Injured Greyhound Denied Care at Pensacola Track

Two weeks ago I sent a letter to Pensacola Greyhound Track to express my outrage over the neglect of a dog named Starring Act, who was injured in a dog fight on January 3. After the incident Starring Act was taken back to his cage by a kennel helper, who then tried to reach James Viles, the trainer responsible for the dog. Meanwhile, a second greyhound was fatally wounded and died within moments.

After consulting with track officials, the racing kennel decided against taking Starring Act to a local clinic and instead waited for a track veterinarian to arrive. The dog waited in his cage for more than five hours before being examined.

When a veterinarian finally saw Starring Act, she found that he had "received serious injuries to the neck, right front leg, and left rear leg." She euthanized Starring Act in the racing kennel because "due to the extent of the injuries ... she feared that moving the dog to her office would cause pain and suffering."

Starring Act should have received immediate care. He was failed by his trainer, his kennel, and Pensacola Greyhound Track. In my letter to the track's general manager I wrote:

"As a result of poor decisions that morning by Viles, in consultation with track veterinarian Dr. Hofmesiter and track racing officials, Starring Act was left in his cage for more than five hours before receiving veterinary care. There can be no doubt that Starring Act suffered as a result of these mistakes and was failed by your facility."

I also offered to assist Pensacola Greyhound Track in creating an emergency veterinary care policy, to ensure similar mistakes do not happen again. As of today, I have not received a response.

Finally, it's worth noting that trainer James Viles has a long history of state violations. He has been investigated 28 times for drug positives, animal deaths, and other issues. He has been fined by state regulators 15 times and formally reprimanded.

Starring Act suffered because the commercial dog racing industry puts profits ahead of animal welfare. He raced over 100 times for the gambling industry, but in the end wasn't even worth a trip to a local veterinary clinic when he needed immediate help.

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.

Fourth Dog Track Worker in West Virginia is Disciplined for Greyhound Abuse

Tucker raced at Mardi Gras dog track in West Virginia

In late October, the West Virginia Racing Commission revoked the license of dog track worker Cory Fisher for greyhound abuse. According to a state record:

"Fisher was observed showing inappropriate behavior to a greyhound by pulling on the collar and pushing the greyhound's head down in a rough manner."

During a state hearing on the incident, Fischer admitted to the incident and stated that he "was having a bad day." The incident occurred at Mardi Gras dog track.

This is the fourth time this year that a West Virginia dog track worker has been suspended or had his license revoked due to greyhound neglect or cruelty. Two individuals were sanctioned after an incident in March in which a greyhound named Kiowa Dutch Girl suffered a broken leg and was denied veterinary care. In April, an assistant greyhound trainer at Wheeling Island dog track was caught on surveillance video hitting two greyhounds.

The West Virginia Racing Commission should be applauded for addressing this issue, and taking action in these cases. It does raise questions, however, about the continued operation of dog racing in West Virginia. These are no longer isolated incidents, but instead represent a pattern of animal cruelty and neglect.

State Vet Saves the Life of Injured Greyhound

A photo of Kiowa Dutch Girl taken by Dr. Lori Bohenko

A few weeks ago I wrote about Kiowa Dutch Girl, a two-year-old red fawn greyhound who was denied veterinary care after suffering a broken leg at Wheeling Island dog track in West Virginia. Since then, we have received additional state records about Dutch Girl. These documents raise new questions, and also highlight the role of a state veterinarian in saving the greyhound's life.

According to an official state Record of Incident, West Virginia Racing Commission veterinarian Dr. Lori Bohenko visited the Cardinal Kennel on March 8 to check on Dutch Girl. The day before, state regulators had directed the kennel's owner to immediately transport the dog to a veterinary clinic so she could receive treatment. By that point, Dutch Girl had already suffered for at least three days with an untreated broken leg.

According to Dr. Bohenko, when she arrived on March 8 the dog's life was in jeopardy:

"James Grace greeted me and when I asked him 'what he knew' he responded by telling me that the dog was at K.E.Y. Animal Hospital and it looked like she would was going to be euthanized. I instructed him to call the clinic immediately and inform them not to euthanize 'Kiowa Dutch Girl.' As Jim was on the phone, I entered the kennel to look for 'Girl' and found that her crate was empty."

Dr. Bohenko also asked Grace why he had not contacted her when Dutch Girl was first injured:

"I then asked him why he didn't contact me and ask for help in stabilizing the dog. He had no answer."

