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Helen Banks (1929 – March 14, 2015) was the founder of Second Chance for Greyhounds (SCFG) in 1986, which (it is claimed) rehomed as many as 9,000 former racing greyhounds through 2002.〔(Clifton, M., "Helen Banks, 87, Founder of Second Chance for Greyhounds", 26 March, 2015 (published online 25 March, 2015), accessed 3/26/2015 )〕 Originally, SCFG operated in Bonita Springs, Florida. She and Second Chance for Greyhounds had been featured in a Life Magazine expose of greyhound racing in 1995.〔Thayer, G.A., "Going to the Dogs"〕 At the time of the 1995 expose, Ms. Banks sent to a farm in Bonita Springs, Florida, the greyhounds who had been rescued from the Naples/Ft. Myers race track, while they were waiting adoption. At any time, the rescue farm was full to capacity, with about 35 to 45 greyhounds at any given time. The Life Magazine expose triggered a series of events which thereby exposed her rescue work (to critics of animal advocacy) and made her continuing work very difficult, but not impossible. She continued to lead the operation until her death at age 87. Ms. Banks was credited with her having inspired a great many comparable rescue, shelter, and adoption operations for greyhounds who had been retired from dog racing.〔(Clifton, M., "Helen Banks, 87, Founder of Second Chance for Greyhounds", 26 March, 2015 (published online 25 March, 2015), accessed 3/26/2015 )〕〔(Greyhound Adoption Agencies--U.S. )〕 The financial decline of greyhound racing is even more significant in Florida, where twelve of America's 22 remaining operational dog tracks are located. The amount gambled at dog tracks in that state had declined by 72% in the 23 years between 1990 and 2013.〔(2014 Annual Reports, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering )〕 A 2013 study commissioned by the Florida legislature found that the state of Florida had lost between $1 million and $3.3 million on greyhound racing in 2012.〔(Gambling Impact Study, Spectrum Gaming Group, accessed 3/26/2015 )〕 Second Chance for Greyhounds of Michigan defines greyhound rescue as an animal welfare activity, not an animal rights position.〔((archived page for) "My Favorite Greyhound Rescue Group And Some Information About Them: Second Chance For Greyhounds Of Michigan )〕 "SCfG is a retired racing greyhound welfare organization, not an animal rights organization. It does not take part of political actions or legislation." Before her humanitarian animal rescue work with greyhounds retired from greyhound racing, she had been a retired magazine model. She married a man who owned and lived on a large farm with animals, about whom she grew very fond. After their divorce, "she threw her into work for animals" and founded SCFG, a work with which she found herself until her death on March 14, 2015 in Hendersonville, NC. During a quarter of a century of animal advocacy, she had rescued many animals who suffered the exploitative intentions of humans. She began her compassionate work with horses whom (while she was still married) she brought back to her farm from slaughterhouses and "killer auctions" in Connecticut and New York. The scope of her concern included rehabilitating injured turtles, deer, and other wildlife. She campaigned against the leghold trap used by hunters, and against use of gas chambers in Connecticut for euthanasia by the Connecticut Humane Society. She also worked vigorously for spay/neuter provisions for dogs/cats and birth control shots for deer, wild horses, and any other animals who had been condemned as "nuisance" animals because their habitat had been lost as a result of human overpopulation, leading to human charges of animal overpopulation.〔(Marian's Dream, 19 Nov 2011 )〕 She was a member of the Board of Directors of Marian's Dream for ten years. ==See also== * Animal rescue group * Animal rights * Animal sanctuary * Animal welfare * Dog racing * Greyhound * Greyhound racing * Greyhound adoption 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Helen Banks」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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