Don't mess with Texas.......Be like Texas!

Excellent job by the Texas Greyhound Association

Greyhound group says new plan pays if racing dog injured

RoryOlogy - The morning after................

We will never come together and work through our differences if we (to put it bluntly) keep getting our panties in a bundle. We will never see issues through another’s eyes if we keep closing our eyes as well as our minds to all who are different in any way from who we are. If we truly want to be one and work to make life good for all, take a moment and reflect on how you would want to be treated as the defeated. After all, at some point in time the party you vote for will lose. 

Treat all as you would want to be treated, remember those who are down when you are up. When in the minority, remember the majority won and if you are part of the majority, remember the minority may not always be the minority!

Now pull up them britches and stop bitching and celebrating – we have a job to do and it starts with the attitude of ALL regardless of party affiliations.

A good start might be instead of using Facebook as a place to let everyone know where you are afraid we are going, how about using Facebook not unlike that device known as blinkers as a way of letting fellow Americans know where you are planning to go. If you have chosen a smarter more effective path, perhaps you will lead the way to coming together as one.

It's not always all about the greyhounds...

Many of us for many years have been involved with the placing ex-racing greyhounds into loving homes. Every year people looking to adopt a pet choose ex-racing greyhounds and every year the ranks of adoption volunteers grows.  As a whole, greyhound adoption will be perceived not by how many greyhounds we place, but on whom we follow and who we allow to be present, admired or supported in our family friendly greyhound community. What we do, what we have done, what we allow lays the groundwork for what the next generation of greyhound lovers accept as gospel. An oft quoted phraseology "My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog already thinks I am" is tempered with another – “Don’t accept your dog’s admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful”.

Does an individual's involvement with greyhounds or greyhound adoption make the unacceptable acceptable? 

Let's say a sports figure who was involved in dog fighting became involved with greyhound adoption. Would the greyhound community put their blinders on and welcome this person with open arms? If some point in the future, say 25 or 30 years, a person who was convicted of animal abuse and or animal assault adopts a greyhound, will the greyhound community toss its collective hands in the air and with a shake of the head claim it is not an issue as the crime that a conviction resulted from happened so long ago? Or even worse, a nonchalant "hey it wasn't MY dog so I don't care"?

Yet there are members of the here & now greyhound community sending a distressing message to the world at large - don't abuse animals, but if you molest children it's no big deal.

What other explanation can there be for a convicted child molester who currently has lifetime sex offender registration to be admired and supported and embraced by those in the greyhound community?

This individual's presence leaves a bad impression on the greyhound community, especially as more and more families (and by that I mean with children ranging in age from newborn to 18) are welcoming greyhounds into their homes.  Registering, attending, vending at any event that is associated in any way with such an individual gives credence to the community that we as a whole could care less about children, women and victims of sexual assault and only care about the greyhounds. Continuing on in such a way in our community may well have a negative impact on the greyhounds.

Some may say this is political mudslinging. I call shenanigans on that. It is simply about good judgement and what is in the best interest not only for our greyhounds but for the humans that share their lives with greyhounds. 

I get contacted almost daily from victims in our community. If you think it is ok to continue to support a convicted child molester with lifetime sex offender by registration, attending, vending or paying registration fees (whether you attend or not) at one of this individual's events, think about this - you have most likely offended a dear friend or adoption associate in the greyhound community by showing support for a child molester and opened up very traumatic wounds or triggered flashbacks with your declarations of an event that happened years ago is not important today. 

Tomorrow I will share an open letter from an individual who is a victim of sexual assault that was posted on social media a few weeks ago. I was granted permission to share it and feel it is too important, too powerful and extremely insightful not to stand on its own. The pain sexual assault victims go through each and every day should be more than enough to make us all say – No more! I will not register, attend functions nor vend at any event sponsored by or coordinated by an individual who has lifetime sex offender registration resulting from a conviction of first degree sexual molestation of innocent children.

The character of our adoption programs, our events, and our vendors reflects on the whole. If just one member continues to support a person who has a requirement to register for life as a sex offender due to the sexual assault of children it will negatively impact our community thus impacting the greyhounds.

Some profess the mantra “it's all about the greyhounds” but for some who hide behind that phrase, it is not about the greyhounds at all.

Choices…………….

