Pay No Attention to That Man Behind the Curtain

Reading through state records we just received, I'm reminded of a famous scene from the Wizard of Oz when Toto pulls back the curtain to reveal that the Wizard is just an ordinary man orchestrating a grandiose illusion.

The greyhound racing industry also maintains its own deceptive facade. It claims that it effectively regulates itself, with some state oversight. But the curtain was drawn back last week, with the release of regulatory e-mails by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. These files offer a behind the scenes look at how dog racing is actually governed, and provide a frank assessment of several humane problems. They also document attempts by state veterinarians to pass reforms, efforts that were resisted by a recalcitrant industry that fights to maintain the status quo.

CONCERNS ABOUT 4-D MEAT

The most notable e-mail might be authored by Dr. Jenifer Barker, who previously regulated dog racing at Dairyland Greyhound Park and now works as a Dairy Inspector for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection. In October 2013, she told other regulators that the high frequency of flunixin positives in racing dogs is due to the use of "4-D" meat. According to Barker:

"We had this happen frequently at Dairyland. We had to lower our fines due to so many Flunixin positives from the meat ... The 4D meat comes from sick and downer cows. Farmers will do and give anything to try to get the cow standing so she can go to slaughter ... Most of these cows are dehydrated and half dead so very little flunixen is absorbed ... instead it's essentially pocketed in the muscle. The crooks in the 4D meat business use the dead cows for racing and zoo meat."

Barker was responding to a previous message about 4-D meat from Dr. William Dugger, a longtime track veterinarian at Palm Beach Kennel Club. In part, Dugger wrote:

"We had a 2 kennel outbreaks this week, and when I called them tonight, they both said that they are using that meat. After 46 years with the 'Greathounds' I don't find too many surprises when it comes to the 'nutrition of the racing hound by witchcraft.'"

CONCERNS ABOUT GREYHOUND CONFINEMENT

The e-mails also include a lengthy conversation about the confinement that racing greyhounds endure. In 2009, Dr. Keith Soring of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission sent an e-mail to well known livestock industry consultant Temple Grandin, describing the changes he wanted to implement:

"I believe at a minimum the cages should comply with MINIMUM HSUS standards for large breed dogs, which would be 6ft x 4ft with NO STACKING ... my colleagues in the Greyhound regulatory world have agreed with my proposal."

Soring was responding to an earlier e-mail from Grandin in which she expressed dismay at the way racing greyhounds live:

"I am appalled that dogs are being permanently housed in cages the size of airline crates."

Unfortunately, a message sent five years later, in December 2014, indicates that Soring's proposal died after he couldn't get the industry "on board" with a better housing model:

"The kennel size issue was something I brought up years ago and I couldn't really get anyone on board to configure a way to improve the current layout although the GM of the casino was in complete agreement and understood why stacking dogs is not a good idea."

This is supported by a 2009 e-mail from Dr. Marianne Kirkendall of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, who wrote:

"Of those topics, definitely the most controversial is the kennel issue. Several trainers have come up to me and voiced their irritation at those changes. Most of the complaints seem to boil down to money, as one would expect."

Kirkendall also correctly noted that the current system of confined housing that is used by the industry is out of the mainstream:

"Ultimately, the voters are the ones who will decide the future of this industry, and the industry needs to be reminded of that."

She also offered insightful comments on the problem with confining greyhounds for long hours each day:

"It is my understanding that when greyhounds are being raised, they spend the first several months of their postweaning lives in large, long runs that gradually get larger as they get bigger ... they are only suddenly put into these much more confining crates in racing facilities ... I often marvel at these dogs. How can we expect such amazing athletes to sit confined to a small cage for upwards of 3 hours and then put them on a track to sprint without any warm-up except whatever they get trotting over to the box? ... a very consistent behavior I see in these dogs is, as they are brought out of the lock-out area, is that they jump, stretch and shake very vigorously. This tells me that they are not able to do these things very well in the cages."

These concerns were reflected in similar comments made by Dr. Soring in 2009:

"The industry defends the small cage sizes by saying the dogs get turned out 4-5 times a day for 30 minutes at a time for exercise. I don’t really buy into that as a veterinarian and am concerned about the stress of small confinement as well as air quality in kennels and sanitation concerns from stacking of cages. Currently we have about 72 dogs per kennel here in Iowa."

