ANIMAL KINGDOM FOUNDATION, INC. STANDS AGAINST GREYHOUND RACING IN THE PHILIPPINES!

House Bill 5291 and House Bill No. 5648 promote the persecution of animals rather than protect their rights and welfare. It is a clear showing of the lawmakers insensitivity and insincerity in the implementation of the animal welfare law or RA 8485 so much so that a decade into its enactment, the government has not given the necessary support in its effective implementation.

Both Bills has no concern on the welfare of the greyhound dogs. Its main objective is business and the economy of it. It promotes gambling at the expense of these loving and trusting dogs. The Bill attempts to hide the gory and cruel situation and condition the greyhounds are exposed to during racing much more afterwards. A clear showing of this is found on the Bills itself as it made no mention on how the welfare of the dogs will be ensured monitored and regulated. In fact, it made no reference to the existing government unit called Animal Welfare Division-Bureau of Animal Industry which has been struggling with its limited manpower, meager government support and resources to implement the animal welfare act. Interestingly, the proposed Bills referred instead to the Games and Amusement Board OR of a government agency specifically tasked to oversee greyhound racing as the supervising body. Obviously, profit is more important than the welfare of these trusting animals which the Animal Welfare Act requires everyone to protect.

However, even if the government would set guidelines to regulate and monitor the welfare of the greyhounds, economic interest will always prevail over animal welfare concern and regulation here in the Philippines. This has been a given fact.

Greyhound racing is innately inhumane and cruel. The reality is that greyhound dogs are exposed to inherently inhumane conditions such as cramp wooden cages, long travel, exposure to elements and unsanitary conditions and muzzled most of the time. They would ordinarily suffer injuries like broken toe or leg, muscle stress and the like. They can likewise be doped or drugged just to ensure winning the race. There will be mass killing or culling of retired dogs that cannot race anymore and thus, they are considered liabilities by their owners. There will be increased breeding of dogs and those found to be lacking the potential for a winning race dog will be killed to minimize cost. Greyhound dogs are considered a commodity. They are object to satisfy man’s insatiable need for entertainment all in the guise that the bill is aneconomic stimulus providing employment and improving the lives of the people in the community.

Greyhound racing increases dog population. It will foster unregulated greyhound breeding in a speed more than one can imagine considering the penchant of Filipinos for what is “IN”. We are already faced with overpopulation of our aspins (asong pinoy), and stray dogs remains uncontrolled. Dog pounds will be congested. Dog meat trade will surely proliferate instead of being obliterated by the enactment of the Animal Welfare Law and the Anti Rabies Act. Unceremonious euthanasia of useless dogs will be a common sight, assuming that proper euthanasia procedure is used. Worse, inhumane killing of the hapless dogs, which is less costly will be used such as carbon monoxide poisoning, electrocution and even drowning or hanging.

The welfare of the dogs should be of paramount consideration. Greyhounds are good for racing only from 4 to 5 years. Fact is, dogs which have used up their potential are either put to sleep or left to die on its own from lack of medical attention and food. The cost of keeping and maintaining greyhound dogs who may live to up to 15 years will not be economically wise for the businessman who is into greyhound breeding and racing.

The Philippines is already beset with various animal welfare issues in the international community owing mainly to the illegal dog meat trade. The passage of the Bill will only worsen this impression and will impact on the tourism industry. Further, the house bill being proposed will put into jeopardy and waste, the efforts of the Animal Welfare Division of the BAI, however small and the various NGO’s to eliminate this negative impression of the Philippines and the Filipinos, and be a real example of an animal welfare conscious country in Asia.

Greyhound racing in the Western countries especially in the United States has started to decline over the years in view of the animal welfare issues and in view of the growing concern on the fate of these loving sentient dogs. AKF stand to STOP and OPPOSE the passage of House Bill 5291. Greyhound racing is a barbaric game. It is basically gambling. Greyhound racing is not about sports. It is about greed and insensitivity to the welfare of mans’ best friend.

The following are other basic reasons why greyhound racing should not be allowed to infiltrate the Philippine soil;

1. Greyhound racing unlike Horse racing has no cultural tie or significance to the Filipinos.

2. Dog racing/greyhound racing is inherently cruel. Thousands of greyhounds will be bred for racing and only the best will be chosen because winning is the sole objective of the game. Those who do not meet the standard or required racing qualifications are usually disposed of either by killing or by culling them. Those which are luckier end up in rescue centers or animal homes. But the Philippines, has no such homes for greyhounds nor the same be financially feasible for Filipinos to care for thousands of breed dogs owing to cost of dog food, medicines and the rising cost of maintaining people to care for animals.

During their career, greyhounds are exposed to various inhumane conditions: small cages, minimum human contact, long travels, bone fractures, spinal injuries, fatigue and the like;

After their racing career, greyhounds are usually left abandoned, killed or culled, referred to foster homes or rescue centers and some may be adopted. The sudden change in their routine activity however, considering that they were raised to race, makes it difficult for them to adjust to their retirement. The eventual lack of exercise, adjustment to a more sociable environment from less social and caring environment, thereafter are enough torture for these dogs.

3. Greyhound racing is gambling. Aside from moral/religious and ethical reason, gambling promotes laziness among people as it gives false hope and aspiration of winning from the bets made to meet their needs rather than spend the money used for betting to further earn income or support basic needs.

Gambling is addictive. Those people that bet on greyhound racing are the ones that cannot afford to bet, and to make matters worse nearly always people loose their money. This applies to all forms of gambling, Las Vegas with all its mega million dollar hotels has not been built through people winning, the more people that loose the more big hotels will be built.

In view of the foregoing, the ANIMAL KINGDOM FOUNDATION INC., moves and prays for the Honorable Chairman and the Senators to consider the arguments contained in this instant position paper and resolve to vote against HBs 5291 and to reject its passage into law. As and by way of reiteration, greyhound racing is inhumane, unethical, cruel, and oppressive. It totally conflicts with the spirit and purpose of the Animal Welfare Act. It is not a sport neither does it promote sportsmanship. It is nothing but gambling in all its glory utilizing greyhounds as its pawn, all in the name of profit and jaded perception that it helps build the economy.