UNITED STATES OF AMERICA>> news: 35 articles >> Updated 14/04/08
| Dog Tracks are Closing -- Help Spread the Word! | |
Grey2K USA:Protecting Greyhounds Nationwide Greyhound Protection Update - April 9, 2008 Friends: Last weekend, GREY2K USA board member Charmaine Settle attended an auction at the recently shuttered Cloverleaf Kennel Club in Loveland, Colorado. One hundred people were on hand, bidding on vehicles and equipment, signs, and even a mechanical rabbit. But Charmaine drove all the way from Boulder to celebrate the end to dog racing. When she was asked by a local reporter why she was there, she made it clear it was for the greyhounds. “I guess I wanted to give one last farewell from someone who cares about the dogs,” she said. “I thought of the decades, of all the the dogs that ran there and what that meant to them.” Hooray for the greyhounds! Cloverleaf is just one of eleven tracks to close or end live dog racing since 2004! We will continue to update you as tracks close and the campaign to end dog racing thrives nationwide. |
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| Losses continue at Dairyland Greyhound Park | |
Wisconsin Wire posted April 8th, 2008 http://wcco.com/wisconsinwire/22.0.html?type=local&state=WI&category=n&filename=WI--DairylandAudit.xml KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) The financial losses continue to mount at the state's only greyhound race track. An audit shows Dairyland Greyhound Park at Kenosha lost $2.8 million in 2007. The parimutuel racetrack lost about the same amount in 2006, following a loss of $2.4 million in 2005. Dairyland offers live greyhound racing, as well as simulcasting of thoroughbred and greyhound racing. The Menominee Tribe has an option to buy the track for $40.5 million. The Menominee in partnership with the Mohegan tribe in Connecticut are awaiting regulatory approval to build a casino-convention center at the dog track. Information from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, http://www.jsonline.com GA comment: See article below for more information about this disgraceful track |
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| Injuries to racing greyhounds increase at Kenosha's Dairyland | |
They show 76 greyhounds broke their legs, an increase of 18.7 percent. The total number of injuries also increased to 462, up 19 percent. The records said 363 of the 462 dogs hurt suffered muscle-related injuries, sprains or fractures. Jenifer Barker, a state veterinarian who treats most of the injured dogs at Dairyland — which is the only remaining dog track in Wisconsin, said the condition of the track's surface and deterioration of the greyhound industry in general are reasons for the increased injuries. The leader of a national organization opposed to greyhound racing has criticized oversight of dogs at the Dairyland, saying the number of injuries to them there in recent years "far exceeds the acceptable norm in dog racing or any other sport." "This has been the case since the track was built in 1990," Susan Netboy, head of the Penn Valley, Calif.-based Greyhound Protection League, said Monday. "Eighteen years of high injury rates suggests structural defects that cannot be fixed with resurfacing and grooming. For all of these years, management has been unwilling to effectively address this underlying problem, and hundreds of greyhounds have paid the price." Bill Apgar, the track's general manager, dismissed Netboy's comments. "Their agenda to shut down the industry is well-documented," he said. "We won't comment on such propaganda." Apgar said the track has not been completely resurfaced since at least 1995. But he said the track is constantly maintained and groomed for the dogs. "Nobody likes injuries," he said. "This is an athletic contest, and injuries do happen. We spare no expense in making the track as safe as we can." Dave Picard of De Pere, president of the Retired Greyhound Athletes, a nonprofit that doesn't take a stance on the greyhounds racing issue but helps find homes for retired greyhounds, said the report of injuries is a concern. "I hope they would take some steps to improve the track if that's the problem," Picard said. "If the statistics are correct, then perhaps the condition of the track can be improved." Apgar said four full-time workers were employed to groom the track, as well as three part-timers. He also said that he, the maintenance director and the track's racing director monitor the track. Not every injury is attributable to the track, Apgar said. "A third of these injuries were injuries when the dogs were bumped in turns. Other injuries could be the result of genetics. Maybe the dog got bumped, didn't show any effects right away and the next time he ran, he broke down," he said. Barker said there was not a policy among veterinarians around the country on how often a track needs to be resurfaced, but she said a rule of thumb is every three to five years. Dan Subach, the state Gaming Division's chief steward at Dairyland, also said weather plays a role in injuries at Dairyland. "And there is a concern that the quality of dogs Dairyland is getting is not as good as they've seen in the past," Subach said. "And that quality may be related to past health issues, or previous injuries. Finally, when dogs run well, they tend to be moved out to other tracks. "We want to look at the kennels and the education and training at the kennels, and make sure they are putting a sound animal on the track." Barker said the greyhound industry has been in decline for years, a victim of differing tastes and the growth of casino gambling. "Some have called it a dying industry," she said. "There's not much money in it, and there isn't as high caliber of help as there used to be." —
Tony Walter/Press-Gazette |
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| Sari and Talca ... Starved dogs abandoned in Conneticut and Rhode island | |
