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GLOSSARY
Blooding
Blooding is the practice of using animals such as chickens, rabbits, piglets, various wildlife, cats, and other dogs as live prey to be savaged by greyhounds to stimulate bloodlust and enhance performance on the track. Target animals are immobilized by being either tied in place or having their back legs broken whilst the greyhounds are whipped into a frenzy at the peak of which they are released and allowed to savage the target animals to death. There are variations to the method but the general idea and results are the same. The taste of blood is deemed to give an edge over the competition.
Conformation
Conformation in dogs refers to the externally visible details of a dog’s structure and appearance, as defined in detail by each dog breed’s written breed standard. A dog that conforms to most of the items of description in its individual breed standard is said to have good conformation.
In context, a conformation show or breed show is a kind of dog show in which a qualified judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs. Dogs are evaluated based on how well they conform to the established breed standard. All breeds have their own individual breed standard.
Disposal
Disposal of greyhounds in greyhound racing refers to the practice of killing and disposing of greyhounds. On average some 17,000 greyhounds, almost half of which are just puppies, are killed each year in Australia. These are adolescents that weren’t able to make the cut, dogs that have become unusable through injury or illness, or racers that have simply reached the end of their careers. Victims are dispensed with in cruel fashion most often being shot or bludgeoned to death then either burned or buried in mass graves.
Doping
Doping in greyhound racing is the practice of administering drugs to racers for various effects with the intended result being to stimulate enhanced performance on the track. Typical drugs include cocaine, barbiturates, ketamine, Viagra, cannabis, beta-blockers, Ritalin, and morphine. Some have greyhounds have been found to have novocaine, caffeine, anti-malaria drugs, antihistamines, and medicines for treating human-hair loss in their bloodstreams.
Lame/Lameness
Lameness generally refers to the disabling or impairment of an animal’s ability to move freely. When an animal is lame or showing lameness it is unable to walk without difficulty if at all.