AGC TACKLES MISINFO IN COVERAGE OF MASSACHUSETTS RACING BAN PROPOSAL

On-line newspaper publishes AGC response to Grey2K USA false claims.

AGC Communications Director Gary Guccione sent the following letter to Metrowest Daily News, an on-line newspaper based in Massachusetts. The response appeared on September 12.

Dear Editor:

The proponents of the greyhound racing ban initiative are relying on misinformation and confusion to carry them to victory. Fortunately, Massachusetts voters are smart enough to see through these sleazy tactics.

The statistics submitted to state regulators in Massachusetts clearly show that the vast majority of injuries to greyhounds are treatable and permit the dogs to resume racing after healing. Occasionally, career-ending injuries occur, but even these injuries are not serious enough to prevent the greyhound’s transition to a comfortable retirement in an adoptive home.

Your September 6 story gave heavy exposure to the views of racing opponents, but relatively little exposure to the other side. Your inclusion of only one website—the ban committee’s website—reinforced the appearance of bias in the story. This skewed reporting does a serious disservice to your readers.

It is also disingenuous to suggest that a collection of video clips from dates and places unknown comprises reliable evidence of anything. In 2000, when the first racing ban was on the ballot, Grey2K’s “evidence” was a collection of photos and video actually taken in Europe.

Grey2K’s Christine Dorchak also misrepresents the facts about greyhound racing nationwide. While many states prohibit pari-mutuel wagering (horse and dog racing) as a matter of gambling policy, greyhound racing has never been banned in a state where the sport actually existed.

It comes down to a simple fact. Animal rights activists want to ban this business because they don’t like it. If Massachusetts voters give them a victory on this initiative, what business will be next on the hit list? How many more jobs will disappear because a handful of extremists decide that the people in those jobs don’t matter?

Sincerely,

Gary Guccione, American Greyhound Council
Abilene, KS