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On the night of October 27, a local man watched a black Chevy Suburban slow down on Route 6, a heavily travelled secondary road in the tiny town of Killingly, Connecticut. The passenger door opened, and while the vehicle was still rolling, something was pushed out. It hit the ground hard,and seemed to move slightly as the SUV sped off. The man walked over to see what had been thrown from the car. He was shocked to find a skeletal, white and black Greyhound looking up at him. As he reached for her, she wagged her tail, weakly. An hour later, a black Suburban pulled up in a dark corner of the parking lot of the Miriam Hospital, in Providence, RI. It was pouring rain, and the driver was seen to get out of the vehicle, lift something from the back seat, and place it under a bush. After the Suburban sped off, a nurse investigated the object. She found a white and black Greyhound, so weak, she couldn't move. Both dogs were transported to veterinarians. The Connecticut dog at 40 lbs, and was so thin, they weren't sure she was going to make it. The Rhode Island dog was 33lbs, and in even worse condition. Through their tattoos, it was discovered that both dogs had been adopted to a man in Watertown, MA, just five months before. Talca, the CT dog is now recovering: she has gained nearly 15lbs in the last two weeks. Sari, the dog found in Rhode Island lived for four days before she lost her battle. Both dogs were originally bred in Ireland and were sold at auction to the Meridianna track in Barcelona. This infamous track closed in March, 2006. Talca and Sari were among the lucky few who were taken to the Scooby Refuge in Medina del Campo, Spain. Subsequently, they were flown to Boston and all expectations were that they had won the dog lottery and would live happily ever after.GA comment: This case higlights the global nature of the greyhound racing industry and how the dogs are treated as mere commodities ... the dogs started their lives in Ireland, were sold on to Spain and then abandoned there before being rescued ... it is extrememly unfortunate that the man who adopted them turned out to be such an evil character ... apparently this is the only similar case that has occured with a Greyhound Friends rehomed dog in 25 years. |
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| Protesters object to treatment of racing greyhounds Naples News 28/2/08 | |
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/feb/24/protesters-object-treatment-racing-greyhounds/ Protesters object to treatment of racing greyhounds A glimpse of the passion and vitriol the sport of dog racing can stir up could be found Saturday along one of main roads through Bonita Springs. On the inside of the Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track, preparations were under way for an event that would celebrate the track’s 50 years in business. A big race that night would leave $50,000 riding on the running times of a group of elite dogs. Outside, on the borders of the track’s property, several dozens protesters marked the track’s anniversary in a different way: lining the sidewalks of Bonita Beach Road with signs berating the sport. “You bet, they die.” “Celebrating 50 years of cruelty and killing.” “End greyhound racing now.” Passing drivers honked: some in support, some in disgust. At the track, a security supervisor was aware of the protest near the track’s entrance, but he declined to answer questions. After checking with management, he said the track wouldn’t comment on the protesters’ claims, citing “trade policy.” Among the protesters, though, opinions flowed freely on what goes on behind the scenes at track kennels. Judy Paulsen, a part-time resident of Marco Island, joined the protest after hearing about it via an e-mail alert from a greyhound group she supports. She has never been inside the Bonita Springs track, and she couldn’t say firsthand what the kennels there are like. But from what she has seen elsewhere, she said, “they’re like chicken coops for greyhounds.” Like many at the protest, she said it’s common for the dogs to be kept penned up much of the day, and when they’re racing, there’s the risk of strain and injury. Other protesters, who have been inside various racing and breeding kennels around the state, say they have been disturbed by what they have seen. Candy Juister of North Fort Myers used to pick up dogs for adoption from the kennels at the Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track. Up until a year ago, she volunteered with a group that facilitated greyhound adoptions there, and at that time, she said there were issues with bad meat and cramped spaces for the dogs. But after one of the group’s leaders spoke out about conditions, she said, the group was banned from the site. Now, with this protest, she said, “we’re just trying to make everyone think.” Other protesters raised questions about where greyhounds go once their racing days are over. One of the protesters, Gisela Rowley of Naples, said somewhere between 5,000 and 8,000 greyhounds are killed a year at tracks across the country, citing numbers from the Somerville, Mass.-based greyhound advocacy organization GREY2K USA. “It’s just plain cruel,” Rowley said, adding this shouldn’t just be a concern for people who love greyhounds, but for any animal advocate. As for the protest, she said, it wasn’t meant to be confrontational or directed at dog track patrons “It’s not to anger the people that are there. A lot of the people don’t realize,” she said. Naples resident Renee Buongiorno said she had never given much thought to the conditions of the dogs in the sport until she adopted three greyhounds as pets. All had been put up for adoption after short careers in racing, and she’s now convinced their lives aren’t easy ones. “It’s a horrible thing,” she said. “I think a lot of people don’t really know.” Her hope is that with this protest, some people in the area will start asking questions, or possibly look into adopting a greyhound. The Naples-Fort Myers Dog Track does put a number of dogs up for adoption through the group Happy Homes for Hounds, and a Web site for the track advertises that “retired greyhound racers make great house pets.” While none of the protesters would disagree with that claim, adoption can’t solve all the sports’ problems, some said. Naples resident Renee Darcy said the real issue is that there are too many dogs bred for racing -- more than ever become stars on the track, and more than will ever be adopted. “There just aren’t enough homes,” she said. But Darcy said she’s used to being met with skepticism when she describes dog racing in a negative light. “I don’t know how many people tell me, ‘you have it wrong -- they treat the dogs well.’ I say, just try to go in to see the kennels. They won’t let you,” she said. Christine Dorchak, president of the GREY2K advocacy group, was among the protesters in Bonita Springs on Saturday, and she said the ultimate goal of protests like this one and others at tracks around the state would be to ban dog racing in Florida -- something that most other states already have done. While her issue is with the quality of treatment the animals receive, not the fact that a dog track is a gambling establishment, she noted that gaming policy can have important consequences for whether dog racing continues into the future. The sport itself is declining in popularity, and she believes that if tracks weren’t allowed to offer other forms of gambling, market forces would bring an end to dog racing. But with recent proposals like one that would add slot machines to tracks here, the tracks could survive. “Slot machines are like life-support,” Dorchak said. For that reason, she said, “we are opposed to the expansion of gambling when it is used to prop up the industry.” In the hours the protesters spent along Bonita Beach Road, many said they thought the overall response was positive. But one protester, Paulien Wood, who held her sign at the corner of Race Track Road right where cars exiting the dog track had to pause before turning onto Bonita Beach Road, said she “caught a little flak.” Some drivers just ignored her, but one man leaving the dog track -- Wood guessed he was in his late 20s -- stopped and looked at the surrounding display of signs full of words about death, injury and cruelty. Wood doubts she helped influence that man’s thinking on dog racing. “He was in the car with some friends, and he just said: ‘But it’s fun.’” |
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| Article from Impact Press | |
Dogs in Danger: The Truth Behind Greyhound Racing ... good article about greyhound racing in the USA from "Impact press" ... click here |
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| Greyhound Deaths Prompt Look at Track Forbes.com 11.07.07 | |
Greyhound Deaths Prompt Look at Track By ANDREW DeMILLO 11.07.07, 1:28 PM ET LITTLE ROCK The deaths of seven greyhounds at a West Memphis track this summer have prompted Arkansas racing officials to call for a review of the rules for handling racing dogs. Members of the Arkansas Racing Commission said they were concerned about an Aug. 9 fight that erupted among a group of greyhounds at Southland Gaming and Racing's track. A state veterinarian told commissioners that one dog was dead when she arrived at the track. The others had to be euthanized. Shane Bolender, Southland's racing director, told the commission the fight broke out among the dogs during 100-plus degree heat that afternoon when the dogs were in a "turnout pen." "A fight erupted in the male pen, and it was two males going at it. There was a lot of extracurricular activity and excitement generated in the pen with the other dogs," Bolender told the commission. "It didn't take long for the dogs to overheat." Bolender said the track discontinued its contract with the kennel company that oversaw the pen where the fight erupted. In a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, Southland said it won't renew its contract with the company, Washburn-Oregon Trail Kennel, for the 2008 season. "We expect for those trainers and kennel owners who race at our venue to abide by the strict rules and best practices governing greyhound racing at racetracks around the country," the track said. "We have a zero tolerance for any mistreatment of animals in any kennel who race at Southland Park." Lisa Robinson, a racing commission veterinarian assigned to the dog track, said one dog was dead when she arrived at the track and she had to euthanize two others. The other dogs were euthanized by a local veterinarian, she said. "We had been at 102, 103 or sometimes higher...and basically we needed the proper amount of help there," Robinson said after Tuesday's commission meeting. "It was just a combination of things that just kind of came together." Robinson said she couldn't remember any similar incidents occurring at the track during her 10 years there. She said only one person was supervising both the male and female turnout pens when the dog fight occurred. Commission members asked Robinson to meet with track officials and members of the Arkansas Greyhound Association to discuss ways to prevent future incidents and possibly new rules for the supervision and operation of turnout pens at the race track. "This has never happened before. I don't know if anyone anticipated something like this happening," said Byron Freeland, the commission's attorney. "If this could be a problem in the future, we may need a rule requiring proper supervision." |
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| "Fla. Tracks Fret About Indian Compact " Houston Chronicle Nov. 15, 2007 | |
By DAVID ROYSE Associated Press Writer © 2007 The Associated Press TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The odds may be getting longer for dog and horse tracks in Florida. An industry already hit heavily in recent decades by competition for the entertainment dollar is worried that a compact signed this week that gives the Seminole Indian tribe the nearly exclusive right to expanded gambling in much of Florida could hasten the demise of other forms of betting. "I think it will probably put the nail in the coffin on this thing," said Richard B. Winning, one of the owners of the Derby Lane track in St. Petersburg and president of the American Greyhound Track Operators Association. "They never once came to the pari-mutuels and spoke to us." The Seminoles and Gov. Charlie Crist signed an agreement Wednesday that allows the tribe to add Las Vegas-style slots and card games including blackjack at seven casinos on tribal land. The state gets at least $100 million annually from the deal. The Seminoles get a situation in which it's unlikely any other expansions of gambling will occur in Florida outside of Miami-Dade or Broward Counties. If lawmakers do allow new forms of gambling in the rest of the state, the Seminoles will no longer have to give the state the money. Among the tribe's casinos that will now be able to add full Vegas-style slots and new card games is the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in the Tampa area. It's already been blamed for poor attendance 10 miles away at the Tampa Greyhound Track, which ended live racing in August after 75 years. Izzy Havenick, vice president of the family-run Naples-Fort Myers Dog Track, said he is deeply troubled by the compact, fearing that patrons will shun the track for a Seminole casino 37 miles away in Immokalee. He called the deal between Crist and the tribe "a slap in the face of the entrepreneurial spirit of Florida," and to the hundreds of employees of the track in Bonita Springs. Opponents of the move _ which also include those simply opposed to expanding gambling in the state _ are pinning some hopes on the Legislature, where there is also opposition to the agreement, particularly in the House. Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, has suggested lawmakers may sue to try to block the compact from going into effect. Havenick said the racing industry is also trying to figure out how they might be able to help fight the deal. Winning said the state could have raised more money than it gets from the deal if it had allowed the heavily taxed pari-mutuels to add slot machines. While pari-mutuel facilities _ horse and dog tracks and jai-alai frontons _ in Broward County will still be able to add slots, some officials of those facilities also feel slighted, because they pay more of their take to the state than the Indians. Those facilities also aren't allowed to have expanded card games like blackjack or baccarat that are now permitted in the Seminole facilities. Crist's chief of staff, George LeMieux, said negotiators in the governor's office did take into account the concerns of non-Indian gambling operations in Broward County, where voters have approved slot machines, noting three tracks there have already spent money to add slots. The state Constitution also would allow slots in Miami-Dade County, if voters approve it, though so far they have not. "There's nothing in this agreement that prevents them from having more gaming," at pari-mutuel facilities in those two counties, said LeMieux. But in other counties, the inability to push for more gaming adds to anxiety by track officials that theirs may be a business heading down the backstretch toward its end. The Melbourne Greyhound Park cut most of its racing program this year, although it continues to host poker, which has proved very popular. The three tracks in the Jacksonville area have consolidated racing at one venue, and tracks in Orlando, the Miami area and Key West have all closed in the last couple decades. ___ Associated
Press Reporter Mitch Stacy in Tampa contributed to this report. |
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| Greyhounds Run Toward Victory in Massachusetts Grey2K USA update: November 21, 2007 | |
Friends: We are proud to announce that over 100,000 signatures have been collected to help put the Massachusetts Greyhound Protection Act on the 2008 ballot! In an all-volunteer effort, over 2,000 people worked together to help the greyhounds. As we send this update to you, a team of volunteer drivers is now delivering thousands of signatures to city and town clerks statewide. The Greyhound Protection Act is a humane measure that will phase out the cruelty of dog racing, and close two dog tracks in Massachusetts. The initiative is sponsored by the Committee to Protect Dogs, which is comprised of GREY2K USA, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the Humane Society of the United States. Dogs at Wonderland and Raynham Parks are kept confined in small cages barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around for typically twenty hours per day. When racing, they face the risk of serious injury. According to state records, over 700 dogs have been hurt while racing since 2002. Injuries include broken bones, cardiac arrest, paralysis and seizures. |
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| Two more tracks to close Grey2K USA update: August 14th 2007 | |
Friends, The closing of a dog track is the best possible news for greyhounds, and today we bring confirmation that two more dog tracks will be shut down within days. On August 7, local Kansas voters rejected a proposal to approve slot machines at Wichita Greyhound Park. Within moments of the news, track owner Phil Ruffin announced the shutdown of his struggling facility. WGP will wind down activities within three months time. Two days later, on August 9, the general manager of Florida’s Tampa Greyhound Track also announced an end to live racing. Citing low attendance, track owners will cease live racing operations on August 18. With
these closures, 36 operational tracks remain in 13 states. This trend will continue, and thousands of greyhounds will be spared if we all keep working. |
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| Greyhounds Win Victories in New Hampshire! Grey2K USA update: July 27th 2007 | |
Grey2K USA:Protecting Greyhounds Nationwide Greyhound
Protection Update - July 27, 2007
Friends, We write today to report several wonderful advances in our campaign to end dog racing in New Hampshire! The biggest news came last week, when Hinsdale Greyhound Park announced it is ending year-round racing. This means that as of Labor Day, all dog tracks in the state will race only seasonally, for just a few weeks each year. There will no more winter racing in New Hampshire! Additionally, in June, lawmakers voted to end a taxpayer subsidy the tracks had been receiving for drug testing. Had it not been repealed, this ridiculous corporate welfare plan would have amounted to a $2 million subsidy for the tracks over the next four years. Earlier this year a broad coalition, including GREY2K USA and lawmakers from both parties, filed legislation to end this wasteful program. This is the second time in two years that GREY2K USA has helped end a taxpayer subsidy to New Hampshire dog tracks. In 2006, we worked with lawmakers to eliminate an $325,000 annual subsidy the racetracks were receiving from the state’s Educational Trust Fund. The tide is truly turning for greyhounds in the Granite State. Our promise to you is that we will keep working until Seabrook Greyhound Park, Hinsdale Greyhound Park and The Lodge at Belmont shut down for good. Please read the following story for more on this story |
