NGA Tells Sheriff Not to File Charges, Instead Tries to Profit from Greyhound Neglect Case

A greyhound puppy at the Vonderstrasse
farm in Kansas, 2012

Last week the National Greyhound Association (NGA) announced it was revoking the membership of Shane Vonderstrasse, after an inspection at his Arkansas breeding facility found greyhounds "not receiving proper care and adequate shelter." The NGA is a lobby group that represents greyhound breeders.

In its statement, the NGA indicated that it was "accompanied by local law enforcement" agents during the inspection. It also quoted Executive Director Gary Guccione, who claimed this incident is proof the industry effectively polices itself:

"This was an unusual case that required NGA's immediate action and full attention ... NGA representatives and members responded to the situation swiftly and effectively." 

As usual, the NGA is only telling the public part of the story. The full truth is shocking, and proves that the NGA's top priority is protecting greyhound breeders, even those who have committed acts of serious animal neglect.

According to an official Incident Report from the Izard County Sheriff's Office, a large number of dogs were in distress when the Vonderstrasse inspection occurred. Citing a witness, the Report states:

"There was 141 dogs that were alive and 2 were deceased (sic) ... some of them had to be nursed back to health ... the dogs that were dead had died from lack of food and water. He said Mr. [redacted] only had financial ability and means to house 50 to 60 dogs."

NGA Executive Gary Guccione,
photo from Facebook, 2013

The report also indicates that Vonderstrasse had at least one previous incident involving animal welfare, and the NGA "had a problem with [name redacted] a short time back in Abilene concerning greyhound dogs and had to pick up a number of the dogs at that time." This previous incident has also been mentioned in recent industry discussions.

After the dogs were rescued, the Izard County Sheriff's Office asked the NGA if it wanted to press charges against Vonderstrasse:

"I asked [name redacted] if they wished for the state to press charges on [name redacted] for this incident. He told me I needed to talk with Gary Guccione [partially redacted] to see if they wished to press charges."

Incredibly, three days later the NGA responded by telling the Sheriff's Office not to charge Vonderstrasse with animal neglect:

"He stated that he did not wish to pursue charges because he believed they 'got all they were going to get' from [name redacted]. [name redacted] also said he would not be willing to come to Izard County to testify in Court."

As outrageous as that admission is, the next revelation in the Incident Report is even more troubling:

After being rescued, Lady Wire and her four young
puppies are being auctioned off on Friday

"He also stated he did not want people knowing that he was not willing to do so."

Unfortunately, this story has one more sad chapter. After being rescued, some of the Vonderstrasse dogs were given to adoption groups. But at least 23 dogs from the case are being auctioned off to the highest bidder by the NGA on Friday. The auction list includes a nine-year-old fawn greyhound named Gable Eris. Three years ago she was sold to Vonderstrasse for a mere $400, and after everything she has been through she deserves a break.

But there will be no retirement for Gable Eris if the NGA gets its way. She is on the auction block so the industry can make a few more dollars off of her sad life. She is joined by seven other female greyhounds to be used for breeding, including an eight-year-old red fawn greyhound named Lady Wire. Lady Wire is being auctioned off with four young puppies that are only a few weeks old. Her puppies were born nine days after Lady Wire was removed from the Vonderstrasse farm.

Enough is enough. The NGA should be seen for what it actually is: a lobby group that covers up for greyhound breeders, and prevents them from being held accountable for their actions. It puts out press releases, while at the same time actively enabling greyhound cruelty and neglect.

To Greyhound Breeders Dogs are Merely "Overstock"

The Fall 2013 National Greyhound Association Auction

Earlier this month the National Greyhound Association (NGA) held a semi-annual dog auction in Abilene, Kansas. These events occur in the Spring and Fall, and are one of the last remaining vestiges of commercial dog racing. At these auctions young greyhounds are sold off to the highest bidder. Older females are also sold, destined to live as breeding dogs for the racing industry.

Greyhound breeders claim that they love their dogs. However, reading through this year's official Fall Auction Program, it seems that the dogs are nothing more than products. For example, the entry for a three-year-old female greyhound named WW's Fly Away indicates that she is being sold as part of an "overstock reduction sale." In total, twenty greyhounds had nearly identical notations. All of these dogs were being sold by greyhound breeder Julia Ward who was just elected as President of the NGA.

The entry for WW's Fly Away also includes this tragic note:

"Last bred to Little Andy, whelped naturally, but all pups died."

One of the greyhounds being auctioned off for breeding was nine years old, and at least seven other dogs were eight years old. The entry for one of these greyhounds, Flying Dawn, states that she has "produced top grade racers in her first two litters." Another entry, for eight-year-old Flying Brookside, states that she "offers the opportunity to own a Kiowa Sweet Trey daughter" and adds that two of her sisters have "been excellent producers."

Similar language is found in the entry for SE's Kelsey C, which indicates that she was being sold "to dissolve a partnership." This is what greyhounds are to the commercial racing industry. They aren't members of the family, but instead are "opportunities" and "producers." Rather than living beings, they are "partnerships" and  "overstock" that needs to be "reduced."

Finally, these sad auction entries also provide information on greyhound injuries. Dog race promoters like to claim that injuries are rare, but this industry data suggests otherwise. Many entries include information about past injuries that dogs suffered, including:

"Injured early."

"Had nagging problem that affected her racing career."

"Retired due to injury."

"She was injured in second start of Puppy Stakes."

"Retired with stopper injury."

"She got hurt her seventh start."

Beneath the public relation facade, this is the true face of the greyhound racing industry. A dwindling number of people who buy and sell eight-year-old greyhounds and view them as nothing more than "producers" and "overstock." This kind of ideology is out of touch with mainstream values, and will soon disappear with the industry it supports.

