Theron Slater's Blurty

History of Greyhounds Racing
Greyhound racing is a popular dog racing sport enjoyed by many. The race involves dogs chasing an artificial mechanical rabbit or lure around a track.. The dog that reaches the finish line is declared a winner, as would be in any other form of racing. Despite the entertainment provided, there are health concerns when it comes to the health of the racing dogs. The dogs used are well trained to race within the track limits. This amateur sport is played almost all over the world and is a good medium for betting on dogs just like the turf horses. The difference with greyhounds racing is the fact that the ROI is not has high as compared to other types of racing betting, for example horse racing bettting.

Although any form of gambling is bad, betting on the greyhounds racing actually started in the mid of 19th century AD. Back in those days, the lure's were actual jack rabbits. The problem they faced, however, was that the rabbit's had be trained to run straight on the tracks. A solution was soon developed in the form of a mechanical hare, invented by Owen Patrick Smith in early years of 20th century. Although the law and order did not stop people from betting on dogs during those days, it did release an act that legalized betting to avoid any black marketing activities.

Greyhounds racing was a sport that has many spectators, from a variety of different backgrounds. You could place bets on your favorite dogs by watching the live shows of the races. Most of the spectators were from the working class who loved the very twinkle of the city where the tracks were built. By the time Second World War ended, greyhound racing was the most watched sport, where people could use their bookies to place the bets ensuring smart cash in hand. The largest spectatorship was in a 1946 race, where over 34 million people attended the race.

As the sport approached 1960s, there was a decline in the viewership as other sports like the soccer or turf racing took over greyhounds racing. The release of the Betting and Gaming Act was also one of the major culprits behind the reason for the decline, as it restricted a common person from betting all their funds. The introduction of off-course cash betting in those days of limited television viewership greyhound racing gamblers fled in large numbers.

The law governs greyhound racing. The NGA (National Greyhound association) has rolled out the animal welfare guidelines, which every owner has to abide to keep their license to race and breed greyhounds. According to the rules, a greyhound is to be kept in a climate controlled kennel near the racing track as recommended by the veterinary doctors. Unannounced inspections of the various greyhound owners happen all the time once or twice every 2 months to understand their living conditions. If the guidelines are violated, the owner could face punishment of a limit of life ban on greyhounds racing and license termination.