I'm not saying it's either right or wrong and the very same arguement can be placed on the breeding of any animal. I'm just interested in what people think. In show Greyhounds (from what I understand), because there is very little demand for puppies, any with non show markings (whatever that means) are destroyed at birth.
With regards to Hayleys comments about breeding with little regard to health I know of no standard that states that unhealthy dogs should be bred from. Sadly the many pet breeders who have an 'accidental' litter (which seems to be repeated) or breed because they think their bitch should have a litter or all those who let their dogs be used at stud also have very little regard for health.
Becky

I have no problem with the racing, i actually go whenever my OH will take me (which isnt very often )
But i dont agree with the way they are just thrown into rescue when their racing career is over

They are the lucky ones, next time you go hang round after the racing and see the dogs that havent done well disappearing off with the local slaughter man, they travel the tracks doing the deed for those who cant even be bothered with the vets fee to pts.

Hayley have you ever met a recently retired greyhound? The vast majority are unsocialised, already sporting injuries made worse by continued racing when they should be resting, its estimated around 12,000 injuries are sustained every year. The average 'retirement' age is around 2 - 3, usually because of injury. They are nervous of people, have no idea how to play or do pretty much anything a happy healthy dog should know how to do. Around 10,000 dogs retire every year, do you think they all find homes? No they go to places as reported earlier this year where they are shot if lucky, poisoned, hung, drown or simply left to starve to death, no one quite knows how many because the authority in charge dont care or record what happens to them, so probably around 6,000 simple disappear and these are the ones that have tried to earn the right to live.

Im sure the many greyhound and lurcher rescues will be happy to know that they really are not needed as only a few owners/trainers are throwing away these dogs (cant help but wonder just why so many are in rescue then).

25,000 pups are registered every year, thats registered not just bred, the number is actually a lot higher. The majority of these do not make it into racing, for one thing there is not the demand anymore and so the rest are disposed off, around 10,000 a year.

As to the racing, of course dogs love to run but they love to run to have fun not to be forced to break into a sprint on a frozen track with no warm up and with an injury. Funnily enough of all my dogs my greyhounds run the least.