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Going the Distance

By the end of this year, as many as 20,000 healthy greyhounds will be killed because they aren't considered fast enough to race. The ones who do race will spend up to 20 hours a day in cages, without adequate food, veterinary care, or human affection.

Fifteen-year-old Amber Kelley makes room in her home for dogs like these, taking them in as foster pets and finding homes for those who would otherwise be killed. This hardworking high-school sophomore has seen firsthand the sad reality behind greyhound racing. And she's determined to get the word out to governors, senators, and representatives of states where greyhound racing is still legal. Her goal? To stop dog racing in its tracks.

HumaneTeen: When did you first get interested in rescuing greyhounds?

Amber Kelley: I've always loved dogs, and my family's been fostering greyhounds since I was 11. So I've learned how to get them healthy and used to people.

HumaneTeen: What type of commitment does your rescue work involve?

AK: When I'm not in school, fostering takes up much of my free time. Each dog stays with me anywhere from a week to four months. Besides training and caring for greyhounds, I make a lot of calls. I talk to veterinarians and people who've adopted dogs, to check how their pets are doing. I also call racetracks to see if any dogs are in need of adoption.

HumaneTeen: What kinds of problems have you seen in the greyhounds you've rescued?

AK: The biggest one is that they haven't been cared for. Broken legs and malnutrition seem to be common. One dog I fostered suffered a stroke and two broken legs. The vet said her health problems were caused by bad food and lack of sunlight.

Some of the dogs are afraid of people until they learn how to be loved. Most of them have no idea how to live in a house, so I have to help them get used to things like stairs and windows.

HumaneTeen: Sounds like tough work. Do you enjoy it?

AK: Definitely. Saving animals' lives and finding good homes for pets is rewarding work. One thing I want to say, though, is that adoption isn't the ultimate solution. There are never enough homes for the number of greyhounds bred each year. The way to help greyhounds in the long run is to end greyhound racing altogether. That will stop them from being overbred, abused, and killed because they're not making enough money for their owners.

HumaneTeen: What are you doing to challenge the racing industry?

AK: I write to public officials in states that allow greyhound racing. My letters urge them to pass laws to protect greyhounds. I've also written to the president of the National Greyhound Association (NGA) explaining some of the problems associated with greyhound racing and describing what I've experienced with my own foster dogs.

HumaneTeen: How do you keep your spirits up when it seems you're getting nowhere?

AK: Usually I just come home and sit with my foster dogs. They remind me why I have to continue this fight.

http://www.humaneteen.org/helping_animals/kelley.html

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