A Voice for Greyhounds and a Leader for All Animals

Belle Vue Stadium in Manchester

On Wednesday, our fact-finding trip of the British greyhound racing industry moved to Manchester. There, we met a determined group of grassroots activists who have joined together to form Shut Down Belle Vue.  Belle Vue Stadium is the oldest greyhound racetrack in the United Kingdom.

This group is focused on reducing attendance at the iconic dog track, and appears to be having a real impact. Even though they are matched against a powerful, well established track, Shut Down Belle Vue continues to fight because they believe the dogs deserve to have a voice. They are also concerned about greyhound cruelty throughout the country, and would like to see reforms at the national level.

Visiting the League Against Cruel Sports

The next day, we headed to Godalming where we visited the League Against Cruel Sports. The League was founded nearly ninety years ago, and fights for animal protection through investigations, campaigning and lobbying. They are highly effective, and have an impressive record of humane victories.

In many ways, the League Against Cruel Sports reminds me of the work we do at GREY2K USA. Board President Christine Dorchak and I both felt a kinship with this great organization, and look forward to working together to help greyhounds in the years to come.

A greyhound kennel in the UK

The more we learn about greyhound racing in the United Kingdom, the more similarities we see between the UK and the United States. In both countries, the greyhound racing industry lacks transparency. Also, both countries are home to grassroots activists and animal protection groups who believe that greyhounds deserve better.

These similarities remind me of the shared history the racing industry has on both sides of the Atlantic, and gives me hope that change is possible. Perhaps it could start in Manchester, at the same place where greyhound racing was first introduced in the United Kingdom.

GREY2K USA Investigates Greyhound Racing in the United Kingdom

A Ladbrokes Betting Shop

Over the past few years, our mission at GREY2K USA has been slowly expanding to include international campaigns. This shift is partly due to investigative work by Board member Charmaine Settle, who has made fact-finding trips to Macau and Vietnam. Her research led to the Rescue Brooklyn campaign, and our joint effort with Animals Australia, Animals Asia and ANIMA to push for an adoption program at the Canidrome.

This week, we are starting a new chapter in our international work with a fact finding trip to the United Kingdom. Our goal is to learn as much about the British dog racing industry as possible. GREY2K USA Board President Christine Dorchak and I are meeting with established animal welfare groups, adoption leaders and grassroots activists. We are also documenting as many different parts of the industry as possible. To reduce costs we are staying with advocates, and volunteers are helping us travel across the country. Our schedule is extremely full, and unfortunately we don't really have any downtime. I've always wanted to visit Buckingham Palace, but that will have to wait!

We landed on Saturday morning just after 6:00 AM, and hit the ground running. A few hours later, we visited a Ladbrokes betting shop. We have seen dozens of these betting shops since we arrived, an they are clearly one of the reasons why greyhound racing still exists in the UK. In these shops, gamblers are able to bet on dog races from throughout the country. Horse racing is also offered, along with slot machine gambling. The individual manning the betting shop we visited was gracious and even offered us tea or coffee, which we politely declined.

A trialing race at Henlow Dog Race Stadium

Later that night we visited our first track, Henlow Dog Racing Stadium. I was surprised at how narrow the race course was, compared to dog tracks in the United States. There were about two hundred people attending the races, and the crowd included young people and women. The track also had a hand-written sign about greyhound adoption posted in an area where people purchased food.

Overall, the track was much smaller than the large-scale commercial operations we have documented in America. Only six dogs compete in each race. Christine spoke to a greyhound trainer who had dogs that were being given trails to determine whether they can enter official races. After one of his dogs failed to post the necessary time Christine asked him what would happen to the dog, who is not yet two years old. He told her that he would simply have to get rid of her.

Dr. Caroline Allen

Yesterday we participated in a series of meetings with animal welfare experts, including veterinarian Dr. Caroline Allen, the national spokesperson on animal issues for the Green Party. Dr. Allen has been an outspoken voice for the greyhounds in the debate over Walthamstow Stadium.

Today we are meeting with several grassroots organizations including GreytExploitations, a group that has extensively documented humane problems in the British greyhound racing industry.

I'll try to write as much as possible about this fact finding trip, and share what we learn. So far, I'm very encouraged. It's clear that there are many people in the UK who care about greyhounds, and want to see positive changes.

Covering Up the Death of a Nameless Greyhound

Camby the greyhound

According to state records, two greyhound trainers and an assistant trainer have been suspended at Southland Greyhound Park after they failed to report the death of a dog. The greyhound, which is not named in official records, died while being transported to the track to race.

