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May. 17 2010 -This time last year, we had a cover story about Jailamony, a greyhound with a broken leg, and the national fight over greyhound racing. While Florida, with 13 tracks, remains the mecca of dog racing in this country, other states continue banning live racing.
Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri signed legislation Friday allowing betting parlors in that state to end dog racing, meaning greyhound racing is over in all of New England.
Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine each outlawed dog racing in the past couple of years. It ended for financial reasons in New Hampshire, and the state Senate recently voted to make live racing illegal. Connecticut's last greyhound track closed in 2006.
Now dog racing opponents -- namely GREY2K USA, a Massachusetts-based antiracing lobby -- are more focused than ever on bringing the fight to Florida.
"GREY2K USA will now now intensify its efforts to close down the 13 dog tracks of Florida," Christine Dorchak, president of GREY2K, told me. "This is a truly proud day for greyhound advocates all across the country. Dog racing could not end soon enough in New England. We've worked for ten years to close down the dog tracks of New England. This is the moment that the dogs have been waiting for."
In Florida, for casinos like Mardi Gras in Hallandale Beach and Magic City Casino (formerly Flagler) in Miami to have slot machines and poker rooms, they must host live dog races for nearly half the year. A bill in the Florida Senate would have ended that requirement, but the amendment addressing greyhound racing was struck from the bill before a vote.
Local casinos actually received a large tax cut. Meanwhile, revenues from dog racing continue to decline.
Even the trainers whom I spoke with last year agreed that the industry is doomed. Most of the current trainers just hope the end comes after they've retired.
Michael J. Mooney, May. 10 2010
Earlier this year, the American Greyhound Track Owners Association, which is headquartered at the Palm Beach Kennel Club, took on a new member with a questionable, controversial past.
When Massachusetts residents voted to close Greyhound racing tracks, this is what happened to the dogs. Louise Coleman and Greyhound Friends in Hopkinton, MA are featured in this WBZ-TV video.
The national convention of the American Greyhound Track Owners Association that starts today at Caesars 
Palace will include a sober accounting of the industry’s latest victims — and the intractable problems that will contribute to future closures. Each year attendance drops at the convention. This year’s gathering is expected to draw about 120 people. Fifteen years ago the tally was upwards of 400.
The industry is in such rapid decline that a growing number of dog track owners are finding common ground with animal rights groups hoping to put live dog racing out of its misery.
In Iowa, for example, Harrah’s Entertainment is trying to outlaw part of its gambling business and is willing to pay the state $7 million a year for the privilege. More than half of the nation’s greyhound tracks have closed for lack of business in the past three decades. Four closed last year alone, leaving some states without any live dog racing.
Although profits are down for many companies because of the recession, track owners are fighting to stay alive in the face of competition from casinos, an unsympathetic public uncomfortable with the concept of racing dogs for sport and state legislatures seeking more tax dollars from gambling to fill budget gaps.
But most of all, they are battling time itself.
“It’s a different era now than it was 40 and 50 years ago,” says Karen Keelan, association president and owner of a New Hampshire track that stopped live dog racing in 2008 and offers wagering on simulcast races. “The entertainment ideal is different today. There are so many things for people to do in their spare time. "
Last year 7 greyhound tracks closed in the USA, bringing to 20 the total that have ended racing in the past 5 years. Now there are only 23 dog tracks remaining in eight states and the latest good news is that New Hampshire's House of Representatives (see below) has voted to outlaw the greyhound racing industry there. This follows a ban on commercial dog racing in Massachusetts, which came into force on January 1st, following an intensive campaign by greyhound protectionists. The continuing decline of the greyhound racing industry in Florida has forced the state's Naples-Fort Myers track to operate only 6 months of the year.
Read original article ("Running for Their Lives" Jan/Feb. newsletter)
By Stan Diel -- The Birmingham News
May 21, 2010, 6:00AM
A greyhound at the Birmingham Race Course tested positive for cocaine last fall, and the dog's handler was fined and suspended for 60 days, according to Birmingham Racing Commission documents and a greyhound advocacy group.
Cocaine has been administered to greyhounds in attempts to fix races in Florida, Massachusetts and overseas in recent years.
According to a ruling from the Racing Commission, which regulates racing in Birmingham, the dog Potrs Banshee won the 10th race on Oct. 20, 2009, and then tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a common marker for cocaine that can be detected in urine days after cocaine itself has left the body.
The commission ordered the purse from the race rescinded and fined the handler, Robert Edward Trow, $750 because of the positive test. Trow, who has not been charged with a crime, was fined an additional $50 because "indictable medication" and a syringe were found in the kennel, the ruling indicates. Efforts to reach Trow for comment were unsuccessful.
Grey2k USA, a Massachusetts-based organization opposed to dog racing, last week asked Gov. Bob Riley's Task Force on Illegal Gambling to investigate the incident, as well as a similar incident in Mobile the group says occurred in December.
"This calls into question the integrity of wages being placed at Alabama dog tracks," said Jennifer Krebs, vice president of the organization.
Efforts to reach representatives of the anti-gambling task force and the dog track were unsuccessful Thursday afternoon.
It's not the first time that racing greyhounds in Alabama have been associated with improper drug use. In 2007, 13 regular patrons at Mobile Greyhound Park were arrested for what authorities described as a scheme to fix races using so-called "male enhancement" products.
Prosecutors said at the time that a pill commonly available at health food stores -- and marketed as a sex aid -- was given to dogs that were favored to win. Those behind the plan hoped the drugs would raise the dogs' heart rate to the point that they became exhausted before the race and would lose, prosecutors said at the time. The conspirators bet on nondrugged dogs that offered longer odds and a better payout, authorities said.
Of the 13 men arrested, three were charged with tampering with racing. All of the tampering-with-racing charges eventually were dropped.
April 1, 2010: Last night, the state Senate collected the 21 votes needed to pass a proposed constitutional amendment that will allow the expansion of gambling throughout the state.
The measure must be approved by the House and then Alabama voters in a referendum on November 2 before it can take effect. If passed, it will legalize the electronic bingo machines already at VictoryLand (Macon County Greyhound Park) and allow the installation of the machines at Birmingham Race Course and Mobile Greyhound Park. These machines will prop up the cruelty of dog racing, removing it from both market pressures and the advocacy of greyhound friends like you.
Please call your Representative in the State House today, and ask them to you oppose this bill because you do not want the state to prop up the cruelty of dog racing. If you receive any feedback from your lawmakers, please forward it to GREY2K USA board member, Jennifer Krebs.
The greyhounds can’t speak for themselves and are counting on us to be their voice!
The dirty-dealings of the greyhound racing industry look likely to be further exposed in a
forthcoming court case in Alabama.
Macon County Greyhound Park, which operates two of the three dog tracks in the state, is being sued
for rigging casino machines, so the Birmingham (Alabama) Mayor could win jackpots.
March 1st, 2010 Tom Grady
If enacted, an Arizona State Senate bill could lead to an end of live racing at Tucson Greyhound Park. The legislation would end the state mandate to hold live races, but simulcasting and betting on out-of-state races would still be permitted.
It’s not all the way there, but certainly it’s a step in the right direction. GREY2K USA reports more than 500 greyhounds in Arizona were either too sick or too injured to race in 2008. Another bill in the works in Arizona (House Bill 2637) bans the use of anabolic steroids in racing dogs. KVOA.com reports the penalties would increase for drugging dogs in any way.
2/26/2010 TUCSON - A new Senate bill on the table backed by two local senators could stop all dog races at Tucson Greyhound Park.
"We took one from a laboratory that was going to be euthanized after he raced," said Roberta Wright. Wright adopted a greyhound who used to race, but she says she had no clue what the sport had done to her dog.
Greyhound activist Christine Dorchak says it is brutal. "Dogs suffered broken legs, broken necks, they were paralyzed, they suffered tail amputations...it goes on and on," Dorchak said. She said that in 2008, more than 500 greyhounds in Arizona were either too sick or too injured to race. "Their lives are ones of sheer misery," Dorchak said.Dorchak works for Grey2K USA, a national organization pushing to bring a stop to dog racing state after state.
Right now only 13 states have legal dog races, Arizona included. State Senators Paula Aboud and Jonathon Paton are now sponsoring a bill that would eliminate the mandate racing parks have to hold dog races, freeing them up to profit solely on simulcasting out-of-state races.
News 4 tried to get reaction from Tucson Greyhound Park about the proposed bills, but they declined our request for an interview. However, Dorchak is confident after speaking with TGP that they will get on-board with the bill. "TGP benefits, the state benefits, and best of all...the greyhounds benefit," she said Friday. Senator Aboud said their best chance to get this bill passed is with TGP's support. In addition to the senate bill, there is a separate bill also on the table. House Bill 2637, if passed, would put an immediate end to using anabolic steroids in greyhound racing dogs by raising the penalties for drugging dogs in any form.
PHOENIX, AZ -- (Marketwire) -- 11/05/09 -- Four retired racing greyhounds will be adjusting to life on the outside when they graduate from the Second Chance at Life program this coming Friday, November 6. The nine week program held at the Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona bonds imprisoned find loving adoptive homes.
"Retired greyhounds and prison inmates share more than just a training experience, they share a unique understanding of life behind bars. For racing greyhounds, it's all they've ever known," said Dan King, Director of the Second Chance at Life AZ Program. "With the help of inmates, the dogs learn to interact with people for the very first time. Even the most basic dog behaviors are foreign to them. Socializing the dogs provides them with adoption opportunities... it truly is a second chance at life for these special dogs."
Over 100 inmates applied to work with the retired greyhounds during the nine week Second Chance program. After careful screening, two inmates (handlers) were assigned to each dog. Handlers and their dogs shared a cell and spent virtually 24 hrs a day living and learning together. Handlers attended weekly training sessions with canine behaviorist Brad Jaffe, owner of Phoenix based Team Canine, to teach the dogs to sit, stay, come-on-command, lie down and heel. Each of the greyhounds had to undergo socialization training to ensure a successful transition into their adoption homes.
The experience left a powerful mark on all program participants as each prepared the other for life outside of prison walls. Inmates who participated were learning to become dog trainers and will one day exit the program with vocational skills. The graduating greyhounds will leave with social skills necessary for life in their new family settings.
Working with the dogs had a palpable effect on prison life -- it gave inmates a higher purpose, taught them patience, team work and personal responsibility. But more importantly what prisoners received from their fostered four legged friends was the healing effect of unconditional love. Even the most hardened inmates couldn't resist the loving licks and wagging tails of these retired racers..
"The best part of having the dogs here...? It's simple," said Dave Parker, prison inmate and Second Chance at Life participant. " It's the dogs themselves...just having them around makes routine prison life so much better."
To find out more about the Second Chance at Life program or inquire about adopting a rescued greyhound please visit our website: http://www.fastdogs.org or contact Dan King at 480.227.8795.
