Greyhound Racing 2011 – British Greyhound Racing Fund predicts decline -Problems and Solutions
Greyhound racing emerged as the sport we see today in 1912, after Owen Patrick Smith invented the artificial hare. It became so popular that by the end of the Second World War 34 million people were watching it.
With a turnover of £75,100,000 in the UK alone, the industry brings great economic benefits.
However, the British Greyhound Racing Fund – 2009/10 Report foresees a gloomy future for the industry. The trading conditions are getting tougher and profits are declining, medical conditions, are being questioned, and, bans are being placed on the sport
altogether. Here’s a glance at the ghosts that haunt the once flourishing Greyhound racing industry.
In many countries and even in some states of the USA, there are bans on Greyhound racing on the premise that it violates animal rights and causes suffering to them. In fact many more states are considering imposing a ban and many racetracks, which were once
home to bettors and spectators alike, now stand empty.
However, this does not deter industry enthusiasts from encouraging the sport and they have found ways to deal with the issues that animal rights activists claim cause suffering.
A major issue is that while most Greyhounds live for up to 13 years, their speed peaks at 3 or 4 years after which they lose speed. Since they cannot win races, they are often abandoned or put to rest.
The Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare reported in 2007 that 4,728 greyhounds disappear from racing in Britain every year and stated that "We can assume that the majority of these dogs are destroyed".
Australia has found a solution to this dilemma. The racing authorities there have to fund the Greyhound Adoption Groups that house dozens of greyhounds that have lost their use in racing, putting an end to the moral debate over what to do with a Greyhound
that cannot race.
There are also initiatives to provide the hounds with alternative employment once they are too old to run, and exercises to keep them busy and entertained. In such a scenario, one might feel that these hounds are better off than ordinary dogs, not worse.
Another issue haunting the industry is the existence of medical problems in hounds from the tracks. Dogs often have teeth problems as well as parasitic and tick-borne diseases, which can be easily prevented, but occur due to negligence. But with proper vaccination,
these diseases can be dealt with. All that is needed to deal with this is good healthcare.
To make matters worse, budgets for Greyhound racing worldwide are being cut at a time when the industry needs money to flourish and in some parts of the world, even survive.
The British Greyhound Racing Fund for 2009/10 predicts a budget of £8.5m for coming fiscal year, showing a massive cut from last year. Television airtime is reducing and coverage is being split up, which causes loss of viewership, and, in turn money placed
on bets.
With the advent of gaming machines and virtual racing, the popularity of the sport itself is declining as well, so turnovers are bound to decline further. To redevelop viewer interest in the sport, it is heard that racing will be revamped and launched in
the hopes of getting bigger profits.
To say that Greyhound racing will recover immediately would be an exaggeration for it is true that it faces immense dilemmas but nothing that profits, dedication, and, improved legislation cannot solve.
Whether the required steps are taken, or, not, depends on the governing bodies and the industry itself but it is evident that there is no issue facing the sport that is insurmountable.
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