Florida is Focus of Global Fight to End Dog Racing

This weekend, Palm Beach County in Florida will become the focus of the global effort to end greyhound racing. Two dozen top animal welfare experts from across the world are joining together in Delray Beach to hold the first ever international conference on greyhound advocacy, named Greyhounds Around the Globe.

Commercial dog racing is now conducted at 146 racetracks in eight countries. Greyhounds routinely suffer racing injuries at these tracks including broken legs, broken necks, dislocations, torn muscles and paralysis. Some dogs die while racing while others are put down due to the severity of their injuries, or simply because of their diminished value as racers. More than 12,000 injuries have been documented in the U.S. alone since 2008, and in Florida a racing greyhound is dying every three days, on average.

In New South Wales, Australia, recent governments report shows that thirty-nine dogs were killed while racing in just over two months, and that 70% of all racing dogs may have been destroyed over the last dozen years, as either puppies or failed racers. At the Canidrome in Macau, the only legal dog track in China, greyhounds receive little or no veterinary care and are routinely killed at a rate of thirty per month. Because there is no adoption program, no dog gets out alive. In the countries of Great Britain, Mexico, Ireland, Vietnam and New Zealand, records are still not publicly disclosed, so the number of greyhound injuries and deaths remain an industry secret.

A worldwide movement has emerged to fight this cruel industry, and we are gradually winning. Grassroots advocates have linked arms with established animal protection groups like The Humane Society of the United States, RSPCA Australia, Animals Australia, Animals Asia, Anima Macau, the British RSPCA and the ASPCA. This coalition is fighting for a phase out of commercial dog racing, while also advocating for key industry reforms.

GREY2K USA Worldwide lobbyist Michael Preston Green declares victory in Arizona

Just in the last year, we have won stunning greyhound protection victories. In May, Arizona became the 40th American state to outlaw greyhound racing. The largest Australian state, New South Wales, voted to prohibit dog racing in August. Although the government has since decided to allow a small remnant of the industry to temporarily survive, dozens of tracks are still slated to close. Also in August it was announced that the last dog track in London, iconic Wimbledon Stadium, is permanently closing. Meanwhile, the Macau Canidrome is in the process of shutting down after the government refused to extend its land lease.

Florida has become the epicenter of this global fight, and humane advocates are starting to win victories in the Sunshine State, too. In March, lawmakers passed a budget proviso requiring the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to report greyhound injuries to the public for the first time. The dogs won again this summer when Seminole County Commissioners approved the Greyhound Protection Act, a local citizens initiative to require greyhound injury reporting, require reporting on the ultimate fate of racing dogs, and eliminate a loophole that exempted greyhounds from County licensing and inspection laws.

We realize our historic conference is taking place only twenty miles from Palm Beach Kennel Club, the preeminent commercial dog track in the world. To its credit, Palm Beach has directed its attention to some humane issues and recently announced a series of adoption events in the month of October. Nevertheless, it is not immune from the culture of cruelty that permeates the greyhound industry. According to state records, 25 dogs have died at Palm Beach since 2013. To ensure the track has a ready supply of racers, hundreds of greyhounds endure lives of confinement, kept in cages barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around for long hours each day.

At the conclusion of our conference, our coalition will send a letter to the heads of states of the eight countries that still host commercial dog tracks. We will urge them to support legislation to end greyhound racing and tell them that dogs deserve better. It is time for this cruelty to end in Florida, the state where it started, and worldwide.

Jeroen van Kernebeek: Why We Fight for Greyhounds

I am reporting only a few hundred meters away from where Australia’s first greyhound race took place at what was then called Epping in New South Wales. It was a day all of us wish had never happened. But it did, and this started 90 years of cruelty to greyhounds in Australia as the industry soon expanded and currently operates 67 tracks in all states and territories.

Happily, this week marks a massive change of fortune for the greys. With the New South Wales Parliament passing legislation to close all of its 34 tracks by July 1 2017, half of this country’s operating facilities will be shuttered and thousands of greyhounds will be spared from injury, abuse and death each year going forward.

Let’s briefly put this into perspective. There are just eight jurisdictions in the world with a commercial dog racing industry and five of these combined have fewer tracks than the number of tracks that will be closing in NSW (USA, Macau, Mexico, New Zealand and Vietnam). The whole of the UK has 35 tracks. These numbers show how big this week’s victory is!

