Dogs Die While Greyhound Trainers Threaten Lawsuits

In our meetings last month, leaders of the Australian greyhound racing industry repeatedly emphasized the need to reduce greyhound breeding and increase adoption. Today, according to an estimate by Animals Australia, as many as 18,000 healthy greyhounds are killed by the racing industry each year.

To address this issue, industry group Greyhound Racing New South Wales (GRNSW) has implemented new breeding restrictions that took effect on July 1. Key aspects include:

• GRNSW must provide approval for the breeding of any greyhound over the age of eight.

• Female greyhounds can only be bred three times, unless GRNSW provides specific approval for additional litters.

• Greyhounds may only have two litters in any eighteen month period.

Although these guidelines are far from perfect, they are common sense measures that will improve the lives of greyhounds used for breeding. According to GRNSW:

"These Rules are aimed at improving the health and welfare of our breeding females, and to minimise the number of greyhounds bred that may not be suitable for racing."

Unfortunately, it appears that Australian greyhound breeders would prefer to ignore the problem, and continue the status quo. According to recent meeting minutes from the Greyhound Racing Industry Consultation Group, an organization that represents greyhound trainers and breeders, it is "concerned" about the new breeding restrictions. The minutes also state that trainers believe breeding is "at a low" and are worried that the industry "may face issues providing sufficient numbers" of greyhound puppies in the years to come. This assessment is wrong and incredibly callous.

In a follow up letter to GRNSW, the Richmond Race Club went even further. After complaining that the new policy will harm "passive breeders," it suggested there may be litigation over the new breeding restrictions:

"Members of the Greyhound Industry have received advice that the new policy is actually a ‘restriction of trade.’ Has GRNSW received legal advice on the possible impacts of this policy and does it meet with legal requirements?"

This sad episode is a great example of why the Australian dog racing industry is doomed. While thousands of dogs die, greyhound trainers complain about their financial bottom line and threaten lawsuits. The next time they wonder why the public has turned against them, they should take a long look in the mirror.

Industry Report Suggests Dog Racing is "Blood Sport"

In Australia, even the racing industry itself has recognized that fundamental change is necessary to improve greyhound welfare. This point was made repeatedly in our direct meetings with industry leaders, who surprisingly acknowledged the fact that dog racing is out of touch with mainstream values.

This disconnect was highlighted again last week, in a report released by the Working Dog Alliance Australia and funded by industry body Greyhound Racing New South Wales. Several of the report's findings have already made headlines, including the acknowledgement that an estimated 40% of greyhound puppies bred for racing never make it to a track.

The most notable finding, however, is the suggestion that greyhound racing may be rightly classified as a blood sport. The report defines these as "activities where the death of an animal is a likely, if not guaranteed, outcome of the entertainment," such as "bull-fighting, dog-fighting, cockfighting, coursing and a number of other sports that are still 'played' in the world today, despite vocal protest against them." The report then points out that although dog races in themselves do not always cause death, "violence and abuse can manifest in different contexts across the lifecycle of the greyhound, including breeding, rearing, training/racing, housing and racing career end-point." Finally, it concludes:

"As such, the physical abuse, risk of injury and culling mean that greyhound racing has a likely, if not guaranteed, risk of death for the participating dog, which means some would classify it as a blood sport."

In the coming years there will be a major push to increase adoption in Australia and end the unnecessary killing of unprofitable greyhounds. We must all support this effort. At the same time, it's unclear whether such a transformation is attainable. Australia has a population that is equal to only 7% of the U.S. population, but a racing industry that is similar in size to its American counterpart. As a result, the number of available homes for rescued greyhounds is far more limited.

Sadly, while industry leaders fight for change, the response from other participants has been abysmal. Just a few days ago, NSW regulators were allegedly shot at and assaulted during a routine inspection. Afterward, former trainer Tony Vass told ABC News that there is widespread anger among greyhound trainers who believe they are being "bullied." These trainers are nothing short of delusional. They are whistling while walking past the graveyard, convincing themselves that somehow they are in the right, while the broader community rejects their cruel blood sport.

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.

