For about a week now I have been trying to figure out what the breakdown is between some greyhound racing professionals and some greyhound racing adoption people. I think I have finally figured it out…. both groups want to tell each other how to run their businesses. The surprising thing is that both groups are after the same thing…. racing done right and the betterment (is that a word) of the breed.
Think about it…..
1) We know without the greyhound professionals we would not have the great dogs we have for adoption. It costs a lot of time and money to prepare these dogs for racing. The professionals on this group have a ton of pride in their dogs.
2) Without the adoption people stepping in over the last 10 years and placing the dogs (sometimes at considerable time and expense) we would not have racing anymore. The court of public opinion would have shut it down.
Now therein comes the problem:
1) There are still adoption people who use the term “rescue” as that is what they were doing years back. By years back I mean as recently as 3 years back with one track. Problem solved. But, the use of that term undermines the work done by the good professionals that have worked hard at changing public opinion.
2) There are still racing owners who do not donate 1 dime to adoption. The good racing owners say, “don’t take their dogs”, the adoption people say, “then what happens to the dog?” This undermines the adoption people and the racing owners who have done a lot to change public opinion.
There is no right or wrong here. I really wish both groups could come to an understanding that it is really all about the dog and the love of the breed. So, everyone gets so upset over the “r” word. Then other people get upset over the people getting upset over the “r” word. Then the fighting starts, people get disgusted and walk away from the conversation…..
Is it about the “r” word or is it really about the “G” word, as in Greyhound ?