How Do Greyhound Racing Participants Think About Their Pets?
Greyhound people saw themselves as having a deep relationship with their greyhounds, who they viewed as “partners”. They were in it for the greyhound racing and not necessarily for the money. They were critical of “money people” who were only motivated by financial gain and had no connection with the greyhounds they owned or bet on. A greyhound person views greyhounds as working dogs or athletes. If one of their dogs is injured in a race, it might be euthanised. Due to the bond between the participant and the greyhound, the participant might even grieve and mourn their loss. A money person would never do this. To maintain their social identity as a greyhound person, a new dog can be taken on when one of their dogs can no longer race due to death or retirement. Sometimes a greyhound person will keep a retired racer as a pet if they are successful. The person keeps them because they feel like they “owe it” to the dog for its success as a racer. So, what does this s...