Millionaire Greyhound Breeder Tells Group to Kill Dog

Millionaire greyhound breeder
Brad Boeckenstedt, photo by the NGA

In the next few days, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad will either sign or veto a bill to phase out greyhound racing in Iowa. The measure, Senate File 2362, will permanently end dog racing at one track and discontinue $14 million in annual subsidies for greyhound breeders. Even though the dog racing industry won major concessions, this bill is a big step forward for greyhounds.

Before Governor Branstad makes a final decision on SF 2362, he should take a moment to think about millionaire greyhound breeder Brad Boeckenstedt. Perhaps more than any other individual, Boeckenstedt personifies the problem that has been caused by current Iowa law. Even though greyhound racing is dying, Boeckenstedt has received at least $4.75 million in subsidy payments since 2009.

Since Boeckenstedt's private greyhound breeding business is heavily subsidized, you would think he would ensure positive outcomes for every dog he races. Sadly, that is not the case. Just yesterday, we received state records from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation regarding greyhound deaths in the Sunshine State. One of these documents provides evidence about what really happens to greyhounds bred by Boeckenstedt.

On April 2, 2014 a greyhound named Boc's Velocity suffered a broken leg at Melbourne Greyhound Park. Melbourne is a low-end track where gambling is virtually non existent. The track is only open because it is required to hold races, by law, in order to operate a profitable poker room. A witness statement included in the official record of Velocity's death indicates what happened next:

"Velocity's leg was stabilized and splinted by the track veterinarian, Dr. Richard George."

The dog was then turned over to a local greyhound adoption group. Velocity was "comfortable" and "did not show any signs of pain." The adoption group decided to save the dog, and stated:

"(We) wanted to repair Velocity's leg as we have done hundreds of times before with other greyhounds."

When the group contacted the owner of Velocity, though, they were told to instead have the dog killed:

"The greyhound's racing owner, Brad Boeckenstedt, was contacted and it was relayed to me that he wanted the greyhound euthanized."

Unfortunately, Velocity died on the operating table while undergoing surgery to repair his leg. When he died, he was only two years old.

In Velocity, we see the real face of the Iowa dog racing industry. At the same time that greyhound breeders take millions of dollars in subsidies, they race their dogs at low end Florida tracks. When dogs like Velocity inevitably suffer injuries, they are simply discarded.

Is Governor Branstad going to let greyhound breeders get away with this? Greyhound racing has been a stain on Iowa for years, and the time has come for it to end. A powerful argument for change was made by the Governor himself, only a few months ago on February 26:

"Dog racing is a dying industry all over the country. A lot of dog tracks have closed, the information I've seen is that attendance has dropped dramatically ... we already have one that's closed in Waterloo, and we have two more in Iowa that want to close."

Please contact Governor Terry Branstad right away, and ask him to sign SF 2362. Tell him he should do it for Velocity, and all the other dogs who have suffered as a result of a bad law.

Greyhound Death Pit Exposed in New Zealand

The New Zealand dog racing industry is again under fire, after news program 3rd Degree reported last night that a greyhound death pit was discovered on the property of a notable greyhound trainer. The pit included multiple greyhound bodies that had been burned, and numerous skeletal remains.

The pit was found on the property of Phil Green, a Greyhound Racing New Zealand board member who heads up the industry's supposed welfare committee. As Greyhound Protection League of New Zealand founder Aaron Cross told 3rd Degree, Phil Green is a personification of the industry itself.

In an attempt to defend himself, Green claimed that the dead greyhounds on his property were killed by lethal injection and then burned on site to save money. According to him, the dogs were disposed of in this way because of "economics." He also claimed that he has "respect" for the dogs that were killed and burned on his property:

"I've got nothing but respect for the dogs ... I believe the dogs deserve to die gracefully."

Green also told 3rd Degree that he has become a scapegoat for a practice that is widespread in the racing industry:

"You obtained the footage, and it'll be looked at, and people will put a slant on it, and the general public will perceive it as being horrific."

Of course, this is nothing more than an attempt to rationalize greyhound cruelty. Young healthy dogs do not "deserve to die gracefully." They deserve to live with a family in a loving home. Green's denial is proof that the greyhound racing industry will go to any lengths to defend its inhumane practices. When it comes to commercial dog racing, apparently no one is responsible for its perpetual cycle of suffering and death.

Thankfully, the greyhounds have committed grassroots groups fighting for them, like the Greyhound Protection League of New Zealand. GREY2K USA Worldwide helped fund part of this undercover investigation, and we are proud of our role in the effort. We look forward to working with our allies in New Zealand for years to come, and I'm confident that together we can bring about change.

