to think greyhound racing is no place for a 1yr old.

[wanderingcloud]

DSIL is having a significant birthday celebration. It's about an hour and a half drive from us to the venue. We're all going (forcibly - pain of death from MIL for suggesting otherwise) that is DH, 1yr old DS and I.

I had suggested getting a hotel nearby for the night as I think a three hour round trip with the baby is too much for one evening but DH (rightly) says we can't really afford it. So I reluctantly agreed to go there and back for one evening, thinking it's a family party and that rest of the family will be there, kids in tow, so it might not be too bad.

DH leaves it tonight to tell me that it's actually greyhound racing that we're going to and that no-one else is taking their kids. I'm so annoyed. I've never been to the dogs so no idea what it's like but my gut instinct is that it isn't really the place for a toddler. Especially if no-one else will have kids there! AIBU???

[blondefriend]

Going back to the original point...

I wouldn't take a 1 year old because it is an evening do and they would be too tired to enjoy it and would just be overwhelmed and need a place to play. I would take my 4 year old because she would love the whole atmosphere and the company of lots of adults that love her. Both my children sleep in the car well so that helps.
Personally my children have loved horse racing in the past so I would be tempted to take them but we have been to family days outside in the sun which is a whole different atmosphere to a crappy restaurant with adults getting slightly tipsy in the cold.

[MissBetseyTrotwood]

I'm with Scuttle on this.

Whether you decide to go or not, you could suggest to those who do that they may want to donate to an independent charity like Celia Cross after they've enjoyed their evening.

[countrykitten]

Narked - I am with you there.

[Scuttlebutter]

Pixel, several people involved in rescue including myself have acknowledged that we know caring, responsible owners - BUT this doesn't address the broader points raised of the systematic issues in the system. Take Wales where I am - we still have flapping tracks. NO VET at races.
Why aren't English tracks publishing injury statistics so comparisons and improvements can be made?

The industry has made strides in recent years - partly because it is much smaller but every single welfare gain has come because campaigners have pushed for it, NOT because racing insiders wanted it. There are long strings of horrible, miserable stories about what happens to racing greys when they are no longer needed/economically viable - sadly these are fact, not myth. Every single one of our four current greys raced in England - they earned money for owners, promoters and bookmakers. Yet every single one was found dumped and abandoned - some in very distressing circumstances. According to GBGB this simply shouldn't happen, as racing owners are supposed to ensure either the dog retires to a home or is passed to a rescue. I can tell you quite categorically that this does not happen in many cases and I have yet to see any racing owners being penalised for this as they are supposed to. When we see this happening regularly then I will start to believe the industry takes welfare seriously.

[Pixel]

I am involved in the retirement and sometimes rescue of former racing greyhounds. Over the years I have dealt with trainers/owners who have been very responsible in the resettlement of their greyhounds

Thanks for not tarring everyone with the same brush. I have a good friend whose husband was until recently a top greyhound trainer. He always had several dogs that he was keeping at his own expense because the owners didn't want them any more and were refusing to pay the bills. He would keep them until he found a good home for them or the local greyhound rescue (to whom he made regular donations) had space to take them. The alternative was having them put down or dumping them and he wouldn't do that. He would also take them home to become family pets. I've even been present when they collected a dog from the vet, having paid for expensive treatment despite the fact that it would never race again.
I've been to the kennels on several occasions and I can honestly say they were much better than the Dogs Trust ones down the road, which I have also seen.

I don't doubt that there is cruelty that goes on, which is of course absolutely disgusting, but there are people who do it for the love of the dogs.

Anyway OP, I've only ever watched the racing from the comfort of the restaurant, I certainly wouldn't have had any qualms about taking a baby there. I know plenty of people do take their children because the track has a large play area to one side, although that's probably more of a summer thing!

[Booyhoo]

bottleoffish wasn't judgemental at all. she quite accuratelyt pointed out that dog racing has a devastating effect on the animals used to provide this entertainment and money for people. if you want entertainment go see a comedy show.

[Narked]

Not only would I not go, I couldn't be married to someone who would consider this 'entertainment.'

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

Tough we reported it to the organisers, but I don't know what happened about it.

We sort of had to leave in a hurry because someone else's greyhound pissed up my leg

[atacareercrossroads]

My god. Anyone who reads the story of last hope and still thinks this is a great industry are just really kidding themselves aren't they. The poor thing was still alive :(

[Quilty]

No YANBU. Even without the issue of having to take a 1 year old, personally I would tell them I'm not coming because I don't agree with it. I think its an awful 'sport' and with all the outcry in this country about other animal rights issues, it always amazes me that greyhound racing keeps such a low profile in the news. Anyway you can just use your child as an excuse and say sorry but you don't think it's suitable place for a one year old. If they have a problem with that then they are in the wrong, not you! Don't be pushed into doing something you don't feel is right.

