You know what I’m sick of?
I’m sick of seeing pictures of gutless NSW Labor Party members posing with pictures of greyhounds. It’s opportunistic, desperate, hypocritical, and quite frankly, repulsive.
It is like these MP’s are saying “we are so apathetic in regards to your suffering, but we are happy to milk your misery for short-term political advantage”.
While the public are screaming for the greyhound racing industry to be shut down, Labor has deserted its members and its base, and much to everyone’s surprise it is the Liberal Party leading the way on this issue.
Some first term Labor MP’s such as Hugh McDermott, along with his highly questionable military record, have yet to find a political orifice too tight to crawl up have been enthusiastically acting as a Foley finger puppet. To look at the way he’s patting the greyhound in the below picture you’d swear he’d never pat a dog in his life.
Is there a medal for patting dogs?
Image- Facebook
It’s not just McDermott though, there have been many other and probably none more than NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley.
As everybody knows the issue is not with the greyhounds that Labor politicians are getting the ‘happy-snaps” with. So the pathetic spectacle of Labor MP’s queuing up for a photo with a greyhound fools nobody, no matter how stupid they arrogantly think the public is.
The issue is with the greyhounds being illegally pumped full of all kinds of drugs. The issue is with the greyhounds being illegally shipped to Macau for what amounts to torture. The issue is with the greyhounds found buried at the bottom of a mass grave with a hundred others. The issue is with the greyhound that is killed at the track because it slipped while it was chasing a mechanical rabbit. The issue is with the greyhounds slaughtered as pups because a trainer thinks they won’t run fast enough. The issue is with the greyhounds with their throats cut and hung upside down to drain their blood. The issue is with the greyhounds used for dental experiments and then killed.
Hideous neglect
Image – RSPCA
I won’t hold my breath waiting for Labor MP’s to pose with pictures of these greyhounds.
No matter what shit they shovel, and no matter what crap they feed you, this is what the NSW Labor Party are vouching for. They have wilfully chosen to back the industry that has practiced, supported, promoted, and covered up systemic animal cruelty.
Any NSW Labor MP’s want their pic taken?
This is on top of all the dead rabbits, possums, kittens, piglets and other animals tied to a mechanical apparatus to be mauled to death savagely in the hideous practice of live baiting.
But yeah I know, there are some good people in the industry, after all this is what Luke Foley and Sam Dastyari have told us.
One of those “good guys” was on record with the Special Commission of Inquiry into the Greyhound Racing Industry, or better known now as the Greyhound Abuse Industry. “Good guy” Tony Gannon told the Inquiry when asked about live baiting
“If you can find us another way of doing it, let’s do it,”
Then adding to this admission
“Personally, I don’t care about dead rabbits. The issue of money is more my concern to keep the industry going.”
Good Guys – Foley and Dastyari with self-confessed live baiter Tony Gannon and Les Horner
Image – Daily Telegraph
This same “good guy” told the former Greyhound Racing CEO NSW Brent Hogan on a phone call in relation to those who took footage for the 4 Corners episode on live baiting
“I would have bashed the fuck out of them and took the camera,”
Great guy I’m sure Mr Foley.
These might be the type of scum people like Foley admires, but I’ll save my admiration for others.
My admiration is saved for people like Trish Doyle and Jo Haylen. These Members are the vision and voice of hope for the NSW Labor Party. Gutsy ladies who despite being a members of Foley’s opposition have stood up for their constituents, and their own integrity and voiced support for what we all know is the right thing to do.
Banning greyhound racing.
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Grubby and opportunistic… so disappointed in Sam Dastyari for getting involved in supporting this vile industry… it’s not only the grubs who abuse their greyhounds and who use live-baiting…it’s the other owners and hierarchy who knew and did nothing. Complicit by their non-action
great article. Foley looks set to sink the entire NSW Labor party over this issue being at complete opposites with the general communities expectations that animal cruelty will not be tolerated. I can only hope that the Labor MPs who are on the right side of history and are supporting the ban aren’t punished as severely as the rest of the NSW Labor party when they go into the next election with this massive stain on their record. And let’s face it, NSW state level politics isn’t exactly the most enthralling political system to follow (compared to say Federal Govt or the Trump vs the world US circus going on right now) so unless you’re particularly concerned about Council Amalgamations, or somehow believe that the Govt itself is responsible for administrative level issues with the health system, chances are swing voters will be voting on things such as this come election time. Looks like we’re in for a Campbell Newman style landslide victory by the Baird Govt for taking a positive stand against this atrocious ‘sport’. The ban can’t come soon enough.
Keep up the great work.
