Ask Groupon to stop offering deals for greyhound racing!

I contacted Groupon recently after receiving an email from them with their usual daily deals for Essex, because the featured deal was for Romford Dogs and a meal.

I wanted to inform them that the greyhound racing business has a total disregard for the dogs involved and the majority of people who attend these races (including those who will have received their email and purchased the deal) are blind to what actually happens to these animals in their day to day life and the cruelty they are supporting when they have "a night at the dogs". The life of a racing greyhound is one of misery, fear, mistreatment, and all too often, death at a young age.

They are not considered as a living animal but rather a commodity, a running machine. Thousands of greyhounds are produced each year, many more than are needed. Dogs that are considered to be too slow to make it are killed. If they win they live to race another day. If they lose they stand a good chance of being “disposed of”. No longer a working cog in the industry, the dog would be using up resources such as kennel space and food that could be used for another dog who could be earning money for the profit maker. Very few dogs make it to 4 or 5 years old and many suffer from heatstroke, heart attacks, injuries, sickness, broken legs, parasitic infections, etc. At all too many tracks the dogs suffer from constant neglect and isolation.

Unwanted dogs are usually destroyed by the lethal bolt gun, simply because it is cheaper than paying for euthanasia to be administered by a vet. Many other extremely cruel methods of disposal are also used. A very bloodied and traumatic end, simply because they are deemed unsuitable to make money from.

Greyhound racing may be a legal practice but when making a profit is at the expense of many dogs’ lives I strongly feel it is not morally correct. A quick flutter is not in any way worth the suffering & death of greyhounds, especially when there are so many other forms of entertainment and gambling opportunities which don't exploit animals. Their suffering will never end if deals like Groupon’s are offered so widely and especially at a reduced price to entice people. Until the general public stop supporting this industry the problem will not be resolved.

I volunteer for a local greyhound rehoming charity and although the dogs that are adopted from them experience a better fate than most, I have still seen first-hand the physical and mental scars that some dogs arrive with after “retiring” and it is very upsetting.

When Groupon replied to my email they thanked me for my feedback and said they were sorry that the deal hadn’t appealed to me (but fortunately they ‘offer more than one deal a day in most cities, and every day brings a new deal!’). They also said the information I’d given them meant they ‘now have a close eye on this deal’ and would ‘be able to take action quickly’ if they receive any further negative feedback. This gave me hope that if I were able to gain some support from like-minded people who feel the same way I do about greyhound racing (and any pastime which exploits innocent and defenceless animals, in fact) I could go back to Groupon with further proof that this is not an industry they should be endorsing.

So please sign & share this petition for all those poor dogs who don’t have a voice of their own and maybe, just maybe, we might be able to bring about some change!

Many thanks.