Ban Greyhound Racing In Scotland.

Greyhound racing is a cruel sport, where dogs are regularly injured. These dogs reach speeds in excess of 30 miles per hour, and often collide with the rails around the track, or with each other, or lose their footing, and suffer terrible injuries. If a greyhound breaks a leg then it is perfectly legal to have that dog put to sleep, under the Greyhound Board of Great Britain rules, which is the self regulating body overseeing the sport at licensed tracks. Owners and trainers have no long term interest in the dogs welfare and wont spend money treating an injured dog when it can be put to sleep for comparatively little money. Most owners and trainers are continually breeding Greyhounds in order to have a constant supply, so when one dog is put to sleep, another takes it's place at the track. Racing Greyhounds have usually passed their peak by the age of 3, and are of no further use to the trainers and owners. Some are lucky and get re-homed through Greyhound rescue centres, however many just simply disappear without trace. Racing Greyhounds have their ears tattooed and so can be traced to the owner, there have been cases of Greyhounds being found with their ears cut off, so the owners cannot be traced, some of these dogs are still alive, and it can be assumed they were not given any form of pain relief. Greyhounds are made of the same stuff as humans, they have blood coursing through their veins, they have nerves and feel pain. These dogs make wonderful pets, and are being exploited by man, as are many other animals world wide, for his pleasure and profit. This is clearly animal abuse, and yet it goes on unchallenged, and legally, in Scotland. In a modern and all caring Scotland, I believe there is no place for Greyhound racing. Most Saturday nights I stand outside Shawfield stadium in Glasgow, with a small group of like minded people, to demonstrate against this cruel sport. I also have an ex racing Greyhound, my 3rd ex racer, and when I look at him sleeping in his nice comfortable bed, I feel so sad that so many of his species are not so fortunate. The Greyhound Board of Great Britain looks after the interests of the owners, trainers and breeders and does very little to protect the dogs which are being exploited because of there ability to run fast. Greyhound racing also adds to the misery of many with a gambling addiction, and is raking in large sums of money for bookmakers. Greyhound racing is an immoral practice where those involved are benefiting at the expense of the dogs and often at the cost of the dogs life. These dogs are raced on the coldest of Winter nights and on the hottest of Summer nights. I would very much like to see Greyhound racing banned in Scotland. The dogs can't speak for themselves, but I am sure if they could they would agree with me. I am their voice. This sport has no place in a modern and all caring Scotland. Dogs are suffering terrible injuries and sometimes death in the name of entertainment. The Scottish government can show Westminster the lead and ban this cruel and unnecessary sport. Lets stand up against the bookmakers and big business. Lets ban Greyhound racing in Scotland.