Wednesday’s decision by the NSW Parliament to stop dog racing has redefined the future for greyhounds in Australia. This decision is an absolute turning point in both our Australian and global fight to end this atrocious industry. The Australian Capital Territory (the ACT) has already announced that the industry has no future. Suffering and dying dogs are a fixed part of racing and only ending racing will stop the suffering.

GREY2K USA Worldwide works with partners in all eight countries where a commercial greyhound racing industry still exists to phase out this cruelty. We are knocking down the last remaining states in the US one by one. It is also likely that racing in Macau will end soon due to our joint campaign with ANIMA, Animals Asia and Animals Australia. And in both the UK and Ireland the industry has come under intense fire for its failure to take the welfare of dogs seriously.

The times are with us because collectively we have alerted our communities to the plight of these animals and we have inspired action to speak up against what is so obviously and inherently wrong. The days of greyhound exploitation for a bet and a profit are numbered. Our societies simply don’t tolerate it anymore. On behalf of GREY2K USA Worldwide, I thank all of you for fighting on the greyhounds’ side. Let’s celebrate this moment together with our rescued greyhounds. We look forward to continue to work with you to give greyhounds around the world the wonderful and safe future they so much deserve.

Down the road from where I live, in the opposite direction of where the Epping track used to be, is Australia’s best known greyhound race track, Wentworth Park. On race nights, I can hear the lure go around and sometimes the dogs barking in the kennels. It is a frequent reminder of the greyhounds’ misery and why we are fighting this fight. We are incredibly relieved that these noises will soon be a thing of the past. But our fight will continue to free all greyhounds around the globe from cruelty. Your donation will help the animals so much.

Irish Board Encourages Breeding as Greyhounds Die

Emily the abandoned greyhound. Photo by the Irish Sun.

For years Ireland has been at the epicenter of a massive greyhound welfare problem. Thousands of greyhound are bred each year in the Republic, and many are sent to compete at British racetracks. Nearly 54,000 Irish bred greyhounds were shipped to British racetracks between 2006 and 2013, and the ultimate fate for many of these dogs is unknown.

In Ireland itself, a large number of dogs are discarded by the racing industry each year. The issue was summarized in 2010 by Michael Watts of Society of Greyhound Vets and Countryside Alliance Ireland:

"We have a large number of young greyhounds that, in the nature of things, are perhaps not handled much, not very socialised and not house trained. In many cases, they do not make good pets. There are a large number of them, and what are we to do with them?"

Similar concerns were raised only months ago by Irish Times Racing Correspondent Brian O'Connor. In a well-reasoned column, O'Connor called for a culture change within the racing industry and specifically highlighted the challenge of greyhound overbreeding:

"The question of overproduction is a particular issue for greyhound racing. A horse produces a single foal every year; a dog can produce a litter of pups every two months. It is much cheaper to maintain a dog until establishing if it can run fast, so the more produced, the more chance of a good runner ...  They can’t all run fast, and the slow ones, and old ones, aren’t all rehomed. So where do they end up? Some will tell you plenty of animals don’t make it to registration in the first place. Of those that do, some are sold and exported, and some unwanted animals get rehomed. Others are, to use the anodyne phrase, 'euthanised' in a proper and professional manner. But those involved in welfare still talk of thousands 'disappearing' each year, with all the sinister connotations implicit in that word."

There certainly are greyhounds that suffer greatly in Ireland after being discarded by the racing industry. In January, an emaciated dog named Emily was dumped in a ditch in County Tipperary after having her racing tattoos burned out with acid and her tailed hacked off. Incredibly, she survived her ordeal.

Enter the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB). Rather than address this serious problem, the industry promoter has released a plan that will make things worse. It has earmarked 250,000 Euros in new funding for a "breeders incentive scheme" as part of a a total industry support plan worth 700,000 Euros. Meanwhile, no new funding whatsoever has been allocated for greyhound welfare. Ironically, this new breeders incentive scheme was announced shortly after a legislative report identified problems with the current Irish stud book, including "ongoing issues concerning the breeding of greyhounds with dogs which were dead for two years or more."

This is a serious miscalculation by the Board. It will not only cause the death of dogs, it will harm the industry in the long run. Rather than ramp up breeding, industry promoters in Ireland should follow their colleagues in Australia, who are decreasing breeding as part of an overall animal welfare plan.

Greyhounds Run Into the Ground at Mexico Track

Three weeks ago, GREY2K USA Board member Charmaine Settle inspected Agua Caliente, the only greyhound racetrack in Mexico. Her inspection follows similar visits to greyhound tracks in Macau, Vietnam, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina.

