HUFFPOST WRITER SHOULD BE ASHAMED, SAYS NGA

HuffPost.com, a prominent online news site, should insist on a “higher standard of reporting,” according to National Greyhound Association (NGA) Executive Director Gary Guccione. The comment was contained in Guccione’s May 26 response to a recent article by HuffPost contributor Rahel Gebreyes on Grey2K USA and its co-founder, Christine Dorchak. Here is the full text of the letter:

Dear Editor: Rahel Gebreyes should have done some responsible journalistic homework before posting her story on Grey2K USA’s campaign against greyhound racing. Even allowing for the elastic standards of “citizen journalism,” HuffPost should insist on a higher standard of reporting.

Grey2K founder Christine Dorchak and her husband, Carey Theil, are famous for misrepresenting the facts about greyhound racing, probably because the truth doesn’t help them raise the six-figure amounts needed to pay their combined salaries and lobbying fees.

The claim that just anyone can breed, register and race a greyhound is simply absurd. Greyhound breeders must be members of the NGA in order to register the dogs they breed, and all greyhounds must be registered in order to race at any U.S. track. Breeders pay a sizeable fee to register each greyhound, and they spend additional sums to care for and train the dogs in preparation for their racing careers. It takes a serious commitment to be competitive in the sport.

The NGA enforces rigorous greyhound welfare standards for breeders and kennel operators. Breeding farms are subject to unannounced inspections to verify compliance with those standards. Anyone found guilty of serious animal welfare violations is banned from greyhound racing for life, and other industry members are prohibited from doing business with that individual.

The best proof that Dorchak’s claims are bogus is the greyhounds themselves. Greyhounds are gentle, loving animals that are very comfortable being around people as well as other animals. They make wonderful pets–which wouldn’t be the case if they had been mistreated or abused during their racing careers.

In fact, more than 95 percent of all registered greyhounds are adopted or returned to the farm as pets or breeders when they retire. Between the high rate of adoption and the declining numbers of greyhounds bred, many greyhound adoption groups are actually having trouble finding enough retired racers to meet the demand.

Your readers should take Christine Dorchak’s bogus claims for what they’re worth–nothing more than worn-out, baseless attacks designed to attract donations from well-meaning but poorly informed animal lovers. Rahel Gebreyes’ one-sided article perpetuated the deception. Both she and Dorchak should be ashamed of themselves.