The Activist for Activists. Author of Make a Difference with Mental Health Activism and The Happy Activist: Journey the 5-Step Activism Path to Focus Your Passion and Change the World. Teacher, Psychologist, Environmental Activist, Animal Lover.
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Last Updated on November 27, 2024
Some high schools have impressive mascots like tigers or tornadoes but my high school mascot was a greyhound. A lovely, sweet breed, by all accounts. The mascot is a greyhound because my school sat on the corner of Dog Track Road next to the Sanford-Orlando Kennel Club.
In this huge stadium, the owners raced greyhounds for money. Gambling was readily available in my town; we even had jai alai. But as a teenager, even before I gave up eating meat, I wondered why my school named their mascot after a business that exploits animals for profit. I remember thinking we needed to stop animal exploitation now.
My Visit to the Dog Track
I only visited the dog track when an animal charity event held a fundraiser. It was fun to watch dogs come out of the stalls, and even though their owners were waiting at the finish line, they mostly acted as dogs do. Some were more interested in sniffing the other racers, some just ran off, and some never came out of the stall at all. The winner got a bag of dog food from a display on the infield. Most dogs ended up pawing at the food display without ever crossing the finish line.
But this charity event was different from the usual Dog Track business.
Run to Death
The movie Run to Death: The Rise & Fall of Greyhound Racing documents the interesting history of greyhound racing. Racing started out fun and apparently without exploitation. But that didn’t last when money became involved.
It wasn’t until more recently that greyhound racing went from sending dogs to kill a hare to using a fake rabbit for dogs to chase around a track. And it was later still that people began gambling on the outcome of the races.
Warning: This film contains instances of exploitation of animals, such as using live animals as bait and greyhounds getting horribly injured while racing.
Behind the scenes, we see that greyhound exploitation went beyond training the animals to race. First, there are many instances of injuries and deaths during racing. Second, even though the animals are drug tested, there is the widespread use of banned substances. Owners dose the dogs with testosterone, DMSO for pain relief, and even cocaine to give the dogs a jolt right before the race.
Going further behind the scenes, you discover that almost half of the puppies bred yearly are euthanized. Why? Because they didn’t run fast enough. And when a dog can’t win anymore? You know what happens.
Stop Animal Exploitation Now
Greyhounds are not the only exploited animals. Consider horse racing, which suffers from the same problems as dog racing. Consider the billions of animals killed for food. When you open your eyes to animal exploitation, you see examples everywhere.
I was fortunate to visit Santorini, Greece, but horrified to discover donkeys hauling tourists up and down the steep mountain. They carry humans, sometimes large ones, all day long in the terrible heat. In addition to the physical stresses, they must also feel trapped in unending boredom. Thankfully, local animal activists are working to abolish the cruel practice and rescue the animals.
Start by boycotting events that include exploitation of animals. Instead of a horse-drawn carriage ride, take a walk or a taxi. Instead of circuses, try finding other ways to have fun with the family.
The Lyman Greyhound
I wondered whether current Lyman students think it strange that their mascot is an exploited animal. So I decided to check out the current situation. First, I browsed the school’s website, where I discovered very few images of the greyhound, although the dog is still on the school logo.
That led me to the alumni Facebook page. I asked whether students were protesting the use of the greyhound as a mascot. Apparently, I stirred up the hornet’s nest, because my fellow alumni answered my question with mocking and name-calling about being ‘woke.’ A few brave souls showed positive interest in the issue. One person suggested that keeping the greyhound but highlighting the issue of animal exploitation would raise awareness. Unfortunately, that person got dog-piled, too.
When the group moderator responded to me with an all-cap paragraph of insults, I decided this wasn’t the place for me. But I remain hopeful that the current students are more open to stopping animal exploitation now.
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