Two-Faced Report Highlights Greyhound Suffering and Death in New Zealand

A greyhound at Manukau Stadium in Auckland, November 2012 

In February the Greyhound Protection League of New Zealand presented more than 1,500 signatures to the government, and called  for an independent review of greyhound racing. Although this call for transparency has not yet led to government action, it did result in a very unusual response from dog race promoters.

Last week, the New Zealand Greyhound Racing Association released a 56-page report in which they review themselves, while at the same time calling it an "independent" inquiry. Their findings are, to put it mildly, a bit bizarre.

The report begins by announcing on the very first page that the authors found no evidence of  humane problems:

"The review team investigations found little evidence of issues relating to the care of greyhounds during their racing careers."

It goes on to add:

"Interviews with participants in the Greyhound Racing industry highlighted that many owners and trainers are committed to the welfare and safety of their dogs and care passionately about them throughout their lives."

Of course, it is no surprise that the dog racing industry would approve of the way it does business. What is surprising, however, is the rest of the report. Once you get past this blanket dismissal, the remainder of the review represents the strongest case yet for why dog racing should end. In fact, documentation of a serious humane issue is cited in the very next paragraph:

"Our analyses suggest that approximately 35% of greyhounds whelped never make it to the track. Due to a lack of effective reporting the review team was unable to establish what happens to these greyhounds."

In the paragraph after that, the report indicates that roughly seven hundred greyhounds were killed between 2009 and 2012, and that the true number may be much higher:

"30% of the 2,305 greyhounds leaving racing between 2009 and 2012 are recorded as deceased by NZGRA with the potential for this number to be significantly higher due to the lack of effective tracking of retired greyhounds."

The next thirty pages are essentially a long laundry list of one humane problem after another:

"A further issue facing the greyhound racing industry is the incidence of injuries occurring during racing."

"Although there is veterinary attendance and at every race meeting, the practice of recording and monitoring injuries in NZ has been inadequate."

"In the process of the review a culture of non-enforcement and non-compliance of welfare rules was evident."

"There is a need for more responsibility to be taken by greyhound owners for their dogs. There are currently no NZGRA rules that specifically impart this responsibility."

"There are no controls or regulations in place over controlling the numbers or quality of greyhounds bred."

"During our review we asked owners and trainers if they have ever had a healthy greyhound euthanized. The response was that 77% have had a healthy greyhound euthanized."

This extensive recitation of animal welfare concerns is briefly interrupted on page 31, when the report strangely claims again that there are no problems:

"Whilst there will always be exceptions in any diverse community, it is our conclusion that, on the whole, racing greyhounds during their career are well looked after and cared for."

However, this denial is contradicted by the very next sentence, which indicates that "there are no formal minimum standards of welfare in place."
In its closing pages, the report continues to document a myriad of serious animal welfare concerns:

"It is noticeable that 40% of trainers interviewed did not know that NZGRA has an Animal Welfare Policy."

"There is currently no detailed analysis of injury reporting undertaken and there are no analyses in place to establish issues with particular tracks or parts of tracks, particular trainers or particular greyhounds."

"The NZGRA Board formed an Animal Welfare Committee in 2012 ... However, it is noted that there are no independent members on this committee with a detailed knowledge of animal welfare matters."

"The NZGRA Board has not been as pro-active as it should have been with regard to welfare issues."

"There is currently no designated Welfare Officer in place at NZGRA and it is noted that welfare activities undertaken by NZGRA are performed by several management and staff members on top of their standard workloads."

Finally, the review ends by stating that there is a "clear need" for "change in the greyhound racing industry in terms of rules and regulations, education and awareness, and in attitudes towards welfare."

I have to wonder whether such a two-faced report could only come from the greyhound racing industry. To summarize this bizarre review, there are no problems, except there are lots of problems, but there really are no problems, and finally there is a "clear need" to fix the problems that the industry does not have.

Lawmakers, journalists, and members of the public should read this report thoroughly and draw their own conclusions. Do they really want to support an industry that is responsible for so much greyhound suffering and death?

Help Us Remember a Greyhound Named Fortune Teller

Fortune Teller died at Gulf Greyhound Park in January 2012

This afternoon, we released a new video that documents greyhound injuries and deaths at Gulf Greyhound Park in Texas.