Dr. Bohenko then contacted the veterinary clinic where Dutch Girl had been sent, and learned that the dog had broken one of her legs in three places. She asked the clinic when Dutch Girl had been admitted, and learned that Cardinal Kennel owner Bob Mackey had not immediately transported the dog to a veterinary as state regulators had instructed, but instead waited another day.  Because of this delay, Dr. Bohenko indicates that kennel owner Mackey violated state racing rules:

"Since Mr. Mackey had been informed by State Presiding Judge to transport 'Kiowa Dutch Girl' to a veterinary hospital immediately on Thursday, March 7, 2013 he is in violation of West Virginia Rules of Greyhound Racing as outlined below."

Despite this violation outlined by Dr. Bohenko, we have found absolutely no evidence that any disciplinary action was taken against Mackey.  Further, we have received no indication that Grace has been referred to local law enforcement officials for possible prosecution under the anti-cruelty law.

This sad case raises many important questions about how dog racing is regulated in West Virginia. As we move forward and address these issues, one thing is certain: Dr. Lori Bohenko saved the life of Kiowa Dutch Girl. For that, greyhound advocates across the country should be thankful.

Greyhound Trainer Who Denied Treatment to Injured Dog Should be Charged With Animal Cruelty

Earlier this month, the Charleston Daily Mail reported that assistant greyhound trainer James Grace had his state license revoked after a greyhound named Kiowa Dutch Girl suffered a broken leg and was denied veterinary care. The newspaper's story was based in part on information from GREY2K USA.

We are grateful that the Daily Mail shed light on this case, and also that the West Virginia Racing Commission took action against Grace and another individual. However, this should not be the end of the story. After examining the full case file, it's clear that Grace should also be charged under the state law against cruelty to animals.

In a sworn statement to state regulators, Grace admitted that he made the decision to not provide Dutch Girl with veterinary care. Incredibly, he tried to rationalize his poor choice by claiming that he was doing the best thing for Dutch Girl, and said that he has seen many other injured greyhounds be denied treatment:

"I know the dog owner, Kay Smith who owns a lot of dogs, and Bob Mackey the kennel owner, or the GPA wouldn't pay for the surgery ... I've been working with greyhounds for 35 years and I've seen many breaks over the years where dogs were not taken to the vet and they healed naturally and given away as pets."

Meanwhile, Dutch Girl suffered for at least three days before state officials intervened. According to a sworn statement from a witness:

"The whole rear (right) leg was swollen, she couldn't even get out of the cage. I had to lift her up and carry her out to go to the bathroom, and when her leg touched the floor she cried, and she was constantly panting as if she was exhausted."

West Virginia law states that it is illegal to intentionally withhold "medical treatment, necessary to sustain normal health and fitness or to end the suffering of any animal." In the coming weeks, we will encourage the proper authorities to investigate this case and take further action. All individuals who willfully neglect greyhounds must be held accountable in a court of law.

Iowa Greyhound Trainer Fined, Suspended After Dog is Neglected and Dies

According to a state document, Iowa greyhound trainer Diann Yochum was recently fined and suspended after a dog in her care was neglected and eventually died.  The incident started when greyhounds were being transferred from one kennel to another:

"On November 21, 2012, while transferring greyhounds to a different kennel it was reported to the Board of Stewards that DS Cyclone, a greyhound under your care, was in poor health."

A state ruling for the case indicates that the dog had initially been seen by a veterinarian on November 1 for "weight loss and swollen hind legs." After an examination DS Cyclone was placed on an IV and given medication, which was to be administered over the next four days. The greyhound was then not seen again by a veterinarian until fifteen days later, on November 16. According to the ruling:

"DS Cyclone was observed in the crate by a licensed veterinarian, and still showed signs of weight loss and muscle mass loss and a poor prognosis was given for DS Cyclone returning to racing."

A state veterinarian then "discussed the option of euthanasia" with Yochum and kennel owner James Lovely but they "decided to wait and see if the greyhound would improve."  According to the official state ruling, their delay "resulted in the further deterioration over a three-week period of DS Cyclone" and state regulators were informed on November 27 that the dog had died.

In taking action against Yochum, regulators found that she had neglected DS Cyclone:

"The Board of Stewards find that you failed to provide sufficient and/or adequate veterinary care to DS Cyclone in a timely manner."

During the investigation, Yochum also admitted to investigators that she had failed to report the death of another greyhound a month earlier. That dog, named DS Trouble, was severely injured in October and "experienced paralysis of its hind quarters." Two days later, she was euthanized.

