Without rescues, abused, neglected, and abandoned animals would have nowhere to go. They come from a variety of bad situations and several need rehab to become eligible for adoption. The following are several sports that you wouldn’t think are abusive at first glace. Educate yourself on the realities.
Abusive Sports
Money brings in evil people. People that care about money more than an animals well being. And uneducated people pay to go to these events that support the sport and keep it going, including the cruelty of the animals.
Greyhound Racing: I didn’t think greyhound racing was cruel . . . initially. I saw dogs doing what they enjoyed doing and the greyhounds in general are well cared for. HOWEVER, there’s always a dark side to any industry and some dogs have been found to be drugged or on steroids to increase their chances of winning. And what happens when the dog is no longer useful? In the US, a good percentage go into rescues. But in places like Australia, dogs are destroyed, abandoned, or some are even sold and shipped to China for more racing. When dogs are of no use in China, dogs are then poisoned, stepped on, and otherwise killed. Live baiting is another problem in which a live rabbit or pig or even possum, are used to encourage the greyhounds to chase and kill the lure by brutally mauling it to death.
Sled Dog Racing: Another sport that, if done humanely, dogs love. I know there are hobbyist and small businesses that take care of the dogs. But again, when you get into big events like the Iditarod, you’ll find cruelty. Dogs that have poor shelter from the cold, run around until their feet blister (before even racing), no veterinary attention for injuries, most dogs that make it have permanent lung damage, and dogs that are of no more use are killed or abandoned.
Horse Racing: Never would have thought this one was cruel at first glance. But it’s more damaging than you can imagine on so many levels. You’d assume horses retire in a good pasture once they are done with their racing career. WRONG! Race horses make up a good portion of horses that are sent to slaughter for meat in other countries. Cast aside after making their owners money. Many horses aren’t even that old when there life is cut short. Some only a few years old. 
Big Lick Horse Show: I had never even heard of this until recently. But you can immediately tell that something’s not right just by watching it. The horses in these events are forced to wear heavy shoes with chains and are “sored” meaning chemicals such as gas, mustard oil, etc. are applied to the horses front legs to cause pain and make the horse to lift their legs in an exaggerated way. Chemicals burns can be severe enough to cause hair loss and reveal the extremely irritated skin. Many horses are in so much pain that the lay down and in most if not all cases, will have permanent life time damage to their legs. They’ll also cut the tendon in their tail so that they can’t move it and so it can be pinned up abnormally high, again for looks.
Fake Rescues
Again, money brings evil people. There are fake rescues out there that take horrible care of there animals. Any money raised goes to the people, not the animals. A recently learned about a horse rescue that brags about rescuing horses from kill pens. BUT, if they can’t “adopt” or sell that horse in 2 weeks, then it goes back to auction which generally puts them back into the kill pens. Here is a good post on how to identify Fake Rescues.
Where To Adopt?
A quick google search for your area should bring up several rescues. If you live in a rural area you may have to expand your search.
One of the best resources to find a pet in your area is Pet Finder. Their website has excellent filters to find the perfect pet for you in your area from dogs/cats/birds/horses/etc. Another good one is Best Friends. They also have a variety of different pets available for adoption at their very large facility in Kanab, UT. If you’re in the area, they offer several different tours for the different animal areas they have including some wild animals.
Other Favorite Rescues:
Last Chance Corral– They rescue the baby foals that are a by product of the horse racing industry. Foals generally start arriving at their facility in the springtime.
Horse Plus Humane Society– A horse rescue in rural Tennessee. They mostly save horses from the auctions that are otherwise doomed for the foreign meat industry. They will also never turn a horse down that needs help and accept a lot of owner surrenders, as long as you can get the horse there.
Rescue Me– Another search engine for multiple types of pets. You can also use it to rehome your own pets.
Reader Recommended Post/Rescue Recommendations
Dog Rescue: The Importance of Adopt Don’t Shop When Bringing Home a Pet
What’s wrong with Craigslist?
I think you can find good pets from sincere people on Craigslist. But there are also a lot of backyard breeders, dishonest sellers, stolen horses, and otherwise shady dealings. Use caution with sites like craigslist and educate yourself on how to identify phony people.
Related Posts:
Qualities Of A Good Breeder Vs. A Bad One
*Pixabay Photos: Racing Greyhounds, Sled Dogs, Race Horses
