New Homes Needed For Dogs

Greyhound advocates are thrilled to learn Coeur d’Alene Greyhound Park will discontinue racing but say they’re concerned about the fate of more than 700 dogs at the track.

“Hallelujah,” said Will Anderson of the Progressive Animal Welfare Society based in Lynnwood, Wash.

But Susan Netboy, founder of the Greyhound Protection League in Woodside, Calif., said dog adoption agencies across the country must step in to save the animals.

Track closures often are followed by mass killings, she said - the cheapest, most convenient way of getting rid of the animals.

“The issue now is preventing any of these dogs from slipping through the cracks,” Netboy said. “I’ve been involved in a number of track closings. The dogs start disappearing.”

Sandi Babcock, executive secretary of the Inland Empire Chapter of Greyhound Pets of America, estimated 720 dogs are housed at the Post Falls track.

Some will move on to race elsewhere, but most will require families to adopt them, Babcock said.

“I hope we’re able to do well by the dogs and find them the homes they need,” she said.

Netboy, who followed the track for years, said it was doomed to fail. It had some of the country’s lowest prize purses and kennel owners could not make a living there. Recently, animal-rights activists protested at the track.

“There’s justice in seeing this place go down because there was a tremendous amount of animal suffering as a result of the Idaho track,” she said. “This is great, great news.”

, DataTimes MEMO: Idaho headline: New homes needed for 700 greyhounds

This sidebar appeared with the story: HOW TO ADOPT For information about adopting greyhounds, call Susan Netboy at (415) 851-7812; Greyhound Pets of America in Otis Orchards at (509) 927-8002; or Greyhound Pets Inc. in Coeur d’Alene at (208) 765-3115.