INJURED GREYHOUNDS ARE KILLED UNNECESSARILY

AMF Preclude was killed after being injured in 2013

On another topic, there are multiple e-mails regarding attempts regulatory veterinarians made to stop greyhound trainers from euthanizing dogs that had suffered broken legs. This thread appears to begin in September 2009, when Dr. Soring asked Dr. Barker how many greyhounds she had euthanized at Dairyland due to broken bones. Barker responds:

"The answer to your question is 'Zero.' ... are they saying that they can not repair some of the fractures? Every fracture that I have sent out even open radius/ulna and open tibia fractures have been repaired successfully ... I can honestly say that the success rate is almost 100%."

On the same day, Soring forwarded an e-mail to IRGC Administrator Jack Ketterer that he had previously received from Dr. Bryce Peckham, the Chief Racing Veterinarian for the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission. According to Soring, Peckham expressed frustration over the number of dogs that were killed unnecessarily in the final years of dog racing in Kansas:

"I can tell you that way to many dogs were put down out of 'convenience' at Kansas tracks due to multifactorial reasons ... since I was not on-site for the last 5-6 years, of GH racing, I was negligent in appropriately addressing this horrific problem. I will tell you that when I sub'd for my vet's and had a FX, I was very reluctant and in several cases refused to kill the dog. The trainers hated me for that."

 Peckham also stated that dogs were killed purely for financial reasons:

"I had to call the local KC adoption groups to orchestrate saving these dogs. It's always about money which invariably pissed me off so that I had some knockdowns with trainers."

Peckham then offered Soring with advice on handling this problem:

"You are going to have to take the lead with your track vet's and be very adament about how these injured dogs can be salvaged. My people became way too complacent (at doing the bidding of trainers) regarding these helpless racers. This is a very hot spot with me and these assholes punched my button too many times." (sic)

REGULATORS "UP AGAINST" AN INDUSTRY THAT WON'T CHANGE

Unfortunately, a 2014 e-mail from Soring indicates that he was "stonewalled" by the Iowa Greyhound Association when he tried to institute a fund to cover the cost of surgeries for injured greyhounds. His common sense proposal would have required greyhound trainers to pay a measly fifty cents per greyhound start. Another Soring e-mail, from 2011, provides additional details on the industry's failure to accept this improvement:

"We had an initial meeting involving the IGA on this issue and I can’t say they have exactly taken the ball and ran with it ... what’s sad is that we continue to euthanize dogs at the trainer’s request for non-life threatening injuries while running for $10 million plus purse supplements from the casino industry. Our initial meeting was well over a year ago with Iowa State, IGA, Heartland rescue and Harrah’s representatives. No one has reached out for a follow up meeting to this point. VERY disappointing."

In 2009, Soring indicated that regulators are "up against an industry (that is) very reluctant to change or modernization." In yet another e-mail, Soring described industry recalcitrance to common sense reforms:

"As you are already aware - change is difficult for these people and getting them to comply with even a 2 or 3 week vaccination prior to coming may be hard to enforce despite the benefit."

Similar sentiments were echoed in January 2011 by Dr. Lisa Robinson, a veterinarian with the Arkansas Racing Commission who regulates dog racing at Southland Greyhound Park. Responding to a question about greyhounds racing in extreme temperatures, Robinson wrote:

"I am all for some kind of guidelines as a group because this place wouldn't stop racing this past summer when the actual temps were over 100 and the heat indexes over 112!! I was almost ready to call GREY2K myself then."

Dr. Robinson then recounts how the attempt to "placate" her backfired:

"To try to placate me, they put a row of 5-6 water hoses near the escape & made it a judges order to spritz every dog with water as they came off the track. Unfortunately, all the hoses were placed together so close & were all coming out of the same line that water pressure was near zero when more than one person tried to use them. That's Southland for ya!!"

In a similar e-mail that was also sent in 2011, Dr. Lori Bohenko, a veterinarian with the West Virginia Racing Commission, indicated that it is "always a battle with (track) managment" when the state discusses cancelling a race card due to cold temperatures. She also describes a difficult fight with Wheeling Island over the simple issue of replacing "tattered" and "torn" winter blankets for the dogs.

Like the Wizard of Oz, the greyhound industry tries to distract us from seeing what is really behind the curtain. Unfortunately, it seems to be a great deal of suffering and death.

Seven Things You May Not Know About Greyhounds and "4-D" Meat

4-D Meat at a Commercial Dog Track

Last week, the News-Journal reported on the deaths of two racing greyhounds at Daytona Beach Kennel Club. According to state records the dogs were found in the bottom of their cages, lying in pools of blood. Nearly a hundred other greyhounds in the same kennel also became ill, apparently from a foodborne pathogen.

