Greyhound racing is a cruel "sport" in which animals are forced to race around tracks for the sake of entertainment. The wonderful Christine Dorchak, the President of GREY2K USA is raising awareness about the abuse that these dogs endure in the dog racing industry, and is fighting on the front lines to end this cruelty. Read her inspiring post below to find out how you can help.
Guest post by Christine Dorchak, President of GREY2K USA
My name is Christine Dorchak and I am a dog lawyer. That’s right, I went to law school just so that I could help dogs. As President of GREY2K USA Education Fund, my specialty is greyhounds. Every day, I work to pass laws to end dog racing and save the gentlest dogs in the world from lives of terrible cruelty.
At racetracks across the country, greyhounds are kept confined in warehouse-style kennels, inside small, stacked cages which are barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around. If you can imagine being in a small elevator for 20-23 hours a day, then you will know how a greyhound feels all the time.
When let out of their cages to race (and for people to bet on), these poor dogs face the risk of terrible injury. They suffer broken legs, they break their necks, and they also experience paralysis, seizures and heart attacks. There are twenty-two dog tracks in the United States, and thousands of dogs get injured each yeah while racing. And sadly, a dog who is injured may not be adopted.
I know what it is like to get hurt because when I was younger, my dog Kelsey and I were run down by a speeding train. I hurt my back and could not get up by myself for a long time. I had to learn to walk and talk all over again because my injuries were so severe. Kelsey broke her hip and actually had it surgically replaced. Boy, did we need help!
Unlike many greyhounds, we were given a second chance, something which we really appreciated. That is why we decided to dedicate our lives to ending dog racing. We want all greyhounds to live like other dogs, in loving homes with adoring families, and not be killed when they no longer make money. You can see my story and meet my dogs Kelsey and Zoe here.
If you would like to join our team, please watch our video and then request one of our activity kits. We will send you a poster, magnet and coloring book!
Also, check out our wonderful new books about greyhounds. Pele’s Forever Home tells the story of an adopted greyhound and Daisy’s Great Escape describes the cruelties of the racing life through a greyhound’s eye. You can order these online right here.
Lots of kids have been working to help greyhounds and you can encourage your kids to help too! A wonderful group from the Prospect Academy in Cambridge, Massachusetts even made a movie! Watch it now.
Although my dear Kelsey passed away at the age of fifteen, she lives on in the work we do at GREY2KUSA and the GREY2K USA Education Fund. Today, Zoe and I and the whole greyhound team work each day to fulfill Kelsey’s promise to give greyhounds the second chance they deserve.
Thank you to Christine and the rest of her team at GREY2K USA for shining a spotlight on the suffering of greyhounds in the dog racing industry.
Editor's Note: Read my review of Pele's Forever Home at Vegbooks.
Christine A. Dorchak is the President and General Counsel of GREY2KUSA. She has worked as Research Director for the New
England Anti-Vivisection Society and is a former manager of the Ellen Gifford Sheltering Home for Cats. In her free time Christine hosts a local community television program and enjoys spending time with her four cats and greyhound Zoe. A long-distance runner all of her life, she has competed in six Boston Marathons to date.
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