Second Chance at Life is a program to place retired greyhounds in prisons, where they are trained by inmates. It is a chance for the dogs to help bring hope to humans, while they are fostered and trained for life after the track. SCAL works closely with our Arizona based partners: Racing Home Greyhound Adoption and Brad and T.J Jaffe of Team Canine, who provide dog and inmate training. Our goal is to facilitate 16 dogs per 10 week program in both Eloy based correctional facilities. This means placing up to 80 dogs per year into forever homes, while healing the spirits and providing vocational training for up to 30 inmates looking for unconditional love.
Contact:
Second Chance at Life AZ
Dan King
480.227.8795
PHOENIX -- Officials at Phoenix Greyhound Park announced Friday plans to close by the end of the year.
According to track officials, the park told the Arizona Racing commission it would continue live racing and simulcast operations until December 19.
The park, located at Washington and 40th streets, opened over 40 years ago, according to the track's website.
President and General Manager Daniel A. Luciano said in a news release that over the next few months management will assist both employees and the kennel owners who have greyhounds being affected by the closing.
"We have been part of the community for many years and are proud of our history here," Luciano said in the news release. "Our primary goal now is to help transition our employees to new jobs and help the owners of the greyhounds relocate them to other racing venues or adoptive homes."
"I love it," said Frank Dimitri, who has worked at the track for more than> three decades. "I've been here a long time, and it's been good to me. Of course, I've been good to it. I think it's a sad day for dog racing."
Now, he and about 120 other employees are making other plans.
"There's other things I plan to do," said Dimitri. "I sing on the side."
Luciano cited the impact of the economy and increased competition from casinos and other entertainment venues as the reason for the closure.
"Gambling is not recession-proof," said Luciano. "This is one of the toughest recessions as we all know. It's one of the toughest recessions we've ever seen. People are saving their money and a lot of people are out of work, so the entertainment dollar has shrunken."
Many dog racing enthusiasts, including employees, blamed the state for not allowing slot machines at the track, which they said would bring in money for the state and boost the economy.
"I was extremely disappointed," said David Farmer, a regular at the track. "I said, what are we going to do now on Friday and Saturday nights, wait for a good movie to come out? I'm hoping that somehow at the last minute, they'll get some slot machines or allow legal gambling at the race tracks."
Track officials and staff are reportedly working with the kennel operators and Arizona Adopt A Greyhound Inc. to find homes for the 'retired' racing dogs.
the American Greyhound Council, and Greyhound Pets of America."Greyhound welfare has always been one of our most important priorities," Luciano said. "We will work with the current kennel owners to ensure greyhound welfare during this transition period."
According to the news release, Phoenix Greyhound Park welcomes help from adoption organizations across the country and from individuals who wish to adopt a greyhound.
"There's always a little concern about what's going to happen to the dogs," said Peggy Ringhoff, a volunteer for Arizona Adopt a Greyhound. "Our track< is an awesome track. It's a flagship. The dogs are going to be well cared for."
Anyone interested in adopting a greyhound should call Arizona Adopt A Greyhound Inc. at 602-791-6935 or Greyhound Pets of America at 1-800-366-1472.
Information about adopting a greyhound is available through Arizona Adopt a Greyhound or Greyhound Pets .
From www.abc15.com
See also: Phoenix Greyhound racetrack to shut down
FILLMORE, Calif. (KABC) -- Last year, we brought you the story of hundreds of greyhound dogs abandoned on the island of Guam after a race track there shut down. A Southern California greyhound rescue group stepped up to the plate, helping to save the lives of those dogs.
Some of those dogs were found tied up, dehydrated and even starving to death. One year later, all 200 dogs are off the island of Guam. Most have been adopted, but not all.
"We did have a few little stragglers left," said Barbara Davenport, owner of the Homestretch Greyhound Rescue and Adoption. "Annie here is one of the last girls to come in. We just had a load of three dogs who are the last ones left on the island."
Annie, Aztec and Lexus were the last three greyhounds to leave Guam and a racing system widely believed to abuse the dogs.
"The dogs are essentially a byproduct of the racing industry," said Davenport. "When the dogs are no longer useful, they start costing money because they still have to be fed and housed."
That's when some track owners look for ways to get rid of the dogs cheaply.
"There are dogs sold to research. There are dogs who are dumped," said Davenport.
Twenty-thousand greyhounds "retire" each year from racing. Many are adopted, but even industry officials admit that 2,000 to 3,000 dogs are legally killed each year. Rescue groups say the number is closer to 15,000 dogs killed every year.
That's why these greyhounds are so lucky.
"There were about 200 dogs that they were able to help out," said Davenport.
Homestretch Greyhound Rescue and Adoption in Fillmore acted as a sort of way station, a first stop for the greyhounds on their way to rescue groups across the country.
"They went to over 30 greyhound rescues," said Davenport.
It cost about $700 apiece to save each of those 200 greyhounds. Continental Airlines gave the rescue groups a big break on the flights from Guam to L.A.
Opinionated, curious, smart and less active than you'd think. Davenport says retired racing greyhounds can be the perfect family dogs.
"They're so loving and so appreciative after what they've been through, still trusting," said Davenport. "They're very easy, they don't make a big fuss, they're quiet, they're clean, they're lazy."
Those three are still available for adoption at the Homestretch Greyhound Rescue.
Homestretch is also raising money for medical treatment for Annie.
There will be a big greyhound picnic Saturday in Sierra Madre, where there will be even more rescued greyhounds looking for loving homes.
Donna Forster helped board 22 greyhounds into a trailer Wednesday bound for adoption agencies in New England.
Forster, owner of the Greyhound Adoption Kennel in North Fort Myers, is helping dozens of greyhounds find new homes before Naples Fort Myers Greyhound Racing & Poker closes next week.
Forster had to clear out her kennel to make room for an expected surge of the dogs after the Bonita Springs track closes for the summer.
It's the first time the track will go dark since the mid-1980s. It will reopen in November.
Many of the dogs racing in Bonita Springs will spend the summer at its sister track, Flagler, in east Coral Gables near Miami. But many won't have anywhere to go.
"I'm emptying out the entire kennel so we can pull anybody who needs to be moved off the track," said Forster, who has helped greyhounds find homes for 25 years.
"There will be dogs who aren't racing well enough to warrant moving them to another track. I don't want to turn anyone away."
She anticipates getting 25 dogs from the Bonita Springs track Friday and expects that number to climb. She has capacity to hold 31 dogs.
Linda Jensen, president of Racing Owners Assisting Racers, in Plainfield, Conn., coordinated the greyhound's trip from Florida to Connecticut. She has helped other closing Florida tracks find homes for the dogs.
"Our dogs are special, and you can't just give them to anybody," she said. "These are just phenomenal creatures."
The National Greyhound Association also is paying $1,500 for the dogs to travel to Connecticut.
"Everyone is working together; trainers, racing owners, track management, and adoptions agencies to do what's best for the greyhounds," Forster said.
Fred Fulchino, president of the American Greyhound Council and kennel operator, drove 22 hours from Connecticut to pick up the greyhounds Wednesday.
He plans to make the same trip back with few stops.
"New England doesn't have much dog racing anymore," he said.
"We want to make sure greyhounds have nice homes after racing."
Michael J. Mooney, May. 10 2010
Earlier this year, the American Greyhound Track Owners Association, which is headquartered at the Palm Beach Kennel Club, took on a new member with a questionable, controversial past.
At the AGTOA's spring conference, held in Las Vegas, then-President Karen Keelan called MIR/Caliente the group's "newest and most supportive member."
MIR/Caliente is the largest sports betting organization in Mexico and owns the Agua Caliente Racetrack in Tijuana. The man at the top of the company is Jorge Hank Rhon, a former mayor of Tijuana who's been accused of everything from money laundering to murder. In Mexico, his contentious past has earned him the nickname "Genghis Hank."
A New York State Inspector General's report from 2007 says Rhon "has been suspected by U.S. law enforcement and Mexican authorities of illegal money-laundering activities related to illicit drug trafficking, particularly with the Arellano Felix drug cartel based in Tijuana."
He's also one of Mexico's most notorious traffickers in exotic and endangered animals. In 1989, one of Rhon's cheetahs escaped and was hit by a pickup truck in Tijuana traffic. Before the police could set up a crime scene, the injured animal was taken away by Rhon's zoo guards. In 1991, he paid a $25,000 fine after a baby white tiger was found in his Mercedes as it crossed the border into Mexico.
Near his dog track in Mexico, he has a massive, bucolic playground. He has his own bull fighting ring where he watches fights from the front row. He reportedly has a private zoo that holds an estimated 20,000 animals, many of which are endangered.
An FBI-DEA task force investigated Rhon for money laundering in a case that involved Taesa Airlines and Loredo National Bank. A 1999 report from the Department of Justice says Rhon "is more openly criminal than either his father or his brother... and is regarded as ruthless, dangerous, and prone to violence."
The worst of the allegations against the AGTOA's newest partner, though, involves the murder of a journalist in Mexico. In April 1988, Hector "El Gato" Felix Miranda, a longtime critic of Rhon's, was assassinated on his way to work. Two of his security guards were convicted of the murder, though the well-connected Rhon was never charged.
ZETA, an independent newsweekly in Tijuana, still runs a regular, full-page ad with a photo of Miranda and the words: "Jorge Hank: Why did your bodyguards assassinate me?"
The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) cited Rhon's company, Grupo Caliente, in three different public hearings, raising questions about their licensing suitability. From the New York report:
"Essentially, these companies were directed by the NGCB to conclude any contracts with Grupo Caliente and to not renew those contracts. Grupo Caliente's U.S. representative for simulcasting events in the United States and Mexico, Arturo Alemany Salazar (who operates a company called MIR International), came under similar scrutiny by the Puerto Rico Racing Administration (PRRA)."
The report concludes that Rhon's company is likely to use its position in the simulcasting and pari-mutuel business to launder drug money:
"To the extent that Grupo Caliente may be involved in money laundering, it could easily exploit its status as a licensed bookmaker to launder illicit proceeds through U.S. tracks' pari-mutuel wagering pools...It is a relatively simple matter for a licensed, out-of-country bookmaker to partner with an offshore rebate shop with access to pari-mutuel pools in the United States."
When reached by phone, Karen Keelan said she was unaware of Rhon's past. "This is new knowledge to me," she said, and directed questions to AGTOA's new president, Tim Leuschner.
Leuschner, who also runs the Jacksonville Greyhound Track, said he thinks Rhon has been mischaracterized.
"These are unproven allegations," Leuschner said of the many charges laid upon Rhon by various news organizations and U.S. agencies. "The government of Mexico has licensed [Rhon's company], and they've run a live race track for many years. In Mexico, if someone wants to write a slanderous article about someone, they can just do it. It seems nobody has to be responsible."
Leuschner says he's never seen the company -- or any representatives -- act in anything but a professional manner.
"As far as I'm conerned, [Rhon] has been a good customer," he said. "In the racing business, you sell your races to people who are licensed. It's a highly regulated business. Unless someone can no longer receive a license, you usually still do business with them unless you have concrete evidence something is amiss."
Leuschner explained that Caliente has been an associate member of the organization for years, despite not owning any tracks in America. He said the company applied for full membership this year.
