IT was a dog’s life in more sense than one for more than a dozen cast-off greyhounds forced to race at least twice an evening.

The unfortunate animals were owned by the Bedminster Grey- hound Racing Company which toured the country in the early 1930s promoting the sport.

Programmes were printed and circulated, but except in name bore no resemblance to what the company contrived to put on.

The authorities swooped as the company prepared for an evening’s entertainment at Lymington’s sports ground.

Days later, in late 1931, owner Peter Smith, of Bedminster, Bristol, faced charges of cruelty as an RSPCA inspector outlined to magistrates their pitiful condition.

“All had skin trouble of some sort, several had sores and all were constantly scratching and rubbing.”

Witnesses testified how they had seen one of two runners complete only half a lap and come back limping across the course on three legs.

Both had been lame before the start.

Smith challenged one witness. “Did they run all right?” She caustically replied: “Well, I didn’t think much of them as greyhounds.”

Smith claimed 10 other dogs had arrived before the meeting opened to make a full complement of 25, though no one had seen it.

He maintained they had been well fed and had not been compelled to run through whipping. “Some dogs, who have been racing for some time, will give up if they saw they had no chance of winning.”

At that point, prosecutor C H Blatch produced a copy of the programme.

“This is a fictitious document designed to deceive the public,” he alleged.

Smith accepted it had been used for two consecutive meetings and it wasn’t accurate on the second.

“My concern is not merely to keep the dogs alive but to keep them fit. It is not a fact that some have raced three or four times a night.”

Smith called labourer Frank Hartnell whose duties for the company included cutting and arranging the grounds.

“I have nothing to do with the dogs.”

It was a declaration which brought scorn from the court clerk. “This witness is useless to you, Mr Smith. You are wasting the court’s time.”

The final nail into Smith’s coffin was rendered by the last witness, RSPCA Inspector Steele who labelled him as a dairyman and not a dog breeder.

“His dogs are really cast-offs from other bigger tracks. He has been warned to get a veterinary surgeon and eliminate the bad ones.

"We were not aware he was touring the country. It has been purely a bookmaking stunt.

"We have done our best to keep him out of trouble but he has ignored us.”

Smith was fined £10 with £4s 8d costs with two months in default of payment.