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| New Hampshire Lawmakers End Dog Track Subsidy | |
N.H. to close state greyhound drug testing lab By Paul Heintz, Brattleboro Reformer Friday, July 27 HINSDALE, N.H. -- A little-noticed provision included in New Hampshire's budget last month re-wrote the rules regarding how greyhound racetracks pay for drug-testing their dogs. The most immediate effect of the 11th-hour legislation is the closure of the state Pari-mutuel Commission's drug-testing laboratory, which is scheduled for December, according to commissioner Paul Kelley. But according to representatives of anti-greyhound-racing group Grey2kUSA, the legislation also ended the last state subsidy of racing and could have prompted the Hinsdale Greyhound Park's recent decision to end year-round racing. "I think it's huge," said Grey2k lobbyist Nancy Johnson. "I don't know the reason it occurred, but the decision was made in the budget process in a committee of conference to stop subsidizing the dog tracks, recognizing that this is a dying industry that we, the state, do not need to be a part of." The Hinsdale track announced last week that it would end year-round racing in early September and race only during the summer season. "Do I believe the subsidy ending was the final nail in the coffin for ending year-round racing at Hinsdale? Absolutely," said Grey2k executive director Carey Theil. However, David Calef, a spokesman for the Hinsdale track, said Theil "is just trying to claim victory on this whole thing." In reality, he said, the drug-testing change will not hurt the track, and could even help it. "If anything, it may turn out to be a positive. And it wouldn't make any difference if we were running year-round or part-time," he said. Kelley said he also did not think the rule change would drastically harm the race tracks, and he does not think it led to Hinsdale's decision. "I heard no mention from the racetrack that this was a reason for curtailing live racing," he said. Since 1995, a complicated formula has dictated how racetracks pay the commission for conducting drug tests. That year, in what Theil called an act of "corporate welfare," the legislature enacted a provision that capped tracks' contribution to the cost of testing at 1 percent of their exotic wagering pool. According to a 2005 audit prepared by the state's Office of Legislative Budget Assistant, that formula led to a significant "under recovery" of funds from the tracks to pay for testing. During a nine month period ending March 31, 2005, according to the audit, the commission's lab conducted 9,400 tests for a cost of $277,000. Because of the exotic wagering cap, tracks only had to contribute $123,000 in fees, and taxpayers paid the remaining $154,000 in expenses. "The under recovery of lab costs resulting from the cap appears to be a trend resulting in larger (shortfalls) as the amount recovered under the cap appears to be generally decreasing due to fewer live races being performed while many of the PMC lab costs remain fixed," the report reads. The legislation recently passed, however, requires the commission to bid out its drug-testing responsibilities and charge racetracks a per-test rate. While the legislation ends the state subsidy, it also requires that the total cost for testing statewide not exceed $300,000 annually. According to Calef, the bill may actually be a win-win for everybody. As the state's other tracks reduced their racing schedules, their contributions to the testing pool decreased, while the testing facilities' expenses remained the same. Closing the commission's facility and contracting the service to the lowest bidder could actually decrease the expenses for Hinsdale. "The difference is it will go from a huge cost at the state lab to an individual cost that will be conducted with an outside state agency. And that just makes sense for everybody," he said. Theil, however, believes the legislative change and Hinsdale's scheduling change must be linked. "The bottom line is for years these tracks have been subsidized. For years, taxpayers have been paying for drug testing for animals to compete in these races," he said. "It would have to be an awful coincidence to see Hinsdale end year-round live racing a week and a half after this law goes into effect." Johnson, who did not find out about the change until recently, said that regardless of the effect of the bill, it shows that legislators no longer want to subsidize the racing industry. And at the very least, she said, "We just saved the state half-million dollars easily." Paul Heintz can be reached at pheintz@reformer.com or 802-254-2311, ext. 275. Please read the following story for more on this story |
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| Editorial ... Stop mandating it, and dog racing will die | |
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070813/REPOSITORY/708130379 Editorial ... Stop mandating it, and dog racing will die Concord Monitor August 13. 2007 Last spring, lobbyists for the Hinsdale track and others pleaded successfully with the Legislature not to ban greyhound racing in New Hampshire. Revenue and jobs were at stake, they argued. Dog racing was an integral part of the state's entertainment scene. Circumstances have apparently changed. The Hinsdale Greyhound Park recently announced plans to cut back on live racing, switching from a year-round schedule to a summer-only calendar and perhaps just 50 days a year, the minimum required by the state to stay in business. In doing so, track officials don't anticipate hurting jobs - surprise! - for no major layoffs are planned. Hinsdale taxpayers have nothing to worry about either. In fact, with the track in the process of selling part of its land to Wal-Mart for a superstore, local tax revenue should increase. As for the state's take? In 2005-06, bettors in New Hampshire wagered $8 million on the live dog races at the tracks in Hinsdale, Seabrook and Belmont, as compared with $200 million in simulcast races (betting on dog and horse races carried on satellite TV from elsewhere in the country). The state's cut of that was $1.7 million in 2006, just $115,000 of which came from live wagers. Less live racing at Hinsdale is hardly going to be felt in the state's $10 billion budget. "We're not making any money, certainly, running