Did you know verbal assault is defined as?
•    Yelling
•    Lying
•    Name-calling
•    Insulting, swearing
•    Withholding important information
•    unreasonably ordering around
•    Telling a person she or he is worthless or nothing but trouble

Sounds very unprofessional, huh? Certainly not something that an individual running greyhound event would do to a greyhound adopter, right?

Recently I was contacted by someone in the greyhound community who posted the following on social media: 

“The other day, after receiving an email from the other Greyhound event taking place next week, I sent an email back to them with a few general questions: Who were the speakers? What was the schedule for the speakers? Who were some of the vendors? What adoption groups were benefiting from the event? I also wanted to know if it was a family event where children could attend and if a person with a lifetime registration as a sexual offender would be present. I asked these questions previously on their Facebook page and in response I was kicked off their page. I did get a response this time, before being removed from the mailing list.
I felt I should share it with you:”

The person who asked is a greyhound adopter and volunteer as well as someone who donates funds and time to both greyhound and animal causes. This person is also female and did state her name and email address in the inquiry to the organization that runs the greyhound event in question.

Now take a moment to carefully read the response that was sent to the woman by the organization that runs this family friendly greyhound event and who's president and "public face" is an individual who is a convicted child molester with lifetime sex offender registration: (please note -any and all spelling errors are left as they appeared in the original response)

"On Sep 29, 2016, at 6:05 PM, <admin@xxxx.org> <admin@xxxx.org> wrote:
Thank you for writing. It's rare to connect with such a hateful and ignorant person like you.
Not that you care, but we help greyhounds. We don't attack people or spread ignorance or hatred. Just not what we do.

We raise funds for greyhound adoption through holding greyhound events. We have run 18 successful events over the span of 11 years. We have raised over $100,000 for greyhound adoption. And we have done so with a perfect 100% safety record for all attendees. (Don't you hate facts like that? It's so hard to be ignorant!)
Now that said, because you are a selfish and ignorant troll, we know that none of these facts matters in the slightest to you.

So please, if you don't like our event or you don't like any of our volunteers or --what is more obvious -- you don't like yourself very much, please stay home. We won't miss you.
We have hundreds and hundreds of event goers who love greyhounds and support everything we're doing. So, please, crawl back under your bridge and spew your ignorance to those who will listen.

We don't care.
Good luck,
Admin"

Does anyone see a bit of irony that the "Admin" of an organization that runs family friendly greyhound events whose president is a convicted child molester with lifetime sex offender registration makes the statement…

"We don't attack people or spread ignorance or hatred."

Yet proceeds to call a woman in the greyhound community "a hateful and ignorant person" and "a selfish and ignorant troll" in addition to telling the woman “you don't like yourself very much" and to "crawl back under your bridge and spew your ignorance".

So much for this organization taking the high road and not verbally attacking someone, huh?

There are still people in the greyhound community who attend and/or vend and/or support a group and/or individual who authorizes their "Admin" to send out such a missive. Well, that is their right and I can only guess they are proud to continue to have ties to such an organization and such an individual. Now perhaps these attendees and vendors and supporters might be able to inform the rest of us in the greyhound community exactly what amounts and exactly where this "over $100,000" is documented and can be accounted for? My math could be off but 100K over 18 event comes out to a bit over $5000 per event and this amount is supposedly divided up to the adoption groups that assist this organization which runs family friendly greyhound events, claims not to attack people or spread ignorance or hatred and is run by an individual who has lifetime sex offender registration as a result of a conviction of sexual assaults to children.

As this organization only files a 990N with the IRS and no information is available via the normally used, trusted verification sites for not-for-profit organizations, many are in the dark about the expenditures and if they might be a bit over the top. If an organizations bills or expenses far exceeds what is actually donated to individual greyhound adoption groups, perhaps those in the greyhound community would be wiser to send their donations and event registration fee amount directly to a greyhound adoption group they support rather than run donations thru a 3rd party event planner who offers no full financial accounting that anyone has ever put forward.

"Don't you hate facts like that?"

Throwback Thursday – The “humane advocate profiteers”

Note –  If you are so inclined and feel you must donate to organizations that are out to destroy racing at any cost, may I suggest donating to an adoption program that states that they are anti-racing rather than making donations in any form to the “humane advocate protectors”. After all, it is better to give to a greyhound adoption group that shares your views about adoption and puts your donation to the cause it was given - the greyhounds. Be certain your donations truly assist greyhounds rather than organizations that use a lot of money on things that don’t actually contribute to the cause, unless the cause is for salaries and perks of the easy money “humane advocate protectors/profiteers" lifestyle.