At dog tracks across the country, greyhounds are fed 4-D meat. In light of the Daytona incident, here are seven things you might not know about this standard practice.

1. 4-D stands for dying, diseased, disabled and dead livestock. This meat is deemed unfit for human consumption, and includes denatured charcoal to prevent human use.


2. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the use of 4-D meat in the racing industry is a potential health hazard. According to an FDA Compliance Policy Guide, the use of 4-D meat at dog tracks "may present a potential health hazard to the animals that consume it and to the people who handle it." The FDA also considers 4-D meat an "adulterated" product, and its shipment across state lines "is subject to appropriate regulatory action."


3. Multiple studies have proven a direct link between 4-D meat and dangerous pathogens, including Salmonella. Also, according to an industry expert, racing greyhounds suffer from foodborne illnesses that other dogs do not. In a 1996 article, Dr. Brad Fenwick claimed that "foodborne diseases in dogs appear to be rare with the exception of greyhounds in the United States."


4. Greyhound trainers use 4-D meat as a way to cut costs. According to industry handbook Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound, 4-D meat is used because "it is the most economically feasible for the Greyhound industry at this time." This same handbook also reports problems associated with the use of this meat, including exposure to pathogenic bacteria and false drug positives.



4-D meat is mixed in large bathtubs at the track



5. Greyhounds are fed 4-D meat raw. Cooking the meat would remove dangerous pathogens, but greyhound trainers refuse to do so because they are afraid of negatively affecting race performance.


6. The use of raw 4-D meat at dog tracks is banned in South Tucson, Arizona. This prohibition was approved by local voters in 2008. Unfortunately, it's not clear whether this law has ever been enforced.


7. This cheap meat is used at every dog track in the country. According to a 2003 letter from the National Greyhound Association, the NGA is "unaware of any professional Greyhound kennels or farms that use any other classification of meat as a major part of their Greyhound feeding programs."

The use of cheap 4-D meat is another example of how the dog racing industry cuts corners. The industry seeks to maximize the profit margin for every dog, at the expense of animal welfare. Unfortunately, greyhounds are continuing to suffer as a result of this recklessness.

Dog Track Defense Plan: Deny, Spin and Attack

Marlee raced at Corpus Christi

When Talking Heads founder David Byrne penned the lyric "same as it ever was," he could have been writing about Gulf Greyhound Park general manager Sally Briggs.

In a guest column published today in the Galveston County Daily News, Briggs attempts to criticize a report we recently released with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. However, she doesn't actually deny any of the facts contained in our report. Instead, she verifies many of them and adds a hefty dose of spin. Let's look at her supposed criticism point by point:

"Grey2K USA activsts have created a distorted picture of greyhound racing at Gulf Greyhound Park, as well as other tracks around the country. This is intentional."

This is a nice talking point, but it doesn't address any facts. This kind of generic denial does little more than make greyhound breeders feel better.

"These activists have a radical agenda that has far more to do with politics and fundraising than with animal welfare."

Similarly, this personal attack doesn't address any facts. I do agree that this debate is about values, although I suspect that most Americans view animal protection groups like the ASPCA as mainstream, while they view the greyhound racing industry as out of touch.

"The Grey2K report on greyhound injuries was a collection of statistics that are easy to misrepresent if that's the intention. For example, the report failed to explain that between 2009 and 2012, injuries occurred in fewer than one-tenth of one percent of all racing starts."

Gable Weeman died after suffering a broken leg at Gulf

On this point, Briggs is partly correct. It is certainly true that injury statistics are "easy to misrepresent if that's the intention." In fact, her next sentence is a great example of misrepresenting the data. Her claim that "injuries occurred in fewer than one-tenth of one percent of all racing starts" is intended to give readers the impression that the risk of injury is lower than it actually is. That is why she used "racing starts" as a metric. By comparing the total number of injuries to the number of "starts" rather than the number of dogs, she is able to count the same dogs over and over again dozens of times and pretend like they are all different dogs.

But once again, Briggs doesn't dispute any of the facts our report provided about greyhound injuries. Instead she claims that if you look at the data in a certain misleading way, the problem doesn't appear to be as bad as it really is. Next, she claims that the greyhound injuries reported to state regulators were minor and that deaths were rare:

"The vast majority were minor, permitting the greyhounds to return to racing after treatment."

This is nonsense. According to state records, a majority (54%) of all reported greyhound injuries between 2008 and 2011 involved either puncture wounds, lacerations, torn muscles, torn ligaments or broken bones. In fact, the most commonly reported injury was a broken leg.