Caliente is owned by Jorge Hank Rhon, the controversial former major of Tijuana. Throughout his life Rhon has been plagued by scandal. He has been accused of having links to organized crime, being connected to the murder of an investigative reporter, and participating in the trade of illegal wildlife.

Agua Caliente races dogs that are bred in the U.S. and shipped across the border by American greyhound breeders. Julia Ward, the current President of the National Greyhound Association, is one of the largest owners of dogs currently racing at the Tijuana track.

Here are some of Charmaine's thoughts about what she saw:

"Caliente is a very large, modern facility which houses a casino and simulcasts of various sports, with dogs racing outside. Flamingos and white swans greet you when you approach the massive entrance and when you get inside, large paintings adorn the walls on  your way to the casino."

"The kennels, which are within steps of the casino on the same property, are run down and neglected. This juxtaposition was striking, and unsettling. It continued to bother me long after I had left."

"If you walk out of the track and continue down a ramp to the left you begin to hear all the dogs barking and can see, through trees, a shantytown where the dogs live."

"The kennels looked terribly old, crumbling and dilapidated with some of the roofs looking like they were about to cave in. The kennels appeared to have no windows letting in any light or fresh air. With temperatures approaching a hundred degrees, I can't imagine how hot and miserable the poor dogs must be while they suffer in the confines of their cells."

"I asked questions, and was told that about eighty dogs were used for the matinee that day, and each dog races about three or four times per week."

Sadly, the information Charmaine was provided about race frequency at Caliente appears to be accurate. According to an analysis by GREY2K USA Research Director Matt Read, greyhounds routinely race on little rest at the Mexico track. For example, a dog named Coach Hero has entered in a shocking 413 races since 2011. Nearly half of his races occurred after he received only a single day of rest, and nearly three-quarters of his racing starts occurred after he received two days or less. An examination of other dogs competing at the track shows that Coach Hero isn't the exception. When it comes to racing on little rest, he's the tragic rule.

Coach Hero also highlights the fact that Caliente is a place where American greyhound breeders dump dogs. Even though he's racing in Mexico, Coach Hero is owned by Greg Geter, a top recipient of state dog race subsidies in West Virginia.

A photo Charmaine took of the Caliente kennel compound

Racing dogs on little rest is inhumane and irresponsible. It increases the risk of injury, and can cause a disorder named exertional rhabdomyolysis, in which skeletal muscles begin to break down. According to industry handbook Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound, this disorder appears in overworked greyhounds, which it defines as "two to three races or trials per week."

The American greyhound breeders who are sending dogs to race in Mexico, including NGA President Julia Ward, should be ashamed of themselves. The very existence of this low end track, where greyhounds are run into the ground, is another reminder that this cruel industry routinely places profits before animal welfare.

In Macau, an Historic Moment for the Greyhounds

First International Roundtable on Greyhounds, photo by Heather Neil

After meeting with greyhound advocates in New Zealand and Australia, GREY2K USA Worldwide President Christine Dorchak and I ended our marathon campaign trip in Macau. All over the world dog racing is the subject of controversy, and the center of this debate is the Canidrome greyhound track, where every racing dog is eventually killed.

Christine and I inspected the track, a sad facility that reeks of death. Greyhounds with visible bandages and severed tails race before an empty grandstand. Seeing the worst dog track in the world strengthened my resolve to end this animal cruelty.

The Canidrome sits on government land, and has a lease that expires at the end of this year. Nearly 300,000 citizens from across the globe have already signed a petition to Macau Chief Executive Chui Sai On, asking him to let the track close. While in Macau, we were given a high level meeting with the Macau government, and left encouraged that a victory for the dogs is possible.

Our trip to Macau also made history. For the first time, top level animal protection leaders from all over the world joined together, in person, to address the cruelty of greyhound racing. We were incredibly honored to be joined at this meeting by Lyn White from Animals Australia, Paul Littlefair from the British RSPCA, Heather Neil from RSPCA Australia, Nancy Lai from the Taiwan SPCA, Teresa Lee and Chris Cui from the SPCA Hong Kong, Karina O'Carrol and Irene Feng from Animals Asia, Qin Xiaona from the Capital Animal Welfare Association, Kirsten Mitchell from Kirsten's Zoo and others. This all-star panel of animal protection advocates planned a strategy to close the Canidrome, and discussed other greyhound welfare issues.