"humane advocate profiteers/protectors" 1

"humane advocate profiteers/protectors" 1

Boot Camp

In 1982 I joined the U.S. Navy and like all newbies I had to endure boot camp. My first shock was having my long curly hair shaved off with a few quick swoops of the clippers. Then the real work begins. Boot camp is a time where the company commanders take a bunch of individuals, ripped them raw and then once ready, the individuals are made more confident and stronger as they are built back up as a team. 

The most important single thing to know about boot camp is that it is 100% designed to remold civilians into team members. It places within them a sense that they are expected to do important things, far more important things than could be expected from other 18-year-olds and that they can accomplish important things working together - giving it their all, knowing they can count on each other.

Many good individuals are working to save the animals from groups and "charities" designated as domestic terrorists who masquerade as animal rights/animal protection organizations. Following are some agencies you should consider teaming up because in order to truly insure the care and safety of the animals and pets we care about, we need to tear down our individualism and build ourselves up as a team:

https://www.facebook.com/NationalAnimalInterestAlliance

https://www.facebook.com/StopHSUS

https://www.facebook.com/HumaneWatch

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Greyhound-Watch-USA/196280490442677

https://www.facebook.com/ILAHARA

https://www.facebook.com/PETAKillsAnimals

Ideology gone bad……………………

A “humane advocate protector”????

lhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/24/kitten-vegan-diet-nearly-dies_n_3644213.html

Imagine...............

Imagine

Remember how that word was tossed around by the “humane advocate protectors” movement years ago? 

Now imagine if the “humane advocate protectors” came across a picture on social media of an individual, in say the racing industry, doing something blatantly stupid with an animal. They’d be posting condemnation, starting petitions and of course asking for donations so that they could fund more fact finding vacations, personal hobby excursions, salaries and other perks all in the name of keeping animals safe.

Now why in the world are they remaining silent when one of their own did something blatantly stupid? Allowing a rescued animal to sit on their lap while driving and then taking a selfie to post on social media? What type of message is this sending? 

Certainly they are aware that driving with a dog on your lap can lead to a distraction that may cause an accident, injury or death.

Certainly they are aware that using a cell phone camera while driving can lead to a distraction that may cause an accident, injury or death.

While they abhor even the mention of the term "dog crate", certainly they must be aware that the safest place for a newly rescued dog would be in a crate in the back seat so that if there were an accident, the dog would not be crushed by the airbag while sitting in the lap of the driver.

Just how important would that selfie have been then?

One thing I will give the industry credit for – when someone did something stupid, the industry took care of it and often times the individual was banned from the industry. Do the “humane advocate protectors” censure and remove their own when found to have put an animal at risk? Or are they allowed to remain as a voice of the “humane advocate protectors”? Where is the accountability, transparency and for the safety of the dogs the “humane advocate protectors” have personal contact with? Where is their animal safety and welfare training? Why do they fail to find fault with themselves?

Imagine a world where those who abuse, mistreat animals - regardless if they claim to be "humane advocate protectors" - would follow the standards they demand of others.

Of course, the “humane advocate protectors” will rally and cry that none of this is true. A "humane advocate protector" was out doing good deeds and wanted to show the world. A "humane advocate protector" would never do anything stupid like drive with a dog on their lap or take a selfie while driving with a dog on their lap. They will of course say the photo was staged.

Fact or fiction? Actual photo or staged photo? Stupidity or heartstring tugger?

Imagine if we knew how many things circulated by the  "humane advocate protectors" are staged or twisted to be advantageous to their fundraising.

Look At Me………I’m so cool with a dog in my lap while driving……………..

I know many of you truly care about animals, but for those who claim to care yet do stupid things that put animals at risk:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2011/01/dog-car-travel-safety.html

Throwback Thursday - Got Some 'Splainin' To Do...................

Anyone else realize that it has been 8 months since "Got Some 'Splanin' To Do" was first posted and not a single answer from the “humane advocate protectors”? Why are they afraid to explain themselves? Does the explanation do them more harm than good – could truthful explanations cut off the cash flow they so desire for personal use? If the truth hurts them, then are they then not the ones who are harmful to greyhounds and the true greyhound adoption, welfare and advocacy movement?

