Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Arizona Dog Track Regulators Again Hide Information From the Public

Photo by Pima County, December 2010.
A year ago GREY2K USA discovered that the Arizona Department of Racing was keeping Daily Stewards Reports, records that document each racing performance at Tucson Greyhound Park. These records contained important information, including the number of dogs that had raced on little rest and whether official hearings had been held at the track.

Citing these records, we reported in March 2012 that it was common for dogs to race at Tucson Greyhound Park on only two days of rest. Specifically, in a single month greyhounds raced with little rest a total of 748 times at the track.

We have now learned that shortly after we reported this troubling information about dogs racing on little rest, dog track regulators changed their official Daily Stewards Report forms. Sometime between July 2012 and January 2013, the Arizona Department of Racing made the following changes:
  • It stopped publicly reporting the number of dogs that had raced on only two days of rest. Instead, the new form contains a check box titled "Dogs on 2 Days Rest Approved."
  • It stopped publicly reporting whether any official hearings had been held at Tucson Greyhound Park.
This is not the first time that Arizona track regulators have tried to hide information from the public. The Department of Racing no longer reports greyhound injuries, and has failed to fully respond to public information requests.

This state agency is out of control. It is failing its duty to act as an independent regulator, and has lost sight of the fact that it represents Arizona taxpayers, not dog track executives. For the greyhounds, change is needed at the Arizona Department of Racing.

7 comments:

  1. Greyhound racing is bad enough when done "by the regulations", but when done so blatantly unregulated, something needs to be done immediately at the local, state, whatever level to protect these beautiful animals. I want to send my comments to the state of Arizona, and hoping many others will as well.

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  2. All God's creatures are so beautiful. How can anyone have the heart to mistreat them like this. Horrible. Is there no feelings, or regard for prescious sweet innocent life. Just totally shameful, heartless, & cruel. Truly unconsionable. Sad.

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  3. I am telling them that as much as I liked living there, I will NOT reurn until there is full transpaerncy and accountability in the raing reports.

    http://az.gov/

    List of Dept of Tourism officials:
    http://www.azot.gov/contact-us/staff-directory

    Gov Brewer
    Please use mailing address for all correspondence or requests for assistance. (This is her request.)
    The Honorable Janice K. Brewer
    Arizona Governor
    Executive Tower
    1700 West Washington Street
    Phoenix, AZ 85007

    By Mail:
    Arizona Office of Tourism
    1110 W. Washington Street, Suite 155
    Phoenix, Arizona 85007

    By Phone:
    Phone: 602-364-3700
    Fax: 602-364-3701
    Toll-free visitor information: 1-866-275-5816

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  4. why to hell do they keep those dogs museled in cages !! we should put those f...people museled an caged for the rest of their life

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    Replies
    1. because the trainers and helpers are too f****** lazy to take them off

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  5. I wished I lived in Arizona instead of Ontario. I adopted an abused 2 year old grey from New Hamphire. You US citizens who love animals must speak for those who cannot and demand changes to the laws!!!!!!

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  6. This is sick!Animal abuse must stop! Our country is all about money. It does not matter who or what suffers as long as there is money in someone's pocket. It is one step forward, ten steps back. But we must keep fighting for all animals!

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