Here is what the records show regarding this tragic incident:

• On April 14, 2012 a kennel at Southland received seventeen dogs. When the hauler arrived at the facility, it was discovered that one greyhound had died during the trip.

• After the dead dog was discovered, assistant trainer Will Rogers and greyhound trainer Gerald Love transported the body to a local veterinary clinic.

• Later that night, Southland track officials learned of the incident and questioned Rogers along with greyhound trainer J.J. Moore. Moore was the licensed trainer responsible for the kennel that the dog was being sent to.

• Under questioning, Rogers and Moore indicated that they did not report the dog's death because they did not have the necessary phone numbers, and did not believe the track's policies regarding deceased greyhounds applied to the incident. Rogers also claimed that the hauler was in a parking lot outside the kennel compound when the dead dog was discovered.

• Greyhound trainer Love was also questioned and supported the statements made by Rogers.

• After these initial interviews, track officials uncovered proof that Rogers was lying, and the dead dog was in fact discovered inside the kennel compound.

• Rogers then submitted a letter to track officials in which he stated that he had "lied" about the incident and apologized.

• Trainer Love then also recanted his initial statement, and said that he and Rogers had "discussed the situation before hand in order to get their stories straight."

For their part in the cover up, Rogers and Moore were both fined $1,000 and suspended for six months. Love was fined $250 and suspended for two weeks.

As sad as this incident is, it does raise an important issue about transparency. Perhaps it is apropos that the greyhound who died in this case remains nameless. This dog had a name, a family, and a story. Now, however, he or she is just another nameless greyhound who died for the racing industry.

Humane Advocates are Winning the Debate Over Greyhound Racing

Jake runs on the beach

In the debate over the future of greyhound racing, humane advocates are winning. Just consider these facts:

• According to statistics from the National Greyhound Association, for the first six months of 2012 the number of dogs registered to race has declined by 14% when compared to a year ago.

• During the same time period, the number of greyhound litters reported to the National Greyhound Association has declined by 4%.

• The membership of the National Greyhound Association has declined by 16% over the last year, and now represents only 1,226 individuals nationwide.

• According to state statistics, the amount gambled on pari-mutuel wagering at Florida dog tracks in Fiscal Year 2011-2012 declined for the seventh consecutive year.

• In July 2012, the amount gambled on pari-mutuel wagering at Florida dog tracks was down by $1.6 million when compared to July 2011.

The greyhound racing industry is slowly dying. Greyhound breeders have repeatedly tried to convince themselves that there will be some magic revival of their cruel industry, but that's not happening. This decline also explains why dog race promoters have resorted to desperate personal attacks. At some level, even greyhound breeders know that their industry is vanishing before their eyes.

While these new statistics are good news for greyhounds, we must continue fighting for the dogs. At GREY2K USA, we will work hard until the cruelty of greyhound racing ends everywhere. We are making progress, but there is a lot still left to do.

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.

Tucson Dog Track Executive Accused of Deterring Employee from Reporting Abuse

The Empty Concession Area of Tucson Greyhound Park

Regardless of how you feel about greyhound racing, we should all agree that employees have the right to work in a safe environment. A state record we just received from the Arizona Department of Racing, however, suggests that this right may not be recognized at Tucson Greyhound Park.

In July, an assistant greyhound trainer at the track named Michael Yelton was fined $100 and had his license suspended for five days for "acting in a abusive or threatening manner towards another licensee." Specifically, a witness statement describes an incident in which Yelton verbally abused another track worker and threatened her with physical violence. According to the statement, Yelton called her several deeply offensive and derogatory names, screamed at her, and threatened to strike her:

"He flip out and screaming at me to learn how to do my job and I told him not to tell me how to do my job ... Then he got in my face and threaten to hit me with his fist."

The witness further claims that she attempted to file a complaint regarding this incident, but was deterred by track security at the direction of Tucson Greyhound Park Tom Taylor:

"I went to security to get the write up paper when they told me that Tom Taylor told them not to write a report for them to leave Michael Yelton alone."

Even though Yelton was fined and suspended for his part in this incident, we see no evidence that this information was shared with state or federal authorities as a possible labor law violation. We are deeply troubled by the accusation that an employee was deterred from reporting a threat of violence, and have forwarded these documents to the Industrial Commission of Arizona.

