Missy never knew a forever home.

Dear animal lovers & advocates

Protest Dog Racing & Remembering Missy Greyhound
September 1
9:30 to 11 a.m.
Entrance to Park Place Mall on Broadway (by the bus bench/sign)
Bring a sign or use one of ours. The concepts to convey:
–Broken leg dog – don’t kill me!
–Dog racing = no transparency
–No steroids on the menu
–Dog racing = animal cruelty

Why Park Place Mall?
It’s a wasteland to protest at the South Tucson dog track and Park Place Mall gets lots of traffic/eyeballs and some shade by the bus bench.

Why the Protest?
August 31 marks the 5th Anniversary of a senseless killing of Missy (Pa’s Mismakamess) at Tucson Greyhound Park.  Every year I remember this horrendous incident because some people tried to save this dog’s life.  First the kennel operator (not the one who was making money off of her servitude) tried to save her; two RESCUE groups – one from Marana and another was willing to drive from San Diego to rescue her.  That is what adoption groups do; they save dogs.

Missy broke her hock, unfortunately, not an uncommon occurrence then and now. Dogs with broken hocks are able to be rehabilitated and become couch potatoes…if they are lucky.

In the Arizona Department of Racing report the attending veterinarian had the option of saving Missy’s life or killing her:  “Dr. Menke determined that the animal had a fracture to the right hock. Dr. Menke explained the options to Eric Nolan – either surgical correction or humane euthanization.” (page 4)

What is the difference between a staged dogfight and a staged dog race if the loser is euthanized?

Missy greyhound was performing her “job” and fractured a leg in the process. She was euthanized on the spot without the benefit of an x-ray or a proper medical evaluation to determine the extent of damage, despite the wishes of someone trying to give her another chance. The track vet decided to kill Missy without proper x-rays. If you took your pet dog to a vet, the minimum of an x-ray would be in order.

“During the hearing, Dr. Carlton was asked to discuss hock injuries to provide insight into the prescribed course of treatment for this type of injury. He noted for the record a total of 95 hock fractures occurred at Tucson Greyhound Park during the past three years. Forty of these dogs, who had injuries similar to “Pa’s Mismakamess” were humanely euthanized at the request of the owner or the owner’s representative. Dr. Carlton stated that all of these injuries could have been treated, undergone surgery, and received subsequent medical attention, but the euthanization decision is based on the “willingness and capacity of the individual to treat.” (page 5)

What’s another euthanized racing greyhound in the grand scheme of things? And who’s counting?

Really, what is the difference between fighting dogs for profit, and racing them for profit when the end game is death?

How many other dogs have broken their legs and hocks and nobody came to their rescue? We do know that there are problems with the track surface per Stewards Reports. We do know that kennel operators are complaining about this ongoing. But what we don’t know because there is no transparency and no injury reports of how many dogs are suffering injuries and how many dogs are dying because of those injuries.

“If circumstances were different, if Blair was not intoxicated and disruptive, if the veterinarians were not obstructed and delayed in providing medical attention, if a proper and legal offer and acceptance had occurred for the sale of the dog (who sells a broken leg dog on the verge of being killed?), if an adoption organization was present to formally commit to the adoption of the dog (Two adoption organizations were on their way, one group coming from Marana called in and spoke to the GM), if someone or an organization had been present to assume the cost and responsibility for medical care (repeat an organization was on its way to pick up the dog and assume responsibility for medical care; that is what RESCUE groups do), and if financial resources were readily available for medical care (repeat, see above!), the outcome may have been different. But, none of these “ifs” occurred in this matter. “ (page 13)

The incident review document which took six months to prepare is so full of faulty “ifs.”

R19-2-329(B) states that “Every effort shall be made to adopt the greyhounds not used for racing or breeding purposes.” Every effort was made (by one kennel operator and one rescue group on the way from Marana) and Missy still died.

If the Arizona Department of Racing actually did something in 2007 to regulate greyhound racing in Tucson that would be a miracle then and now in 2012.

If you have not already, please watch the KGUN  segment about doping greyhounds in the City of Tucson.

Please consider making a small donation to a greyhound RESCUE group in memory of the broken leg dogs that don’t go to forever homes.  GPA-Daytona could use some help about now as they have 75 to 100 dogs in their kennel at any one time.

It costs them nearly $3,000 a month to feed the adoption kennel greyhounds.  Then they have the monthly expenses of wormers, medications, flea control products, insurance on the truck and trailer and maintenance, fuel, haul expenses, etc.  Each haul of 30 some greyhounds usually cost around $1,750.  In 2011 they spent nearly $40,000 hauling greyhounds to adoption groups throughout the United States. The truck and trailer are due for some much needed maintenance.  2012 has had more sick and injured dogs than usual and the number of grants and donations received are down.  All of the above has put GPA Daytona in dire straits and in a financial crisis.

Update a/o Aug. 30 – The owner of the Daytona Greyhound Track is Delaware North.  DNC used to own Phoenix Greyhound Park which closed in 2009. According to their website, “Delaware North has grown into a hospitality management company with more than $2 billion in annual revenue, earning a spot on the list of the most admired hospitality management companies in the world.”