"On rare occasions, the most serious injuries require that a greyhound be euthanized."

According to state records, 56 greyhounds died or were euthanized due to injuries suffered at Gulf Greyhound Park between 2008 and 2011.

"Contrary to ridiculous animal rights claims, there is no benefit to be gained from failing in our obligation to provide humane care and treatment. That's because racing greyhounds must be well cared for to perform at their best."

Same as it ever was. After not actually disputing any real facts from our report about injuries, Briggs ends her attempted defense on the subject by making another generic denial. Regarding her claim that greyhounds must be well cared for to "perform at their best," dog racing is a profit driven industry and breeders are always aiming to secure the highest financial return while incurring the least amount of cost. Moving on to the life of confinement that greyhounds endure:

"Industry regulations require that greyhounds be housed in comfortable crates large enough to permit them to stand, sit, lie down and turn around comfortably."

The inside of a Texas greyhound breeding farm, 2012

This sounds nice, but it doesn't actually dispute any of the data in our report regarding confinement. Thankfully, we have facts that we can assess to determine whether Briggs is correct or not. According to Texas regulations, dog track cages must be three feet wide, four feet deep, and three feet high. This cage size is standard throughout the industry. According to the American Greyhound Council, a front group for greyhound breeders, most greyhounds stand between 23 inches and 30 inches tall at the shoulder, and weigh between 50 and 85 pounds. Using these dimensions provided by the industry itself, it's clear that large greyhounds cannot stand fully erect in the cages used at Gulf Greyhound Park.

"Greyhounds must be turned out for exercise four to five times daily to ensure that they remain in top condition."

Our report clearly states that greyhounds are given several daily turnouts. However, these are hardly "exercise" sessions. In reality, dozens of greyhounds are "turned out" as a group in a small turnout pen and allowed to relieve themselves.

"When they're not racing or exercising, they prefer to rest"

I've debated with greyhound breeders for over a decade, and in the end they always argue that somehow the dogs like the life of confinement they are forced to endure. They really don't understand that the general public finds this rationalization both unbelievable and abhorrent. Moving on, Briggs next tries to defend the use of 4-D meat:

"The meat they consume is the same found in most commercial pet foods"

This is true. However, pet food companies cook raw 4-D meat to remove dangerous pathogens. Greyhounds are fed raw 4-D meat from downed animals that have been deemed unfit for human consumption. This statement by Briggs also illustrates another tactic that dog race promoters use. Rather than deny that they use a substandard method, they will instead argue that other industries also use this bad standard practice. Of course, this is irrelevant.

"If this product weren't healthy and nutritious for greyhounds, it would be impossible for these canine athletes to perform as they do."

First of all, whether the use of 4-D meat leads to problems is a matter of fact that is easily resolved. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, raw 4-D meat "may present a potential health hazard to the animals that consume it and to the people who handle it.” Further, the industry handbook Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound states that the use of 4-D meat can cause dogs to be exposed to pathogenic microorganisms, and also lead to false drug positives. So you can decide who to believe on this issue: Sally Briggs, or the Food and Drug Administration and the industry's own handbook.

Before moving on, however, we should also address the argument Briggs makes that it would "be impossible" for greyhounds to perform if 4-D meat weren't "healthy and nutritious for greyhounds." Again, we can easily consult with Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound to determine whether this is true or not. The book is very clear on this issue, stating unequivocally that 4-D meat is not used because it is somehow "healthy and nutritious" but instead because “it is the most economically feasible for the Greyhound industry at this time.”

In closing, Briggs again attacks greyhound advocates and gives readers one final generic denial without addressing any facts:

"Grey2K and other animal rights groups benefit financially when the public is deceived about greyhound racing. Good animal care doesn't generate donations. That's why these organizations distort the facts."

Volunteers campaign for the dogs in Massachusetts

For years, dog race promoters have been using this same tired gameplan. They can't deny any of the issues that are raised by the humane community because the problems are real and factual. Instead, they are left with a self-serving strategy that looks something like:

1. Generically claim, without addressing any specific facts, that animal protection groups are lying about the greyhound racing industry.
2. When they are forced to address facts, they spin them by using terms like "comfortable crates" to make things sound better then they really are.
3. Personally attack anyone who speaks up for the greyhounds.

In the end, this strategy will not work. The public can see right through their smoke and mirrors, and are already siding with the dogs.