Greyhounds Win Victories, but the Best is Yet to Come

Rescued greyhound Flak living the good life in Texas.

Across the country state legislatures are adjourning, ending what has been the best session for greyhounds in at least three years. Several states passed important greyhound protection laws, while others rejected attempts to prop up the cruelty of dog racing.

• In Arizona, lawmakers passed a requirement that greyhound injuries be reported to the public.

• In Arkansas, Texas, and Arizona, laws were passed to increase the maximum penalties for dog track violations, including the strongest penalties ever.

• Proposals to revive greyhound racing were rejected in Texas and Kansas, while a bill to encourage the legalization of dog racing in Hawaii was defeated.

• Lawmakers defeated a bill that would have required the Texas Racing Commission, a regulatory agency, to promote greyhound racing.

• In Colorado, lawmakers refused to permanently extend greyhound simulcasting.

Each of these victories is important. Taken together, they reflect a growing consensus that greyhound cruelty is a serious issue that deserves legislative attention. They also suggest that the dog racing industry, which was once a legislative force to be reckoned with, has lost much of its influence.

GREY2K USA was actively involved in every one of these efforts. We joined other animal protection groups, grassroots volunteers, state regulators, and compassionate lawmakers to make sure that the greyhounds were given a voice. In fact, this legislative session is a textbook case of how we approach our work as a non-profit greyhound protection organization.

First, we extensively research greyhound racing until we know the industry better than it knows itself. Second, we collaborate with other humane organizations and grassroots volunteers. Finally, the coalitions we form engage in the public arena and call for positive changes to help greyhounds.

This recipe for success works, and our victories this year bode well for future greyhound protection campaigns. As Frank Sinatra once sang, the best is yet to come.

Victory for the Dogs: Watch the Video Greyhound Breeders Don't Want You to See

A greyhound lives outside at an Oklahoma breeding facility

On Christmas morning, greyhound advocates won a major victory when the Secret Life of Greyhound Puppies was restored by YouTube. This video documents the greyhound breeding industry as never before, and includes photographs that were taken by local officials, greyhound breeders, and owners, at facilities in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and West Virginia.  This video is the first real glimpse into the secretive greyhound breeding industry, and shows puppies being tattooed at a few months of age, puppies kept outside with just small buildings for shelter, and breeding dogs enduring lives of confinement.

The video was temporarily removed from YouTube earlier this month after a greyhound breeder filed a false copyright claim. We immediately responded to this claim, and asserted our fair use and free speech rights. Yesterday, our response was accepted and the video was fully restored.

It shouldn't surprise anyone that greyhound breeders would go to extreme lengths to prevent the public from seeing how greyhounds live. However, GREY2K USA will not be deterred by these cynical tactics. I predicted that we would win this challenge when it was filed, and noted that we have won every such challenge we have faced.

Please watch The Secret Life of Greyhound Puppies today, then forward it to everyone you know. Let's send dog race promoters a message that they cannot silence us, and we will continue to be a strong voice for the greyhounds.

 

The Secret Life of Greyhound Puppies

A greyhound mother with her puppies

Thanks to the hard work of local adoption groups, the public has become increasingly familiar with greyhounds and their gentle nature. Few of us, however, know what life is like for greyhound puppies in the racing industry.

I'm hopeful this will start to change today with the release of a new video, The Secret Life of Greyhound Puppies, which documents the greyhound breeding industry as never before. This new video contains photographs that were taken between 2006 and 2012 by local officials, greyhound breeders, and owners, at facilities in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and West Virginia.

The Secret Life of Greyhound Puppies shows greyhound puppies being tattooed at a few months of age, puppies kept outside with just small buildings for shelter, and breeding dogs enduring lives of confinement.  Some of the photographs in this new video were taken by county officials at an Oklahoma greyhound breeding farm owned by Kay Smith, one of the largest greyhound breeders in the country. These Oklahoma photographs are being publicly released today for the first time.

A greyhound puppy being tattooed

I'm confident that the more people know about commercial greyhound racing, the better things will be for greyhounds. Please watch our new video today, and then share it with others. Together, we can make real changes for these sweet dogs, and move closer to the day when greyhound racing ends completely.

National Greyhound Association Losing Fight Over Dog Protections in Home State of Kansas

Photo by Kansas City REGAP

In Kansas, most dogs are protected by the state Pet Animal Act.  This law requires that dog breeders be licensed and undergo routine inspections.  It also mandates minimum standards of care, including a requirement that shelters euthanize animals only through modern methods.  This good law is hardly radical, and some of its provisions date back nearly forty years.  It does not, however, currently apply to greyhounds.

For years, the National Greyhound Association has fought hard to ensure that greyhounds remain exempt from the Pet Animal Act.  Until this year, the group has succeeded in ensuring that greyhounds don't receive these basic legal protections.  This year, however, things might turn out differently.

A proposal now moving through the legislature, House Bill 2596, would eliminate the greyhound exemption in the Pet Animal Act.  The bill has already been approved by both the state House and Senate, and is now waiting for one final procedural vote before going to Governor Sam Brownback for his signature.

HB 2596 is not perfect.  Even though greyhound breeders have so far been unable to prevent its passage, they were able to win a compromise.  In place of the greyhound exemption, new language will be added which states that the Pet Protection Act will not apply to any farm or kennel that is registered with and inspected by the National Greyhound Association.  Although this is a setback, the new language will also give the Agriculture Commissioner some authority to inspect greyhound breeding facilities.

Even with this compromise, HB 2596 is a step in the right direction.  I'm hopeful that it will become law, and Kansas greyhounds will finally be given a few more protections.

Finally, it's curious that greyhound breeders have fought so hard against this humane change.  It makes you wonder, what exactly do Kansas greyhound breeders have to hide?