Joy as council rejects dog racing
Last updated at 10:33, Monday, 24 March 2008
ANIMAL campaigners have welcomed news that Cockermouth town council has dropped plans for a greyhound track in the town.
The town council agreed to abandon the idea for a new track at Tarn Close after being inundated with a barrage of emails, calls and letters from across the world criticising the move.
Following the council’s meeting last Wednesday, town councillor Alan Smith said: “I think that if no promoters come forward, we can’t do it.”
Cllr Alan Kennon said: “I think we should just draw a line under it. To me it is just a non-starter.”
Margaret Jackson said: “Cockermouth is not the place for this.”
Helen Stevens, from the action group Greyhound Crusaders, opposed the idea. The group also campaigned on its website calling on members to take action.
It was the first time the Devon-based group had campaigned in Cumbria.
She said: “It is a cruel sport and we had written to the town council and our supporters about the plans for a track in Cockermouth.
“We campaign peacefully around the country and we wrote to the council just really telling them what happens to greyhounds.
“Once they are no longer needed they are disposed off. Very few are re-homed and there is a massive shortfall in the numbers that are re-housed and those who are unaccounted for.”
She added: “I think there was quite a few people in Cockermouth who did not actually want it and I think the council has listened to the locals as well as being inundated with letters, calls and emails. I am pleased with their decision.”
The nearest competitive greyhound tracks are in Gretna or the north east.
Recent statistics from the British Greyhound Racing Board show that the number of greyhounds being registered to race fell last year while the number of dogs being re-homed by the Retired Greyhound Trust rose by 14 per cent to around 4,500.
First published at 10:14, Monday, 24 March 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
As an international greyhound protection organisation, we are delighted that the idea for this track has been rejected.
Our research indicates that the British greyhound racing industry is responsible for the deaths of at least 15,000 greyhounds every year.
These are mostly dogs that are "put down" after failing to make the grade as racers, but a large number are also killed after their racing "careers" come to an end, either through age or injury.
That is why one of the last things this country needs is another greyhound track and also why we are calling on members of the public not to attend or bet on greyhound racing, so this death-industry fades away through lack of financial support.
See our website at www.greyhoundaction.org.uk for more information.
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In response to 'Kenny' - I often visit kennels, own a retired greyhound (who was found wandering and emaciated) and worked for the League Against Cruel Sports. To care for animal welfare is not a negative attitude surely!?! And it is clark not clarke.
Posted by Louise Clark on 28 March 2008 at 13:32