Racing Commissioner Publicly Apologizes

GREY2K USA Board President Christine Dorchak & Zoe

Earlier this week, GREY2K USA sent Governor Jan Brewer a letter asking that she remove Arizona Racing Commissioner Rory Goree for inappropriate public statements he has made. In recent months, Goree has made a sexual remark regarding GREY2K USA Board President Christine Dorchak, mocked Christine over a near-fatal accident she suffered two decades ago, stated that he wanted to make it much more difficult for citizen groups to submit public information requests, and also suggested that confidential tips of greyhound cruelty should not be reported to the authorities.

Late last night, Goree publicly apologized for these remarks. His apology was initially posted on Facebook, and is being reported by the Arizona Republic. In part, his apology reads:

"This has riled up my Russian temper, causing me (on occasion) to go off the rails and express myself in ways that were probably not appropriate or thoughtfully considered ... To those whom I may have offended in the past, I offer my sincere apologies."

I'm glad that Goree now acknowledges his statements were inappropriate. His apology is factually incorrect, however, in claiming that these inappropriate statements were in response to "personal attacks" directed at him. An examination of his full comments, in context, clearly shows that is not the case.

In his apology, Goree also claimed that he now wants to focus on being an effective regulator of the dog racing industry:

"My job is to make sure that racing in Arizona is clean, well-regulated and (most important to me) humane. I plan to focus on that goal from this point forward, so don't be surprised if you notice a new, more civil tone to my comments."

If Goree is sincere in this regard, then I look forward to working with him to make positive changes. As a first step, I propose working directly with Goree and other Racing Commissioners to fully implement the Tucson Dog Protection Act, a local ordinance passed by voters in 2008 to improve humane conditions at Tucson Greyhound Park.

This law prohibits extensive confinement of racing greyhounds, prohibits the use of anabolic steroids, and prohibits the use of raw ‘4-D’ meat from downed and diseased animals. So far, the track has refused to adhere to this humane law, and is simply thumbing its nose at the voters.

Even though Goree did not support this humane law when it was proposed, we are hopeful that as a member of the Racing Commission he will acknowledge that duly passed citizen laws should be honored and implemented.

It's hard to know if Goree is sincere in his apology, but actions speak louder than words. He now has an opportunity to demonstrate his commitment to greyhound welfare by setting aside differences and working with us. I hope he accepts my offer of collaboration. It would be wonderful if these reprehensible public comments were instead turned into a positive for the greyhounds. I think that is possible, and the ball is in Rory Goree's court.

Study Documents Salmonella Infections at Greyhound Breeding Farm, Link to 4-D Meat

At racetracks across the country, greyhounds are routinely fed raw 4-D meat from animals that are dying, diseased, disabled or dead. This meat is deemed unfit for human consumption and contains denatured charcoal to discourage human use.

The use of this meat may not be the most egregious practice in the racing industry, but it is a typical example of greyhound breeders trying to maximize their profit margin. With every dog, their goal is to derive as much profit as possible while incurring the least amount of costs. Even the industry handbook Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound, acknowledges that this meat is used because “it is the most economically feasible for the Greyhound industry at this time.”

Greyhound breeders often argue that 4-D meat is also used for pet foods, and that is true. However, pet food manufacturers cook the meat to remove pathogens. By contrast, greyhound breeders feed raw 4-D meat to dogs. Many breeders even believe that cooking the meat would cause greyhounds to be less competitive.

This is a critical distinction that has ramifications on the health and welfare of greyhounds. For example, a 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association examined Salmonella enterica infections at a greyhound breeding farm. According to the study:

"Although such meat is an inexpensive source of protein, it has the potential to expose animals to many pathogenic microorganisms, including Salmonella spp, Campylobacter jejuni, and Escherichia coli, especially when fed raw."

The study was conducted after there was an outbreak of diarrheal disease and death among young puppies at the farm. In total, 133 samples were taken at the facility of which 88 (66%) tested positive for Salmonella enterica. The study concluded:

S enterica infections and environmental contamination were common at this facility. A portion of the Salmonella strains detected on the premises was likely introduced via raw meat that was the primary dietary constituent. Some strains appeared to be widely disseminated in the population. Feeding meat that had not been cooked properly, particularly meat classified as unfit for human consumption, likely contributed to the infections in these dogs.

Feeding dogs raw 4-D meat as a way to cut costs is reckless. Taken together with confinement greyhounds endure, the injuries they suffer, and all of the other problems in the industry, it's clear that dog racing is cruel and inhumane and must end.