Upcoming
Greyhound Action Events
Without
your help we can do nothing!
 |
 |
 |
GA is not a rich charity like LACS or RSPCA, it is simply a collection of individuals who care about greyhounds and have come together in order to work to end their suffering and exploitation. In the relatively short time GA has existed as a grassroots organisation based on people power, we have been extraordinarily successful, winning several campaigns against new tracks, forming local groups, persuading firms not to take outings to dogtracks, researching the industry and producing free leaflets, posters and stickers. All the time spreading information and challenging the false image that greyhound racing is a caring industry that is just a bit of fun.
Everyday the number of our supporters grows at an amazing rate, but we need to convert passive support into positive action that will help greyhounds. This is where you come in, whether you support the events listed below, join (or start) a local group, act on our various email alerts or take your own independent action such as distributing leaflets in your local area ... please do something ... together we are a force to be reckoned with and we wont stop until greyhound racing is condemned to the dustbin of history.
For the absolutely most up to date info on upcoming demos and other GA news ... sign up for our email alerts by clicking here
13
groups of events currently listed
updated
28/07/08
|
Please see message below and do your best to attend these demos against greyhound racing at Reading Stadium, especially if you live in or near the Berkshire area. We heard on Saturday that the greyhound track at Reading may be closing in the late autumn; on further investigation we have discovered that the current lease expires in October and there are fears among race staff that it will not be renewed. There
have been plans to build a new stadium across the road from the
current site, but it seems that disputes over who is going to
pay for it have been holding things up. This is a really important
time to put pressure on the track, if we can get attendance down
over the next few months it will really weaken their case for
renewing the current licence or building the new stadium. Thurs
24th July - TBC TBC - please e-mail the address above if you can make it on either of these days so that we will know if we will have enough people for the demo to go ahead. Race
nights are every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, racing starts
at 7:30pm. If you can get a group together on any date not listed
above then please do. Reading Stadium, A33 Relief Road, Reading, Berks, RG2 0JL Directions: By car: The track is on the A33. Leave the M4 at Junction 11 and head towards Reading. Go straight over 3 roundabouts and B&Q is in the retail park on the left. If you carry straight on the track is on the left, just after the next roundabout. Rail: Reading Station, five minutes by taxi to the stadium. Maps at: http://tinyurl.com/36d3xn and http://tinyurl.com/2cl7cq Don't confuse the stadium with the Madejski football stadium (Reading FC), which is just to the south, also off the A33. Pics of recent demo at the stadium on June 21st can be found at http://tinyurl.com/697zmu Please
feel free to forward/crosspost/circulate this message. |
|||||||
I was listening to Mercia radio (Coventry) earlier this week and was horrified to hear that they were starting a new competition 'Naan that tune' The prize is a night out at Coventry Greyhound stadium with a meal thrown in. Here is a link to the site for information http://www.mercia.co.uk/Article.asp?id=653978&spid=13153 " Sample letter: Dear Mercia radio We are writing to you today with concern about your competition 'naan that tune' giving away a night at the dogs in Coventry. You may or may not be aware about the appalling cruelty involved in greyhound racing and we urge you as a national and international animal protection group to find a more ethical way of promoting your radio station. Thousands of greyhounds are destroyed every year once they are retired from racing, average age 3-4 years old. Additionally, thousands of greyhound pups are destroyed each year because they are considered 'unsuitable for racing'. The RSPCA believes: 'at least 20 greyhounds a day - either puppies which do not make the track, or 'retired' dogs aged three or four - simply 'disappear', presumed killed'
(Please view the recent APGAW (Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare) report at this link: http://www.apgaw.org/userimages/Report%20of%20APGAW%20Inquiry%20into%20the%20Welfare%20of%20Greyhounds.pdf ) In addition every year many greyhounds sustain serious, sometimes fatal injuries whilst racing. Additionally, greyhounds have fallen victim to extreme abuse: Greyhounds have been found drowned, poisoned, shot, abandoned, some emaciated, some with their ears hacked off (or burnt off with acid) to remove identifying tattoos. Some greyhounds are subjected to 'drugging' as a way of 'fixing' certain races. Greyhounds taken on by rescues are often in a poor state of neglect i.e. flea-ridden, worm-ridden, rotten teeth.