greyhounds," David Calef, a spokesman for the track, recently told the Brattleboro (Vt.) Reformer. "Obviously containing our costs is why we're running less live races when the fans aren't interested." Live greyhound racing accounted for nearly 35 percent of total bets placed at Hinsdale in 2000 but just 10.8 percent by last year. So far this year, the percentage is even less. Nonetheless, total bets are up since 2000. Hinsdale was among the last tracks in New England to hold dog races year-round. The Lodge at Belmont and the Seabrook Greyhound Park run races only in the summer. All of which makes you wonder (again): How is it possibly in the state's interest to continue to prop up an industry that has clearly passed its prime? New Hampshire bettors don't have an interest in live dog racing anymore. State government shouldn't either. Any talk of banning live dog racing inevitably turns the State House into a circus of animal-rights activists and gambling lobbyists, armed with contradictory studies about cruelty to dogs, injuries per year and the like. But a ban may not even be necessary. Democratic leaders sensitive to the charge that they are moving "too far, too fast," could take a quick half-step that would likely do away with live dog racing in New Hampshire pretty swiftly. Simply repeal the requirement that the tracks offer live races in order to stay in business. Without required live dog races, why would any track continue to offer such a money loser? Let the tracks continue their simulcast wagering as well as the charity games - bingo, Texas Hold'em poker, blackjack and the like - that gamblers actually enjoy. This is not an expansion of gambling. It's a realistic acknowledgment of what's going on. The market has already spoken. The Legislature just needs to catch up. GA comment: Some sense at last! |
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| State Investigates Greyhound Abuse | |
State Investigates Greyhound Abuse Saturday, August 25, 2007 11:33:12 AM It
is hard to think of someone abusing greyhound dogs, but that is
exactly what the state is investigating after dogs tested positive
for cocaine and three others died from heat exhaustion. We are now learning that cocaine is not a performance-enhancing drug for race dogs and the animals may have ingested the drug by accident. As for the heat exhaustion, each track has cooling procedures for the dogs after practice or race sessions. The kennel club general manager says he believes two of the three dogs that died were in fact cooled. State workers say they test at least two dogs after every dog race for drugs, the winner of the race and another dog. GA comment: This report seems a little too willing to accept the explanation of the trainer ... it is a well established fact that cocaine is often used in betting scams to dope greyhounds ... it makes them run slower ... click here for an Irish case |
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| Michael Vick isn't alone | |
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/08/22/michael_vick_isnt_alone/ Derrick
Z. Jackson As
Michael Vick plummets from celebrity to our national symbol of animal
cruelty, there is an This
is not an apology for Mr. Vick and his accomplices in his dogfighting
ring. The act of hanging, But
the national outrage rings a bit hollow. It feels a bit too easy
to condemn only this fool sick It feels a bit easy because I am a former owner of a rescued greyhound. You
can go down last month's 18-page federal indictment against Vick
and his codefendants and see Of
course, you can apply the same phrases or similar ones to greyhound
racing. Yet dog tracks Activists
this month submitted an initiative petition to Attorney General
Martha Coakley to put a The
California-based Greyhound Protection League estimates that in the
two decades from 1986-2005, Things
are nowhere as bad as they once were. In its worst years, critics
said greyhound racing was The
Greyhound Racing Association says that dog betting, which is being
supplanted by other forms of The
Greyhound Racing Association and industry defenders deny there was
ever any mass abuse. They say Throughout
the 1990s, there were several news reports of mass killings, dog
abandonments, and Those
reports include the 1,200 over-the-hill greyhounds that were dumped
on a Pittsfield shelter There
is no difference between this and what Vick did, other than that
dogfighting is illegal and |
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| American-European Greyhound Alliance press release: | |
Tuesday, September 4, 2007 888.842.4404 TUCSON DOG TRACK KILLS GREYHOUND AND SUSPENDS KENNEL OWNER WHO TRIED TO SAVE HER LIFE Greyhound Advocates Mount Major Protest at Dog Track – Tuesday 5:00 PM – Concurrent with Kennel Owner’s Hearing Tucson, Arizona – A two-year-old female greyhound named Pa’s Mismakamess (Missy) came up lame after the sixth race on Friday evening at Tucson Greyhound Park (TGP). She finished the race, but had sustained a commonplace injury to her hock. Kennel owner David Blair observed her being carried into the office of the track vet. And although Missy was not a dog from his kennel, he entered the office to assist. Seeing that Missy had sustained only a minor injury and was not experiencing excessive pain, Mr. Blair offered to see to it that Missy got to a greyhound adoption group so that she could be treated and adopted out. The track vet, the state vet, the dog owner all insisted that the dog was going to be euthanized in spite of Blair’s offer to save her life. Most shockingly, this assertion was echoed by track manager Tom Taylor, who was recently appointed president of the Tucson chapter of Greyhound Pets of America. This is when things turned ugly. Blair, who by his own admission, states that he had a few beers, insisted that he was not going to let them kill the dog. Taylor called the police who escorted Blair outside and the track summarily killed the dog. In an effort to cover-up this shameful, irrevocable act, state officials suspended Blair’s license and shut down his kennels in both Tucson and Phoenix. “The track is trying to divert attention away from the dog killing and make this a case about Blair’s creating a disturbance – an offense for which Blair is more than willing to take appropriate punishment,” said Greyhound Protection League (GPL) President Susan Netboy. “This hearing is a transparent attempt to wash Missy’s blood off their hands and punish someone for expressing his concern for the life of an innocent animal.” “Given the laundry list of scandals and offenses that TGP has had to defend itself against, one would think that more dog killing would be off the table,” said Netboy. “But they are arrogant and think they are untouchable.” Netboy predicts that the protest will send a clear message that the reign of the ‘Teflon Dog Track’ is over. “Scores of people, who until now have been afraid to speak out, will be in attendance to show their support for David Blair and to let it be known that dog killing at TGP will not be tolerated,” said Netboy. GPL is calling for Tom Taylor’s resignation from Greyhound Pets of America. The League claims the position represents a conflict of interest and is, in reality, nothing more than a sham to cover up what goes on behind the scenes at his dog track. Read the following story for more info: |
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| Dog owner drunk at track loses license | |
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Comment from a USA based greyhound campaigner: I went to this kangaroo court hearing and took a few notes: Although David Blair said he had a few beers during the afternoon, TGP called the South Tucson police to remove him from the premises. The police did not handcuff him. They did not give him a breath-o-lyzer test. They dropped him off at a nearby Circle-K (convenience store) where there were children and families. The dog in question had a broken hock. She was not screaming out in pain. Blair offered to take her and even called the kennel coordinator from Arizona Greyhound Rescue who was on her way to pick up Missy. Since Blair was not the owner of the dog, a phone call ensued and he was told he could have the dog for $200. He didn’t have $200. While he was taken away by the police, the dog was euthanized. The trainer Kevin Matthieu said (I wrote this down verbatim), “It’s always my standard option to put down dogs…” Sixty supporters of Blair collectively GASPED. If David had $200 in his pocket that night, Missy would’ve lived. There was some discrepancy by the track personnel as to how many people have to sign off on a dog before putting her down. David Blair claims that in his 30 years of racing, he has never euthanized a dog. Arizona Greyhound Rescue receives many dogs that he brings to us who were going to be put down because of oops litters, older brood mamas, broken legs, etc. I’m sure other groups receive these dogs too. The state track vet said that if Missy had surgery – yes, she could be a pet. Tom Taylor is the GM of TGP and the acting president of GPA-Tucson. Scary. That just goes to prove how in bed GPA is with the racing industry. I would think this is a conflict of interest. The bottom line here is that greyhound racing is indeed a blood sport as dogs are still dying – needlessly. The above quote from Taylor leaves out some other dogs that died over July 4. One is Bert who was taken by a TGP kennel operator to a local emergency vet to be euthanized - http://www.azgreyhoundrescue.org/html/bert-ernie.html and the other is a dog that went to another greyhound adoption group and died after vomiting up stones/rocks and seizures. Do these deaths just fall through the cracks? Is this a reason the NGA doesn’t have a good count of how many dogs die every year? The three stewards made their unanimous decision quicker than it takes most people to order dinner that Blair was guilty, his license is suspended for 14 days, and a $500 fine. He’s appealing. The
issue is not so much about David Blair but rather how arrogant Tucson
Greyhound Park is and how disposable greyhounds are. Read
the following story for more info: |
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| A letter to the Arizona Star commenting on the previous story (see above) | |
Anger burns inside and tears are shed because another hound is dead at Tucson Greyhound Park. My outrage lies with the ethics at that dump of a track. How can the so-called president of Greyhound Pets of America's Tucson chapter stand idly by while a hound was put to death — a beautiful greyhound that will never see the inside of a house, play fetch at the dog park or lay on a comfy dog bed while being lovingly stroked by an owner lucky enough to have adopted her? The tragedy of that night is a life has been extinguished, and the focus of the investigation was how much David Blair had to drink. It takes only a moment to hand a greyhound over to a rescue, a moment the dog's trainer wouldn't take. Tucson Greyhound Park only cared about the 30 minutes taken out of its day by Blair trying to rescue a life. Everyone is asking why, when there are so many rescue groups, did this dog have to be put down? The track wants to keep the big picture closed and focus on Blair's drinking. Blair stood up for a life; whether it was an animal or not, it was a life. That poor little greyhound has no voice. She has one purpose — to race, win and make money for her owner. What about after the purpose is done? Greyhounds live to 12-14 years old; their racing career lasts until they are 2-4 years old. What then? Blair rewards his greyhounds with retirement as pets, but he is only one owner. The real question is, where have all the other greyhounds gone? Angy Shearer Tucson |
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| Animal Group Releases Report Documenting Greyhound Injuries, Confinement, Other Concerns | |
BOSTON, Sept. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "This
report documents our concerns with greyhound racing, which
The report documents specific animal welfare issues at these
-- Since 2002, there have been 728 reported greyhound injuries at
these
-- At Massachusetts racetracks, dogs live in small cages for 20
or more
-- In the Spring of 2005, 19 dogs at Wonderland Greyhound Park died
from
-- To reduce costs, dogs at these tracks are fed meat that has been
-- In late 2003 and early 2004, a dog tested positive for cocaine
twice
-- Efforts to protect greyhounds through the legislative and regulatory
-- Commercial dog racing is a dying industry in Massachusetts. Between
All information contained in the report relates specifically to