Arizona Dog Track Regulator Denies Cover Up, But Facts Speak For Themselves

Bella Kingnarmer was injured at Tucson Greyhound Park in 2009

Two days ago, Arizona Department of Racing Director William Walsh wrote to us and denied that his agency has refused GREY2K USA public information requests for greyhound injury data. In part, his letter stated:

"The Department of Racing has not 'denied' GREY2K USA access to any public records it maintains."

This response is not only disingenuous, it is deeply misleading. The fact is, the Department of Racing is using a sneaky tactic to prevent the public from having access to information about greyhound injuries. GREY2K USA immediately responded to Walsh, and addressed this sneaky tactic.

Below, you will find a full copy of our letter. A digital copy, with endnotes and supporting documentation can be downloaded here. Hopefully, the Department will soon realize that this wrongheaded policy must end, and will provide the public with information about greyhound injuries.

"August 16, 2012

William J. Walsh, Director
Arizona Department of Racing
1110 West Washington St., Suite 260
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Dear Director Walsh,

Thank you for your correspondence dated August 15, 2012.  Please consider this a formal response to your letter.

Without question, the Arizona Department of Racing is willfully violating the Arizona Public Records Law. Specifically, the Department is intentionally not keeping physical possession of records related to greyhound injuries at Tucson Greyhound Park, in a patently obvious attempt to prevent such records from entering the public domain.

Greyhound injury records were produced as public documents in Arizona until approximately November 2009, when the Department opted to begin skirting the public information law. Additionally, they are public documents in other jurisdictions, including West Virginia, Iowa and Texas.

This “hide and seek” tactic to skirt public information laws is not new. In fact, in 1993 an individual named Steve Barham withdrew his application to become the next Director of the Arizona Department of Racing after he admitted using this same tactic in another state. The Arizona Republic Editorial Board addressed this issue forcefully:

“What Arizona did not need was an individual who willfully would seek to come up with creative means to cut off public access absent legal justification.”

Attached, you will find a full copy of the Arizona Republic Editorial.

Additionally, this is not the first time the Department has shown a disregard for public transparency. For example:

·         On July 15, 2012 Arizona Racing Commissioner Rory Goree publicly stated that he was “mulling some bill ideas” to make public information requests much more difficult.

·         On September 12, 2011 Arizona Department of Racing Director Lonny Powell forwarded a message about dogs racing in extreme temperatures at Tucson Greyhound Park to various racetrack lobbyists and executives. At the top of his message, in large font, he wrote “Please…no e-mail responses back…….”

Without question, the reports that were released prior to November 2009 demonstrate a serious problem. Specifically, between January 2007 and November 2009, 923 greyhound injuries were reported at Arizona racetracks. The most common injury was a broken leg, and other reported injuries included fractures, sprains, dislocations, muscle tears and strains, lacerations, a cracked skull, broken backs, heat stroke, puncture wounds and paralysis. Most greyhound injuries reported during this period were serious, and 67 were fatal or resulted in euthanasia. For example:

 ·         On April 11, 2009 a one-year-old brindle greyhound named Oxbow Savage died after he suffered a broken skull during a race at Tucson Greyhound Park.  The official injury report included the statement “Dangerous track – too wet!”

·         On February 23, 2007 a four-year-old white and brindle greyhound named Too Tall Sky was euthanized after he suffered a back injury during a race at Tucson Greyhound Park and had “no feeling” in his tail and rear legs. 

·         On August 12, 2009 a two-year-old brindle greyhound named Boc’s Flamingo was euthanized after suffering a broken leg during a race at Tucson Greyhound Park. According to the official injury report “surgical repair” was recommended but instead the individual responsible for the dog “decided on euthanasia.”

The public deserves to have access to this data, and it is not be in the best interest of the state for it to be withheld. We can only assume that the Department has chosen to block access to greyhound injury data because disclosure would not be in the financial interests of Tucson Greyhound Park.

In closing, I would like to remind you that you are not an employee of Tucson Greyhound Park. As a public official and state regulator, you represent the people of the State of Arizona. By playing hide and seek with Tucson Greyhound Park injury data, you are putting the interests of a private racetrack ahead of good public policy and the integrity of the Arizona Public Records Law.  It is my hope that you will reconsider this harmful policy and once again fully adhere to both the spirit and the letter of the law.

Sincerely,

Christine A. Dorchak, Esq., President and General Counsel, GREY2K USA

cc: Arizona Governor Jan Brewer"