We have personally been involved with and assisted others in the rescue of many unwanted racing greyhounds over the past few years and during this time witnessed greyhounds with cigarette burns on their bodies, greyhounds with missing toes due to past injuries, greyhounds who have had to have many of their teeth removed due to previous neglect. Untreated injuries that have poorly healed. The list is endless.
You may have read the horrific story of David Smith from Co. Durham exterminating in the region of 10,000 unwanted greyhounds in a fifteen year period by shooting them callously with a bolt gun and burying them in his back garden. The Sunday Times along with other national newspapers exposed this in 2006.
More recently, the Sunday Times have also exposed two disturbing cases where healthy greyhounds are being sold to veterinary colleges by those involved in the greyhound racing industry, to be exploited for scientific purposes. On Sunday 2nd March 2008, a Sunday Times article exposed the Royal Veterinary College (the oldest and largest veterinary college in Britain) as having an agreement with a greyhound clinic in Essex to buy body parts taken from healthy greyhounds that were being euthanased regularly by the clinic, the healthy greyhounds were being supplied to the clinic by greyhound trainers who no longer had a use for these dogs. The full article can be viewed here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3466712.ece
On Sunday 11th May 2008, a second article appeared in the Sunday Times, this time exposing Liverpool University's Small Animal Teaching Hospital as being supplied with healthy young greyhounds by the largest greyhound breeder in Britain, a Mr Charles Pickering. Mr Pickering admitted to selling young, perfectly healthy greyhounds who had failed to make the grade (i.e.chose not to chase the artificial hare or considered simply too slow for the tracks) to the university's animal teaching hospital to be euthanased and used for scientific research. The article also revealed how greyhound trainer 'Richard Fielding' who was also supplied greyhounds by Mr Pickering, gave his older (still healthy) greyhounds once they retired from racing to the university veterinary staff to be euthanased so their organs could be removed for teaching and research purposes. The full article can be viewed here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article3908388.ece
Please visit www.greyhoundaction.org.uk for info on the plight of the racing greyhound. Please have a heart for the greyhounds and cancel the 'night at the dogs' competition and find another way of promoting a fun night out to your listeners. Many thanks.
Helen Stevens
(Co-ordinator
for Greyhound Crusaders/South West Animal Protection UK) |
|||||||
We
are trying to get together a group of supporters to distribute
leaflets on a regular basis outside the Belle Vue greyhound
track in Manchester, with the aim of eventually forcing the
track to close, by persuading members of the public not to attend
races there.
The greyhound racing industry relies on 60% of people attending races for the first time going back again at some time in the future, so getting our leaflets into the hands of punters is a vitally important activity. About 20,000 greyhounds are put to death every year because of the existence of the British dog racing industry, so as one of Britain's 30 major greyhound tracks, Belle Vue is responsible for the deaths of at least 600 greyhounds annually. Manchester Animal Protection Society already hold several demos a year outside the stadium, but we would like to create a situation where leafletting takes place there every Saturday evening, to coincide with the track's biggest weekly race meeting. Regular Saturday leafletting already takes place outside several other greyhound stadiums and has had the effect of considerably reducing attendances at those tracks, so pushing them nearer to eventual closure. So, if you live in or near the Manchester area and would like to be part of a Belle Vue leafletting group, please contact us as soon as possible at info@greyhoundaction.org.uk or on 01562 700 043. We are not asking you to commit to leafletting there every Saturday. The idea is to set up a reasonably sized group, so that the leafletting can be done on a rota system. If you don't live anywhere near Manchester, but would like to help organise/take part in regular demos or leafletting outside your local greyhound stadium, please get in touch with us for advice and information. If you are not able to take part in these activities, you can still help a great deal by sending us a donation to support this national public education campaign, which can only be kept going through the generosity of those supporters who provide us with funds to cover the high cost of producing and distributing large amounts of leaflets and posters. Cheques/POs should be made payable to /Greyhound Action /and sent to Greyhound Action, PO Box 127, Kidderminster, DY10 3UZ, England.