"Most of their greyhounds come from American breeders, with American kennels," he said.
Leuschner said the decision to include MIR/Caliente -- and Jorge Hank Rhon -- was not a result of financial desperation. He said that company pays the same membership dues as every other track owner in the organization.
"Obviously these this is not the greatest of financial times," he said, "but the AGTOA is financially sound and was financially sound before they joined."
"It's the first time we've done this since the mid-1980s," said Larry Baldwin, general manager of the track. "We're going back to circuit racing."
Many of the dogs at the track in Bonita Springs will spend the summer at its sister track Flagler in east Coral Gables, Baldwin said.
"In the fall, Flagler will shut down and they'll be back running over here," he said.
The track, which had been open year-round for racing, will stay open this summer for poker and simulcast horse and dog racing, Baldwin said.
Rob Christmas, director of racing at the Melbourne Greyhound Park and a former managing coordinator for the American Greyhound Track Operators Association, said many U.S. tracks have seasonal racing.
"We're dark now," Christmas said of the Melbourne track; racing runs from January through March. "It's something we've been doing for a long time - probably since 1993 or 1994."
Circuit racing also is embraced in thoroughbred horse racing. For example, Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens and Gulfstream Park in Hallandale race when one is closed. The same is true at New York race tracks Belmont, Aqueduct and Saratoga.
"One of the big reasons for it is seasonal activity," Christmas said. "Snowbirds make a big difference in attendance."
Circuit racing could be a boost for dog owners and the Bonita track in the late fall, Baldwin said.
"When they return, it'll create some excitement," he said. "We're hoping this rejuvenates our patrons."
Slot machines are legal at tracks in Broward County, and dog owners who take their dogs to Flagler will get a cut of slot money, he said.
In Bonita, "revenue from the dogs is much less in the summer," Baldwin said. "We have a lot of other things going on here."
New rules for poker go into effect July 1, allowing the Bonita track to extend hours and offer bigger pots. Baldwin said that should attract more players.
Reaction to the dog track going dark was mixed.
"I guess it's all right," said Dennis Snider, 72, of Fort Myers. "A lot of people do come here for the dogs, but I think that's mostly during the winter."
Jim Millis, 46, of Fort Myers, said he remembered when the entire track closed for the summer.
"That had to be 20 to 25 years ago - and that was when there weren't poker rooms, casinos or gambling boats. The dogs were all that it was," he said. "During the summer there's not a lot of attendance for the dogs."
Last night (4/5/10), WEAR TV News, the ABC affiliate in Pensacola, Florida, reported on a severe case of neglect at Pensacola Greyhound Park. Their report was based on a tip they received from GREY2K USA.
According to state records, an individual named Billie Ard recently surrendered her state license to train greyhounds after she was implicated in a severe case of neglect at the track. The investigation was closed on February 19, 2010.
The state investigation revealed the following:
-- The dogs in her kennel were severely underfed, and the main food supplier for kennels at the track was refusing to provide her with food because of unpaid bills.
-- Upon entering her kennel, investigators experienced an overwhelming smell of urine so severe it "burned the eyes." It also appeared that their bedding had not been cleaned in some time.
-- 22 dogs were eventually euthanized because their condition was so severe.
-- The greyhounds in her kennel were "unenergetic, lethargic, and most just laid there not even offering a bark."
-- Approximately five of the dogs that were euthanized had bedsores/pressure sores.
To watch the TV story, go here:
And it cost an Escambia County woman her license to own and operate a Kennel at the Pensacola Greyhound Track.
The State Department of Business and Professional Regulation initiated an investigation into Billie Ard... The owner of W.R. Etheredge Kennel at the track... After someone from the Emerald Coast Chapter of Greyhound Pets of America called in a tip that Ard had neglected and euthanized over 20 dogs.
Investigators from the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering reported that they found evidence that Billie Ard's greyhounds had been underfed, her kennels were unclean... And that her neglect caused her to euthanize 22 of her dogs.
"I don't know who said this, but, I'll say a prayer for them."
Michael Mccoy is a former employee of Billie Ard... Who says he doesn't believe some of the state's findings against her.
But the entries made by investigators are more than troubling.
One reads: "Upon entering the kennel it was apparent from the overwhelming urine smell… that the bedding materials in the crates had not been cleaned in quite some time. The smell was so strong and overwhelming that it burned the eyes."
They noted that the dogs also appeared to be underfed.
"I know when I worked for her, there was some weeks we had real bad weeks and she just barely got the food."
Investigators say the situation hit a crisis point in August of 2009.
That's when a local Veterinarian euthanized the dogs, because he felt they were being severely underfed.
"This might be, the most severe case of animal neglect, we have seen in the dog racing industry."
But Carey Theil of the National Greyhound P-rotection Group "Grey2k" says ard... Shouldn't be the only one to face a penalties.
"This severe case of animal neglect calls into question the ability of track management to monitor the health and welfare of dogs at their facility."
Despite losing her license, Billie Ard will not face any criminal charges because Escambia County Animal Control elected not to investigate the matter... Even though the state alerted them to the problem.
All of the dogs that were still in the Ard's care at the time of the investigation, have since been placed with other kennels or adopted out.
Authorities found the bodies of more than 2,000 greyhounds buried on an 18-acre property. Most had gun shot wounds in the head and neck. A woman arrested on felony charges for helping kill more than 2,000 greyhounds from all over the state has been training racing dogs again in Florida as recently as last week.
Ursula O'Donnell was charged with felony animal cruelty in November 2002 after allegedly hiring an Alabama man to shoot and bury greyhounds under her care. Link
According to documents obtained by the Juice, O'Donnell allegedly sent dogs from as far away as Palm Beach and Orlando to Robert Rhodes, a security guard at the Pensacola dog track, who told police he shot the greyhounds for about $10 each. When Rhodes died before trial, the case was dropped.
When police officers discovered the scene in Baldwin County, Alabama, many were overcome. For more than 20 years, Rhodes crassly (and illegally) disposed of greyhounds that were no longer fast enough to compete on the track by shooting them with a .22-caliber pistol. He told investigators at the time that he always killed the animals with a single shot to the back of the head so "they never knew it was coming."
But many of the bodies uncovered on Rhodes' property had been shot in the snout or the neck. Though O'Donnell denied knowledge of the operation at the time -- she claimed her employees sent dogs to Rhodes without her knowing -- a criminal investigation by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation found a check written by O'Donnell to Rhodes for $230, dated just before Rhodes' arrest. Using Rhodes' standard pricing, that was the fee for the execution of 23 dogs. This is a picture taken of the greyhound graveyard as it was unearthed.
You'd think such a thing would preclude an individual from working with greyhounds ever again, but as of the start of this year, O'Donnell was listed as the "trainer of record" for Free Spirit Kennel, which races dogs at the Naples-Fort Myers Track and Entertainment Center. That means that O'Donnell is personally responsible for the welfare of 50 to 75 dogs.
Then, around January 10, about the same time the track was notified about a current invesitgation, Ursula was no longer listed as the trainer of record for Free Spirit Kennel. The Naples track is owned by the Miami-based Havenick family, which also owns Magic City Casino in Miami (formerly the Flagler dog track). Izzy Havenick, vice president of both tracks, told me that as soon as he and his brother learned of O'Donnell's background, they asked the kennel to replace her. "This was just brought to our attention," Havenick said. "She never worked for us in any way, shape, or form. All of the kennels are owned and operated completely independently. But as soon as we found out, we asked the kennel to make the change, and they did."
Free Spirit Kennel's new trainer of record is Ryan O'Donnell. Havenick said he never met Ursula or Ryan O'Donnell and doesn't know what their relationship is. "O'Donnell is a very common name in dog racing," Havenick said. Carey Theil, executive director of Grey2K, the national antiracing lobby, told me the organization is pleased that Ursula O'Donnell will no longer be doing business with these two dog tracks.
"The Havenick family should be applauded for doing the right thing in asking Ursula O'Donnell to step down," Theil said. "We are grateful for their decision. The National Greyhound Association claims that they police their industry effectively, but this incident proves otherwise. The fact that Ursula was allowed to work again in the greyhound racing industry is very troubling." Havenick says he was as surprised as anyone to hear of Ursula's past, since she was properly licensed with the state. "We would never allow anyone who is even questionably cruel to a dog to be associated with our properties," he said. "If you get a license from the state, we assume the state has checked you out." He added: "We are dog guys. We love the dogs as much as anyone. We like dogs more than people."
Read original series of articles
The continuing decline of the greyhound racing industry in Florida has forced the state's Naples-Fort Myers track to operate only 6 months of the year.
“We’re running a circuit,” said Izzy Havenick, vice president of Southwest Florida Enterprises, which owns both tracks. The change may be another sign that state parimutuels are weaning themselves from a reliance on dog racing, which has fallen in popularity as Indian gaming surges." ...". The Bonita Springs track will see racing in winter months, anywhere from December to June, said Blanchard. " ..."Greyhound racing handles have fallen in recent years across the state. In the 2008-2009 fiscal year, the races at Naples-Fort Myers pulled $32.2 million, a 13-percent drop from the previous year and a 23-percent decline from the $42 million handle of 2005-2006. The speed of the decline may be increasing in the current economy. Racing money from November 2009 was down 22 percent from the previous year at Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track. At Flagler, the drop was nearly 19 percent."
Joan Harris, president of The Greater Orlando Chapter of the Greyhound Pets of America in Longwood, volunteers her time to find loving homes for the retired racing dogs. She doesn't know what they will do with all of the dogs if they have to move out of their facilities. (GARY W. GREEN/ORLANDO SENTINEL / October 1, 2009)
By Rachael Jackson
Sentinel Staff Writer
LONGWOOD - In a frenzy of doggy enthusiasm, Broadway the greyhound clumsily pops onto his hind legs and swings his front ones over the side of his pen to be closer to his friend and caretaker.
Joan Harris kisses him on the head. His narrow face nuzzles her cheek. She puts a comforting hand on his paw.
Harris hopes her group, the Greater Orlando Chapter of Greyhound Pets of America <http://www.greyhoundpetsorlando.org/> , will be able to provide comfort, love and eventually homes for greyhounds like Broadway for years to come. But rising expenses and decreasing donations have already forced the group to take in fewer dogs at its Longwood kennel. If finances keep dwindling, the group may lose its own home.
Harris' organization is not alone in its struggles. Animal-rescue groups across the region say the sour economy has led to fewer donations but more dogs that need their care...
Harris, president of the Longwood greyhound group, doesn't know how her
organization, which places 225 rescued dogs in homes a year, is going to
continue to cobble together $12,600 a month to operate. Its landlord just
decreased the monthly rent from $2,400 to $2,000, but Harris said that
considering the expenses, the group can only afford about $1,500.
Harris said her group has about 15 to 20 dogs in foster homes, but it's different from most rescue groups because it has its own facility. While that used to hold 53 dogs at a time, it now only take 43 to keep costs down.
Fewer people are adopting, she said, and more people are returning adopted dogs because they can't afford them. Harris said the group is doing more fundraising, but it hasn't been enough.
