https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Mon, 11 May 2026 16:45:41 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33864 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:10:36 +0000 Nicole 33864@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Uh oh, sorry! Tell your handsome hubby that I regret the way I voted. </p> <p>I've had enough of soapboxing to last me another 4 years, thankyouverymuch. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33862 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:02:42 +0000 shiny 33862@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I missed all those commercials!</p> <p>Hubby is here and he says, "Tell Nicole that all those people can now make a living selling pot."</p> <p>;-)</p> <p>I will leave it at that - if you want to hear his (very strong) opinions on this issue, he can fill your ears with them on November 16. He's going on and on and he's up on his soapbox right now! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33861 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:40:13 +0000 Nicole 33861@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Maya, I see your point, but the biggest reason I was having a hard time deciding was the 1,000 jobs that will be phased out. I know they are probably not high paying jobs, but they are jobs none the less. The group trying to kill the bill ran a very effective TV ad with clips from all different employees of the tracks. I know it was another pull-at-the-heartstrings tactic--but it worked, especially since I was laid off 2 months ago, and I know how difficult it is to find a job in MA right now.</p> <p>BUT....after reading everyone's thoughts on it, I do now agree that banning is best. Unfortunately, I didn't get many responses before I actually went out to vote, so I voted against the bill. I thought my daughter was going to scream at me, since she was looking over my shoulder. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33844 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:07:21 +0000 shiny 33844@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm too late, but this one was a no-brainer for me. I am very definetly NOT a dog person - don't get me wrong: I truly, honestly adore dogs. </p> <p>As long as </p> <p>1) they don't jump all over me and knock me down (has happened too many times to count - I'm short, some dogs are really big!!); </p> <p>2) they don't bark endlessly (DH assures me this is the owner's fault - not the dog's fault, and I have come to agree with him &lt;insert long-winded story about old neighbors who grossly mistreated their dog and it barked CONSTANTLY - and also bit quite a few people in the neighborhood&gt; and </p> <p>3) I don't have to live with one in my own house (I have no desire to be vacuuming hair all the time, and potty training a dog and walking a dog and scooping up dog poop and finding dog sitters, etc etc etc). </p> <p>As much as I ooh and aahhh over how cute some dogs are - I just KNOW I am not meant to own a dog - unless DH retires and he is around 24/7 to take complete ownership, including vacuuming duty - then I *may* agree to having one... since he adores dogs and really really really REALLY wants one.... I keep saying "No" because the reality is that right now I work at home so it would be 80% my responsibility, and that is simply NOT fair to the dog. </p> <p>With all that said......... (gosh I can get carried away - sorry!)....</p> <p>I voted to ban dog-racing because I do think it is cruel and that's why they have "greyhound rescue." I have seen way too many very sad greyhounds in my day. Plus, I am not a gambler. I think it is a terrible sport, combining the two. If the dogs made money off it instead of their owners - well, that would be a different story. But what do they get out of it? Really. </p> <p>Sorry if I offended anyone! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33838 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:52:14 +0000 Maya 33838@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>OK I'm sorry I forgot about this post but I still wanted to reply for future reference. Sometimes when I can't decide on something I just think of the best and worst case scenarios.</p> <p>If dog racing is banned, even if the dogs aren't cruelly treated, what is the worst thing that will happen? A few gamblers lose a little extra income? Big deal. It doesn't seem like the entire Mass. economy is going to crumble because of this But if it isn't banned, the worst case is much more bleak for those poor dogs. At any rate, I'd rather see those dogs running freely in the back yard of a loving family than being used as little profit machines. I guess you could argue that it would move underground and thus continue the cruelty, but at least this way there is a proper punishment for it. </p> <p>This is how my dad taught me to think, and he used global warming as an example. What's the worst that will happen if people become a little more conscious and less wasteful? We'll throw our garbage into a recycling bin instead of a trash can? We end up spending a few extra bucks on reusable shopping bags? Boohoo. Even if you don't believe global warming is real (which is mind boggling to me), is there really anything BAD about being less wasteful? </p> <p>But if it does turn out to be real, the consequences are far worse. I'd rather play it safe and make a few simple, no-brainer changes to my lifestyle than be a greedy, wasteful slob for no other reason than sheer laziness, global warming or not.