This historic event was hosted by non-profit group Anima Macau and its dynamic President, Albano Martins. Albano is a true champion for all dogs, and it's a good sign that he is leading the fight to help the Canidrome greyhounds.

Christine and I are now back in the GREY2K USA Worldwide office, catching up on domestic campaigns in Florida, West Virginia and other states. Although the United States will always be our top priority, I see how intertwined the many fights now underway to help greyhounds truly are. This is a global problem, and deserves a global solution.

Change Coming to Australian Dog Racing Industry

Over the last two days, GREY2K USA Worldwide President Christine Dorchak and I held a series of key meetings in Melbourne, Australia, during the second leg of our campaign trek through Australasia and China.

We Meet With the Excellent Animals Australia Team

First, we held a comprehensive strategy meeting with powerhouse humane organization Animals Australia. In many ways Animals Australia reminds me of our key British ally, the League Against Cruel Sports. It is clever, committed, and not afraid to take on a tough fight. The work Animals Australia is doing for greyhounds is one of the most significant new developments in the global fight to end dog racing.

We then met with several top officials from RSPCA Australia, a national non-profit organization that is widely respected and speaks with a powerful voice in advocating for Australian greyhounds.


These visits were followed by a series of meetings with top representatives from the Australian greyhound racing industry, including Greyhounds Australasia CEO Scott Parker. We had a very open conversation, a stark contrast to the bunker mentality we experienced in New Zealand, and have witnessed for years in America. During nearly four hours of talks, it became clear that industry executives in Australia are fully aware that commercial dog racing is out of step with mainstream values on animal welfare, and fundamental changes are necessary.

After these industry talks, we received an informative briefing on the Australian political system from leaders of the Animals Justice Party. The Party recently won its first parliamentary seat, and will no doubt lead the passage of major humane victories in the years to come.

Carey Theil and Scott Parker After Hours of Industry Talks

Finally, we had dinner with the Greyhound Equality Society and Amazing Greys Greyhound Rescue and Adoption. The Greyhound Equality Society is doggedly fighting to repeal a wrongheaded requirement that all adopted greyhounds be muzzled in public, a victory that seems inevitable. Meanwhile, Amazing Greys is doing incredible work helping to find homes for rescued greyhounds, with an all-volunteer effort. This meeting provided us with invaluable insights about greyhound adoption in Victoria, and was a wonderful end to our time in Melbourne.

Even though we have only been in the country for a few days, it is breathtaking to see how many different people are working to improve the lives of greyhounds. Mainstream animal protection groups, adoption advocates, political parties and even the industry itself all recognize that the status quo cannot continue, and greyhounds deserve better. Based on these meetings, I am more confident than ever that fundamental changes are on the way Down Under.

Kiwis Speak Up For Greyhounds

Christine and I meet with Lynn Charlton, Bob Kerridge & Lucy

Last week, GREY2K USA Worldwide President Christine Dorchak and I embarked on our most ambitious journey yet to fight for greyhounds, a two-week, four country campaign swing across Australasia and China.

Our trek began in New Zealand. After twenty hours of air flight, we were greeted by dynamic greyhound advocate Lynn Charlton. Lynn is a leading voice for racing dogs in the country, and graciously allowed us to stay with her and her three adopted dogs.

The morning after our arrival, we held a strategy meeting with key greyhound campaigners from across the country, including Saving Wilma and the Greyhound Protection League of New Zealand. Together, we attempted a site inspection of the Auckland Greyhound Racing Club, a visit that was cut short when we were asked to leave a few moments after we asked questions about how the track operates. I was surprised by the level of anxiety we encountered at the track, which bordered on paranoia. In all my years advocating for greyhounds, I have never encountered a track that so clearly has something to hide.

On our second day in New Zealand, we met with Safe for New Zealand, a tenacious animal protection group that fights animal cruelty on many fronts. Safe is dedicated to ending greyhound racing completely, and is a valuable ally.

After meeting with Safe we sat for an interview with barrister, journalist and author Catriona MacLennan. Catriona thoroughly reported on our fact finding trip for greyhounds, and the sad reality that greyhounds in New Zealand face.

Finally, on our way to the airport we visited with Bob Kerridge at the Auckland SPCA. Bob is a titanic figure in the New Zealand animal protection community, and has worked to help animals for decades. The greyhounds have a good friend in the Auckland SPCA, and in Bob.

Even though we were only in New Zealand for less than 48 hours, it's clear to me that the pieces are already in place to secure the passage of significant reforms for greyhounds. Industry insiders should think twice about their current bunker mentality, which will only hasten the end of commercial dog racing in their country.

A New Hope for British Greyhounds

For decades, greyhounds have suffered and died in Great Britain. There are 33 commercial tracks in the country, and more than 7,500 greyhounds were registered to race in 2013. In recent years one humane problem after another has been documented, and as a result there is an active grassroots movement fighting to outlaw the industry.

At GREY2K USA Worldwide, we stand in solidarity with these grassroots groups. At the same time, we are excited by the emergence of a new voice for British greyhounds. The League Against Cruel Sports is an effective, established, savvy organization. Formed in 1924, the League advocates for animals through many means, including investigations, campaigning, and lobbying.

Three weeks ago, GREY2K USA Worldwide President Christine Dorchak and I joined the League at a special event in Parliament, where we released a joint report. The State of Greyhound Racing in Great Britain covers humane, economic and regulatory issues. It also calls for the following changes:

• A public review, by lawmakers, of current greyhound welfare regulations.

• Independent regulation of the greyhound industry. Right now, the industry regulates itself, a policy that has proven to be disastrous.

• Full public reporting on greyhound injuries, breeding, import and export, transport, daily living conditions, retirement, adoption and euthanasia.

• A prohibition on the use of anabolic steroids to prevent estrus in female greyhounds.

• A moratorium on the opening of any new dog tracks.

• A system to track every racing greyhound, from birth to death.

• A legal requirement that every racing greyhound ultimately be adopted.

• New licensing requirements for greyhound breeding.

These are all common sense measures that will help thousands of dogs. More importantly, they will begin to lift the veil of secrecy that now shrouds the greyhound industry.

This is the industry's last chance. It can either make real reforms or face a full-blown campaign that will not stop until commercial dog racing is prohibited. Either way, I'm convinced that change is inevitable in Great Britain. There is now a broad based coalition for the dogs, a partnership of grassroots advocates from all over the country joined with an effective national organization.

This coalition has already made an impact: the release of a landmark report, a powerful video, and the launch of an official government petition that already has nearly 15,000 signatures. These are the first achievements for a campaign that has the potential to move mountains.

The British greyhound racing industry has nowhere to run, and can no longer hide.

Progress in Our Fight to End Dog Racing in Macau

Greyhounds at the Canidrome, 2011.

Last week, we learned that our campaign to end greyhound racing at the Macau Canidrome has taken a major step forward. In a filing with the New South Wales government, Australian dog racing officials indicated that greyhound passports to Macau are now banned.  According to Greyhound Racing New South Wales:

"GRNSW does not support the export of greyhounds to any country that do not meet contemporary animal welfare standards ... and supports the decision of Greyhounds Australasia to suspend the issuing of 'greyhound passports' to Macau in March 2013. That suspension still exists."

Since this ban has been in effect, the number of greyhounds exported to Macau has significantly dropped. More importantly, this development should send a powerful message to the Macau government that the track is not viable.

Unfortunately, greyhounds are still being shipped to Macau by individuals who are flouting the industry imposed ban on exports. This proves that the Australian dog racing industry is incapable of regulating itself, and further change is needed.

The Canidrome is now completely isolated. Animal protection groups from across the world have called on the government to close the track, because of  policies that are cruel and inhumane. Now the Canidrome has been rejected by the dog racing industry itself, a sure sign that the end is near for this death track.

The Canidrome sits on property that is owned by Macau, and its land lease expires at the end of 2015. The lease should be allowed to end, finally closing a sad chapter in Macau's history.

Animal Advocates in Asia Speak Up for Greyhounds

A racing greyhound in Vietnam, March 2012

Asia is a key area in the global fight to end greyhound racing. In Macau advocates have joined Anima Macau in an effort to close the Canidrome, a dead-end track where Australian dogs go to die. Meanwhile, greyhound racing is expanding in Vietnam and Cambodia, and humane groups are cracking down on illegal greyhound racing in India. Other Asian countries, including Pakistan, have non-commercial forms of greyhound racing.

That is why we were so pleased last month for the opportunity to provide information for the Asia for Animals (AFA) Coalition's 2014 Conference. AFA is a coalition of 14 well known and respected animal protection organizations including Animals Asia, the RSPCA and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

We put together a short presentation for the conference, outlining the challenges greyhounds face throughout Asia. In response, the AFA coalition officially endorsed two policy positions created by its Animals in Entertainment working group:

The AFA animals in entertainment coalition "support(s) the ANIMA campaign to close the Macau Canidrome"

The AFA animals in entertainment coalition "support(s) the GREY2K USA international campaign to prevent further development of the greyhound racing industry in Asia"

We are grateful to have this support, and look forward to working with our new partners to make life better for Asian greyhounds.