Most of the dogs come to the group after racing careers at the nearby Sanford Orlando Kennel Club. General Manager Mark Loewe says the dog track has donated $10,000 to greyhound-rescue groups this year and wants to help Greyhound Pets find a cheaper home. Loewe said his company works with adoption groups, and he wasn't aware of any healthy greyhounds being euthanized because a home couldn't be found. The track has space for about 1,000 racing dogs, and Loewe estimated that a handful a year suffer injuries so severe that they have to be put to sleep.
For almost 10 years, Greyhound Pets has been at its current spot, a former auto-repair shop transformed into an office, a small gift shop and a kennel. Landlord Mark Raponi said he can't further lower the rent but was considering making regular donations that he could write off in his taxes.
Several greyhound-rescue groups take dogs from the Kennel Club - in the past year close to 700 dogs were sent to adoption groups - but they can't hold many dogs at a central facility the way Harris' organization can.
Asked what will happen if the group can't come up with more funds or doesn't find an alternate home, Harris shakes her head. Looking at a cage holding Star, a shy dog with only a stub of a tail, she says: "I don't know."
Rachael Jackson can be reached at 407-540-4358 or rjackson@orlandosentinel.com.
How to help
Contact the Greater Orlando Chapter of Greyhound Pets of America at 407-332-4754 or gpago@greyhoundpets.org. Or visit the group at greyhoundpetsorlando.org or 1260 S. Ronald Reagan Blvd., Longwood.
Oct 09, 2009 5:46 PM Updated: Oct 09, 2009 6:00 PM FORT MYERS:
You've heard of the H1NI virus, commonly known as swine flu. Now add H3N8 to the list of dangerous viruses going around. It's a strain of canine influenza that has veterinarians across Southwest Florida concerned. There's now a new vaccine for dogs aimed at stopping the highly infectious strain of flu...
At the Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track in Bonita Springs, several dogs died and more than a dozen were infected by what was thought to be 'kennel cough.' It set off a statewide greyhound quarantine to contain the epidemic.
"The problem with the greyhound tracks is those greyhounds then disperse out and go to other tracks, other seasons, and some of them go all over the country," said Nichols. The dog flu has shown up in 30 states. It has never infected a human, but vets want you to remember all members of the family when the calendar calls for that annual flu shot.
By Chad Oliver
A group trying to protect Greyhound dogs in Iowa hopes a new video will do the trick.
Grey2KUSA has been taping simulcast races at Bluffs Run in Council Bluffs and captured several accidents where dogs fell and were later euthanized. The Massachusetts nonprofit wants to end Greyhound races in Iowa and is working with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. “I can't see a real good reason why we have greyhound racing. When you take into account the animal suffering, and exploitation, you know it's really hard to justify it at all,” said Tom Colvin, Director of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.
Casino Giant Harrah's Entertainment is also lobbying state lawmakers. Harrah's wants to pay the state $70 million over the next 7 years so it can stop subsidizing dog racing purses. Greyhound racing supporters said that would cost Iowa 1,300 jobs.
January 31, 2010. Joe Lent knew his livelihood would someday be challenged in the Iowa Legislature. The owner of River Bluff's Kennel in Dubuque just didn't expect it this soon.
Harrah's Entertainment, of Las Vegas, is encouraging state lawmakers to end live greyhound racing in Iowa, and it has found a supporter in Rep. Mary Mascher, D-Iowa City. Mascher is backing a bill that calls for the state to change a law requiring casinos to offer live racing. In exchange, Harrah's, which owns Bluffs Run in Council Bluffs, Iowa, would pay the state $7 million per year for seven years and Mystique Casino would pay $3 million per year for seven years.
If the measure is adopted this session, live greyhound racing could end as early as July 1. "It was inevitable that someone was going to try something like this," said Lent, who has raced in Dubuque since the track opened in 1985. "But the fact is, greyhound racing came first and gave birth to the casinos. They can't spare a little for their mother? This is like killing your mother. And as far as I'm concerned, Harrah's is going to take all of their money back to Vegas."
Harrah's argues the casinos spend $12 million each year subsidizing greyhound racing and that much of that money leaves the state. Harrah's funded a study of greyhound racing in Iowa, and it reported that 42 percent of kennels that race in Iowa are owned elsewhere. The study found that about $140 million in casino revenue went to greyhound owners from 1995 to 2008, without which, racing could not survive.
Jesus Aviles, general manager of Mystique, said the amount wagered on live racing doesn't cover costs, and the casino spent $3.8 million last year to support it. The law would not affect simulcast wagering. "From what I have read about the legislation, Harrah's is looking to eliminate greyhound racing due to the industry not reaching its goals," Aviles said. "If the popularity hasn't increased and if a great percentage of the money goes out of state, then the bill does make sense." Aviles understands concerns about Harrah's taking more profits out of state, but he said Dubuque's situation is different. Aviles said the Dubuque Racing Association would have more money available for local charities and nonprofits.
Dave Ungs, owner of Copper Kettle Kennel, said the positive effects of greyhound racing are felt far beyond the track. He said a 2001 Iowa State University study credited the industry with an annual economic impact of $36 million, and the Department of Agriculture reports 550 Iowa families are supported by greyhound racing. "We think this would be a real injustice," Ungs said. "It's like saying all the farmers in Iowa wouldn't make a profit unless they were subsidized."
The casinos employ about 90 people who work in the greyhound industry. Iowa has 62 kennels and 146 licensed breeders. One of those breeders is Brian Smith, of Newton, Iowa, whose greyhounds race in Dubuque and Council Bluffs. Smith is a full-time teacher and a part-time breeder. He spent $130,000 on his greyhound operation last year. He said $108,000 of it was spent in Iowa, and the other $22,000 went to out-of-state trainers. "And I'm a small operator," Smith said. "I bought propane, meat, dry food, a new lawn tractor ... The two people who work on my farm would lose that income. The Legislature and people in the community need to hear how much we put back in the economy. I would absolutely be out of business the minute this becomes law."
The sport is waning in popularity. When Dubuque Greyhound Park opened in 1985, there were about 50 tracks in the U.S. There are now about 25. Wisconsin lost two tracks last year, and voters in Massachusetts banned the sport. "People have changed their entertainment preferences," Aviles said. "You're seeing that trend nationwide. The question is, when will it hit Iowa?"
Iowa Sen. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, said this isn't the first time the issue has sparked debate about whether casino dollars are better spent on something other than kennel owners. She said the idea is percolating and that it is difficult to tell what direction it will take. "I would not be opposed to moving away from the racing, but it's not going to be an easy issue," Jochum said. "It will take a lot of work to get there."
Greyhound supporters, however, question the timing of Harrah's request. The major gambling empires in Las Vegas have been hit hard by the recession. Harrah's earnings report for the first nine months of 2009 shows revenue declined 13.3 percent, to $6.81 billion from $7.85 billion in the first three quarters of 2008. Those figures don't sit well with Iowa breeders and kennel owners. "This is all about corporate greed," Smith said. "We're bringing money to town. How much money are they going to put into the state?"
Written by Mary Rupert
Wednesday, 30 June 2010 09:46
The Woodlands’ racing license has been revoked by the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission, a state spokesman said today.The horse and dog track in Kansas City, Kansas, closed since August 2008, will no longer be able to run races at the track unless some future action is taken to apply for the license again.
Mike Deines, spokesman for the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission, said the license revocation was automatic. It took effect June 28, which was 30 days after the close of the Kansas legislative session, because no plan was submitted by then.
Woodlands officials earlier said they wanted the Legislature to change the amount of slots revenue that they were allowed. Under the expanded gaming law, the horse and dog racetracks that added slots would have paid the state 40 percent of the slot machine profits. The new destination casinos, however, were taxed 22 percent, and the horse and dog tracks proposed a legislative change that failed by a narrow margin this past session.
Deines said licenses also were revoked for Wichita Greyhound Park, and Camptown Park in Frontenac, Kan., a dog track.
“Currently there are no licenses to run racing in the state of Kansas,” Deines said. Tracks were given until June 28 to get a new plan to the state to reopen. Several phone calls to The Woodlands for a comment have not been returned. Earlier, Woodlands officials said they had been weighing options, including selling the racetrack.
To reach Mary Rupert, managing editor, e-mail maryr@wyandottepublishing.com .
MATTHEW CLARK The Morning Sun
Published: May 9, 2010
The prospects of gaining a destination casino in southeast Kansas took a big blow late Friday night when the Kansas Senate voted down a measure meant to revive the state's horse and dog racetracks. By a vote of 20-19 against the measure, Senators rejected a bill that was geared at making slot machines more profitable for owners of The Woodlands horse and dog tracks in Kansas City, Kan. as well as Camptown Greyhound Park in Frontenac.
"We probably debated it for about six hours or even longer than that," said State Sen. Bob Marshall, a Fort Scott Republican. "It was pretty contentious."
The bill was also designed to lower investment minimums to attract a developer for a state-owned casino in either Crawford or Cherokee counties.
Marshall said that two factors that damaged the coalition build to pass the measure. The first being the addition of a smoking ban on the floors of destination casinos. Originally, both the House and Senate passed a statewide smoking ban that excluded those areas, but Friday an amendment was passed to include gaming floors to the ban.
"I suspect that the poison pill that cost us two votes was a smoking ban," said State Rep. Julie Menghini, a Pittsburg Democrat. "When they got the amendment on to eliminate that exemption, that was it."
In addition, Senators also debated on allowing a revote to allow slot machines at the Wichita Greyhound Park in Sedgwick County - which is owned by Phil Ruffin, Sr., the same owner of Camptown Greyhound Park in Frontenac - as well as a provision to keep slots out of The Woodlands after developers of a casino at the Kansas Speedway contended that lowering the percentage of slot revenues to horse and dog tracks was "unfair" and "changed the rules in the middle of the game."
The owners of that casino were really opposed to letting us have slots at The Woodlands and that took two Democrats away from the vote," Marshall said. "We thought we had both of them.
"The people from Wyandotte County and the Greater Kansas City Area Chamber of Commerce and Overland Park came out pretty strongly against The Woodlands getting slots and that was the biggest thing. Had Penn National came out and disregarded it, that probably would have made it happen."
On Friday, voting on the bill was delayed after debate on delaying the smoking ban on casino floors until 2014 won support of the chamber. State Sen. Tim Huelskamp, a Fowler Republican, asked - and received - time to draft a proposed amendment to delay the implementation of the entire statewide smoking ban until 2014, but that was rejected when debate resumed hours later.
The smoking debate seemed to overshadow the reason the bill was being pushed. Some supporters of the bill said that the state could gain up to $20 million per year from slots at racetracks in addition to more revenues from a casino in southeast Kansas.
Another measure that was hotly contested was the allowing for a revote in Sedgwick County to ask for slot machines to be placed at the Wichita Greyhound Park. That measure was voted down by a 20-18 vote.
"We needed that greyhound circuit where they could run at all three tracks," Marshall said. "But, that revote was very heatedly discussed and there were two Wichita Senators that were for the revote and four that were against and that hurt us."