|
|||||||
|
Below are the fundraising events we have lined up for this year. We are extremely grateful for any time you are able to spare to rattle a tin for us, but where there is *** beside an event, it's not a rude word, it just refers to the fact that we have managed to secure a particularly large and fertile area where we can spread ourselves out, so we need as many collectors as possible. If you can only make it once or twice a year and are wondering which event to choose, those are the ones where we can and would like to flood every conceivable nook and cranny of a town centre. However, the principle consideration should still be what is convenient and feasible for you, and for that reason we have never had a 'rota' system, on the basis that people come at whatever time is suitable for them. Please also bring with you your most effective Weapon of Mass Seduction - your dog. Cute you may be, but whatever admiring glances follow your insouciant steps, and regardless of what your girlfriend thinks, you won't, believe me, cut it anything like as well as Fido with Mr and Mrs General Public. Your dog does not have to be a greyhound although it helps people see, should they be in any doubt, exactly what we are collecting for. Nonetheless, without making any effort whatsoever, dogs of all breeds invariably attract a besotted audience and have a markedly positive effect on takings. Having said that, dogs should ideally be reasonably confident and have stable temperaments. Most dogs either use it as an opportunity to catch up on some shut-eye, or revel in all the attention they attract. Street collections have helped some of our originally more nervous canine collectors develop confidence, but please be careful not to allow your dog to become overwhelmed, as this can have the opposite effect. Children in particular can be quite rough in their attentions, so don't be afraid to suggest politely but firmly that it isn't such a good idea for them to pull your dog's tail/tweak his ears etc, and always take your dog away as soon as you notice that he's/she's had enough. He/she will appreciate a duvet/bed he can lie down on and a supply of water, particularly in hot weather, and a coat in cold weather. And at the risk of sounding like your mother, please take sure you wrap up warm yourself when the temperature starts to drop. You can quickly start to feel the cold when you are simply standing for long periods. We
look forward to welcoming you to some of the following events.
Please note that, if you cannot locate me, my mobile number is
0799 089 0779 and you can always ring me on this and ask me where
I am! I never slop off to the pub, I promise. Saturday, February 16 Sainsbury's supermarket in Redditch, outside main entrance. Parking in the supermarket car park is free. (Please let me know beforehand if you intend to come to this, as this is the one event per year when we may well need to create a rota, as there are effectively only two positions, the entrance and the exit). Saturday, February 23 Shirley, Solihull. I shall probably be outside Boots. Best place to park is in Shirley Shoppers, a free car park which is behind Iceland. You come out of the exit to Shirley Shoppers onto the High Street and will practically stumble upon me. *** Saturday, March 22 Leamington Spa. Usually outside Mark & Spencers or Boots on the other side of the road. Plenty of parking in the town. *** Saturday, April 5th Coventry - waiting for confirmation of the exact date. ***
Saturday, June 21 Knowle, Solihull. You'll find me outside Tesco's. There is short and long term parking close to Tesco's and you can often park on the road slightly further back from the official car parks. Saturday, July 19 Warwick. I tend to be outside Boots in Swan Street off the market square if not outside the building society on the market square itself. There is a council car park in Cape Road behind the Police Station and Cape Road Medical Centre which is free at weekends. Saturday, August 2 Mell Square, Solihull. Plenty of carparks around Mell Square which are well signposted. I will probably be hovering outside the front of Boots. *** Saturday,August 23 Kenilworth town centre, outside Woolworths. There is a large car park accessible from the High Street. Saturday, September 13 Alcester, Warks. There is a supermarket off School Lane which has free parking. I will be on the High Street, which is not particularly long.