All over the world, leaders of the humane movement are speaking up for greyhounds. This is fantastic news, and yet another sign that the cruelty of commercial dog racing will eventually end everywhere.

New Zealand Dog Track Official: Animal Welfare Means Digging a Good Death Pit

A New Zealand greyhound death pit, image by Farmwatch

In the December edition of On Track Magazine, Greyhound Racing New Zealand official Greg Kerr gave bizarre advice to trainers on how they should make greyhound death pits.

In part, Kerr wrote that while "dealing with the disposal of your animal can be very unpleasant" it is "necessary."  He went on to remind greyhound trainers of the factors they need to consider when burying dead greyhounds:

"Regardless of the method of disposal you choose, make certain you have all the facts and information first before proceeding. Always be aware of wells, surface water, public areas and property lines. Also consider if seasonal water will be an issue: often different times of year will cause the water table to rise."

Kerr added that trainers must take local wildlife into account in disposing of their dead greyhounds:

"If composting or burying, take steps to ensure wildlife or other animals on your property cannot access the carcass."

Kerr also told greyhound trainers that when burying their dead greyhounds, they should think about what season it is:

"Consider your options well in advance, and make plans for different seasons: for example it may be impossible to bury a carcass during the winter months due to frozen ground and high water tables."

On Track Magazine is the "official information bulletin" of Greyhound Racing New Zealand (GRNZ), and this essay appeared under the header "welfare news." In fact, Kerr is the official "Animal Welfare Manager" for the industry.

This is not the first example of the New Zealand dog racing industry using death pits. Just a few weeks ago, news program 3rd Degree reported on a greyhound death pit that was found on the property of GRNZ Board Member Phil Green. Their reported followed an investigation by the Greyhound Protection League of New Zealand and Farmwatch. When he was caught, Green was the chair of the industry's supposed animal welfare committee. He has since resigned his position.

It's clear that for Greyhound Racing New Zealand, animal welfare means little more than being thoughtful when burying your dead greyhounds.  In his essay, Kerr actually claimed that the advice he was giving was a way of showing greyhounds "dignity and respect." He wrote:

"Carcasses should be disposed of immediately, and treated with the dignity and respect they deserve."

Rather than focus on digging good death pits, the New Zealand dog racing industry should begin showing greyhounds a little dignity while they are still alive.

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.

A Global Campaign to Help Greyhounds

On Saturday night I had the honor of announcing GREY2K USA Worldwide, a new international effort to end the cruelty of greyhound racing.

For this special occasion, I was joined by GREY2K USA President Christine Dorchak, our Australian director Jeroen van Kernebeek, and League Against Cruel Sports CEO Joe Duckworth. Surrounded by a room of friends and allies, we reflected on the victories we have already won and the work we have left to do.

In the official announcement, we described our improbable journey which began as a defeated local ballot question committee:

"Twelve years ago, Christine Dorchak and I formed GREY2K USA with an absurd notion, that ordinary citizens could bring about change ... we started with very little. We did not have an endowment, or a powerful backer, or a team of experienced staff members. Instead, we had a tiny office with no windows, a small but committed Board of Directors, and a dream. A dream we had lived through, in which we had given the greyhounds a voice, and stood up to two of the most powerful tracks in the country, before finally losing one of the closest ballot questions in state history."

We then outlined the progress that has been made so far:

"A dozen years later, we have ended greyhound racing in New England. The number of active dog tracks in the U.S. has been cut from 48 to 21, with the remaining tracks on the verge of collapse. Despite this success, our work is not over. We must continue to fight until dogs no longer live in cages, no longer suffer injuries, and are no longer discarded, for an industry built on greed and denial."

Finally we made the announcement about our transition:

"We are here tonight, because we are also called to help greyhounds in other parts of the world ... GREY2K USA Worldwide will seek to give greyhounds a global voice, because the greyhounds in London and Sydney are just as important as the greyhounds in Miami and Des Moines ... this is a global industry of cruelty, and it deserves a global response."

All over the world, there are grassroots groups and non-profit organizations who are striving to give greyhounds a voice. By working together, we can send a message that regardless of where it exists, the cruelty of greyhound racing will not be tolerated.