“Delaware North pays for most of the broken leg greyhounds that break their legs racing there, however they do not pay for the ones that must be taken to a specialty clinic.  Those are breaks that require more treatment and they pay nothing on those.  Delaware North has done this for four years and there is no other additional financial assistance from the track.  The kennels at Daytona are supposed to pay $10 per greyhound that goes into the adoption kennel, however that does not always happen.  And in this year alone two of the kennels went out of business and the GPA Daytona adoption program placed all of those greyhounds with no monetary assistance.”

GPA Daytona has helped 7,000 greyhounds find a home. Many people have adopted greyhounds from the Florida track programs. Retired racing greyhounds in Florida  need your help and support.  There are still 13 tracks in Florida!

Feel free to share this with your own adoption group, Facebook page, etc.

Rocky suffered from urinary tract infections

On February 10, 2010, I went to my one and only (so far) Arizona Department of Racing Commission meeting on Washington Street in Phoenix. I was one of several advocates who were there to represent a legislative bill that never made it out of the starting box.

Numerous people on both sides of the issues were permitted 5 minutes to speak. The representative for the kennel operators and breeders spoke. I remember his words as they have always ached like a bone caught in my throat. He said that he starts injecting females at 1 year old and would do nothing to hurt his producers.

Aha, herein is the difference between him and me. Herein is the difference between the greyhound racing industry and the greyhound adopters: We don’t think of our dogs as “producers.” We think of our dogs as beloved pets. By the time we get our hands and hearts on retired racing greyhounds, they are spayed or neutered. We have no interest in further breeding them. We have no interest in making money off their backs.

The 2008 Tucson Dog Protection ballot initiative asked for three humane conditions to be instituted at Tucson Greyhound Park. One of the conditions was to stop injecting anabolic steroids to female dogs. The purpose of shooting up dogs is to prevent the females from going into season.  When females go into season, they cannot race. If they cannot race, they cannot make money. Female dogs go into season (heat) two times a year for three weeks.

After steroid injections, some female greyhounds suffer from perivulvar dermatitis, a painful chronic skin condition also known as vulvar fold dermatitis or crotch rot. The condition is difficult to resolve unless done surgically. Sometimes the condition requires a lifetime of management.  Also, long-term use of anabolic steroids in dogs is known to cause urine scald, urinary tract infections, urine incontinence, and genital abnormalities.

In 2008, the Tucson Dog Protection ballot initiative passed by the good people of South Tucson even though the mayor had a sign in her front yard opposing it. Yet, years later the dog track continues to thwart the will of the people.

Thank you to KGUN9 for their commitment to exposing the facts, the ugly facts associated with greyhound racing in our community. While the track is in South Tucson, the name of the track is Tucson Greyhound Park – so the city of Tucson gets smeared by proxy across the country.  Please call or email KGUN-TV and thank them and ask them to continue their dogged reporting on this important issue.

Photo: Courtesy Susan Via. The brindle dog’s racing name was Riki D’s Starwar but her pet name was Rocket J. Dog, Rocky for short.  She was incredibly shy and scared at first, but was the sweetest dog that ever was.  Rocky had heart and blood pressure problems, and suffered from terrible urinary tract infections (UTIs) earlier in her life right after she left the track.  She raced more than 50 times in less than 2 years.  Rocky struggled to breathe due to congestive heart failure and fluid buildup in her lungs.  Her suffering ended in 2007 when she was put to rest. The family still misses Rocky very much.

Watch KGUN-9 tonight (Monday) at 10 p.m. They are featuring Tucson Greyhound Park.

You may have already seen the previews; it’s not a puff piece.

KGUN-9 is not afraid to tackle hard topics and Tucson Tails thanks them for their doggedness.

ADOR denies PRR

Dear Arizona Department of Racing:

I faxed a public record request for injury reports  for greyhounds at Tucson Greyhound Park.

I received a timely response from Arizona Department of Racing:

“ Dear Ms. Zoldan:  We are unable to provide records in response to your Public Records Reproduction Request of August 17, 2012 requesting “All Tucson Greyhound Park greyhound injury reports for the period of January 1, 2012 through and including July 31, 2012” for the following reason:

The Department does not have public records in its possession which are responsive to your request.

The Department’s response to your request is complete. “

Let’s continue our dialogue . Now my question to the Arizona Department of Racing is: Why don’t you have the injury reports for Tucson Greyhound Park?

According to the Arizona Department of Racing website, “The Department of Racing regulates the Arizona pari-mutuel horse and greyhound racing industry. The Department oversees and supervises all commercial horse, greyhound, and county fair racing meetings; licenses participants; collects state revenues generated by race meetings; promotes and encourages the breeding of horses and greyhounds in the State; and enforces laws and rules related to racing and wagering to protect industry participants and the public.”

According to the Arizona Department of Racing’s Mission:

“MISSION STATEMENT
To regulate and supervise pari-mutuel racing and wagering conduced in Arizona in order to protect the racing participants and the wagering public.   . . .  .”

