Friday 16 March 2007

Comic Relief?

I can't say I'm seeing the comic side of it at the moment.

Comic Relief are offering, on e-bay, a night at the greyhound races with a race named after the winner. The greyhound rescue world is not impressed.

The people working in rescue bust their guts every single day and Greyhound Gap, like most of the others, work on a shoestring budget that is infinitesimal compared to the sort of money that Comic Relief raises. These people work every hour in the day to make sure the dogs that are no longer any use to their owners, because they can't race anymore, are made safe and offered the chance of a decent life rather than being put to sleep or dumped and abandoned...or worse, killed in appalling circumstances. And believe me, it happens.

I have contacted Comic Relief expressing the dismay that they are showing what I feel is a complete lack of respect for their fellow charities and the work they do and that they are callously using whatever means possible to raise funds with a complete disregard to the associated issues.

I have received a standard reply stating that many organisations donate valuable gifts with they try to use in the most appropriate way possible and this gift was donated by the British Greyhound Racing Board. I have pointed out to Comic Relief that, given the recent publicity about the plight of racing greyounds is it not possible that the British Greyhound Racing Board are using this as a means of gaining "good" publicity rather than donating the item in a spirit of generosity?? Call me cynical if you will but my regular readers will know this is a subject close to my heart and something I feel very strongly about.

I will not be donating to Comic Relief this year and will donate more directly as I feel appropriate.



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