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Brooklyn Goes Home: The Rise and Fall of American Greyhound Racing and the Dog that Inspired a Movement
Silver Award Winner in the NonFiction Book Awards
Brooklyn Goes Home is the true story of how one greyhound sparked a movement to close the worst dog track in the world. After spending eight years in a small, dark, and empty concrete cell, he finally found his forever home with greyhound advocates Christine Dorchak and Carey Theil.
We once met a dog that changed the world. His name was Brooklyn. It’s hard to imagine that a spotted dog would become the inspiration for a worldwide fight; that the campaign would be successful, and that after a decade of suffering, he would come home to us. And yet it happened. In fact, the thirteen short years that Brooklyn spent on this earth would turn out to be one of the most consequential periods in history for greyhounds, and for the broader debate on non-human animal rights. The life of this one dog signaled not only the end of greyhound racing in the United States, but also the emergence of the first successful movement to outlaw an animal abuse industry that was powerful, culturally resonant, and economically significant.
This history is based on the memories and reflections of Christine Dorchak and Carey Theil and describes twenty years of working together to help greyhounds. The two grew up more than a decade apart, on alternate coasts, one raised very traditionally and the other quite liberally, one an animal loving “Jersey Girl” turned lawyer, the other a poet and chess master turned political strategist. This Yin and Yang turned out to be a curious balance of opposites that is perhaps the reason that the organization survived and then succeeded against very great odds.
Brooklyn Goes Home is the story of the rise and fall of commercial greyhound racing in the United States and an account of how one small non-profit emerged to make an impact. It is also a remembrance of three glorious years spent with a magical dog. Readers will find inspiration in this chronicle, and perhaps discover new paths to making positive change in the world.
Brooklyn Goes Home is the true story of how one greyhound sparked a movement to close the worst dog track in the world. After spending eight years in a small, dark, and empty concrete cell, he finally found his forever home with greyhound advocates Christine Dorchak and Carey Theil.
We once met a dog that changed the world. His name was Brooklyn. It’s hard to imagine that a spotted dog would become the inspiration for a worldwide fight; that the campaign would be successful, and that after a decade of suffering, he would come home to us. And yet it happened. In fact, the thirteen short years that Brooklyn spent on this earth would turn out to be one of the most consequential periods in history for greyhounds, and for the broader debate on non-human animal rights. The life of this one dog signaled not only the end of greyhound racing in the United States, but also the emergence of the first successful movement to outlaw an animal abuse industry that was powerful, culturally resonant, and economically significant.
This history is based on the memories and reflections of Christine Dorchak and Carey Theil and describes twenty years of working together to help greyhounds. The two grew up more than a decade apart, on alternate coasts, one raised very traditionally and the other quite liberally, one an animal loving “Jersey Girl” turned lawyer, the other a poet and chess master turned political strategist. This Yin and Yang turned out to be a curious balance of opposites that is perhaps the reason that the organization survived and then succeeded against very great odds.
Brooklyn Goes Home is the story of the rise and fall of commercial greyhound racing in the United States and an account of how one small non-profit emerged to make an impact. It is also a remembrance of three glorious years spent with a magical dog. Readers will find inspiration in this chronicle, and perhaps discover new paths to making positive change in the world.
224 pages, Paperback
Published November 7, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 25, 2023
I pretty much read Brooklyn Goes Home in a sitting. This book is so many engaging stories wrapped into one that I'm frankly surprised it all fits into a single narrative.
The over-arching story is about one lucky dog named Brooklyn. Brooklyn was a greyhound born and bred to be a racing product, who ended up in Macau's only greyhound track which for most of its history had a 100% kill rate. If a greyhound raced here, he'd spend his days in a concrete cage and would race until he couldn't race anymore, after which he'd be killed, only to be replaced by another. Brooklyn is one of the lucky few to get out of this hellhole alive.
The main story centers around Carey Theil and Christine Dorchak, both animal rights advocates, who learned about the plight of American greyhounds and decided to do something about it. This is their twenty year saga to end an abysmal industry, shed light on its abhorrent practices, and bring freedom for thousands of dogs. As the authors of this tale, they have an uncanny knack of turning a long, hard-earned grind of a victory into a page-turning triumph. They do not shy away from recounting soul-crushing losses and smear campaigns, which would have deterred almost anyone else. This book documents everything and is a playbook for anyone else who wants to change the world.
I highly recommend this book!!!
The over-arching story is about one lucky dog named Brooklyn. Brooklyn was a greyhound born and bred to be a racing product, who ended up in Macau's only greyhound track which for most of its history had a 100% kill rate. If a greyhound raced here, he'd spend his days in a concrete cage and would race until he couldn't race anymore, after which he'd be killed, only to be replaced by another. Brooklyn is one of the lucky few to get out of this hellhole alive.
The main story centers around Carey Theil and Christine Dorchak, both animal rights advocates, who learned about the plight of American greyhounds and decided to do something about it. This is their twenty year saga to end an abysmal industry, shed light on its abhorrent practices, and bring freedom for thousands of dogs. As the authors of this tale, they have an uncanny knack of turning a long, hard-earned grind of a victory into a page-turning triumph. They do not shy away from recounting soul-crushing losses and smear campaigns, which would have deterred almost anyone else. This book documents everything and is a playbook for anyone else who wants to change the world.
I highly recommend this book!!!
July 4, 2025
We frequently board two greyhounds that were both former racing dogs.
Fortunately, greyhound racing has been banned in every state except West Virginia.
The conditions that these poor dogs lived in (and some still live in) as race dogs is horrendous!
Fortunately, greyhound racing has been banned in every state except West Virginia.
The conditions that these poor dogs lived in (and some still live in) as race dogs is horrendous!
November 12, 2024
I expected more of a story about Brooklyn but it really is about fighting Greyhound racing.
November 27, 2023
Full of hope but brings to mind that there's work still to do.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews