Where is a dog, not a dog? Kansas of course!

[cheerful_deviant]

Another fine example of special interest groups working for their own interest.

Are Greyhounds Dogs? Kansas Says No

Racing Breed Isn't Protected By Kansas Pet Laws

UPDATED: 10:13 am EST March 15, 2005

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- When is a dog not a dog?

When it's a greyhound in Kansas.

It may sound like a punchline to a joke, but it's true. Two years after the Parimutuel Racing Act was passed in Kansas, the law protecting pets in the state was changed to exclude greyhounds from the designation of dog.

"A greyhound ought to be a dog in the state of Kansas," said Kevin Neuman, of Overland Park.

Neuman and his wife, Sherri, have fostered and adopted greyhounds for 11 years. They are also active in a greyhound placement organization for retired racers.

"We fell in love with the breed. They're definitely a dog . They're a great dog," Neuman said.

Monday, he went to Topeka to try to change the law.

The National Greyhound Association, based in Abilene, Kan., disagrees. The executive director called the change unnecessary and said greyhounds aren't bred for pets, and therefore, shouldn't fall under pet protection laws.

Advocates of the change in the law said as dog racing revenues and attendance at races wane, there will be more pressure to breed a winner, and the state should help protect greyhounds.

"More dogs are bred and more dogs are put at risk," Kevin Neuman said.

Breeding organizations dispute that claim, saying kennels are closely regulated by the NGA and the Kansas Greyhound Registry.

People who love the dogs, but not the sport, said it's time to call it like it is and to level the playing field when it comes to the law.

"Protect greyhounds just like collies or German shepherds, or any other breed of dog," Neuman said.

Both sides of the debate appeared before the House Agriculture Committee late Monday afternoon.

 

[rgraham666]

A fella can hear just about anything, if he listens long enough.

 

[logophile]

I think if the fine legislators in Kansas are going to decree that a Greyhound isn't a dog (that's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard, by the way) they need to decide what it is...

It simply cannot be it's own species, separate from every other species ever. They must declare that it's SOMETHING.

How infuriating...

 

[R. Richard]

It sounds like a joke, but it is not a joke.

Greyhounds are bred for racing. If a dog cannot run fast enough it is an economic loss. Most slow dogs are simply put to death. Some wind up in experiments to find out if they can be made to run faster. This last can lead to very bad cruelty.

It is a very serious problem.

 

[Liar]

Question is not wether a greyhound is a dog, but wether all dogs are pets. They're not. I don't think of police dogs as pets, or of shepherding dogs as pets. Nor racing dogs. They are pros doing a job. Now, that doesn't mean that I think they should have less rights than pets. Just detting down with definitions, folks.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

A dog is a dog is a dog. Unless it's a hot dog.

Underlying this is a simple fact, some powerful people don't want greyhounds protected like pets. If they were taking care of them, as they claim, it seems this wouldn't be a problem. So why do they not want them classified as pets?

What are they doing to these animals that protection as pets would prevent them from doing? That's the real question. And I suspect the answer isn't something dog lovers, animal lovers or just plain old people with hearts want to know about.

 

[cheerful_deviant]

The National Greyhound Association, based in Abilene, Kan., disagrees. The executive director called the change unnecessary and said greyhounds aren't bred for pets, and therefore, shouldn't fall under pet protection laws.

I really like this line. Basically what they are saying is that because we breed them for a purpose, they are just property and have no rights.

So if I start breeding humans for racing they don't have the same rights as the rest of us because they are breed for that purpose. THen I can arbitrarilly make up my own set of guidelines of how my racing humans are to be treated. Also if they aren't fast enough I can dispose of them as I see fit. Cool. I'm moving to Kansas.

 

[English Lady]

Awwww. This actually gets me kinda angry. When I was young my dad kennelled Racing greyhounds. They are beautiful dogs, soft and gentle and very loving (well as long as you're not small and fuzzy...then they want to eat you*L*) and definitely should have the same rights as any other dog.

These dogs lived in their kennels, we had different dogs every few weeks but each one of them was like a pet to us. They're social animals who love human contact...they're not just racing machines.

One time we got a greyhound in who Mike (the owner) had bought more out of pity than anything else. She was thin...I mean REALLY thin and her fur was matted in places, burn marks and scars showed in others and her eyes, oh the poor thing had the most hauntingly sad eyes.

I went in to see her when she arrived and Dad said to me that I was fine to watchher from outside the kennel, but not to go in, she might be dangerous because she'd been so mistreated he didn't know if she'd be friendly.

I was..oooh about seven and I couldn't beleive this animal was unlike any of the other soft dogs we'd had so when I heard her whimper I opened the door and went in.

Dad came back to find me sat on the dogs bed with her lying next ot me, her head in my lap and her tail wagging.

She had been used as a racer, was too slow and was abused then because the moneyhungry prick who owned her saw her as a commodity. She was a pet, she needed love and food and care just like any other living animal.

So yeah,this really upsets me. they all deserve the same rights as other dogs.

 

[TxRad]

Special interest groups like greyhound and horse breeders/racers are always looking at ways of keeping people from looking over their shoulder or regulating what they do.... Especially the bad ones. The ones that treat their animals like property and look only at the bottom line.

A few years ago, there was a greyhound "farm" just east of San Antonio that was busted for abuse. some of the pictures that came out of that would make a strong stomach turn. Whether or not they were the exception or the norm is unknown as there are no real national records or regulations to go by....

But on the other side of the coin, are the animal lovers and rights groups that lump all breeders/racers under the same "bad" group, no matter their record.

 

[Guest]

A fella can hear just about anything, if he listens long enough.

The same goes for stupid women.

Idiocy is not gender specific.