The footage, which was taken by the track itself, shows the final races of three dogs who died at the facility. It also also contains new data on greyhound injuries at Gulf, and documents an ongoing problem. In 2012 a total of 291 greyhound injuries were reported at Gulf Greyhound Park, including dogs that suffered broken legs, dislocations and puncture wounds.

Further, during the year eleven greyhounds died or were euthanized after racing at Gulf. That is why we should all take a moment to watch this video. It represents the final chapter in the lives of greyhounds Fortune Teller, Lawnmower Man and Bob's Skeeter.

These dogs deserve to have their stories told. For example, Fortune Teller was a 73-pound fawn greyhound who died when he was just two years old. During a race at Gulf on January 11, he was bumped by other dogs, rolled, and broke several bones in his back right leg before being destroyed.

Reading over Fortune Teller's official injury report, it makes me wonder how many dogs like him will have to die for a form of gambling that is no longer popular. That is why we are working so hard at GREY2K USA to end greyhound racing.

Please help us fight for greyhounds by watching this video today, and then share it with everyone you know. Even though Fortune Teller will never have a loving home, the least we can do is bear witness to his untimely death. He died needlessly, the inevitable result of a cruel industry that used him as nothing more than a number to gamble on.

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.

A Plea for Dog Race Transparency in New Zealand

Last week the Greyhound Protection League of New Zealand submitted more than 1,500 signatures to the government, and asked for an independent inquiry into the dog racing industry. Specifically, the organization has asked officials to seek information on the number of greyhounds bred and imported, the number of greyhounds that are adopted and euthanized, and the number of racing dogs that suffer injuries.

This request comes only a few months after a groundbreaking investigation by television program 60 Minutes, which found that hundreds of greyhounds are disappearing every year in New Zealand. These dogs are officially being reported as "retired," even though 60 Minutes proved that in at least some cases they had actually been killed.

So far the greyhound racing industry has resisted an independent inquiry, and instead commissioned its own study. Members of Parliament should be skeptical of this review, and keep in mind that dog race promoters have a vested interest in covering up greyhound deaths.

As this debate moves forward, there is one thing I'm certain of. The Greyhound Protection League of New Zealand will continue to fight for the greyhounds, and call for change. We are proud to support its efforts, and look forward to working with this bold group in the years ahead.

Animal Protection Groups From All Over the World Calling for Change at Macau Dog Track

More than a year has passed since we reached out to the Canidrome dog track in Macau, and asked them to make positive improvements for the greyhounds. Although there have been hopeful signs that change may soon occur, the track has so far used a delay strategy in hopes the greyhound debate would just go away. That is not going to happen.

Two weeks ago, we joined Animals Australia, Animals Asia, and ANIMA and together sent a letter to every major animal protection organization in the world. We urged these humane groups to join together as one unified voice, and intensify the pressure on the Canidrome. In part, we told these organizations:

"Although we feel optimistic that a humane solution may be found for the dogs at the Canidrome in time, this will only come about through sustained international pressure on the governments of Macau and Australia ... We are confident that if the global animal welfare community stands together and speaks up for the greyhounds in Macau, this is one cruelty that can end."

The response to this call to action has been overwhelming. So far, more than two dozen major humane groups have agreed to help, including Humane Society International, the International Fund for Animal Welfare Australia, SPCA Auckland, GreytExploitations, the League Against Cruel Sports, the National Greyhound Adoption Program, Greyhound Rescue Holland and World Animal Net. These compassionate organizations are directly contacting the governments of Macau and Australia, and asking them to close the Canidrome and end the export of greyhounds from Australia to Macau. Many of these groups are also asking their supporters to weigh in.

This incredible wave of support for the greyhounds in Macau is humbling. It also gives me great hope that we are on the verge of a major breakthrough. However, to win this effort we will need the help of everyone who cares about greyhounds. Please assist this effort today by doing two things:

• Send a polite e-mail to Macau Chief Executive Dr. Chui Sai On at gce@raem.gov.mo, and ask that the Canidrome be permanently closed.

• Send a polite e-mail to Australia's Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig at joe.ludwig@maff.gov.au, and ask him to immediately halt the export of greyhounds to Macau.

