Helen Banks (May 30, 1927 – March 13, 2015) born Helen Mitchell in New York City, was an American animal rescue worker and 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.[1] 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.[2]
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. She would dress like a worker at the Track and sneak and take the caged, emaciated dogs. 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.[3][4]
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.[5] 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.[6]
"SCfG is a retired racing greyhound welfare organization, not an animal rights organization. It does not take part of political actions or legislation."
Other activities and personal lifeedit
Before her humanitarian animal rescue work with greyhounds retired from greyhound racing, she had been a housewife in Connecticut raising 2 daughters and saving many animals. She would often be late for lunch because she would bury road kill along the way.
She was married 3 times, and engaged many more, her 3rd husband, Nate Banks, owned a horse farm in Fairfield, Connecticut. While living on a large farm with animals, she took care of boarded and personal horses. She taught horseback riding for many years, and preferred animals to people. This would be attributed to her upbringing where she lived in a dream world to escape her painful relationship with her mother, and her propensity to attract abusive men into her life, Nate was no exception. We would joke that she got in good shape because she had to do so much work at the farm. 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.[8] She was a member of the Board of Directors of Marian's Dream for ten years.
Second Chance for Greyhounds of Michigan, the original greyhound rescue group founded by Helen Banks in 1986
Second Chance for Greyhounds of Michigan Facebook page
February 25, 2024
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This article is written like a personal reflection personal essay or argumentative essay that states a Wikipedia editor s personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic Please help improve it by rewriting it in an encyclopedic style March 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Helen Banks May 30 1927 March 13 2015 born Helen Mitchell in New York City was an American animal rescue worker and 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 1 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 2 Helen BanksBornHelen Mitchell 1927 05 30 May 30 1927New York City U S DiedMarch 13 2015 2015 03 13 aged 87 NationalityAmericanOccupationAnimal rescue workerKnown forFounding Second Chance for Greyhounds Contents 1 Second Chance for Greyhounds 2 Other activities and personal life 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksSecond Chance for Greyhounds editAt 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 She would dress like a worker at the Track and sneak and take the caged emaciated dogs 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 3 4 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 5 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 6 Second Chance for Greyhounds of Michigan defines greyhound rescue as an animal welfare activity not an animal rights position 7 SCfG is a retired racing greyhound welfare organization not an animal rights organization It does not take part of political actions or legislation Other activities and personal life editBefore her humanitarian animal rescue work with greyhounds retired from greyhound racing she had been a housewife in Connecticut raising 2 daughters and saving many animals She would often be late for lunch because she would bury road kill along the way She was married 3 times and engaged many more her 3rd husband Nate Banks owned a horse farm in Fairfield Connecticut While living on a large farm with animals she took care of boarded and personal horses She taught horseback riding for many years and preferred animals to people This would be attributed to her upbringing where she lived in a dream world to escape her painful relationship with her mother and her propensity to attract abusive men into her life Nate was no exception We would joke that she got in good shape because she had to do so much work at the farm 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 8 She was a member of the Board of Directors of Marian s Dream for ten years See also editAnimal rescue group Animal rights Animal sanctuary Animal welfare Greyhound racing in the United States Greyhound adoptionReferences edit Clifton M Helen Banks 87 Founder of Second Chance for Greyhounds 26 March 2015 published online 25 March 2015 accessed 3 26 2015 Thayer G A Going to the Dogs 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 2014 Annual Reports Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Division of Pari Mutuel Wagering Archived from the original on 2014 03 13 Retrieved 2015 03 26 Gambling Impact Study Spectrum Gaming Group accessed 3 26 2015 archived page for My Favorite Greyhound Rescue Group And Some Information About Them Second Chance For Greyhounds Of Michigan Marian s Dream 19 Nov 2011External links editSecond Chance for Greyhounds of Michigan the original greyhound rescue group founded by Helen Banks in 1986 Second Chance for Greyhounds of Michigan Facebook page Review of Gwyneth Anne Thayer s Going to the Dogs University Press of Kansas Lawrence KS 66045 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Helen Banks amp oldid 1037698446, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
