• I do not represent the greyhound racing business in any way, shape or form.
• I do not work at a track, kennel or greyhound farm.
• I live in a state that does NOT have greyhound racing.
• My information about the racing environment comes from knowing some great people in the business: trainers and owners. Also from reading and studying information available that is supplied or written by people who have been involved with racing for many years and some who aren't involved.
• Since 1997 I have worked in various capacities with greyhound adoption groups, as a foster owner (nearly 20 dogs), a trainer of new owners, a "cat safety" tester, putting on "meet 'n' greets" and as a webmaster. I still get phone calls from people wanting consultations on problems with their greyhounds.
• I have two (used to be three) retired racers in my home that are very much loved, in fact spoiled. The one that died in May 2002 was my first greyhound and my best buddy.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's talk about the web site content. It seems that many anti-racing people tend to have trouble reading what I wrote. My mission statement is very clear:

"The purpose of this site is to dispel the destructive myths, rumors and falsehoods being spread by people and organizations who are fanatically opposed to greyhound racing. And to give you some idea of what the racing greyhound's life is really like."

But many people seem to think it says:

"The purpose of this site is to whitewash all of greyhound racing and to say that everything that goes on in racing is perfect, that there are no greyhounds put down or abused and they are treated like royalty during their racing careers. And to discredit and disparage all adoption groups or anyone opposed to racing."

If you read into my words on this site the latter statement, please don't bother writing to me to complain. Your message will not be deserving of a reply.

I have gotten emails from people who have demonstrated with their words a total lack of understanding of what goes on in greyhound racing and indeed, of dogs in general. I've had people in Eastern Canada, hundreds of miles from a greyhound track, racing kennel or farm, try to tell me what goes on in those facilities - and when they were doing that they thought I made my living at one of them. That's rather pompous and presumptuous, if you ask me. I have been slandered and accused of all kinds of atrocities committed against greyhounds by people jumping to the conclusion that if I'm defending racing then I must be involved in racing. I've been insulted and threatened with legal action and with bodily harm, which is why I won't tell you where I live.

My overall conclusion from the anti-racing folks who have written to me is that they (NOT every person who opposes racing) are members of a cult, so emotionally invested in their misguided and misinformed opinion that all racing people are scum that they can't see the forest for the trees. A little common sense would tell them that if a small percentage of the general public is scum, it would be pretty unlikely that the majority of greyhound racing people would be. A little common sense would also tell them that if someone is trying to make a living by having their dogs win races they wouldn't make winning impossible by abusing, underfeeding or neglecting those dogs. I guess common sense would have prevented these people from becoming such rabid racing opponents - but they apparently don't have any.

That being said, I've also had some reasonable discussions with people who aren't happy with the way things are done in greyhound racing. There are thing I don't like, too. I particularly don't like seeing half the dogs retiring having been exposed to tick borne diseases that are so preventable. In fact, many of them are prematurely retired BECAUSE they are sick with these diseases and can't keep up the pace anymore. There is always room for improvement in anything and I'd like just as much as the next person to see some things in greyhound racing improve. However, I have no power over racing so don't tell me about it, write to the National Greyhound Association.

On a more pleasant note, I've had just as many emails from people who are not involved in racing thanking me for telling the other side of the story. They, like me, have tired of the lies and exaggerations so commonly spread around. A couple have told me they have to hide their real feelings on racing from the adoption group they got their dogs from, for fear of retribution.

I've had adoption groups ask for permission to link to this site. They apparently want their adopters to see the side of the issue that many other groups don't want theirs to know about. If you'd like to link to it, be my guest.

I'm sorry to make you read all this before letting you contact me but I've gotten tired of stupid  nasty-grams wasting my time. You can write me at greyluvrsleague@yahoo.com.