If the greyhound ban eventually comes into effect in NSW, would this mean that thousands upon thousands of greyhounds will then be put down? Working greyhounds in NSW would then be “surplus to requirements” and too expensive to maintain. Mass euthanasia would then follow. Of course, there are those who would argue that such working greyhounds could be adopted out as pets. But surely there is a limit to the number of homes willing to adopt a greyhound? Plus there is the issue of “suitability” – are all working greyhounds suitable for adoption by families? Personally, and as a passionate dog-lover, I find the possibility of the mass killing of greyhounds quite distressing. Yet it seems to me that such mass killing is the inevitable outcome of shutting down the greyhound industry. Under these circumstances is there no merit in “cleaning up” the greyhound industry rather than shutting it down completely?
If they put down every single racing dog in the state it would come nowhere near the number killed in a single year for being deemed not good enough to race
The cycle has to be broken at some point
Peter – that is something I did not know. Your logic is difficult to counter.
Foley, in my eyes, is now a repulsive piece of un-electable shit.
He needs to be rolled asap if the NSW Labor party ever hope to govern in the foreseeable future.
I’m extremely disappointed in Dastyari and now think he has all but crippled any political aspirations he had by forever tying himself to this vile “sport”.
As for the rest supporting the Greyhound torture Industry, I can only hope they get to experience first hand what is inflicted upon the unfortunate animals that have and continue to suffer.
I’d love to see Tony Gannon and other repulsive scum like him tied to a mechanical “rabbit” and torn apart by their own dogs.
you guys are human centipedes spurting and eating shit
Great article.You have hit the nail on the head. This dog killing industry has to end and the MP ‘s who are opposed to the ban are not fit elective representatives and should go down with the industry.
As a long-time member and worker for the ALP, I am very disappointed in Luke Foley and Sam Dastyari for supporting this cruel so-called sport. No doubt the banning of cock-fighting and bear-baiting meant loss of income for former participants but, eventually, these were banned. Of course a number of the dogs will be euthanised, hopefully with veterinary supervision but the truth is large numbers are being put down now in the most inhumane ways. The number of trainers who do observe ethical treatment and care cannot make up for the cruelty of those whose chief care is how much money can be made out of animals. Think again please Luke Foley. Ther are some times when our political opponents can get sometthing right.
I don’t get the point of grown men and women watching dogs run in circles chasing fake rabbits and making bets. They are like 19th century barbarians at a cock fight.
The entire process is being shown up as one of the biggest stitch ups in NSW political history. The report is flawed and not worth the paper it is printed on. I hear the ICAC have been notified of the actions of some very senior government players in this charade.
I cannot believe the gullibility of your rank and file readers. PETA, GREY2K and AA have resorted to gutter politics, blatant untruths and distortion of the facts. Bring on the Supreme Court action and let the truth be heard. If we are so bloody terrible, you don’t have to resort to lies, so why tell them? Whilst the RSPCA don’t breed dogs, how can they justify euthanising over a quarter of a million dogs and cats in the past 10 years. They cannot rehome every dog or cat. New track to open in Texas, greyhound racing thrives in well over 20 plus countries. Check your facts people!
You animal rights extremist’s certainly know how to pretend you are the majority and hijack social media. The extremely biased Mc animal rights report is so full of holes it will be thrown out of the high court. It is truly the biggest load of S&^T I have ever read. I love Animals, I hate animal rights extremists. Corrupt Government.
Dear Jodi Hurley, your Supreme Court action will not achieve anything. Heard of the constitution? Heard of the concept ‘separation of powers”? You are pissing money against a tree. If you were a nice bunch of people it would bother me, but because you are animal abusers – I couldn’t care less. If you would have used the money to save the save the dogs maybe, but we all know you wouldn’t – so suffer in your jocks. The sad thing about it all, you and your delusional mates will never admit your wrong doing and the evil of your ways. You will be muttering on your death bed “it was only a few bad apples” “But I treat my dogs like kings” “The RSPCA kill dogs” – while the rest of society look down upon you and laugh and remember a time when people bred and killed dogs for gambling.
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/ca1902188/s5.html
Premier Mike Baird and Deputy Premier Troy Grant are to be applauded for their courageous and honorable decision to wind down the cruel and corrupt Greyhound racing industry in NSW and to ban it from July 2017. Not surprisingly, this ground-breaking decision is meeting with considerable opposition.