November, Nuneaton. This is a new one for us. Date to be confirmed. I'll be by the fountain. Saturday, December 8 Knowle, Solihull. You'll find me outside Tesco's. There is short and long term parking close to Tesco's and you can often park on the road slightly further back from the official car parks. |
|||||||
A new Greyhound Action group has been set up in Kent to campaign for the closure of the dog track at Sittingbourne's Central Park Stadium. Sittingbourne Greyhound Action have already held an information stall in the town centre and several demos outside the stadium to coincide with race-meetings there. Demos are now taking place every Saturday from 5.30pm until 7.30pm. Please try to attend, especially if you live in or near the North Kent area. Address of the stadium is Church Road, Eurolink Industrial Estate, Murston, Sittingbourne, ME10 3SB and directions/maps can be found at http://tinyurl.com/2dhf3f and http://tinyurl.com/29ktdo Contact Us: Sittingbourne Greyhound Action can be contacted at: rob_qg_1@yahoo.co.uk or on 07809 426112 and have their own MySpace page at www.myspace.com/sittingbournega If you don't live anywhere near Sittingbourne, but would like to help organise/take part in regular demos outside your local greyhound stadium, please get in touch with Greyhound Action - info@greyhoundaction.org.uk for advice and information. Demonstrations/leafletting already takes place at several of the 30 major British dog tracks on a regular basis and our ultimate aim is to have a presence outside all of them at least once a week. This has proved to be an extremely effective method of campaigning, which has led to a substantial reduction in attendances at greyhound stadiums where frequent demos take place, pushing those dog tracks ever nearer to their ultimate closure. If you are not able to take part in demonstrations, please consider sending us a donation to support this national public education campaign, which can only be kept going through the generosity of those supporters who provide us with funds to cover the high cost of producing and distributing large amounts of leaflets and posters. Cheques/POs should be made payable to Greyhound Action and sent to Greyhound Action, PO Box 127, Kidderminster, DY10 3UZ. |
|||||||
At
present, demos at Monmore Green are taking place about every
two weeks, but WGA intend to increase this to weekly, once sufficient
support is forthcoming. Attendance has been a bit low recently, due to other campaigns and the usual busy summer, please do try to attend one or more of these demonstrations. Your support is always greatly appreciated. If there are any changes I will let you know as soon as possible. New
Hall Green Campaign - If you are not aware, you will be
please to know that there are now demos taking place at Hall
Green. If you want further information or would like to take
part in any of Location
of the Stadium is Sutherland Avenue, Monmore Green, Wolverhampton.
WV2 2JJ Tram
stop is at A on this link: Bus
Info:
|
|||||||
For the past year Greyhound Action supporters have been distributing our leaflets every Saturday evening (and often on other nights too) to members of the public attending greyhound racing at Wimbledon Stadium. This is a vitally important activity. The greyhound racing industry relies on 60% of people who go to the dogs attending again, so where this figure can be reduced, there's a good chance that financial losses will force tracks to close. At Wimbledon Stadium the effects are starting to tell, with noticeably fewer people attending greyhound races, having been informed of the suffering and slaughter caused by the dog racing industry. Leafletting at Wimbledon is being carried out by a small group of very dedicated people, who urgently need the help of others if they are to continue this vital work. So if you live in or near the South West London area, please volunteer to lend a hand. Regular leafletters are obviously the most sought-after, but even if you can only take part occasionally, that would still be a great help. Help is also needed with street stalls and leafletting in shopping centres in South West London. Leafletting outside the stadium takes place every Saturday evening from 6pm - 7.45pm and often on Tuesday and Friday evenings too. The leafletting coincides with greyhound racing taking place at the stadium and the aim is to educate people going in not to support the dog racing industry and to go elsewhere next time they want a night out. However, for this to occur, the current small band of leafletteers need urgent help from others to properly cover all entrances to the stadium and ensure maximum distribution of leaflets. Please