The Committee to Protect Dogs is a state ballot question committee ELECTRONIC COPY OF REPORT AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST Read the following story for more info: |
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| Racing foes to release report detailing dog injuries September 5, 2007 | |
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/09/05/racing_foes_to_release_report_detailing_dog_injuries/ Racing
foes to release report detailing dog injuries |
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| Innocent Greyhound Killed in Tucson from http://tucson.craigslist.org 4/9/07 | |
On Friday evening, a greyhound that was racing at Tucson Greyhound Park broke it's hock during a race. Please note, this is NOT a life threatening situation like it is in horse racing. The owner of one of the other kennels called Arizona Greyhound Rescue and alerted them about the dog and they were en route to come get the dog and take care of his medical needs. The owner of the dog decided instead to put him down, which was totally not necessary. The police were called to prevent the other owner from trying to save the dog and stop the murder. Sadly, the owner of the other kennel now faces disciplinary action for stepping in and getting involved. On
Tuesday Sept. 4th at 5:10 pm there will be a meeting at the state
offices at Tucson Greyhound Park to determine his future. Please
show up and support him as well as protest the inhumane behavior
towards dogs. |
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| PRESS RELEASE by GREY2K USA | |
HINSDALE, N.H., June 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- According to state records, greyhound injuries increased to a record level at Hinsdale Greyhound Park during the first four months of 2007, nearly tripling the total from the same time period a year ago. "These terrible injuries are occurring every day at Hinsdale Greyhound Park," said GREY2K USA Board Member Michael Trombley. "During the first four months of the year, more than a dog a day was injured." In total, 141 dogs were injured between January 1 and April 30, according to state records provided by the New Hampshire Pari-Mutuel Commission. This represents a 276% increase over a year ago, when 51 dogs were hurt during the first four months of the year at the track. This increase was first reported in this morning's edition of the Brattleboro Reformer. Reported injuries include dogs that suffered multiple broken bones, and fractures so severe there were "bones protruding from skin." So far, eight dogs have been euthanized at the track due to serious injury. Earlier this year, the State House of Representatives defeated a proposal to phase out dog racing by 2009. The proposal had been endorsed by dozens of lawmakers, community leaders and local animal shelters. "We have not given up in our effort to end this cruelty," said Trombley. "Dogs play an important role in our lives, and deserve to be protected from individuals and industries that would do them harm." |
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| From The Bridge newspaper http://bridgenews.org/news/102006/forthedogs?portal_status_message=Welcome%21+You+are+now+logged+in | |
Dogs
play an important role in our lives. They are friends, companions,
and part of our community. They are dependent on us for food, shelter
and compassion, and deserve to be protected from individuals and
industries that would do them harm. For
more information on how you can help |
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| From U.S. Newswire Date : Wednesday, July 20, 2005 | |
BOSTON, July 20 /U.S. Newswire/ -- According to a report submitted this morning to state lawmakers, nearly 500 racing greyhounds have been injured while competing at Massachusetts racetracks over the past three years. The document, released by the greyhound protection organization GREY2K USA, is a compilation of injury records maintained by the Massachusetts State Racing Commission. This is the first public release of this information since the passage of a 2001 state law requiring that area dog tracks report on greyhound injuries. "This is the first time lawmakers will know what is happening to racing greyhounds in Massachusetts," said GREY2K USA Vice President Chrsitine Dorchak. "It is our hope that this new information will cause them to rethink a cruel industry and support a phase out of dog racing." According
to state records, 481 greyhounds were injured between 2002 and 2004.
Reported injures included broken legs, fractures, dislocations,
cardiac arrest, spontaneous seizures, sudden collapse before or
after racing, spinal cord paralysis, severed tails, bleeding toes,
lacerated eyes, a puncture wound and a broken neck. A total of 28
greyhounds died "Racetrack
owners claim this is a safe sport, but the catastrophic injuries
described by track vets refute that claim," said Dorchak. "When
voters learn the truth about this cruel industry, they will outlaw
dog racing." This
report makes horrific reading, but the situation in the UK is certainly
no better. |
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| From www.zwire.com | |
Track under scrutiny for alleged mob link Jim Baron 03/04/2005 PROVIDENCE --
Lincoln Park may have to shut down its racing simulcast The Rhode Island
Department of Business Regulation will hold a hearing Lincoln Park
spokesman Michael Trainor said the track "is going to In January,
federal prosecutors in New York issued an 88-count Among those
named in the indictment were Richard Hart, general manager Besides the
Lakes Region race track, the other entities named in the Following the
indictment, Churchill Downs, Inc., the race track that Most of the
wagering at Lakes Region is from televised races. Lincoln Not suspending
its simulcast signal, said Carey Theil, president of GREY At the time
the indictments were handed down, Lincoln Park’s Trainor Trainor differentiated
this case from the track’s ongoing legal problems "In New
Hampshire, the integrity of the gaming process is in question," The DBR "emergency
order" says Lincoln Park’s "relationship to the Jeff Neal, spokesman
for Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri, said the |
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| From www.theunionleader.com | |
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