</p> <p>Maybe that logic will help make decisions like this easier. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33811 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:04:46 +0000 Anonymous 33811@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well, I'm also late to this post, but I wanted to chime in! I'm glad racing is phasing out in MA... my first dogs growing up were retired racing greyhounds, and the condition of the kennel at the track was as Ana described - all the dogs in crates most of the day, but they got two or three exercise breaks, and then they were to stay in their crate the rest of the day. </p> <p>We had a big yard and they loved to run, but were content to laze around the house, sleeping and doing very little. They are a good family dog and I enjoyed having them as part of our family growing up! I'm going to have to contact my parents to see if we have any pictures! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33786 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:06:10 +0000 Eva 33786@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Nicole, I am glad to hear that the bill passed and racing will be phased out. I have several friends with rescued GH's. While I think it is the GH's passion to run, I think the conditions they live in is usually not the best. The owners are business people and breeders first, not pet owners. I compete in dog sports (agility and canine disc) with my border collies and it is clear that they wouldn't do it unless they loved it. They would be devastated if they could not play. But my girls are family first and athletes second. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33737 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:05:38 +0000 Lucy 33737@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ana, my pup's name is White Socks. Her racing name was Hy White Socks. (I think that all her litter mates had "Hy" in front of their names.) We kept it the same name, because it fit her--she is black with white feet and face. But my nickname for her is Snoopy.<br /> I will try to post a picture of her tonight. I have been meaning to set up a Flicker or Photobucket account so that I can ask you guys about my body type anyway. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33732 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:35:03 +0000 Nicole 33732@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks okay Ana, I appreciate all the effort you put into your post and I feel a lot better now knowing the bill passed. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33728 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:12:40 +0000 Ana 33728@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sorry Nicole. I had a test yesterday afternoon, so I didn't get a chance to check out YLF until later last night. I'm glad it's being phased out slowly, that makes it easier on everyone involved (breeders, rescue groups,etc). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33719 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:51:08 +0000 Nicole 33719@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you everyone for you input. Ana, I wish you had been able to post before I voted.</p> <p>Anyway....the bill passed. Dog racing will be phased out in the state of MA by the year 2010. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33662 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 01:41:29 +0000 Ana 33662@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I was going to add: Lucy, will you post a picture of your Greyhound? What is his/her name? Do you know their racing name? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33661 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 01:40:17 +0000 Ana 33661@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sorry, I know the polls are closed in Massachusetts, so it's a little late for my opinion. BUT, everyone here has made very valid points (excellent points actually, and ones I would probably have put forth as well). </p> <p>I will say outright that I personally am against greyhound racing (the group I volunteer for is "officially" neutral, since we have to work with a lot of these breeders, some of whom are good people), and it's exactly because of points many of the ladies brought up above. </p> <p>Greyhounds actually are crated for most of the day, but (most) GHs have a very low energy level, so it's not like the dog is manically trying to escape because it has pent up energy. A lot of people are really surprised when they hear this, but Greyhounds mostly like to lay around (preferably on your couch), and then sprint for a very short time. They aren't distance or endurance runners, so they don't have as high an energy level as you might expect from a Lab or something (although they do really benefit from a brisk 10-15 minute walk twice a day). The racing industry is usually regulated (to a point), but the culture around it is not. Racing is a business, and dogs are a commodity. As soon as they cease to