Good Greyhound News From Both Sides of the World

Pilot lives with her adopted family in California

All across the world, the fight to end greyhound racing is moving forward.

According to new data that has been released by the Arizona Department of Racing, gambling at Tucson Greyhound Park amounted to just $12.6 million in the last Fiscal Year. That represents a catastrophic drop of 21.7% in just a single year, and is the lowest level of business for the track since at least 2001.

Tucson is a dead end track with a long history of humane problems. Based on this new data, I am more optimistic than ever before that it could soon close. It also provides some perspective on the recent attempt by Arizona Department of Racing Director Bill Walsh to thwart the will of the voters, and overturn a prohibition on anabolic steroids in the dog race industry. Rather than regulate this dying activity, Walsh has apparently decided to perpetuate industry standard practices that are cruel and inhumane.

Meanwhile, more good news for greyhounds was announced seven thousand miles away at the Macau Canidrome. According to new government statistics, the number of dogs imported to the track from Australia is down by 56% compared to a year ago. Because the Canidrome has no adoption program, this drop in imports likely means that the number of greyhounds killed has also been greatly reduced.

While greyhound breeders continue their campaign of innuendo and personal attack, the racing industry is collapsing around them. This progress should encourage everyone in the humane community, and motivate us to work even harder for the dogs.

GREY2K USA Board Member Reports on Greyhound Racing in Argentina

Charmaine at the Navarro Club races in Argentina

In recent years GREY2K USA Board Member Charmaine Settle has investigated greyhound racing in several parts of the world, including Vietnam, Macau, New Zealand and Australia. This February she explored dog racing in Argentina. Below, you will find excerpts from her report. Please also check out this slide show of photographs she took while she was there.

Charmaine's investigation summary begins by giving us a context for these organized races:

"On February 17 I hired a car and driver to take me from a hotel in Buenos Aires into the countryside to the city of Navarro. The Navarro Galgo Club was having a Sunday meet, off a secluded dirt road which proved difficult to find if you didn't already know its location. This was a non-commercial, organized meet in the middle of a field on a small, homemade track. We were told these informal galgo races took place in the countryside year-round on Sunday afternoons, changing geographic locations each week with different galgo clubs involved."

Charmaine then describes the general scene surrounding the races:

"After paying admission, we drove into the event which seemed like a neighborhood barbecue on a sunny Sunday afternoon with family, friends and, of course, galgos. The people were friendly as my husband and I strolled around the grounds, although no one spoke English. Most people had brought a small number of dogs to race in a straight track in the middle of a field. The overall feeling was that these dogs were a simple hobby to the majority of owners, an easy way to make a little extra money on the weekends. The field's surface looked surprisingly good with soft dirt which was sprayed down with water after each race. Around three hundred spectators of all ages stood at the railing and watched the races, which were scheduled to take place between noon and 3:00 PM, with the youngest dogs competing first."

The straight race course uses a stoplight

Next, Charmaine's report documents the races themselves:

"As many as twelve dogs competed in each race. The track had a Stop and Go light on the side of the field and camera box at the end. There was no cable system but instead dogs chased a paper bag on a string. Before each race the dogs were paraded around a small fenced area so people could view them and place bets on their dog of choice. Meanwhile, a man who sounded like an auctioneer was shouting out in a non-stop, strong and loud voice the specifics of each dog who was about to compete. The names and numbers of the dogs were hanging on a chalkboard attached to a tree. Bets were made between people attending the races, or against the Club itself. After the wagers were made, the dogs were taken to the starting boxes."

Charmaine asked participants about the ultimate fate of these dogs, but was not provided much information:

"We were told the dogs raced until they were five or six years old, and some were used for breeding after that. The disposition of the remaining dogs was unclear, and no one would give us a straight answer. We were later told that galgos are highly desired by Argentinian ranchers, who use them for field work."

She was also deeply troubled by owners that she witnessed striking dogs, and also by their general attitude toward the racers:

"In a few cases we saw people who treated their dogs kindly, but many of the owners physically reprimanded the dogs. In response to any behavior they did not like, the owners would raise their hand over a dog's head and strike them with a blow to the face via hand, leash, or muzzle. It appeared the rationale was that a strike on the face would not damage their running body. It hurt me to witness these dogs being struck. In most cases, no affection or attention was shown to the dogs. They seemed to be invisible to the owners, just a thing to hopefully bring in extra money."