Under current state law, the share of slot revenues to track owners is capped at 40 percent whereas the new bill would have increased that to 58 percent. Track owners have said that the current percentage makes opening not profitable. The new bill would have also dropped the minimum investment in a casino in southeast Kansas from $225 million to $100 million.
The new bill was supported by two smaller horse racing tracks in Kansas - Anthony Downs and Eureka Downs - both of which have said they will not open this summer season if a new bill is passed.
"This would have been big for the horse and dog breeders in the state of Kansas," Marshall said.
WICHITA, Kansas -- It's off to the races for a bill that could reopen Kansas dog tracks including the Wichita Greyhound Park.
The Kansas House introduced a gambling bill Thursday that's similar to a bill being debated by a Senate committee. The Wichita Greyhound Park closed in 2007 after voters turned down a proposition to allow slots at the track. Wyandotte County voters approved slots.
Still, nine months later the Woodlands in Kansas City shut down too when the owner said the percentage of profits he would have to give to the state was too big. That's the same reason Phil Ruffin didn't reopen the Camptown racetrack near Pittsburg. As a result Anthony Downs ended its 105 year racing tradition this summer. Eureka Downs says it will likely do the same.
In all the Kansas Greyhound Association estimates 3,000 people have lost their jobs. But the gambling bills now in the legislature could reverse all of that. In the proposed legislation track owners would get 58% of the profits, instead of the 40% they get now. It would also allow voters in Sedgwick County to vote again on allowing slots the Greyhound Park. "We think we can win this time, but you never know," said Phil Ruffin, who owns the Wichita Greyhound Park.
Ruffin says he would pay for a referendum and if the bill and vote passes, he would open the Wichita and Camptown greyhound parks back up. "It'll take some time but we'd do it expeditiously and as fast as possible," said Ruffin.
Supporters of the bill say it all would mean about 3,000 to 4,000 thousand new jobs and an estimated $40 million for the state the first year. "We think that legislators understand that we really need to have the racetracks open, it's real jobs involving real folks across the state,” said Doug Lawrence, the Executive Director of the Kansas Greyhound Association. “We're finding them to be very receptive on this issue."
The bill would also amend the requirements for a casino in southeast Kansas. The measure will likely face the most opposition in the House where leaders say gambling supporters got the deal they wanted in 2007 and they need to live with it.
January 20, 2010 BOSTON -
Greyhounds took their last lap around race tracks in New England a few days ago, 97 years after first-generation Irishman Owen Patrick Smith of South Dakota invented the artificial rabbit that the sleek dogs have been chasing around tracks since the 1920s.
Smith, whose parents came to the U.S. from County Cavan, invented the mechanical lure in 1912 to prevent the killing of live jackrabbits by greyhounds during the sport of coursing. His invention eventually led to dog racing as we know it on oval tracks around the world.
Greyhound racing was introduced in England in 1926. A year later, on May 24, 1927, 8,000 people showed up at Dublin's Shelbourne Park for the debut of greyhound racing in Ireland. Despite the closing of tracks around the world, dog racing remains a popular form of gambling entertainment in Ireland, and a new track is set to open next fall in Limerick.
In 2008, Massachusetts voters, by a margin of 56 to 44 percent, elected to ban the sport effective January 1, 2010. Only seven states now permit greyhound racing, down from 16 states a decade ago.
Declining support for the industry in America is attributed to the struggling economy, protests and campaigns by animal advocacy groups, and the widespread availability of casinos and alternative forms of entertainment.
In Europe, a similar trend is taking shape. Tracks have closed all over Spain, and dog racing in England suffered a major setback last year with the closing of the Coventry track.
One country that is bucking that trend, for now, is Ireland, where a new state-of-the-art stadium is being built in Limerick. Seventeen tracks across the country currently do well, despite growing protests and a troubled Irish economy.
Marion Fitzgibbon, who is a past president of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, told the Echo that she is dismayed that the Irish government is subsidizing the new Limerick stadium. "We were hoping that the old stadium would be torn down, and that something else would take its place instead of another dog track," she said. "But betting on horses and greyhounds is still very big in Ireland, and with this new stadium they're trying to appeal to a younger crowd who want gourmet meals and enclosed corporate boxes."
Fitzgibbon, who is a long-time member of Limerick Animal Welfare, said that she was very pleased with the abolition of greyhound racing in New England. Her hope is that the trend will eventually sweep her own country. She said that the Irish governing board has taken some measures to promote greyhound adoption and enforcement of animal welfare regulations."But there's still a tremendous amount of cruelty and mistreatment within the industry, and there's way too much over-breeding," she said.
Fitzgibbon said that about 16,000 puppies and retired greyhounds become surplus for the industry each year, with many of them ending up maimed and abandoned.
Louise Coleman, director of Greyhound Friends in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, has placed thousands of greyhounds in homes since 1983 through her adoption shelter. She recently took in another 20 greyhounds from the recently closed Raynham Park.
As president of the American-European Greyhound Alliance, Coleman describes the current situation as a "transitional" period for greyhounds around the world, with so many tracks closing and so many dogs in need of homes. Coleman shares the concerns of Fitzgibbon about the over-breeding of greyhounds in Ireland. "The economy in Ireland isn't in very good shape, and I wonder how long the racing industry will survive there," she told the Echo.
"It's amazing how fast racing ended in New England, and it could happen in Ireland. In that case, a lot of homes will be needed." The Irish government cut funding to the industry by 13 percent for 2010, on the heels of a nine percent reduction last year. And in another sign that the industry may be in trouble, fewer races will be held during the quiet winter months. "Down the road, I wonder what will happen to the breed itself," Coleman said. "When greyhound racing as it has existed ends, who will breed the greyhounds? It will be up to us as stewards to make sure they are taken care of." Anyone interested in greyhound adoptions can contact Coleman at www.greyhound.org.
November 26, 2009
From www.masslive.com
By SANDRA E. CONSTANTINE sconstantine@repub.com
SPRINGFIELD - There are three new tail-wagging greyhounds fresh from the race track and now at Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society eager to trot into the homes and hearts of some lucky local families. Kitten, Bailey and Katie, all females, arrived recently at the shelter thanks to local animal rescue worker Caludia O. Rosenberg of Longmeadow.
"They are sweethearts. They are very easy to bring into your home," Rosenberg said. "In the kennel, they are bred to like other dogs. They take orders from people very well."
The animal rescuer said the trio of greyhounds, all from the Raynham-Taunton Greyhound Park in Raynham, traveled well on the trip to Springfield in her van with her Chinese crested powder puff, Daisy. They are among a floodgate of canines that need homes as dog racing will be illegal in Massachusetts staring Jan. 1.
In November of 2008, Massachusetts voters approved a measure that ends greyhound racing in the state, affecting the Raynham-Taunton Greyhound Park and Wonderland Greyhound Park in Revere. Wonderland held its last race in September.
Opponents of the ban have asked for an override of the measure, seeking additional racing dates into 2010, but the Massachusetts Racing Commission has denied the request.
"Because this organization worked to end dog racing in Massachusetts, we feel it is our responsibility to step up and help find homes for the dogs," Leslie Harris, Dakin's executive director, said. "All of those advocating for the dogs who voted to end greyhound racing should also help us find them homes."
The dogs will all be spayed, wormed and given shots before being released for adoption. Greyhounds are easy to care for, even by people who are away from home as the animals can be kept indoors, according to Rosenberg. "They sleep all day. They are big, old coach potatoes," she said.
Animal welfare organizations, including Dakin, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Grey2K and the Humane Society of the United States, all of which supported ending greyhound racing in the state, are working to assist dogs displaced as a result of the tracks Dogs may be adopted from Dakin for a fee of $375, which includes a variety of services, including dog obedience classes.
Nov 19, 2009
From www.thesunchronicle.com Attleboro Sun Chronicle
By SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
BOSTON - The state Senate has passed a bill that allows the state's two greyhound racetracks to remain open to take wagers on simulcast races held out of state after the ban on live racing goes into effect Jan. 1.
The House last week approved a bill extending simulcasting at the greyhound
Hundreds of jobs were on the line as simulcasting also had been slated to stop the end of the calendar year, officials said.
The Wonderland Greyhound Park has already ceased live racing. The Raynham Park track has remained open. They will essentially become off-track betting parlors.
"Quite simply, this is a jobs bill," said Sen. Marc R. Pacheco, D-Taunton. "This bill ensures that the greyhound tracks will continue to employ hundreds of people who otherwise would have found themselves jobless in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression." Pacheco had been looking for ways to lessen the impact the looming elimination of live greyhound racing will have on track workers since the ban was narrowly approved by the statewide electorate in 2008.
Meanwhile, Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville and other tracks hope to get pproval for slot machines, which the Legislature is expected to tackle next year.
The fourth track in the state is Suffolk Downs in East Boston, and has horse racing and simulcasting as Plainridge does.
"Over 1,066 families in Massachusetts make their livings working in the racing industry. Ideally, I would have liked to have seen a temporary live racing extension that would have kept all of these people employed until the economy turned around and job market improved," Pacheco said. "The simulcast extension that was approved by the Senate, however, is a good compromise that will still save a large portion of those jobs. It's safe to say that the holiday season will be a little brighter for hundreds of families statewide as a result of this bill."
By Jim O'Sullivan / State House News Service
Lawmakers are poised to float a lifeline to the state's two dog tracks as their live racing days approach an end, crafting an extension of their off-track betting rights that could come to a vote next week and create a new wagering environment in Massachusetts as policymakers ponder whether to permit casinos.
The legislation would essentially allow Raynham-Taunton Greyhound and Wonderland in Revere to operate as off-track betting parlors, venues that do not feature live racing due to the ban on dog racing that takes effect Jan. 1, but instead allow patrons to wager on events broadcast from other tracks around the country.
The Economic Development Committee approved legislation yesterday that would enable the two tracks to keep their doors open, despite the scheduled expiration of simulcasting licenses in December, until July 31 of next year, the final day of formal legislative sessions in the two-year cycle. The tracks have been stung by a voter-approved ban on dog racing.
House Democrats called the bill an effort to preserve the 1,300 jobs they said are on the line at the dog tracks.
"What we're doing is responding to the greyhound ballot question," said Rep. Brian Dempsey, House chairman of the Economic Development Committee. "There's a recognition that 1,300 employees will be losing their jobs in January. This is going to enable half of those jobs to be saved."
By TIM FAULKNER, Staff Writer
Live greyhound racing is nearly finished at Raynham Taunton Park, but despite its bleak future the track's top dogs are strengthening their push to make slot machines the featured event.
A year to the day after Massachusetts voters approved a ban on dog racing by passing ballot Question 3, the Raynham dog track went before the state Racing Commission at Raynham Town Hall seeking a permit to run 269 races in 2010.
After an abbreviated discussion, the board voted 2-1 to reject the application, citing incomplete paperwork and an unwillingness to go against the Jan. 1 law against greyhound racing.