Click link below for "Got Some 'Splaining' To Do.................." posted Aug 2013

http://rorygoree.blogspot.com/2013/08/got-some-splainin-to-do.html

*****UPDATE******
No the "humane advocate protectors" have not address the serious questions (after all telling the truth would expose them and cut off the cash flow) - but it has been brought to our attention that they now have another serious question to address:

And now they have to explain why their own, personal politician shot down the 3 point safety plan, and testified that the greyhound tracks were safe---after all these years of crying "cruelty!" "exploitation!", "abusive!"...could they sink any lower?

Really.............

If you listen to the “humane advocate protectors” (aka the ones who are constantly collecting money and dolling out paychecks, travelling around the world, handing out awards, enjoying perks) you would think they have struck the death blow to greyhound racing in one particular state. 

If you are anti-greyhound racing and have surrendered your hard earned cash to the “humane advocate protectors” hopefully you realize it is most likely spent to fund personal hobby excursions, travel in style, wine & dine and keep files more extensive than the NSA on anyone and everyone. However you may be shocked to know they actively supported a bill that expands the ability of greyhound racing revenue stream. And now that the bill they supported which expands the ability of greyhound racing to make money the “humane advocate protectors” have now informed the world that this law must be removed. (insert donation button here???)

I’ve been crisscrossing the country the last few weeks (on my own dime) and have heard those in the inner circle of the “humane advocate protectors” admit that particular individuals are only in it for the paycheck and have done nothing to help the anti-greyhound racing movement.

Is it not time for change when the inner circle of the movement is questioning the motives of the "humane advocate protectors"? Time for those who truly are against greyhound racing to stop bankrolling the “humane advocate protectors” gravy train and find new leadership? If the liars have been exposed and they have, why keep supporting them? The time has come that you reclaim the donations and either give it to local greyhound adoption programs or just continue supporting those wasting money on salaries & lobbyists, generating paperwork, expense accounts and maintaining secret files.

Till that day, many in the greyhound industry would like to give a big thank you to the “humane advocate protectors” who helped support and pass legislation that expands the ability of greyhound racing to make money and to those of you who support them – THANK YOU. The greyhound racing community couldn’t have done it without you! 

Till that day, the “humane advocate protectors” will continue to seek donations to support laws one year so that they can seek more donations the following year in order to "work" to have those laws repealed.

Till that day the money you donate supports a political lobby organization that spends more on themselves and not greyhound adoption.

Till that day, what you allow will continue!

Thank You!

For all those fighting on behalf of the greyhounds – be strong, be truthful and stand tall against the "humane advocate protectors" that will lie, cheat and hate! 

Thank you, 

Rory

What? What??!!

                                                       http://tiny.iavian.net/1wyu

Apparently these “humane advocate protectors” follow the "do as we say, not what we do" policy. This makes one pause to wonder how many others do the same.

While they demand all individuals practice what they preach and ask for your donations, they have no regrets about killing animals.

Not long ago we learned that a "humane advocate protector” who is a co-founder of an anti-racing greyhound organization was involved in dog racing, and we also learned that friends of the “humane advocate protectors” are known to sell greyhounds for breeding and racing outside of the United States. 

What’s next?

Will we discover that a “humane advocate protector” claimed to be an animal rights activist on one hand while on the other hand allowed their beloved pet to stay in a bad home environment?

Impossible, you say.

The truth is stranger than fiction, I say.

The Unanswered………

In August of 2013 I posted an entry titled “Got Some ‘Splaining’ To Do…………..” and here we are January 2014 and the “humane advocate protectors” have yet to explain themselves – what are they afraid of -The TRUTH?

http://rorygoree.blogspot.com/2013/08/got-some-splainin-to-do.html

No "labels" for those who speak truthfully

Last night I was thinking that 2014 should be the year the labels we in the greyhound world have bestowed on each other be removed.
.
Years ago wonderful folks started an adoption effort and wanted to just focus on the greyhounds, not politics. They felt it would be best to be beige. Shortly thereafter those who chose to force adoption to be about politics bastardized the beige term and decried that “silence is acceptance”.

I realize there are individuals who are not for greyhound racing but those same individuals do not support the “humane advocate protectors” who lie, cheat and smear to wipe greyhound racing and the people who are involved in it off the face of the earth. Just because someone is not interested in a sport or do not participate in a sport, does not mean they should be labeled "anti". And those who enjoy beige need to be aware that while in their hearts the adoption of ex-racing greyhounds is what's most important to them, the company they keep and the organizations they support can cast doubt as to their degree of beige.

In 2014, let us remove the labels and get to what matters - truth.

If the truth is not spoken then what other choice can it be than a lie?

