GREY2K LEADER HITS FOUL BALL, VALIDATING AGC MESSAGES IN PROCESS

Poor Carey Theil. He probably thought he had hit a home run in his October 29 blog about the recent National Greyhound Association (NGA) fall auction. In fact, he hit a foul ball that bounced right back in his face and clobbered his own arguments against greyhound racing.

Whether Carey has realized it or not, his column actually reinforced what the American Greyhound Council (AGC) has been saying for years—that most racing greyhounds, including those that have experienced injuries, transition successfully to new lives after racing. And even less competitive racers have a future beyond the track.

Theil wrote that a few of the greyhounds sold at auction had been injured previously. He also noted that one, according to program notes, had “nagging problems that affected her racing career.”

“This is the true face of the racing industry,” Theil intoned.

Welcome to the real world, Carey. That’s exactly what we’ve been saying. The truth is that the vast majority of greyhounds, whether they’re winners or not, live out their post-racing lives in loving adoptive homes or back on the farm as pets or breeders.

Thousands of greyhounds compete at racetracks every year, but only a handful of owners and trainers win big money. So why do the rest stay in greyhound racing? Because they love the dogs. They love the sport. In some cases, their families have been involved in it for two or three generations. They haven’t made a fortune; in fact, many people in greyhound racing have other jobs to help pay the bills. But they’d never give up working with the dogs.

Carey Theil talks a lot about greyhounds, but he doesn’t really know them. He doesn’t work with them every day. His organization has no direct involvement in greyhound adoption or greyhound care. And now, Carey’s own blog has confirmed that most of his arguments against greyhound racing are just plain bogus.

Talk about irony. Carey’s foul ball turned out to be a home run—for OUR side.