Greyhound racing, with a few exceptions, is really nothing more than a pastime or hobby for many participants…. albeit some more serious than others. Like most activities where animals are used for human entertainment, dog racing has its roots deeply planted in animal cruelty. It’s easy to imagine all those years ago when two men ran their Greyhounds against each other to see who had the fastest dog. Certainly, that very first race was cruel as will have involved dogs pursuing a live rabbit or hare. From humble beginnings, dog racing gained in popularity, particularly during and immediately after the depression, however its popularity has continued to wane in more contemporary times. A night at the ‘doggies’ was once de rigueur, an exciting occasion which provided participants an opportunity to have a bet and to celebrate the spectacle of these athletic dogs in full flight. The emphasis has changed and Greyhound racing now exists mainly as a small time, bit player in the overall gambling industry. Greyhound racing crowds are a dwindling bunch generally made up of a few Arthur Daley types, mug-punters, die-hards, the hamburger/pie-van owner, family and friends of owners/trainers, the on-course vet with his box of tricks and of course the odd ‘colourful racing identity’. Few now go to the races to actually watch the spectacle of the athletes in action …. most choose the comfort and convenience of a club, pub or TAB to gamble on numerous races simultaneously Australia wide. Aside from industry participants, very few could name the current Australian champion Greyhound – or any race dog for that matter. As far as the gamblers are concerned, the actual dogs themselves are irrelevant…. it’s the results that are important. The punters may as well be gambling on virtual dogs on a screen – exactly like the virtual ‘cards’ on the poker machine wheels. Of course this is bad news for the actual living, feeling, loyal dogs. Although every Greyhound is very quick, not all can be a champion…. and provided they remain injury free, even champions are only as good as their last race.
Even if the proposed Legislation is defeated next week, the Greyhound racing ‘industry’ is mortally wounded long term. It is faced with insurmountable problems in relation to sustainability and animal welfare – both in controlling the ‘wastage’ rate and with current training practices. In order to maintain a viable population of young, competitive race dogs to support the industry, there needs to be a very large breeding base from which to choose…. similar to champions in any endeavour. By way of example, our relatively small elite Olympic contingent was selected from a vast number of base level contestants…. same concept. The difference is of course, if young human athletes are not good enough to start with, or they sustain an injury in training or competition, or they inevitably grow old and uncompetitive, they’re not euthanized as surplus to requirement. Not so with Greyhounds. Very few make it to old age…. most are culled. In addition to the culling of surplus numbers, questionable training methods, particularly the practice of ‘blooding’ using live animals, contributes to the unsustainability of the industry. It wasn’t until the Animals Australia expose by the ABC’s 7:30 Report that most fully realised the level to which this corrupt and cruel industry had sunk. The subsequent report by the Special Commission iced the cake.
Of course it’s not just cruelty to Greyhounds. Since racing commenced in the late 1920’s, countless millions of terrified rabbits, cats, possums, piglets and other animals have been torn to shreds in an attempt to encourage a reflex response to the racing lure and to hone the dogs chase instinct. Live baiting can range from the somewhat sophisticated though clumsy efforts in the ‘bull-rings’ and training tracks as revealed by the 7:30 team down to swinging a small squealing animal around in the back yard or shed on a string in front of the dog. The challenge is that unlike testing for drugs, there exists no test to detect live baiting – it can only be witnessed and filmed to gain a conviction. Accordingly, only a few so-called ‘bad apples’ are caught red-handed. This enables the industry to hang its hat on the discredited and tired question of why are so many punished because of the actions of a ‘few’.
Administering drugs, both legal and illegal to Greyhounds is endemic and widespread. Greyhound racing stewards report a constant flow of positive drug tests on race dogs. A seemingly endless list of extraordinary products including caffeine, cocaine, alcohol, steroids and other substances is regularly used in order to either reduce or enhance performance…. depending on the required outcome.
Many participants advance the argument that dogs love to race. That’s nonsense…. they don’t. Like any young dogs, Greyhounds love to run. It’s humans that build the tracks – it’s humans that train them – it’s humans that organise meetings – its humans that stir the dogs to pre-race fever pitch. It’s humans that like the dogs to race. There’s a very distinct difference between running and racing.
Finally, it’s telling that we even need to consider legislation, enforcement and the threat of penalties to counter animal cruelty. Surely respect, compassion and kindness to animals comes naturally from the heart…. not because the Government said it must be so.
There are “wrong doers” in all parts and walks of life; and the greyhound industry is no different.
Do we “ban” politics because some elected officials are proven to be corrupt? Or engage in inappropriate if not illegal activities?
Do we “ban” the various football codes because of the misdemeanors and vulgar activities engaged in by some? z
Do we “ban” religion and church groups, due to the horrid cruelty and mistreatment found to have been caused to others, including children?
In the case of the greyhound (or racing industry in general), they are governed by the same “laws of the land” as the rest of us. Let THOSE laws deal – and deal harshly – with anyone FOUND GUILTY (as opposed to being accused) of CRUEL, ILLEGAL ACTS. But then, please leave the rest of us involved (approximately 98%) continue on. We are already monitored and governed under strict provisions (naturally, even stricter after the actions found to be engaged in by SOME in late 2014); this should be sufficient.
There are REAL issues elsewhere in society that warrant far more attention and “press” than the greyhound industry.
Ahhh, the “leave us alone till everyone else is cleaned up” defence
I have always lived in the country and for decades it was known and accepted that these practices were common. The industry has had decades to fix the problem and in that time they should have known what would have happened eventually and took measures. They can’t complain now.