Greyhound racing ban signatures certified - The Enterprise Boston

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

By Tim Grace, Enterprise Staff Writer

Backers of a ballot question that would ban greyhound racing in the commonwealth had reason to crow Tuesday when Secretary of State William Galvin Jr. announced they had gathered enough signatures to push the Dog Protection Act a step closer to voter review in 2006.

Galvin's office certified 83,431 of the 90,360 signatures gathered by the coalition of animal rights groups supporting the question. Only 65,825 signatures were required to move the question forward.

"This is a key victory for the supporters of this humane law," said Tom Adams, director of communications for the Animal Rescue League of Boston. "Voters recognize that dogs deserve to be protected from individuals and industries that would do them harm."

In addition to banning greyhound racing, the act would allow harsher sentences for people convicted of assaulting police canines or taking part in organized dog fighting.

The act was sponsored by greyhound protection group Grey2K USA, the Boston Animal Rights League, the Humane Society of the United States and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It will now be forwarded on to the state Legislature for consideration.

Should the act fail to win support in the Legislature, it could still win direct ballot access if its backers can present another 15,000 signatures asking for it to be put to voters.

A bill that would only have banned greyhound racing was put to voters in 2000, but failed on a whisker-thin margin. Backers are hoping that broadening the act's scope will tip the scales in their favor.

But George Carney, owner of Raynham-Taunton Greyhound Park, one of the state's two dog racing tracks, has called the inclusion of the police K9 and dog fighting elements "a subterfuge" meant to hoodwink voters.

Attempts to reach Carney were not immediately successful Tuesday afternoon.

But in recent interviews, Carney said he would fight to keep the act off the ballot and, failing that, would launch a public relations campaign to see the question defeated.

[KennelMom]

In addition to banning greyhound racing, the act would allow harsher sentences for people convicted of assaulting police canines or taking part in organized dog fighting.

This is exactly how Grey2Puke is trying to push this BS through. What a crock.

[EscapeTurn]

Originally Posted by Crossfire Bulldogs

In addition to banning greyhound racing, the act would allow harsher sentences for people convicted of assaulting police canines or taking part in organized dog fighting.

And what does dog racing have to do with dog fighting and assaulting police dogs??

[mulroony]

Originally Posted by EscapeTurn

And what does dog racing have to do with dog fighting and assaulting police dogs??

I don't have an opinion on Greyhound racing, but I think they should tack strictor penalties on every law they pass for these two crimes...

That said I am really not a big fan of riders...

[jcsperson]

Grey2K changed its stripes just for this initiative. They came up with a new alias and a new angle in order to reprise the one that failed five years ago. Note that this group, The Committee To Protect Dogs, is headed by Christine Dorchak, wife of Grey2K head Gary Theil.

Theil earns his income from his efforts to ban racing. G2K has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from donors like Greyhound Friends of Massachusetts, The Greater Boston SPCA, the Humane Society of the United States and other "animal welfare" groups. One would think their money would be better spent actually caring for animals in need rather than racing Greyhounds whose adoptions in Massachusetts are funded by racing. BTW, Theil does not even have a Greyhound as a pet.

Approximately 800-1,000 Greyhounds are retired from Mass. tracks and the state allocates $350,000 per year from taxes on racing to place them with adoption groups. In other words, G2K is trying to ban racing in a state where adoption is not a problem.

G2K and their ilk are radicals like PETA and the HSUS whose leadership are on record as desiring to ban domestic animals of all kinds.

The adoption rate of racing Greyhounds is about 90% and rising. The adoption rate at most shelters across the United States is well below 50%. A recent CNN expose' on PETA showed that they put down 86% of the animals they take in. Little or no effort is made to find homes for the animals.

Here is some video from the CNN web site on PETA:

PETA killing pets?

[KennelMom]

Martin - as always, you are so much more eloquent than I