do your best to help them, whenever you can, especially if you live in or near the South-West London area. Leaflets will be provided. All you need to do is spend a short while giving them out. Address: Wimbledon Stadium, Plough Lane, Wimbledon, London, SW17 0BL Directions: Rail & Tube: Tooting Broadway (Northern line), Haydons Road (Thameslink), Wimbledon (District line) or Earlsfield (from Waterloo). Bus: Bus routes 44, 77, 156 pass the junction at the top of Alexandra Road. The stadium is a short walk from the stop. Car: A219 turn left off the Alexandra Road into Plough lane via traffic lights. Stadium is on the left. Maps at http://tinyurl.com/26uvjg and http://tinyurl.com/2cxo4u For more info, contact Greyhound Action South-West London at swlga@yahoo.co.uk Also, if you don't live anywhere near Wimbledon, but would like to organise or take part in similar leafletting sessions outside your local dog track, please contact Greyhound Action at info@greyhoundaction.org.uk or on 01562 700 043 for help and information. |
|||||||
|
|||||||
Commercial greyhound racing in the UK began on July 24th,1926 at Belle Vue Stadium in Manchester. Every year, on the nearest Saturday and Sunday to this date, we stage Greyhound Remembrance Weekend, in memory of the hundreds of thousands of dogs that have been abused and killed by the greyhound racing industry since that day. The
Weekend is marked by street stalls and demos/pickets on the Saturday
and by remembrance ceremonies on the Sunday, including the laying
of wreaths and flowers outside greyhound stadiums, in memory of
all the dogs that have suffered and been put to death.
|
|||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
An
effective way to promote greyhound awareness - that you can do
any day
|
|||||||
|
"One
of the most effective ways of promoting awareness about the inherent
cruelty of greyhound racing NAARS has found, is to leave anti-dog
racing literature in public places (eg. libraries, dentist surgeries,
notice boards etc). Many people who have come up to our stall
in Nottingham have commented how they read a leaflet they found
in a public place. This is a legal and highly effective way to
raise awareness, especially for those people who do not want to
picket greyhound stadiums or betting shops or any other similiar
events. We had been told by several gamblers that this method
stopped them from every wanting to bet on the dogs again, which
is good news all round - both for the gambling public (because
let's be honest, we all know many greyhound races are fixed) and
for the greyhounds themselves." |
|||||||
Greyhound Planet takes place each year to honour greyhounds and their relatives (galgos, lurchers etc.) throughout the world and to educate the public about the status of these dogs. Greyhound Planet events are being held this year in many American states, as well as in Canada and several European countries. More information can be found at http://www.ameurogreyhoundalliance.org/ghplanet.htm Throughout the UK, Greyhound Action supporters will be staging various activities as part of Greyhound Planet. These will consist of demos/leafletting outside greyhound tracks, street stalls and betting shop pickets. Please contact Greyhound Action as soon as possible if you would like to organise, or take part in, a Greyhound Planet event in your area.
|
|||||||
|
On Sunday, May 2nd 2004, a black male greyhound (later found to have been called Rusty) was discovered by a dog walker, who heard him whimpering in agony in a rubbish tip on Fochriw Mountain in the Rhymney Valley, South Wales. Rusty
had been injured in several ways, including being shot in the
head with a captive-bolt pistol, and his ears had been hacked
off (presumably, because they contained tattoos that could identify
him). Despite this appalling torture, Rusty was still alive -
and wagging his tail - but his injuries were so extensive that
he was later "put to sleep" by a vet. Later
that year, at Caerphilly Magistrates Court, greyhound "executioner"
Andrew Gough was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment for torturing
Rusty and banned from keeping animals for life. It emerged during
Gough's trial that Rusty's "owner" and trainer had handed
him over to Gough to kill, after a toe injury had ended the greyhound's
racing career. On
May 3rd & 4th, to mark the fourth anniversary of his suffering
and death, we will be holding a Remembering Rusty Weekend, in
memory of Rusty and of all the other dogs who have suffered and
died at the hands of the greyhound racing industry. Please
feel free to forward/crosspost/circulate this message. for
info on similar cases click
here |
|||||||
|
|