Finally, I sent a letter today to the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau and asked them to determine whether Brooklyn the greyhound is still alive. According to the Canidrome, Brooklyn was injured in his last race, and has not competed in seven months. I hope he is still alive, but fear that he may not be. Once we hear from the government, we will share any news we receive on his current status.

It has been a long road in our fight to help the greyhounds in Macau. But together, I know we can see it through to the end and make life better for these dogs.

Nearly Two Hundred Greyhounds Injured in Iowa, Debate on Decoupling Resumes

Harley raced at Dubuque Greyhound Park

The debate over greyhound decoupling in Iowa has resumed, and it couldn't come at a better time for the dogs.

On Sunday, the Des Moines Register reported the results of a GREY2K USA analysis of state greyhound injury reports. In total, 175 greyhound injuries were reported at Iowa dog tracks between January 2011 and July 2012. Most of these injuries involved broken legs, and other reported injuries included sprains, tears, a fractured skull and a broken neck. During the same time period, 24 greyhounds were euthanized. The Des Moines Register story was picked up the Associated Press, and is being reported all over the country.

In part, these greyhound injuries are a consequence of legislative inaction. As I told the Register, there isn't going to be a miraculous revival of dog racing. The only question now is how many dogs will suffer and die before lawmakers do the right thing.

In each of the last three years, legislation has been introduced that would allow Mystique Casino and Horseshoe Council Bluffs to stop dog racing. Under current law these two casinos must hold live greyhound races to stay open, and must also subsidize greyhound breeders with millions in casino profits. As a result of this bad public policy, greyhound racing is being artificially propped up even though interest in the races continues to decline.

I'm confident that these greyhound decoupling bills will pass when they were given a fair vote in the state legislature. Unfortunately that hasn't happened, and greyhound breeders have given lawmakers hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions while fighting to protect their subsidies.

Thankfully, there is reason to be optimistic about the upcoming session. This morning, Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan told the Daily Nonpareil newspaper that he would support repurposing the dog track at Horseshoe Council Bluffs. Meanwhile, State Representative Mark Brandenberg told the newspaper that he not only supported the proposal, but he believed it will create jobs:

"If we could develop that, there could be more jobs. It might be different kinds of jobs, but it would help the economy."

Finally, it's worth noting that dog race promoters used misleading arguments when they were asked to comment on greyhound injuries in the state. When he was contacted by the Register, lobbyist Jim Quilty claimed that the greyhound injury rate is lower than the injury rate for high school athletes. This absurd comparison was discredited in 2008 by leading expert Dr. Dawn Comstock. Referring to the misuse of one of her studies, Dr. Comstock was blunt in her assessment of this claim:

"It's quite a bit of a misrepresentation."

Dr. Comstock also questioned the basic premise of comparing human athlete injuries to greyhound injuries, given their physiological differences.

Meanwhile, greyhound breeder Beverly Yates told the Register that many of the dogs that suffer injuries, including broken legs, eventually return to racing. This claim is simply false. According to two databases used by gamblers, nearly 80% of the greyhounds that were injured in Iowa between January 2011 and July 2012 never raced again.

Greyhound breeders use false arguments because they can't debate on the facts. They cannot deny that greyhound racing is no longer viable, or that a large number of dogs suffer broken legs and other injuries. Instead, all they can do is make another campaign contribution and hope that their subsidies continue.

Even though it will not come soon enough to help the dogs who have already suffered, I'm confident that Iowa lawmakers will soon make a humane choice and allow greyhound racing to end. If they don't, we will eventually hear about the greyhounds who died in 2013 because of a bad law.

Dog Deaths Highlight Problems at Arkansas Racetrack

This morning, information on greyhound injuries in Arkansas was made public for the first time in a front-page Arkansas Times news story.

In part, the Times reported on a GREY2K USA analysis of greyhound injuries at Southland Greyhound Park. According to data we received from the state, 452 greyhound injuries were reported at Southland between 2008 and March 2012. Nearly half of the reported injuries involved broken legs.

During the same period, 32 dogs died or were euthanized due to injuries at the track.

This new injury data also tells the sad story of individual dogs who suffered and died at Southland. For example:

The final race for Bow Rockabilly. Image by Southland Park.

