Live baiting

May 2023
“Court to view videos in live baiting case,” article by Nigel Hunt, shows how blatantly, codes of conduct/laws, are ignored.
Live baiting refers to the practice of using live animals for the purpose of training greyhounds. This practice is illegal in all states and territories in Australia. There is obviously evidence these barbaric practices still continue. The bait animals involved experience excruciating pain, fear, injury and distress and will eventually die. The same animals may be used repeatedly, suffering a very long and painful death.
The owners and trainers of dogs that have undergone this type of training need to have any winnings confiscated.
The perpetrators need to be given the maximum penalties, have their dogs confiscated, and be barred for life from owning any canine. Claiming ignorance of how dogs were trained would not be an excuse to avoid prosecution
The dogs that have been blooded with live bait would be unsafe to rehome as small dogs, cats and even small children would be at risk.
Phil Cornelius

Greyhound gloom

September 2019

THE 2015 furore over greyhound racing was not because it was not “everyone’s cup of tea” (Full circle for city’s dog track). It was because of the cruelty inherent in this industry.

During the 2015 investigation it was revealed that live animals were being used as lures in a sadistic training method that was not only widespread, but widely accepted.

Besides this, around 18,000 greyhounds were being killed each year simply because they couldn’t run fast enough.

But even those who run fast don’t have a life worth living. I found this out for myself when I was working in the back yard of a greyhound owner. In the corner of a junk-filled shed were four cages containing four beautiful greyhounds.

They yelped joyfully when I approached them and tried to lick my hand.

When I asked their owner when they came out for a run I was told at breakfast time and at three o’clock. At three o’clock they were brought from the shed on leads, wearing bulky plastic muzzles. They were put in a narrow pen where they relieved themselves and looked overjoyed to be out in the sunshine. Three minutes later they were taken back to the gloomy, junk-filled shed. I was heartbroken.

These sweet dogs did not deserve to be condemned to this miserable existence – solely for money – and neither do any others.

Jenny Moxham

Backing RSPCA

July 2018
THE “RSPCA slams new greyhound facility” for having an intensive greyhound breeding complex and I support them 100 per cent. 

The Murray Bridge Council and Development Assessment Panel both need an update of their rules and regulations if animal welfare is not included in their scope. 

Animal welfare laws need to be included in all our legislation . 

G. Hannah

Throw away the key

July 2018

As the guardian of a very special ex-racing greyhound girl, my heart broke when I read about the RSPCA finding a mass grave on a licensed and registered greyhound trainer’s property.

How those gentle dogs must have suffered. Nine of them died by any convenient, cruelly contrived method, and 12 were left emaciated and dying, by a malicious person without a modicum of compassion for animals he abused for profit and gambling.

Whatever his punishment it will not be enough. He deserves to be locked up without food and the key thrown away.

 Diane Cornelius

Greyhound Racing and Rehoming

March 2018

I have a different take on the article about greyhound racing and rehoming of "spent' and dogs that are deemed "too slow to race." We fostered and then adopted a beautiful greyhound from the GAP program.

  As with all ex racers, she had no concept of the "outside world." She was a very fast learner, especially considering her first two years were spent in isolation in kennels, with no stimulation at all. After 18 months of gentle handling she still suffers recurring "nightmares."

It is extremely disappointing to most greyhound guardians that the new Murray Bridge greyhound track will go ahead. More dogs will be bred and there is no way they will all be homed, and most will be killed. Sadly too, while people like us see the need to adopt greyhounds, other unwanted dogs languish in rescue kennels waiting for homes, often in vain.

Diane Cornelius