A race dog kept in the car trunk

Of all the issues Charmaine documented, perhaps the most disturbing is the way in which dogs are transported to these race events:

"The most troubling behavior was seeing individuals cram their dogs into the trunk of a small car for transport, as opposed to others who at least had makeshift wooden box trailers behind their vehicles, or just let them ride in the backseat of their car. These individuals would transport the dogs from their home to the meet in the car trunk, leave several dogs in the trunk until their race began, then push them back into the trunk after the race was over. The dogs would be left there for hours while the owner went into the crowd to enjoy the barbecue."

Finally, Charmaine writes about race dog puppies she saw for sale, and gives her sad perspective on the future of this activity:

Race puppies for sale

"I also saw puppies for sale in cages, just staring out as they were about to start their new life of misery, neglect and ultimate death. I worry that the outlook here is grim, with these race meets potentially continuing for many years as they are passed down from one generation to the next."

Even though this is not the large-scale commercial dog racing we are most familiar with, these informal races do raise serious questions. It's also important to remember that there is a longstanding relationship between these races and commercial greyhound breeders, with at least some former race dogs being sent to Argentina.

As always, we are grateful for Charmaine's reporting of this important issue. Her work is one of the many reasons why I am proud to serve as Executive Director for GREY2K USA.

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.

Dog Race Revenue at Macau Track Drops by a Staggering 31%

In Macau, the Canidrome racetrack is losing the debate over greyhound racing.

According to new statistics from the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordinator Bureau (DICJ), in 2012 dog race revenues at the Canidrome declined by a staggering 31%. This revenue drop shows that public opinion is turning against the track, and it is starting to pay a heavy price for its stubbornness.

Over the past year, GREY2K USA has fought for changes in Macau, working with Animals Asia, Animals Australia and ANIMA. The Canidrome has no adoption program, and every greyhound that competes at the facility is eventually killed. More recently, we have reached out to the global animal welfare community to ask for its help, and the response has been overwhelming. Today, there is a global chorus of voices speaking up for the Macau greyhounds.

So far, the Canidrome's owners have tried to simply ignore this wave of criticism. They have pretended as if nothing has happened, and are continuing to kill dogs. This callousness goes against our global humane values, and as a result the track is now in great danger of a total loss. The Canidrome's land lease expires in 2015, and it is quickly running out of second chances.

The Canidrome's owners must now make a choice: they can stop killing greyhounds or be prepared to face future losses and eventually see the track close. Either way, change is on the way for the greyhounds in Macau.

Macau Government: Brooklyn is Still Alive

According to the Macau government, Brooklyn the greyhound is still alive.

Brooklyn is a four-year-old red, white and fawn greyhound who was born in Australia. He has spent the last several years at the Canidrome dog track in Macau, a deeply troubled facility where all greyhounds eventually die.

GREY2K USA Board member Charmaine Settle took Brooklyn's photograph when she inspected the Canidrome in October 2011. Since then his story has been reported by newspapers across the world, and he has become the face of a global campaign to help all of the Macau greyhounds.

More than eight months have passed since Brooklyn last raced, and with each passing day we have become increasingly concerned. On May 5, 2012 he apparently fell during a race, was injured and finished sixth. According to a translation of the tracks' website, his "hind leg" was "cut wounded on web." Six days later, an update was posted which stated that his injury had been "cured."

Last month we sent a letter to the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, and asked them to determine Brooklyn's fate. In part, we wrote:

"Seven months have now passed since Brooklyn was reportedly 'cured' of his injury, yet he has never raced again.  Sadly, we fear he may no longer be alive."

Today, we received an official response from the Macau government which claims that Brooklyn is in fact still alive. According to the government:

"Please be notified that Brooklyn, which is now under the ownership of Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome Co. Ltd., is still in recess after his injury had been cured."

The government's response also addressed the effort to create an adoption program at the track, a program that has still not been implemented:

"During the past few months, we found that the IACM has already been discussing and co-operating with Macau Canidrome and Macau's Society for the Protection of Animals (ANIMA). Also, they are now still in the process studying and arranging the adoption program for the dogs retired."

Finally, the government said that they will continue to monitor the situation and Brooklyn in particular:

"As being compliance with our competences and obligations, and respecting the willingness of the owner of Brooklyn, we should continue to pay close attention on the development of this issue."

We are relieved to hear that Brooklyn is apparently still alive. At the same time, there is much more work that needs to be done to help the Canidrome dogs. Please visit RescueBrooklyn.org today, and lend your voice to this important fight. I know that together, we can bring about change at this terrible track.