As one track closes…

SOUTH DEVON Greyhound Action (SDGA) supporters gathered outside Newton Abbot racecourse in Kingsteignton on Sunday 9th October at 2pm to celebrate the recent closure of the unlicensed greyhound track after it held its final race night the previous Friday (7th October).

Many rescued greyhounds accompanied the SDGA supporters and banners and posters were displayed deploring the alleged cruelty involved within the industry. The group were delighted to have the presence of the former Mayor of Newton Abbot, Mr Reg Wills who joined their celebration and who is in full support of the campaign against greyhound racing.

Helen Stevens, spokesperson for South Devon Greyhound Action said ‘We are delighted that the greyhound track has now closed, there is now one less track in the UK to support the greyhound racing industry’.

Ms Stevens went on to claim that racing is responsible for the deaths of thousands of dogs every year, as well as terrible injuries that greyhounds sustain during races, some of them fatal.

"South Devon Greyhound Action have been effortlessly campaigning outside the track for the last 18 months as part of a national campaign against greyhound racing due to the cruelty involved.

We have endeavoured to make our campaign consistent and attracted as much media attention as possible."

The campaigners expressed their concern as to what would happen to the dogs that raced at Newton Abbot.

They have contacted 50 Vets in the local area and enclosed a list of Rescue Centres who are more than happy to help with re-homing any unwanted dogs from the track, as well as contacting the local Press and radio, putting out an appeal to the trainers to contact the Rescue Centres as opposed to having their dogs destroyed.

"The average age of a racing greyhound when it retires is between 3 and 4 years old, it is totally unacceptable that dogs are being destroyed at such a tender age simply because they no longer earn money for their owner," said Ms Stevens.

"Greyhounds make wonderful companions and if the trainers from the Newton Abbot track contact the Rescue Centres listed, their dogs can be found a suitable home where they can live out the rest of their years in a loving environment.

"Now that the Newton Abbot track has closed, our work at South Devon Greyhound Action is by no means finished, we will continue to campaign both locally and nationally to educate the general public about the cruelty involved in the industry and to encourage people not to bet on greyhound racing."

For further information contact Helen Stevens on 07812 742232
or email southdevonga@yahoo.co.uk

... Another track opens

GREYHOUND WELFARE campaigners staged a demonstration against the re-opening of an unlicensed Greyhound track in Glastonbury, Somerset.

After a period of refurbishment, during which the track was used for training racing greyhounds, Abbey Moor Stadium in Glastonbury has started staging dog race meetings again.

In protest against this, around 40 supporters of Avon & Somerset Greyhound Action staged a demonstration outside the stadium on Monday, October 10th to coincide with the first of the new race-nights.

The turn-out for the demonstration was described by Tony Peters of Greyhound Rescue as "excellent",

"This was especially good support, considering that our Avon & Somerset branch only heard about this race meeting a few days before.," said Mr Peters. "It goes to show the strength of feeling there is locally against this track and we are confident that, with enough pressure, it can be quickly closed, as was the case with Newton Abbot.

"Glastonbury is now one of only three dog tracks that remain in South West England and our supporters in the area are determined to make the whole of the region greyhound-racing-free."

Anyone who would like to help the campaign to close Glastonbury dog track should contact Avon & Somerset Greyhound Action at avonsomersetga@yahoo.co.uk or on 07931 834283.

Website: www.greyhoundaction.org.uk