[Scuttlebutter]

We share our lives with four ex racing greyhounds and I spend a huge amount of my time doing voluntary work for greyhound charities. There are some hugely responsible and caring owners (I've got to know several) - no doubt. However, these are more than outweighed by the systemic cruelty and wastefulness of the industry which sees dogs as a commodity, overbreeds, and sadly most of the dogs are not worth enough to justify vet treatment if they get ill. The sums simply do not add up - from the pups that are registered, many simply "disappear" from the industry during training, trials and racing if tehy are no good. And sadly all these dogs are NOT ending up by a cosy fireside in retirement. If you are up to it, Google Last Hope - a Welsh Greyhound, shot in the head and left to die because he wouldn't run fast enough. Just our four hounds, if I were to share their stories in detail would make you weep. One was forced to do 67 races in 18 months. Then she was found by the charity, abandoned and starving. One is still terrified of men he does not know and flinches if he sees belts, even ties . I could go on, but won't. OP stick to your guns and don't go, and please don't take your DC.

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

With bottlefish. When we had our first retired greyhound (he'd been a stray for months after being abandoned) we once took him to a fun day hosted by the rescue charity at a local dog racing track. He found the crowds a bit much so we took him off for a little walk around the grounds. There was a ditch running around the perimeter, and in the ditch was a greyhound skeleton. Absolutely true. No idea how he died, but it does illustrate the attitude that some owners have towards their dogs.

[atacareercrossroads]

You haven't committed to anything. You just say "Nah not my thing, but have a lovely time". So what if you get the hairy eyeball for a bit? They'll get over it.

[wanderingcloud]

Thanks for your thoughts. Calmed down a touch this morning but still not happy!

As someone who's never been I have no frame of reference so it's interesting to see some think it might be ok situation for a child.

I'm really not happy attending for the cruelty reasons, it goes against my core principles, DH family already think I'm bonkers in that regard so they wouldn't be surprised.

I'm mostly and at DH as he almost certainly knew I wouldn't be happy and deliberately didn't tell me the full plans until we were committed to attending.

[countrykitten]

Samu2 - your family clearly looked after their dogs. As I said before, they are in the very tiny minority. It's such a sad and horrible 'business'.

[countrykitten]

It is a disgusting and cruel 'sport'. There is no way on this earth that I would go myself or take any of my children to such a spectacle. Google what happens to greyhounds - how they live and how they die - and then make a stand on animal cruelty grounds quite apart from anything else.

I work with many dog rescues as a volunteer and can say with absolute confidence that the situation that Samu2 describes is very, very rare.

Don't go - don't give them your money.

[Sallystyle]

www.gbgb.org.uk/TheTruthAboutRacing.aspx

I just did a very quick google search and some of the stuff I read was horrid which I had never heard about before.

Then I came across this website which matches my experiences of living with a racer so now I don't know what to think.

[fluffyraggies]

OP maybe it depends on the stadium/time of day/day of week?

Which one are you going to? The one we went to was Wimbledon Track, Sat. eve. The atmosphere was good, don't get me wrong, i just wouldn't have wanted a 1yo there.

[Sallystyle]

My mum's ex boyfriend used to race greyhounds and the dogs had great lives. When his got too old or whatever for racing he kept them as family pets.

They were all loved and well looked after.

I used to take my little ones. There was a restaurant and a bar and it was great fun, no one was getting drunk of anything, lovely atmosphere and regular customers.

[freddiefrog]

I'm with bottleoffish too. I just wouldn't go

My parents had several retired greyhounds when I was growing up and the cruelty is horrendous.

[fluffyraggies]

Exact same situation as you not long ago OP! Right down to the fact that i didn't know till the last minute it was Ghound racing and i don't really agree with it.

Older children involved though.

It was an evening do. It was a long night for all of us tbh, with the drive there and back too, but it was an ok evening.

No place for a 1 year old though. It was noisy and crowded and the upper levels near the bar were almost nightclubby. There were family's there in the eating/seated areas but the children were all 10ish or over.

I put all our winnings plus an extra £10 in the bucket for the campaign against grey hound racing in the car park on the way out.

PILs and SIL were
DH and DD were :)

[atacareercrossroads]

And op I've caused many a rift with the family because I refuse to go to a dog track. Just as well that I don't give a shit.

[atacareercrossroads]

I'll be honest, I can think of only a few places worse than the dogs even without a baby! Cold (inside seating gets taken up), inedible food, overpriced drinks, cold, boring, expensive, cold, loud, cold, oh and not forgetting the moral aspects of it.

I wouldn't say its a suitable place for a baby at all tbh.

[SpacegirlRevisited]

Not a great place for a little one and quite a late night.Probably quite hard work for you too trying to keep everyone happy.

I am involved in the retirement and sometimes rescue of former racing greyhounds. Over the years I have dealt with trainers/owners who have been very responsible in the resettlement of their greyhounds.

Sadly I have dealt with many many more who have inflicted inhumane and horrific practices upon the dogs either to during their racing career or to avoid detection when they dump them after they stop competing well in races.Ever seen a dog with its ears cut off so that the identifying tattoos cant trace the dog back?