyhound Owners and Breeders Incentive Scheme(GOBIS) 'would cement Victoria's reputation as the number one Greyhound Racing State in Australia, if not the world'
This news is indeed of concern for Australian greyhound advocates working hard to spread awareness, Animals Australia, and greyhound advocates around the world.

News then came on the 4th April where GRV(Greyhound Racing Victoria) announced  'a record breaking $6 million increase to prize money for the 2012/2013 financial year'. Minister Denis Napthine - still fresh from huge investments into Bendingo Greyhound Track (as well as Geelong & Healesville) and new GOBIS incentives - said the prize money increase announcement[now]'cements Victoria as the number one place in Australia and, indeed, the world to own and race a greyhound.'

As well as all the new millions for prize money, track investments and 'significantly greater incentives to breed and race greyhounds', and also promises of  $2 million investments into Horse Racing(Jumps) from the Racing Minister, there was, in November 2011, a 'pledge' of $350,000(from the Victorian Coalition Government)to upgrade infrastructure at the Victoria Greyhound Adoption Program in Seymour, who have re-homed over 3,600 greyhounds since its opening in 1996 - 2011(when the article was printed), whilst litters of greyhounds registered in 2010, for Victoria, stood at 1,083 and 3,665 greyhounds named(2010 Victoria).
N.B. Litters registered - NOT the actual number of greyhounds bred - advocates in Australia, through collections of statistics, work on the number of 8 greyhounds PER litter.

Questions were raised, on 28th February, on why GRV, through its $6 million Software System, would delay news on integrity issues. News such as a hearing on 7th February, for 'a serious offence', published on 28th February, or the Cocaine Positive Swab, or the Flunixin &Morphine Positive, or the Nandrolone Steroid Positive Swab, or the Procaine Positive. Of course these were publications of hearings for positive swabs, which were taken from GRV races in September - November of last year(2011), so we can sadly be sure there are more hearings to come.

Please write polite emails to Denis Napthine - former Veterinary Officer & Minister for Racing, with your concerns of recent huge investments into Greyhound Racing Victoria, the alarming numbers of greyhounds not accounted for and the re-occurring drug/positive swab hearings. Denis Napthine must know that greyhound advocates around the world are watching, with alarm, the recent developments which 'cements' GRV as the 'number one in the world'.
Email: denis.napthine@parliament.vic.gov.au.

New Public Planning Meeting for the 'Stow'

Is the long campaign over the future of Walthamstow Greyhound Track coming to an end?

Waltham Forest Council Planning Committee has set May 8th to hold a Public Planning Meeting to rule on planning permission for L&Q's housing scheme.

The turnout for the public consultation meeting on Jan 23rd was praised by the pro-racing community but poorly attended by Waltham Forest Councillors - 2 Labour and 3 Conservatives.

* With ongoing questions/concerns continually raised about the numbers of greyhounds not being accounted for by the industry responsible for their existence.

* Recent investigations into the 'appalling conditions' racing greyhounds were found in.

* The numbers of trainers 'turning their backs' on the industry - of which Mick Peterson being the latest - saying 'there is just no money' - whilst also facing 2 'serious' GBGB disciplinary hearings for positive tests on 2 greyhounds.

* Concerns for greyhounds and numbers of homeless people in Waltham Forest, From Green Party Islington/Hackney/Waltham Forest candidate and Spokesperson on Animals - Caroline Allen.

* Wimbledon Greyhound track manager - Gary Mathews - speaking in Jan of  'fewer people getting involved' and who does 'not subscribe to the much-touted, misguided view held by those from another planet that greyhound racing is currently enjoying a renaissance'.

* That claims by Bob Morton was working with the the Dogs Trust and the League Against Cruel Sports to ensure animal welfare standards would 'raise the bar' for the industry were down-played.

It is clear that a re-opening of the 'Stow' rival bid from Bob Morton would only expand the inherent abuse greyhounds suffer to sustain an industry in decline. 

Bob Morton, who unveiled his new plans, on 23rd April, for greyhound racing at the 'Stow', has been backed by MP members of the All-Party Parliamentary Greyhound Group and would be 'welcomed' by London Mayor, Boris Johnson, if Boris was to keep his Mayoral position after May 3rd elections - Candidate Ken Livingstone also supports a re-opening of the 'Stow'.


Please write polite emails to Waltham Forest Councillors and Walthamstow Residents Associations - raising your concerns that abuse to and of greyhounds would be increased if the 'Stow' was to re-open and ask them to attend the Public Planning Meeting on May 8th.
Please ask the Councillors/Residents Associations to contact Planning Case Officer, Stanley Lau, in advance for requests to speak at the May 8th meeting with the concerns you have raised.
Included Stanley Lau email address in your emails to councillors: stanley.lau@walthforest.gov.uk.

Email list of Waltham Forest Councillors(simply copy & paste into your email 'To' box)

dcadmin@walthamforest.gov.uk;

cllr.masood.ahmad@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.afzal.akram@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.liaquat.ali@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.nadeem.ali@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.raja.anwar@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.mohammad.asghar@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.naheed.asghar@walthamforest.gov.uk;

cllr.peter.barnett@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.angie.bean@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.karen.bellamy@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.roy.berg@walthamforest.gov.uk; zc42@btconnect.com; 

cllr.paul.braham@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.nick.buckmaster@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.clare.coghill@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.elisabeth.davies@walthamforest.gov.uk;

 cllr.tunde.davies@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.matt.davis@walthamforest.gov.uk;  cllr.paul.douglas@walthamforest.gov.uk;

cllr.kieran.falconer@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.marion.fitzgerald@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.thom.goddard@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.jenny.gray@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.geoff.hammond@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.jemma.hemsted@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.peter.herrington@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.shameen.highfield@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.mahmood.hussain@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.ahsan.khan@walthamforest.gov.uk;

cllr.haroon.khan@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.michael.lewis@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.khevyn.limbajee@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.clyde.loakes@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.gerry.lyons@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.asim.mahmood@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.saima.mahmud@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.anna.mbachu@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.bernadette.mill@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.liz.phillips@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.marie.pye@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.shabana.qadir@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.farooq.qureshi@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.naheed.qureshi@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.sheree.rackham@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.geraldine.reardon@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.mark.rusling@walthamforest.gov.uk; leader@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.nicholas.russell@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.abu.samih@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.winnie.smith@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.bob.sullivan@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

Cllr.Sunger@instantemail.t-mobile.co.uk; cllr.richard.sweden@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.ebony.vincent@walthamforest.gov.uk; cllr.geoff.walker@ntlworld.com; cllr.terry.wheeler@walthamforest.gov.uk; 

cllr.laurance.wedderburn@walthamforest.gov.uk;

Email list for Walthamstow Residents Associations


secretary@blackhorseactiongroup.org.uk; committee@bara-leytonstone.org.uk; info@fara-leytonstone.org.uk; 

info.fora@hotmail.com; highamspark@ntlworld.com; sd-christian@hotmail.com; highamsra@me.com; 

infowfcivicsociety@gmail.com

Lastly - please remember the Say NO to the 'Stow' petition.