Over the past few years, Iowa greyhound breeders have fought hard to protect a multi-million dollar subsidy they receive from slot machine profits. Sadly, this neglect case proves that dog race subsidies do not guarantee adequate care. In 2009 alone kennel owner James Lovely received $229,681.95 in purse payments, and the least he could do is ensure that dogs in his kennel receive prompt veterinary care.

Greyhound racing is no longer viable in Iowa, and only continues because it is being artificially propped up. For the dogs, it's time to end greyhound racing in the Hawkeye state.

State Veterinarian Accuses Arkansas Greyhound Trainer of Animal Neglect

Bobby Munson the greyhound, photo by Rachel Hogue

According to state records GREY2K USA recently obtained from the Arkansas Racing Commission, a greyhound trainer has been suspended after he was accused by a state veterinarian of animal neglect. Although the details of this case are not complete, the facts we do have are concerning.

In April 21, the Southland Greyhound Park Board of Judges held a formal hearing for greyhound trainer Bob Gray. Gray was asked to respond to a complaint that had been filed by Arkansas State Racing Commission veterinarian Lisa Robinson, in which she alleged that Gray "had been negligent in the care of Greyhound 'Bobby Munson.'"

According to a database maintained by the dog racing industry, Bobby Munson is a black greyhound that would now be three years old. He won at least six races, and was a 2011 Southland Festival of Stakes finalist. Another similar database indicates his last race occurred on April 16 and during this race he "pulled up."

The Southland Board of Judges ultimately could not verify Dr. Robinson's accusation of animal neglect. They did, however, suspend trainer Gray for 30 days after finding him "in violation for failure to follow Southland Park's Section 1200-04 on the DNC injured greyhound policy." This appears to be an internal Southland Greyhound Park policy related to injuries.

It is not clear where the greyhound Bobby Munson is now, or what his ultimate fate was. I certainly hope he is sleeping on a couch somewhere.

State Inspection: Ticks "Crawling up the Wall" in Kennel at Tucson Greyhound Park

With each passing month, more evidence emerges of humane problems at Tucson Greyhound Park.  Last week, we received new state records that document neglectful conditions in one of the track kennels, as well as an ongoing problem with greyhound injuries.

According to a March 6, 2012 Arizona Department of Racing Stewards Report, a state inspection revealed "ticks crawling up the wall" in the Brian Lewis Kennel:

"Brian Lewis kennel had ticks crawling up the wall behind the crates during a State Inspection and TGP Management told State Officials that the kennel would be addressed as far as cleanliness and to this date nothing has been done."

This is not the first time that poor kennel conditions have been documented at Tucson Greyhound Park.  In fact, similar conditions have been documented at the facility over and over again.  Sadly, it's becoming all too obvious that track management is simply incapable of addressing this chronic problem.

Meanwhile, the same March 6 Stewards Report also documents continued problems with track conditions at Tucson.  The Stewards Report refers to a previous meeting between kennel operators and track General Manager Tom Taylor, and states:

"After nothing was resolved from a meeting with the GM and trainers/owners, some trainers/kennel operators are now holding the State responsible for all the injuries at Tucson Greyhound Park.  As you can see there are 7 scratched greyhounds tonight 'ALL LAME'"

Later in the report, state officials indicate that one kennel owner contacted them directly to voice her concerns:

"Donna Mann called the Stewards off the roof to talk about the out of control injuries.  She has a list of 17 injuries which she gave to management, the racing office, and left copies in the racing office titled 'DAN' and the Director of Racing asked 'why do you need him it's our issue' and to date Dan Reinertson has not received copies."

Finally, it's important to note that this Stewards Report also provides evidence that track management is indifferent to humane problems at Tucson Greyhound Park.  Reading through the records, a sad pattern emerges.  The state documents neglectful conditions in a track kennel, management tells the state they will address it, but then nothing happens.  Kennel owners hold a meeting with management about injuries, but "nothing (i)s resolved."  A kennel owner takes her concerns about injuries directly to state officials, but the track Director of Racing discourages her from reporting the problem.

This indifference by Tucson Greyhound Park management is part of the problem.  It proves that the track is incapable of being a good corporate citizen, and cannot be trusted to resolve even the most basic humane issues at the facility.  That is why it's time for Arizona lawmakers and voters to step up and help the greyhounds.  If they don't, no one will.