"The problem is you're giving us something we cannot act [on]," said Commissioner John Sherman. "It does not meet statutory requirements."
Application fees totaling $3,600 and $250,000 in surety bonds, along with the track's financial statements were left out of the application.
Raynham Park General Manager Gary Temple, apologized for the errors, saying the track's filing was intentionally unfinished in order to save money "and hope something comes out of the courts."
The track challenged the validity of the ballot question in Lynn District Court on grounds that fraudulent tactics were used on the day of the election.
A second legal challenge claims it is unconstitutional to take property without compensation.
Despite a warning that the application would be denied, the racing commission allowed proponents and opponents to debate the request for holding races in 2010.
Temple said the effort was a final attempt to save the 300 remaining trac employees, "the people that have worked seven days a week, every day of the year, to make our business operate."
Carey Theil of Grey2K USA, the sponsors of Question 3, argued that the will of the voters must be respected. "There is virtually no chance the Legislature will revisit this issue."
The racing commissioners agreed that their actions were limited. "Based on the vote last year, we don't have the authority to permit racing because it's been prohibited," said Walter Sullivan, chairman of the racing< commission.
Despite the defeat, members of the track's marketing team are moving ahead with a push for a slot machine parlor at the dog track.
Track owner George Carney attended the meeting but chose to have Temple and his public relations people talk with the media about plans for the business his family has owned since 1966.
Renamed Raynham Park, the re-vamped facility was highlighted in a colorful brochure featuring photos of young gamblers enjoying the proposed 2,000-plus slot machines. The marketing brochure highlighted geographic statistics and pro-gambling quotes from local politicians, as well as a quote and photo from a Raynham police officer.
Much of the optimism for increased gambling at Raynham Park is fueled by renewed backing for casinos from the state Legislature. A bill proposed by state Sen. Marc Pacheco, seeks to extend the racing ban for two years, or at least until the upcoming legal battle plays out. A separate bill would allow simulcasting and wagering of other events at the track.
No date has been set for when lawmakers will decide the what's next for Raynham Park. "We're waiting for the courts and Legislature," Temple said.
After the meeting Temple said the track has had to cut staff in recent weeks. "Right now, business is not well."
On September 18, 2009 the Wonderland Greyhound Track in Revere, Massachusetts closed its doors.
"(NECN: Josh Brogadir, Revere, Mass.) - It's the end of the line for greyhound racing at one of the last remaining dog tracks in Massachusetts. Wonderland had its final race before a new law takes effect ending the practice in the Bay State...
The sun is setting on the last night of live dog racing at Wonderland Greyhound Park...Though simulcasting of races will go on for now - after 74 years, it's the final time dogs will run around the track.
The track opened in the city of Revere in 1935 on the site of the old Wonderland Amusement Park.And for seven decades, the dog track has become a staple in Revere.http://www.necn.com/Boston/New-England/2009/09/18/Wonderland-holds-final-night/1253323621.html
NECN) - We shift our attention now to a group that's been helping one breed, the Greyhound for a long time. I don't know about you-but when I see these beautiful dogs I don't think racing, I think friendship. On the Secret Life of Animals we're meeting one of the saints of the Greyhound world.
Despite many track closings, we'll find out why so many Greyhounds are still in need of homes. Joining Vicki is Louise Coleman of Greyhound Friends in Hopkinton Massachusetts. If you'd like to make a donation to Greyhound Friends or if you'd like to learn more about adopting one of these beautiful dogs -- just log on to their web site -- Greyhound.org .
Three rescued greyhounds from Greyhound Friends, Inc. in Hopkinton, MA recently starred in Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's production of The Comedy of Errors. They have all been adopted.
"Yesterday, Steve Maler took a break from rehearsal to head to the Common and meet some late additions to the cast of The Comedy of Errors: the first three members of a rotating cast of greyhounds who will be a highlight of the dumbshows between Shakespeare’s acts.
So, internet, meet Ben, Zelda, and Gill.
:
All three of these dogs were adopted after they left racetracks in various parts of the world and come to Commonwealth Shakespeare Company thanks to the interest and efforts of Greyhound Friends in Hopkington, MA." http://commshakes.org/blog1/
Foster homes needed for displaced Florida Greyhounds coming to Chippewa County
Cutbacks not only hit people -- dogs are also losing their jobs. The Bonita/Fort Myers Greyhound Racing Track in Bonita Springs, Florida reduced its schedule to run only in the winter months. This change to a seasonal schedule created a unique opportunity to bring five retired Greyhounds to Sault Ste. Marie.
Debra Cox, a member of the local animal welfare organization, Guardian Angels for Animals, was visiting her daughter, Amanda Cox-Gil, in Florida. When Cox met her "granddog", a rescued female Greyhound named Rolls, she was impressed by the sweet nature of the breed.
After visiting Homes for Happy Hounds, a Greyhound rescue organization in Bonita Springs, and meeting with the group's president, Cox arranged to bring some dogs to Michigan, under the sponsorship of Guardian Angels. In a stroke of luck, Cox met a Florida business owner who was traveling to Michigan and who offered to transport up to five dogs.
Because these dogs have never been in a home situation, they will be placed in foster homes prior to adoption. Two dogs already have a foster home waiting for them, but homes for the other three still are needed.
Anyone interested in providing a foster home for a Greyhound should phone Debra Cox 906-630-3962. There are three dogs that are two years old: Gable Dodo, a male; Gable Coanda and Gable Flamingo, both females. The four year old dogs are both males: Gable Hover, and Boc's Jungle Boy. The cost of transportation and any needed health care is being provided by Guardian Angels for Animals. Another local group, FOCAS (Friends of Caring Animal Shelters) will fund the spaying and neutering.
Cox expects to have a large response once the dogs are available for adoption. Anyone wanting to contribute to the care of the Greyhounds may mail donations to Guardian Angels for Animals, 4234 I-75 Business Spur Box 372, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. For further information on fostering a Greyhound, phone Debra Cox 906-630-3962.
July, 2010-Today, New Hampshire Governor John Lynch signed into law House Bill 630, a humane proposal to prohibit greyhound racing in his state. This is an historic victory, and another milestone in our national effort to end the cruelty of greyhound racing!
Click here to read today’s press statement.
In New Hampshire, humane advocates fought for an end of greyhound racing for nearly a decade, and today’s signing is proof that perseverance can overcome even the most challenging opposition. At the end of the day, the money and muscle that was used by dog track owners to protect the cruelty of greyhound racing was overcome by your positive efforts.
For generations, greyhounds have suffered and died in New Hampshire. During the final debate over House Bill 630, Senator Sheila Roberge highlighted one of these dogs, a one-year-old greyhound named Amber. Sadly, Amber died in her first-ever race at Seabrook Greyhound Park in 2006, when she ran into the racetrack rail and suffered massive brain damage. Today’s signing means that greyhounds like Amber will never again suffer at New Hampshire racetracks
May 22, 2010 1:08 pm (PDT) Please read the message below and contact Governor Lynch. GREY2K USA would like people from all over the world to ask him to sign the Greyhound Protection Act.
Today we bring you great news. HB 630, the Greyhound Protection Act (www.voteforthedogs.org) our bill to make dog racing illegal in the state of New Hampshire, is now headed for Governor Lynch’s desk!
Please join us in encouraging the Governor to sign this humane legislation into law. GREY2K USA supporters—joined by greyhound advocates all across the state—have been working on this campaign for seven years now (www.grey2kusa.org/action/nh.html), and the greyhounds are almost there!
Calls and letters are preferred. Please ask Governor Lynch to sign HB 630, the Greyhound Protection Act, so that the cruelty of dog racing will end once and for all in the Granite State.
Office of the Governor State House 107 North Main Street Concord, NH 03301, USA (603) 271-2121 (603) 271-7640 (fax)
Click here (www.governor.nh.gov/contact/index.htm) to e-mail the Governor.
March 24, 2010-The House has voted to ban live dog racing in New Hampshire. The state's two remaining dog tracks currently don't conduct live greyhound racing and instead provide simulcasts of races held elsewhere.
The bill would eliminate the tracks' option of resuming live racing. Supporters argued the tracks aren't racing dogs now and the state will save money by no longer regulating the activity. Opponents say the state should let the tracks decide when it made financial sense to offer live racing.
Great news! Yesterday, greyhound advocates won another historic victory when the New Hampshire House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to make dog racing illegal in the Granite State. This incredible vote comes only days after the Greyhound Protection Act took effect in Massachusetts, closing two dog tracks.
For years, GREY2K USA has been fighting to end dog racing in New Hampshire, and this latest victory is a testament to the hard work of many people, including State Representatives Mary Cooney, Steve Vaillancourt, Mary Beth Walz and Catherine Mulholland. Of course, our work in New Hampshire is not yet done. The bill still has several stops to make, including a vote in the State Senate, before becoming law.
We will keep you updated as this important bill advances. In closing, we would like to thank all of the people who are helping with this important campaign, including GREY2K USA board members Jen Krebs, Michael Trombley and Paul LaFlamme, Joanne Bourbeau and our friends at The Humane Society of the United States, GREY2K USA legislative agent Nancy Johnson and volunteers Gail Cromwell, Linda Dionne, Chris Garceau and Catherine Blake. But this victory is only the beginning. With your help, we can end dog racing nationwide! For the greyhounds, Christine Dorchak, Esq. Christine A. Dorchak, Esq. President.
March 22, 2010. More than 2 dozen dogs were confiscated as part of an alleged Henry County cruelty case. The Humane Society is now caring for the animals.
Several dogs were confiscated from a home in Napoleon in early March. "They were in such a state that in order to keep them safe we felt we had to seize them," says Dr. Fedderke from the Napoleon Veterinary Clinic.
Jim Wilson, Lisa Wilson, and John Wilson are each charged with three counts of animal cruelty. Today in court, they all pleaded not guilty through paperwork filed by their attorney.
There were 26 dogs living inside the home. Dr. Fedderke says, "There were greyhounds, Great Danes, labs, chihuahuas and mixes on the property..."If the Wilsons are found guilty, the dogs will be up for adoption. If you'd like to help the Henry County Humane Society with donations of food or money or volunteer your time, visit www.hchs.petfinder.org
April 25, 2010 By JULIET MACUR ELGIN, Okla. —
One morning in an otherwise quiet corner of the Great Plains, high-pitched yips and deep growls sprang from a cluster of trees. Two greyhounds were fighting a pack of coyotes. One greyhound was bitten on a front paw and a back leg. The other was bitten in the jaw, and blood soaked its muzzle. But two of the seven coyotes died. The greyhounds, wild-eyed and wet with slobber, trotted to their owner, John Hardzog, a cattle rancher who was waiting nearby. “Greyhounds are calm, gentle dogs, but they’re also pretty efficient killers,” Hardzog said as he picked a clump of tawny coyote hair from one dog’s teeth. “This is exactly what they’re born and bred to do. Yep, this is what they live for.”