become an asset, they need to be gotten rid of (somehow). That's where rescue groups come in. Prior to the 1980s, most hounds that could no longer race were euthenized, despite their dispositions and suitability for adoption--I think that just hadn't occurred to people. It is MUCH better now, but of course there aren't enough homes, and rescue groups can only do so much, so some great dogs probably do slip through the cracks. Some breeders will do everything in their power to place a dog, others won't. This isn't really something you can regulate--it isn't illegal to euthenize a healthy dog just because no one wants it (it happens in shelters all the time). </p> <p>As far as some tracks owning dogs--I'm not *positive*, but I think it varies by track. The one that just closed in Corpus Christi may have owned some dogs, because they contacted us to take some of them because there was no place for them (not with breeders or anything). Many dogs live at the track (in crates), whether they are owned privately or not. </p> <p>And as far as the dogs being happy and well cared for--well, it depends. It depends on the breeder, and whether the dog is a good racer or not. As Sarah says, when they can no longer race, or just aren't good at it, they're out. As a rescue group, we only get dogs that generally have good dispositions. I'm sure there are GHs out there that aren't so nice (just like most breeds), but the breeders don't offer those to us (luckily). They are probably euthenized. One thing that I have seen consistently with almost all our Greyhounds is that they have terrible teeth, and it's because handlers mix antibiotics in with their food to keep them healthy (pre-emptively combat disease since they are all housed together in close proximity). This weakens their teeth, and most older greyhounds have to have almost all of them removed due to rot. </p> <p>In Texas, there is an awful offshoot industry called, "rabbit racing," which is illegal (but happens anyway). We get a lot of Saluki/Greyhound mixes which are used solely for rabbit running, which basically involved letting a rabbit loose at one end of a field, and the dogs loose at the other end and the first one to the rabbit wins (poor bunny). Some breeders will sell their "leftover" dogs to people who run these things (they will have a double tattoo in their ear) for breeding and racing, and almost all the dogs we have gotten who had previously been rabbit runners have been abused in some way. Or sometimes we find abandoned, tattooed greyhounds dumped on a country road somewhere, needing major medical attention. :'( Sorry, didn't mean to make people upset. Anyway, they have all turned into really happy stories. This is one of my favorite stories (WARNING: some of the photos are pretty graphic):</p> <p><a href="http://www.gpacentraltexas.org/lazarus.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.gpacentraltexas.org/lazarus.html</a></p> <p>He was adopted by one of the vets who treated him, and his dad is now our organization treasurer. :D</p> <p>Anyway, that was probably more information than you needed. If the dogs weren't just primarily treated as "things," then I probably wouldn't have such an issue with it, because Greyhounds DO love to run. But (generally speaking), breeding thousands of dogs to get a few champions and then getting rid of the leftovers is just something I can't get behind. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33613 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:41:57 +0000 Sarah 33613@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Aw, thanks for your story, Lucy. I agree with you completely. I would adopt a retired race dog if I already hadn't adopted six cats. Yeesh. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33611 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:22:15 +0000 Lucy 33611@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Unfortunately, no matter how humane greyhound breeders are, they are still running a business. They breed as many dogs as they can in the hopes that one or more of them will become champion racers. The ones that don’t make the cut (which is likely the majority of them) or have passed their prime have to be disposed of one way or another. Hopefully, they will be adopted by a loving family, but if not they will probably be euthanised. I think the average age of a racing dog is 2 to 6, but greyhounds can live to be 14 even 16 years old. It isn’t fair to bring a dog into the world if you aren’t willing to take responsibility for its welfare. A breeder’s interest in his/her greyhounds ultimately is monetary, so the greyhounds may be treated well, even very well, while they are top performers. But what happens when they slow down? There are only so many rescue organizations out there and they can’t save them all. The only way to stop the breeders is to stop the racing.<br /> Until that happens, please consider adopting a retired racer. I did, and it is one of the best decisions I ever made (besides deciding to marry my husband, tee- hee).<br /> Thanks for letting me put my two cents in. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33593 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:00:30 +0000 Dawn 33593@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is a very good question and one that has gotten me thinking. It is in the greyhound's nature to run and I see nothing wrong with gambling or racing dogs. To me, it is similar to horse racing, etc. It is the practices surrounding greyhound racing that are very wrong. Greyhounds generally race from between the ages of two to six but still live for up to fourteen years. In Ireland, we have major problems with these older greyhounds as many of them are dumped into welfare shelters or put down. The choice given to you is very black and white- is there legislation surrounding greyhound racing in your state and, if so, does it adequately protect these animals? Some of the claims by the side hoping to ban greyhound racing seem to be scare tactics in that greyhounds actually have to train for a number of hours a day to get that level of fitness for racing. As for animal doping, that could be regulated better by the state, and even the fact that cocaine doping has been found would suggest that some regulatory agency is actually keeping an eye on the issue.</p> <p>Sorry for the long reply! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33589 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:52:32 +0000 Amanda 33589@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I know several people who have adopted retired greyhounds and the dogs were social and healthy which would indicate they were well-cared for. But I am sure that within the industry some owners take care of their dogs and some don't. If the state only has one dog-racing facility, I would wonder how much it really contributes to the economy so there isn't a lot to lose by banning racing. If not banning racing means more dog-racing facilities, it may mean more jobs -- but also more gambling, more potential crime related to organized gambling and more potential abuse of the animals. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33587 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:45:15 +0000 Maya 33587@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>edit: ok something weird happened to my post. I'll try again later. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33572 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:47:09 +0000 Sarah 33572@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm not Ana, and I do not own a greyhound, but my dad and aunt both own one or more. Theirs were adopted from Mexico (retired race dogs) which most certainly fits what you have heard.<br /> I don't know for sure what happens here in the US, although I have heard similar stories to what you posted.<br /> My thoughts are this: It is in a greyhound's nature to run. Even when it is domesticated, certain precautions have to be taken to make sure the dogs don't take off.<br /> HOWEVER, I personally see racing as inhumane. Sometimes the animals are well cared for, but many times they are not - and it's usually when they are injured and can no longer race. I like to see dogs have a nice yard where they can run free at will, and live a happy, simple life with people who love them.<br /> For whatever it's worth... Looking forward to hearing others' comments. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/election-day-ballot-question-question#post-33565 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:31:34 +0000 Nicole 33565@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm sorry that I'm asking this kind of question here. But I've asked everyone I know for their opinion, I've read all the arguments for and against, and I'm not sure how I want to vote on a ballot question today. I'm asking you guys, because it is about animals and I know most of you are advocates for animals.</p> <p>I'm having a hard time discerning what is truth and what is scare tactics. Ana, I especially hope you can help.</p> <p>My state has one greyhound dog racing facility. There is a question on the ballot to prohibit dog racing in the state.</p> <p>One side claims that dog racing is cruel and inhumane. They claim dogs are crated for 20 hrs or more a day, 800 dogs have been injured since 2002, greyhounds have died from mysterious illness and tested positive for cocaine. If these accusations are true--then of course I would vote to end it. But I find it hard to beleive that a dog could be crated in the conditions they claim for 20 hours, then be able to run at top speed. And the injury reports are not necessarily from dog racing--it did not say that anyway.</p> <p>The other side denies these allegations. They say the dogs are owned by caring owners, not the tracks themselves. The state racing commission regulates the industry, vets are on duty at all times. And of course there's the whole job/economy and state revenue issue.</p> <p>Personally, I would never go to a dog track. I don't like to gamble and I think it's a waste of time and money. I love animals and would never want to be part of keeping alive a tradition that harms them. However, if the animals are happy and well cared for, I always come back to the jobs and lives that will be affected.</p> <p>I hope I'm not starting too heated of a debate. I'd just like some help in deciding how much is truth and how much is sensational propaganda. If this is a problem post, please let me know and I'll edit it blank.</p> <p>THanks, Nicole </p>