• On February 24, 2011 a three-year-old black greyhound named Bow Rockabilly died after he fell into the track rail during a race at Southland. According to statistics kept by gamblers, Rockabilly raced more than 70 times before he died.

• A three-year-old red greyhound named Marvel At This was euthanized in October 2008 after she suffered a broken neck during a race at Southland.

• A two-year-old white and fawn greyhound named CG's Spectator was euthanized after he broke both front legs during a race at Southland on July 19, 2008. At the time of his last race, the temperature was 96 degrees.

These dogs were never given the chance to know a loving home. Rather than become part of a family, they raced so that gamblers could use them as a number to bet on. In the end, each of them suffered a catastrophic injury and paid the ultimate price of their lives.

Please read our full report on greyhound injuries at Southland Park, and check out today's Arkansas Times report. Then, tell others about the ongoing humane problems at Southland. If you have friends or family that live near the track, ask them to not support this facility.

We can't help dogs like Rockabilly, but we can try to help the greyhounds at Southland now. That starts with giving them a voice, and spreading the world about their cruel fate.

More than Eight Hundred Greyhound Injuries Reported at West Virginia Tracks, Forty Dogs Die

JA's Angry Sky suffered a broken leg in June 2011

This morning, GREY2K USA released an analysis of greyhound injury reports we received from the West Virginia Racing Commission, covering the entire year 2011.  During this time period, a total of 855 greyhound injuries were reported by the state, including dogs that suffered broken legs, lacerations, tears and dislocations.  More than two hundred greyhounds suffered career-ending injuries, and forty dogs died or were euthanized.

Our analysis was reported by the Charleston Daily Mail, and is being covered by news outlets across the country.  I'm grateful for this reporting, but am heartbroken that dogs are still dying at West Virginia racetracks.  This is not a new problem, and in fact greyhounds have been dying for years at two tracks in the state, Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras.

These dogs are more than just statistics.  It's tragic that Iruska IC Beauty, a brindle greyhound who was only two years old when she died, will never know the comfort of a loving family and permanent home.  Instead her life ended on April 16, 2011, when she suffered a spinal injury during a race at Mardi Gras.

Sadly, it appears that there is no immediate end in sight for fatal injuries like the death of Iruska IC Beauty.  West Virginia tracks have taken some measures to reduce injuries in recent years, and should be applauded for those actions.  It's now clear, however, that these improvements will not significantly address this issue.  Instead, track surface changes have merely trimmed around the edges of a continuing problem.

It's also also clear that the West Virginia Racing Commission is not committed to taking further action.  In an interview with the Daily Mail, Commission Director of Racing Jon Amores said that people "enjoy" the races and those who believe greyhound racing is cruel and inhumane should simply not attend:

"We know that this, like a lot of other similar activities, people ascribe a moral component to it - whether it be greyhound racing or gambling or anything that goes on at Mardi Gras - and we're unsurprised that they take that position and we disagree and we know that there are a lot of patrons that enjoy it and for those that don't, certainly no one is forcing them to participate."

I agree with Mr. Amores that humane minded citizens should opt to not "participate" by attending dog races.  There is a fundamental flaw in his reasoning, however.  The fact is, dog racing only exists in West Virginia today because greyhound breeders are being heavily subsidized with millions in casino gambling profits.  Also, the tracks are also forced to continue holding races as a requirement of their gambling licenses.  This policy of mandate and subsidize means that dog racing will continue indefinitely in West Virginia, regardless of how many people are attending races or betting on their outcomes.

Finally, it's crystal clear that the tracks will not address this problem themselves.  That reality is evident in comments made by track owner Dan Adkins to the Daily Mail.  Despite the fact that more than 500 injuries were reported at Mardi Gras in 2011, including fifteen dogs that died, Adkins told the newspaper that the track was doing "pretty damn good" when it came to injuries.  He also dismissed the problem by saying the injuries were "not all career ending."  This rationalization is cold comfort for the dogs that died at his track, like Iruska IC Beauty.

The bottom line is that until the law is changed hundreds of greyhounds will continue to be seriously injured, and die, in West Virginia.  Everyone who cares about dogs should be appalled by this situation, and should contact their state lawmakers to ask for their support in ending greyhound racing.  Otherwise, it's a sure bet that a year from now I will be writing about the hundreds of dogs that were injured, and the dogs that died, at West Virginia tracks in 2012.