National Greyhound Association
Encyclopedia
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
.
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
.
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.
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.
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.
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
Kennel club
A kennel club is an organization for canine affairs that concerns itself with the breeding, showing and promotion of more than one breed of dog...
for racing purebred dog
Purebred
Purebreds, also called purebreeds, are cultivated varieties or cultivars of an animal species, achieved through the process of selective breeding...
Greyhound
Greyhound
The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...
pedigrees in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
It is headquartered in Abilene, Kansas
Abilene, Kansas
Abilene is a city in and the county seat of Dickinson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,844.-History:...
.
Non-racing greyhounds are registered in the U.S. by the American Kennel Club
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
.
History
The first formal coursingCoursing
Coursing is the pursuit of game or other animals by dogs—chiefly greyhounds and other sighthounds—catching their prey by speed, running by sight and not by scent. Coursing was a common hunting technique, practised by the nobility, the landed and wealthy, and commoners with sighthounds and lurchers...
event involving greyhounds was in the Cheyenne Bottoms
Cheyenne Bottoms
Cheyenne Bottoms is one of 29 places in the United States on the List of Ramsar wetlands of international importance. It is located east of US Highway 281, midway between Hoisington and Great Bend in Kansas....
near Great Bend, Kansas
Great Bend, Kansas
Great Bend, named for its location at the historic big bend of the Arkansas River, is the most populous city in and the county seat of Barton County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 15,995.-History:...
in 1886. Coursing became popular throughout the Midwest.
In 1906 the National Coursing Association (the forerunner of the NGA) was founded in Friend, Nebraska
Friend, Nebraska
Friend is a city in Saline County, Nebraska, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,027.-History:The city is named for Charles E. Friend who homesteaded the land and initially named the community Friendville. He operated a dry goods store and post office...
to keep track of the breed. It would later move to Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
.
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
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
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.
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.
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