Animal activists already know that greyhound racing is a cruel sport in an industry that puts profit before the well-being of the animals who actually race around the track. On November 2, Florida voters narrowly approved the passage of Amendment 4, which will allow track owners in Miami-Dade and Broward counties to prop up their business by installing slot machines at racetracks. This was a major victory for the financially troubled pari-mutuel racing industry, and a huge blow to animal activists who worked hard to defeat the measure.
But what about those millions of Americans who still consider greyhound racing a harmless pastime, a carefree way to spend an afternoon? How can they be reached?
HBO, one of the premier cable networks, offers a fresh answer to this question. The widely popular program, Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, is devoting a portion of a rebroadcast episode to looking into the "real" story behind greyhound racing. By using this program, which typically focuses on athletics, to highlight the deceptiveness and tragic nature of greyhound racing, HBO is targeting a nation-wide audience that might not otherwise be aware of this issue.
HBO plans to present a side of the pari-mutuel industry that few get to see. As noted on the Real Sports web site, the greyhound racing segment will pull no punches. "Breeders in search of champion-caliber dogs produce thousands of greyhounds each year, a small percentage of which are deemed worthy of high-stakes races," the blurb on the greyhound segment reads. "When a dog is no longer profitable, there are few options for its future. Some find a home through adoption, but those who go unclaimed are destroyed."
If you would like to view this program, which originally aired on November 23, HBO will be re-broadcasting the episode on:
December 3 at 6 p.m. EST
December 5 at 9 a.m. EST
December 6 at 2:30 p.m. EST (HBO 2)
December 9 at 9 a.m. EST (HBO 2)
December 9 at 6 p.m. EST (HBO 2)