Unlike the greyhounds familiar to most Americans as racers and pets, Hardzog’s are trained only to chase and kill coyotes for sport. Hunting coyotes with greyhounds goes back generations. President Theodore Roosevelt did so on this land, about 70 miles southwest of Oklahoma City, in the early 1900s. It remains largely a regional pursuit that is part of the area’s lore, like the cattle drives along the Chisholm Trail. Ranchers and farmers have long viewed coyotes as pests because they kill livestock. Yet hunting coyotes with greyhounds — all members of the Canidae family — is banned in some states, including Washington and Colorado. Some animal-rights groups, including the Humane Society of the United States, say it is inhumane, for coyotes and for greyhounds.
...
Several broke their necks when their collars snagged while scooting under barbed-wire fences, which can also rip their paper-thin skin. “Every time you turn ’em loose, you don’t know whether it’s going to come back sound or not,” Hardzog said. “There’s just a lot of obstacles out there. Every once in a while, you had one run off in a ditch and either break their back or a shoulder or dislocate a hip. But it’s the risk you take. If you didn’t let them run, you would be denying what they were bred to do.”
...
Judy Paulsen, the director of Greyhound Companions of New Mexico, said she had seen the damage coyote hunting could do. “If the dogs don’t return from the hunt,” she said, some hunters “just leave them for dead because, to them, they are expendable."
GREYHOUND RACING: The House Gaming Oversight Committee voted unanimously to approve a bill that would make it illegal in Pennsylvania to send or receive a simulcast of a greyhound race for commercial purposes. The bill cleared the Senate last month and now heads to the full House. Greyhound racing is prohibited in Pennsylvania. House Gaming Oversight Committee Chairman Dante Santoni, D-Berks, said the bill closes a loophole in a law meant to outlaw a sport that treats the dogs poorly. (Senate Bill 214)
May 9, 2010 4:58 am (PDT) From Winning Races to Winning Hearts Curious about greyhound adoption, but don't know where to start? Let Monica's Heart Greyhound Adoption help guide you through the process.
Monica's Heart is a non-profit organization incorporated in 1996 which is dedicated to placing retired racing Greyhounds in loving homes. Over the past 14 years Monica's Heart has been able to place over eleven hundred retired greyhounds. The greyhounds available for adoption range from 18 months - 9 years with a life expectancy of 12-14 years. A greyhounds retirement age depends on how well they race, and the older ones have been used for breeding.
All of Monica's Heart's dogs are fostered prior to adoption which helps the dogs that are straight off the track to get acclimated to things they have never experienced in kennel life. For example, stairs which they have never used or seen, glass doors, cats, small dogs, and small children for a few. The foster parents work with the dogs to help them become adjusted to life in a house, before going to their forever home.
Are you worried you don't have enough room for a greyhound to "run" or you don't have a fenced in yard? This is the number one misconception about greyhounds. Greyhounds do not require any more exercise than another dog of the same size. They are sight hounds and the urge to chase after anything moving that looks interesting is thousands of years old, therefore they must be walked on a leash or be in a fully fenced area.
You will find greyhounds to be very affectionate, friendly dogs that thrive on attention and human companionship.
Monica's Heart adoption process starts with an application that can found on our website and submitted electronically at www.monicasheart.com. Once the application is processed and veterinary references are checked the local adoption representative will schedule a home visit. The home visit is to talk to the potential adopters, discuss any questions, and look for potential problems for a Grey.
Monica's Heart will then make sure you get the right dog for your family taking into consideration other dogs, cats and small children. Monica's Heart's adoption fee is $195. Your new greyhound will come spay/neutered, have all shots up-to-date, fecal and heartworm check, complete teeth cleaning, nails clipped and a general check up along with a winter coat, leash, martingale collar and grooming mitt.
Monica's Heart invites you to attend our local Meet and Greets held the 1st Sunday or each month at Petco in Horseheads from 1pm-3pm. For more information on adoption please contact our local representatives, Pat and Lisa Nichols at 607-527-8370 or visit us on the web at www.monicasheart.com and take a look at the virtual kennel to see the Greys that are waiting for their forever homes.
January 30, 2010. SAYRE - The Sayre Public Library was host to some of the second-fastest mammals in the world Thursday night - retired racing Greyhounds who have found a new life as family pets.
The Sayre Satellite of Keystone Greyhounds, a non-profit group that helps find homes for retired racing greyhounds, presented a seminar on racing greyhounds at the library. Sam and Debby Moore of Sayre, who have three greyhounds themselves, presented information on the breed and racing, once known as "the queen's sport" after England's Queen Elizabeth. The breed was used to put food on the table in antiquity, Debby Moore said, and were later trained to race each other in contests to see which owner had the fastest dog. From that grew the modern sport of Greyhound racing, in which the dogs follow an artificial lure around an oval track.
Racing Greyhounds start their training at around six months of age, Debby Moore said, and compete in their first race at about 18 months old. Keystone Greyhounds tries to find homes for the dogs after their racing careers have ended. Greyhounds are sweet, affectionate dogs that adapt to retirement quickly, Debby Moore said, but there are things to be aware of when adopting one. The dogs have a short coat and very low body fat, she said, so they can't handle extreme cold. They also need exercise in either a fenced-in yard, or need to go on one or two walks every day, she said, and should never be off a leash in an open area, as they can go from standing still to top speed (up to 45 mph) in three strides.
The Moores also discussed the life of a racing Greyhound, and how it differs from life in a home. Racing dogs are used to a routine, waking up early, being handled by humans, walking on a lead and are also used to having music in the background constantly, as many kennels continuously play music to keep the dogs calm, Debby Moore said. When a Greyhound first comes off the track, they also have no calluses developed on their paws, which makes smooth and slippery surfaces a challenge for them initially, she said, though after a while of life outside the kennel, their feet toughen up.
Hal and Janet Lambert, adoption representatives from Keystone Greyhounds, were on hand at the event with advice on adopting a new four-legged friend. The organization schedules a home visit with would-be Greyhound parents before adopting a dog out, he said, and matches the dog to the home. Each dog has a different personality, he said, and needs to be matched with the right environment. Color is not a consideration for matching, he said, only temperament. An adoption fee of $225, with a $100 deposit before the home visit and the remainder paid on receipt of the dog, is required, he said, which includes veterinarian care and transportation costs.
Before deciding to adopt, though, Lambert suggested researching the breed and their requirements. More information is available at the Keystone Greyhounds Web site, www.keystonegreys.org; or by calling the Lamberts at (570) 888-9999. There are also currently two foster dogs in the Valley, he said, and the group holds meet-and-greet events often, if anyone interested would like to meet a Greyhound in person. Brian Bishop can be reached at (570) 888-9652; or e-mail: bbishop@thedailyreview.com.
16 October 2009 3:26PM by KYW's John McDevitt
Eighty "adoptable" greyhound dogs moved from their old kennel in Bridesburg on Friday into their new luxury facility in Northeast Philadelphia. The National Greyhound Adoption Program has a new, 100,000-square-foot kennel campus in the Great Northeast. Soothing music is piped into rooms, wash stations have granite countertops, there are spacious cages with cushioned beds, and there are four dog runs (below right).
David Wolf is the founder and director of the National Greyhound Adoption Program: (Photo) "Well, we really do have to train the dogs to get used to the good life. And in some cases we will literally pick them up and lay them down, and keep our weight on the dog until they realize, 'Hey, this is pretty neat.' And soon they will learn to take that step up to their bench bed."
The new facility was in the works for 10 years. Surgical and dental units will be functional by the end of next year.
October 24, 2009
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A financially troubled Rhode Island gambling parlor has reached an agreement to end greyhound racing.
The agreement calls for the corporate parent of Twin River to pay $2 million to the Rhode Island Greyhound Owners Association if the restructuring deal is approved by a judge. The corporation has filed for bankruptcy.
It will then pay the dog owners an additional $3 million if it successfully emerges from bankruptcy. Twin River says greyhound racing is a money drain and draws little interest.
The agreement was filed Friday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. A hearing is scheduled for Nov. 17.
State law requires the track to operate 125 days of racing. Twin River spokeswoman Patti Doyle says the track will rethink its options if legislators won't change the law. Read original
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Fort Worth Animal Control Cruelty Investigation Officers took 28 dogs into custody Thursday night, July 8, 2010. GALT (Greyhound Adoption League of Texas) was contacted as greyhounds were included in the seize. At GALT’s request, Greyhounds Unlimited(GU) joined in this effort, as GALT and GU are the only adoption groups in the DFW/north Texas area to help stray and shelter greyhounds. Friday morning, representatives from GALT and GU met with Diane Whiteley, the Executive Director of the Texas Greyhound Association, to assess the dogs. Eight were taken by each group. Wednesday, July 14, GALT took one more female and with that now all 28 dogs are with adoption groups. Two videos showing all of the 28 dogs can be seen here:
Greyhounds from Fort Worth Seizure Part I
Greyhounds from Fort Worth Seizure Part II
The condition of GALT's 9 greyhounds is absolutely appalling and shocking. Weights on the females and males range from 35 to 51 pounds. Besides being extremely thin, each dog was covered with more ticks than can be ever imagined. Graphic pictures can be seen here. WARNING. GRAPHIC,
To help, please contact:
Greyhound Adoption League of Texas, Inc.
P.O. Box 680
Addison, Texas 75001-0680
972.503.GALT
info@greyhoundadoptiontx.org
Steve Clark The Brownsville Herald
BROWNSVILLE - Has greyhound racing run its course?
Money-losing tracks across the nation have shuttered over the last couple of decades as attendance has waned and other forms of gambling - such as lotteries and casinos - have proliferated.
In addition, the sport's reputation has suffered after years of vocal denunciation from animal welfare groups over the treatment of dogs, while seven states have banned the sport altogether. Massachusetts was the last to do so, in 2008.
Cameron County isn't immune from trends dogging the industry, judging from Valley Race Park officials' August request to the Texas Racing Commission for permission to cancel the Harlingen facility's 2009 and 2010 live racing seasons.
The commission granted the request at its Sept. 15 meeting, which means 15 race dates scheduled for Nov. 29 through Dec. 30 at the park won't happen. There will be simulcast racing year round, though live racing isn't scheduled to return to the park until the summer of 2011, when VRP and the Texas Greyhound Association plan to stage a five-day "Festival of Racing" event with live racing, entertainment and other attractions.
Pulling live races from VRP for the next two seasons is intended to "stabilize" greyhound racing in Texas and allow the state's three dog racing facilities to operate and contribute purse money to the one Texas park that will continue to feature live racing: Gulf Greyhound Park in La Marque, just north of Galveston.
Andrea Young, the VRP's president and chief operating officer, said live races are expensive to stage. The plan to skip 2009-10 "provides short-term relief to the industry's participants while allowing us to develop a marquee event to enhance the live racing experience for patrons," she said.
Young says the Texas dog racing industry is up against heavy competition from states like Arkansas, Iowa and West Virginia, while the number of Texas-bred greyhounds has dwindled to about 2,000 a year from 6,000 a year eight years ago.
The issue is similar to horse racing, where breeders have moved their breeding operations to states that offer the highest purses. The states with the highest purses are the ones that have introduced other forms of gambling - such as slot machines - into their racetracks.
