- National Greyhound Association
-
The National Greyhound Association (NGA) is the primary registry body for racing purebred dog Greyhound pedigrees in the United States.
It is headquartered in Abilene, Kansas.
Non-racing greyhounds are registered in the U.S. by the American Kennel Club.
Contents
History
The first formal coursing event involving greyhounds was in the Cheyenne Bottoms near Great Bend, Kansas in 1886. Coursing became popular throughout the Midwest.
In 1906 the National Coursing Association (the forerunner of the NGA) was founded in Friend, Nebraska to keep track of the breed. It would later move to Kansas City, Kansas.[1]
In 1945 it moved to Abilene.
In 1973 it changed its name to the National Greyhound Association. In 1978 it discontinued the sport of coursing.
In 1999 it required that the sire and dam of each litter be DNA registered.
Controversy
The organization which sanctions the sale of racing greyhounds has constantly been at the center of debates about animal cruelty in the sport.
In 1986 charges were made that more than 50,000 racing greyhounds in the U.S. along with 100,000 rabbits are killed each year. The organization responded that the number was closer to 15,000 and that efforts were being made to use artificial lures for the dogs.[2]
The organization has an adopt a greyhound program.
In 2005 legislation was introduced in Kansas to repeal the organization's various extemptions after a greyhound dog rescue group Grey2K charged that under Kansas law greyhounds are not considered dogs but are rather are livestock and thus are exempt for protections given dogs. The organization via Director Gary Guccione who said that Kansas law calls them "a breed of dog properly registered with the National Greyhound Association of Abilene, Kansas." Guccione however said that greyhounds are not pets under that law, in the same way that horses bred for racing are not considered as pets.[3]
Board of Directors
The Association is governed by a board consisting of nine members. The nine directors are elected by nine geographical districts.
The President of the Association is S. Lester Raines
The Vice President of the Association is James Blanchard
The Members of the Board of Directors are as follows (in order of seniority): Frederick Fulchino, James Blanchard, Robert Rider, Dick Figurilli, Steven Gilster, H. Hal Gill, Kenneth Allen, S. Lester Raines, Byron Jay Childs
References
- ^ [History of the Greyhound and Greyhound Racing - The Greyhound Review, February 2006]
- ^ Jim Ritter. "Animal rights groups hit state dog racing bill." Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago Sun Times. 1986. Retrieved January 29, 2009 from HighBeam Research: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3764823.html
- ^ "National Greyhound Association: Media, Grey2K Only Ones Questioning Whether Greyhounds Are Dogs." PR Newswire. PR Newswire Association LLC. 2005. Retrieved January 29, 2009 from HighBeam Research: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-130358742.html
External links
Categories:- Greyhound racing
- Organizations based in Kansas
- Kennel clubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