It is OK for all to have personal opinions, but don’t present personal opinion as fact. 

Who is willing to join and remove the weight of labels?

Who cares enough to speak truthfully about greyhounds and shun those who have manipulated the truth and the greyhounds for their personal gain?

Who agrees there is no room for lies and liars in greyhound advocacy/wefare/racing/adoption?

The greyhounds will be the biggest winners if we ignore and no longer accept, associate with and support organizations and individuals unable to speak truthfully from the welfare, advocacy, adoption and racing communities. 

Bubi...................

Anyone who has purchased bottled water at the airport knows it is overpriced. Tired of paying inflated prices inflicted on a captive consumer, I got myself a Bubi collapsible water bottle. I had no idea that this nifty gizmo existed! Now I take my collapsed Bubi into the airport club (or to the gym), fill it with fresh filtered water and off I go. No more price gouging. No more money tossed away on overpriced bottles of water sold by the service providers at the airport. I am happy to be an informed consumer.

Think about it – the greyhound world has been gouged for years by “humane advocate protectors” who are out to get every penny they can out of the unknowing public. They claim to have been the only reason for "X", but after years of pocketing thousands upon thousands of dollars they have nothing to show for it, aside from all the salaries and other personal perks that your donation dollars can provide.

Stop getting gouged. 

Start being an "informed consumer".

Send donation dollars to programs that speak truthfully and actually accomplish what they say they will do.

Just the Stats…………..

Prior to each flight  I use an app to check my flights and I've noticed that my flights list both direct mileage and planned flight mileage but my frequent flyer account only gets credit for the direct mileage and not actual mileage. The planned flight mileage is always greater than the direct. While my account says I flew 110,000 miles last year, in reality it was much more than that.

In the greyhound world, many are noticing that the “humane advocate protectors” like to publish reports (do keep in mind that reports they generate are custom tailored by them to reflect only what they want) which often times do not include all the actuals. Why would they hide the actual, be it numbers, facts or true story? Has an uninterested/uninvolved/unconnected third party with no agenda ever been allowed to review these reports and all data they have collected?

If claiming to provide the public with the "truth" on a subject and at same time attaching a "donate" button, one would think “humane advocate protectors” would publish all the data they claim to have and itemize the amount of donated money they spend so that the public can be fully informed.

Misleading the public with manipulated reports or one-sided presentation of facts is in essence lying to the public.

In 2014 ignore the “humane advocate protector” magician – demand the truth!

Negate me not................

“Once you label me you negate me.” 
― Søren Kierkegaard

The greyhound welfare, advocacy, adoption and racing world would be better suited if we removed the labels anti, pro, and neutral and just all agreed to speak only truthfully – those who can’t tell the truth will soon be negated!

Negate me not – I will only speak truthfully for the greyhounds – Rory S. Goree’

Something to THINK about…..

I came across this article in my newswire feed the other day:

http://tiny.iavian.net/1rjg

Something to think about - how many times have “humane advocate protectors” made threats, crass remarks, hate filled posts against those who do not follow their beliefs or fully support their cause? 

When has such behavior become "humane"? 

...............Paved with good intentions

For every prohibition you create, you also create an underground.
Jello Biafra 

It has been 80 years since the 21st Amendment repealed federal prohibition, which had been put into place by the 18th Amendment. Stop and think how many Americans were snookered by the advocates into thinking they would be supporting a righteous cause and that their monetary donations would rid society of crime and drunkenness forever. 

Today many individuals are snookered into donating money to the “humane advocate protectors” that make claims they will end greyhound racing, all the while pocketing thousands upon thousands of dollars. During the prohibition era people would get hooch from other countries. Today the “humane advocate protectors” castigate the American greyhound industry yet associate with individuals who send greyhounds overseas for racing and breeding, out of the American jurisdiction that is regulated and provides for adoption.

If you think the “humane advocate protectors” are going to end greyhound racing you are sadly mistaken. Their campaigns will only force racing greyhounds into locations where adoption and regulation are not of concern.

Prohibition proved to be a mistake. Do we really want to wait until the “humane advocate protectors” have destroyed the racing greyhound breed before we realize their experiment did nothing to end greyhound racing and in fact, would do much to put greyhounds into dire circumstances that could in no way be controlled?

Think before you support and if you must support do it locally. National “humane advocate protectors” are just squandering money while the local adoption programs struggle daily to care for the dogs as they work to find them homes.