"Our steep decline and why Arkansas and other states are giving us so much competition is directly attributable to the additional forms of gaming that now exist in those states," Young says.
Race parks in several other states have turned to slot machines or video gaming terminals as an antidote to falling attendance and revenue, though they remain illegal in Texas. The state's racing lobby has tried for years to persuade lawmakers to allow slot machine gambling, though efforts so far have failed. The 82nd Legislature, which kicks off in January 2011, will hear a round of similar pleas from Texas tracks.
"We'll be working very hard to educate (lawmakers) on the state of the industry and the amount of money leaving the state and how we can help create jobs in Texas, which is important in these economic times and ultimately bring money and tax revenues back to Texas."
Mike Lavigne, spokesman for Win for Texas, a group of track owners and other interests that want the Legislature to allow slots at tracks, says doing so would again make Texas attractive from the breeder's perspective.
"If we have slot machines at race tracks you're going to augment those purses," he says. "We could have the largest purses in the nation. That's not a stretch."
Lavigne notes that changing the law would require a constitutional amendment, which requires a statewide vote. Public opinion appears to support a change, which might have more support among lawmakers since state coffers have suffered during the recession, he says.
"If the stars were ever aligned, 2011 is the year," Lavigne says.
Young said the decline in dog track attendance isn't because greyhound racing is less popular, but because there are so many more ways to gamble nowadays.
"It's still a product that people enjoy and appreciate, but people now have more that offer more immediate gratification," she says.
The future of Harlingen's dog track, meanwhile, may hinge on whether Texas follows the lead of several other states in expanding gaming opportunities and ratcheting up revenue, Young says.
"It's about long-term survival for sure at this point," she says.
From www.themonitor.com
When the state Racing Commission meets today, it will continue to wrangle with its controversial legislative mandate to build two $1 million greyhound> training tracks. By Phil Kabler
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- When the state Racing Commission meets today, it will continue to wrangle with its controversial legislative mandate to build two $1 million greyhound training tracks.
Funding for the training tracks -- which many breeders contend are unneeded /> and overly elaborate -- will come from racetrack video lottery profits, which also was the source for the $2,424,634 paid out in 2008 from the Greyhound Breeders Development Fund.
The funds, which are calculated using a formula based on each dog's track winnings, were paid out to 61 breeders, in amounts as small as payments to> at least eight breeders of less than $2,000 for the year.
The top ten payouts were to: Dean R. Miner, $513,631; Diana C. Douglas, $441,597; Greg Strong, $397,704; William S. Gibson, $362,768; Ronis Cavender, $330,197; Riggins Racing Inc., $292,276; Greg Geter, $277,279; James B. Jackson, $257,270; Tomblin Kennels Inc., $248,567; and Fynmore Kennel, $203,116.
From Charleston Gazzette
By Burt Constable | Daily Herald Columnist
Oprah might be the big dog stepping down, but another local institution closing its doors is setting off a panic among suburban dog lovers. Kenosha's Dairyland Greyhound Park, the last dog racing track in Wisconsin, is closing at the end of the year due to the slumping market for that kind of gambling. That means dozens if not hundreds of dogs will be put out of racing as of Dec. 31 and need to find new homes. Volunteers at Midwest Greyhound Adoption in Sugar Grove are busy finding solutions for those dogs. "Yelling from the rooftops that they are all going to die is not one of them," says Director Kari Swanson, who founded the greyhound adoption agency in 1991. "We have answered hundreds of phone calls and e-mails trying to allay people's fears. We're on top of it. We're taking dogs. We're assisting other out-of-state groups taking dogs." The agency has been through this before when other dog racing tracks have closed in Illinois and Wisconsin. In 18 years of operation, Midwest Greyhound Adoption has found new homes for about 2,000 dogs, Swanson says. When a dog is "graded off," meaning it's no longer racing, greyhound adoption groups sweep into action. "Eighty percent of the dogs we're taking in were broken-leg dogs," says Swanson, noting that veterinarians are able to patch them up for their new lives as pets. Other racing dogs are past their prime and retire at age 5. Then there are those greyhounds just not cut out for racing. The Fletcher family of Wheaton adopted "Trouble" (his racing name was "Just Plain Trouble") three years ago after Dairyland put the greyhound up for adoption. The dog brings to mind the fictional "Santa's Little Helper" greyhound adopted by the cartoon Simpsons family. "He was 18 months old when we got him because he wasn't a very good racer," laughs Josh Fletcher, 26. "He won one race, and we think that's probably because he tripped the other dogs because he's exceedingly clumsy." The perception that racing greyhounds must be hyperactive and need to run miles every day is wrong. "No, they're retired. They're more like a cat," Swanson says. "They sleep about 20 to 22 hours a day." Trouble is a very laid-back dog. "His biggest energy expenditure is moving from the bed to the couch," Fletcher says. "They're good for people like us who have small backyards. He runs two or three laps and then he's done for the day." The process to adopt a retired racing dog is not laid back. Swanson says it takes a lot of work to match a dog and new owner. The person who says, "I've got to get a greyhound because they're going to kill it" is not the person they are looking for. "We want a dog to stay in a home forever," she says. Originally from Egypt, greyhounds are quiet runners, not barking watch dogs. They weigh between 55 and 85 pounds, and generally are good with other dogs, cats and children, Swanson says. Her agency takes in 80 to 90 dogs each year, and keeps them in her kennel until they can be sent to foster or permanent homes. People interested in adopting a former racing dog should visit her Web site at www.midwestgreyhound.org and download the 13-page application form. Once Dairyland closes, many of those dogs will move to other tracks in other states. But some will need new homes. "We took in five last week," says Swanson, who picked up a couple of them after taking another dog to a veterinarian's office not far from the track. Transporting dogs is a big job for her volunteers. "We've always used minivans and the back of the Yukon," Swanson says, "But now we're looking into getting a transport bus."
|
Greyhounds ... • are intuitive and sensitive, a rare mix of stoical strength and fragility. • are gentle, sweet companions that adapt well to new owners. They will follow you from room to room and bond quickly. • love to be spoiled; i.e. soft beds, stuffed toys and a radio for when you are gone. Training • Racetrack greyhounds will need to be housebroken, but they are quick studies. It should take only a week. Greyhound health • General life expectancy is 12-15 years. - Eileen O. Daday Sources: Midwest Greyhound Adoption in Sugar Grove, Retired Greyhounds as Pets in Mendota and Illinois Greyhound Rescue in Chicago. |
November 20, 2009
Some greyhounds currently residing at Kenosha's Dairyland Greyhound Park will soon be looking for new homes.
Dogs will be available for adoption when the track closes its doors Dec. 31 because of declining revenue, officials said.
On Thursday, the track's general manager, Bill Apgar, quashed rumors that the greyhounds would be euthanized.
"There is absolutely no truth behind the rumor," Apgar said of the "viral" e-mail about the rumors.
"The state gives us three choices. The dogs can go with their owners, they can go to another track, or they can be adopted," he said.
"Anyone interested can come and visit us and talk to us about adoption. We welcome visitors."
For more information about adopting a dog, contact the adoption center at (262) 612-8256 or contact the Wisconsin Chapter of Greyhound Pets of America, www.gpawisconsin.org.
The Dairyland Greyhound racetrack near Kenosha is on its last legs. All signs point to the dog track tucking its tail by year's end. That’s giving dog advocates fits, because, if the track indeed closes, all those dogs will need homes.
"They're fighting a losing battle," Linda Cliff of Central Illinois Greyhound Adoption, which works to place Dairyland greyhounds in homes around the country, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I'm already getting calls from Dairyland dog owners. I haven't talked to anybody who said the track will stay open."
All told there are nearly 900 dogs that will need homes after the track closes and adoption workers believe they can only place between 300 and 600 in homes and at other tracks around the country.
"It will be a massive undertaking," Cliff said. "There are fewer and fewer tracks left in the country, and we'll be in big trouble."The Dairyland track opened in 1990 to much fanfare. But it has been steadily losing money since. Last year it lost $3.4 million dollars; the year before $2.82; before that, $2.84 and so on.
Cliff has some ideas. She believes the track could find a way to stay afloat with simulcasts of races from other tracks. That could provide enough revenue to feed the puppies until homes can be found.
Cliff’s group has managed to place 475 Dairyland greyhounds so far this year. First Published: Oct 16, 2009 3:29
By Mike Johnson of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Oct. 10, 2009
Battered by declining attendance and wagering, Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, which lost $3.4 million last year, is considering closing after this season, a racetrack executive said Saturday.
The state's only pari-mutuel dog-racing track told employees in a letter Thursday that a decision on the future of the park will be made no later than Nov. 16.
Dairyland's attendance is down 19% so far this year compared with the same period in 2008, and wagering is down 29%, said Roy Berger, Dairyland's executive vice president.
Those drops come in the wake of a dismal 2008, which was the worst performing year in Dairyland's history, Berger stated in the letter. The track opened in June 1990.
The track also has reported losses to the state of $2.82 million in 2007, $2.84 million in 2006 and $2.41 million in 2005.
Berger said the only opportunity "on the horizon to turn around the fortunes" of Dairyland would be governmental approval to sell the facility to the Menominee Indian tribe of Wisconsin.
The Menominee tribe wants to build a $1 billion casino at Dairyland and has a $40.5 million option to purchase the facility.
The U.S. Department of Interior has rejected the tribe's effort to establish a casino at Dairyland Greyhound Park.
The tribe, however, has filed a lawsuit in federal court in Green Bay seeking to overturn the department's decision.
In the meantime, Berger said Dairyland has asked the Wisconsin Division of Gaming for an extension on the track's Oct. 21 deadline to apply for racing dates in 2010.
The letter to employees says Dairyland is "debating very heavily whether or not to apply for racing dates." Dairyland management and the park's board of directors want extra time to determine the "practicality and feasibility of continuing racing," the letter says.
Dairyland has been suffering because of the proliferation of casino gaming in Wisconsin and neighboring states, Berger says in the letter to employees.
It also has been hurt by Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee, which offers off-track betting and simulcasting of horse and greyhound racing.
"Unfortunately, the ultimate slap in the face to us was when the Native American casino in Milwaukee added simulcasting to their expansive casino operation over the past year. This was particularly disturbing since it had been publicly reported they represented they would not offer simulcasting as long as Dairyland was operating. Our numbers week after week tumbled," Berger says in the letter.
Dairyland also simulcasts horse and greyhound races from other tracks.
In 2003, when the state agreed to allow the Potawatomi and other tribes to offer off-track betting, Potawatomi officials assured Marc Marotta, then state administration secretary, that they would not offer simulcasting as long as Dairyland stayed in business.
Ken Walsh, a spokesman for the Forest County Potawatomi, said Saturday there was never any formal agreement and that the situation changed, in part because Dairyland sued unsuccessfully to end Indian gaming compacts and put Potawatomi out of business.
While Potawatomi does simulcast horse and greyhound races, it does not simulcast Dairyland races, said Ryan Amundson, communications manager for the casino
