The Canidrome Greyhound Racetrack in Macau, China / The Worst Track in the World (NY Times Photo)
Elite Greyhound Rescue in Loxahatchee, Florida is the only rescue to receive Macau greyhounds in the southeastern United States. It was founded by Sonia Stratemann who quit rescuing greyhounds from Florida’s racetracks the day her 17-year-old son died on a polo field.
Sonia Stratemann of Elite Greyhound Rescue
About a year after Donovan was killed, crushed by his own horse as they both went down in a Wellington polo match, Sonia’s phone began to ring. A dog was about to be euthanized, could she save it? Three more within 10 days faced the same fate. Could she save them, too? Finally, she was asked to take in three broken greyhounds. Sometimes the universe speaks.
Stratemann’s voice became an insistent drumbeat to end Florida’s greyhound racing – a voice voters did not ignore. In November, they passed a constitutional amendment that will shutter the tracks by 2020.
Read the incredible story of Sonia and her battle to end greyhound racing in the Palm Beach Post.
It’s a shame the love of money has to bring out the worst in humans, and ultimately ruin almost everything in time. I see no problem with racing animals (or machines) as a source of entertainment and enjoyment. Racing has been an innate characteristic of humans since the beginning of time, as in “My horse is faster than yours, or ‘My car is faster than his”,. whether animals or machines. BUT …, when the animals become cannon-fodder victims once they can no longer effectively compete (win) and then face an inhumane demise …, “GOOD-BYE DOG RACING FOREVER!!!”.