April 30, 2021 12477076-DL02-21
SIGN UP NOW! Scarlett, 3, Polly, 6, Clementine, 6, and at back, Jill Thom and Alison Lawson. (Louisa Jones)
All the fun of the fete
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The weather gods will be smiling on the St David’s Uniting Church fete tomorrow. Sunny conditions and temperatures into the mid-20s are forecast for the Newtown church’s annual fundraiser. Alison Lawson said the committee decided to hold some of the fete outside to comply with COVID protocols, and that the weather forecast was “looking good”. “People are more cautious with COVID so we decided to hold some of it outside,” she said. “It’s not a huge fete, just an opportunity for fellowship and a social time to get people together.” Youngsters from Impetus Dance will entertain the crowd with a dance display at 10.30am. The usual stalls, trash and treasure, books, sausage sizzle and coffee van will be operating. The fete begins at 10am at St David’s Uniting Church, corner of Aphrasia and Talbot streets, Newtown. Justin Flynn
Racetrack ‘worst in state’ By Justin Flynn The Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds (CPG) has labelled Geelong greyhound racetrack as “the worst in Victoria” after the third death of a dog at the venue this year. In Australia, 54 greyhounds have died while on tracks this year –14 of them in Victoria. Geelong is equal-deadliest with other tracks across the country that have notched up three deaths: Albion Park (Queensland), and Maitland, Richmond and Wagga Wagga (all NSW). CPG national president Dennis Anderson said Geelong’s track was oval in shape, which contributed to young greyhound Sylvie Bale colliding with another dog at the first turn and falling, sustaining a fractured elbow on April
23. She was euthanased by the on-track vet. Deaths and injuries in greyhound racing are more frequent at the track turns, CPG said. In 39 race meetings this year, Geelong has seen three deaths and 94 injuries, including 13 major injuries. Zed Bale died on January 2 and Finding Gobi on February 9; both were euthanased with broken forelegs. In 2020, Geelong recorded a total of six deaths and 249 injuries. “Like most greyhounds that die at the tracks, she (Sylvie Bale) fell at a turn after colliding with other dogs, and was euthanased with a broken leg,” Mr Anderson said. “Racing on a straight track will drastically reduce deaths and injuries. It won’t eliminate them, but it will reduce them.”
Mr Anderson said Healesville is the only greyhound racing venue in Victoria with a straight track. There have been no deaths there this year, according to CPG. CPG is also calling on Greyhound Racing Victoria to reduce all race starters to six. Racing industry research in 2017 showed six-dog races cut death and injury rates by 50 per cent. “The only way to stop the suffering of these beautiful dogs is to ban greyhound racing,” Mr Anderson said. “Until that happens, the industry should act on what its own research recommended in 2017, that six-dog races and straight tracks are safer alternatives.” A Greyhound Racing Victoria spokesperson told the Independent that “the loss of a greyhound is distressing for all concerned” and that the organisation had a long-term plan to
make tracks safer. “All track deaths are investigated and GRV is committed to ensuring greyhounds race on the safest tracks possible,” the spokesperson said. “GRV introduced the Greyhound Recovery Initiative in December 2016, which provides financial support for treatment of greyhounds seriously injured at a race meeting. “GRV has a long-term strategy to make our tracks safer and we are collaborating with Professor David Eager from [University of Technology Sydney] to develop a scientific underpinning for safe racing. “GRV has used this approach to rebuild the Horsham track and in the current rebuilding of the Traralgon track. “Any changes we make at other tracks will be based on sound research and scientific evidence.”
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