Just how does the Arizona Department of Racing regulate the greyhounds’ welfare?

According to this document injury reports do exist and here is proof.

How do you protect the racing participants otherwise known as greyhounds if you don’t ever ask to review the injury reports?  The above report states that “the track condition accounted for 7 of 19 injuries and the injuries cluster around fractures.   Some hock injuries can and are rehabilitated  and others are career ending.” (Does that mean the dogs have to return to racing after their hock injuries heal?)  This looks like there are problems at the dog track in South Tucson.

My question to the Arizona Department of Racing is: What kind of regulating is that?

Dog muzzled inside cage at the South Tucson track

Question: When is a public records request not a public records request?  Answer: When it’s sent to the Arizona Department of Racing. The Arizona Department of Racing is a state agency. And for the past gazillion years, it’s been funded by you the taxpayer from the state’s General Fund. Here, it’s an agency that regulates horse racing, county fair horse racing, dog racing, and boxing … all forms of entertainment that rakes in millions of dollars every year – yet – this regulating agency has relied on your tax dollars to pay its salaries and keep it operating until the past year where it was partially funded and this year as of July 2012 is 100% self funded. However, $250,000 will come out of the General Fund to pay for Breeder Awards which was voted for by your AZ legislature.

For now you can peruse last year’s budget here. Oh by the way, Tucson Greyhound Park still gets a hardship tax credit, something it has been privy to since 1995.

Nevertheless for the past few years, when making a public records request for injury reports at Tucson Greyhound Park, has been like asking to see CIA documents. None are forthcoming. The same can be said for disposition logs.

When Phoenix Greyhound Park closed in December 2009, I contacted a reporter from a Phoenix alt weekly asking her to do a story on the disposition of the dogs after the Phoenix track closed. She liked the idea. However, the powers that be at the time at Arizona Department of Racing didn’t like the idea. They said the disposition logs were not in their possession. They said they could request the logs from Phoenix Greyhound Park but decided not to. End of story.

To me that was the story. I told the reporter the fact that Arizona Department of Racing wouldn’t ask for the logs was a big story. It didn’t get pursued.

It’s no secret that I despise greyhound racing and I always will. While I have gotten to know and like some of the people who make their living from this grisly “sport,” I still hate it and want it to end.

Aside from greyhound racing being state-sanctioned animal abuse, it has also been unaccountable. According to yesterday’s e-alert distributed by GREY2K USA, the alert demonstrates how injury report requests to the Arizona Department of Racing have been repeatedly denied but yet they exist. The alert also shows the number of injuries at Tucson Greyhound Park in certain months and the state civil servants bantering back and forth of what should be done about the situation.

Duh. This is nothing new. Month after month, year after year excuses abound but nobody makes anyone accountable. In the report, the condition of the track is mentioned. It’s mentioned here and it’s mentioned here too. Maybe Tucson Greyhound Park should close down until they figure out how to fix the track condition problem once and for all.

I personally am still waiting for Mr. Nolan Thompson, Assistant Director of Racing,  to call me back after I called him a few months ago about some canine flu quarantine rumor.  He was going to check it out and left me know. Still waiting…Mr. Thompson…

Is this something for the Goldwater Institute? Don’t they investigate public record request refusals? “The Goldwater Institute’s Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation provides free legal representation to Arizonans whose constitutional rights are violated by government.”

Recently a governor-appointed Department of Racing Commissioner stated that he wanted to make it much more difficult for citizen groups to submit public information requests, and also suggested that confidential tips of greyhound cruelty should not be reported to authorities. He has since publicly apologized.

What you can do is send an email to Governor Brewer and ask her to enforce public record requests for Tucson Greyhound Park. As an Arizona taxpayer you have that right.

And as an animal lover, please do it for the greyhounds.

(Photo courtesy GREY2K USA from a PACC public information request.)

Remembering greyhounds who have senselessly lost their lives from racing

Sent to Tucson Tails from greyhound advocates across the pond:

Events are being held across the UK in memory of the greyhounds that have suffered and been put to death in the 86 years since commercial greyhound racing began in this country on July 24, 1926.

One cannot believe that in a so-called civilised society, dogs are still being killed. I believe this is a poor and sad reflection on our society  but we can as a nation change this by choosing to adopt a more ethical approach by not supporting any animal abuse or exploitation.

According to greyhound protection organisation Action for Greyhounds, as many as 10,000 greyhounds are still being “put down” every year, after failing to make the grade as racers or when their careers on the tracks come to an end.

An RSPCA report stated that “at least 20 greyhounds a day, either puppies which do not make the track, or ‘retired’ dogs aged three or four, simply ‘disappear’, presumed killed”. In addition, hundreds of greyhounds sustain serious, sometimes fatal, injuries while racing.

Greyhounds make the most wonderful companions and we urge readers to rescue a greyhound from their local greyhound rescue.

The public can help put an end to this horrific situation by not attending dog tracks or betting on greyhound racing.

For more information on the plight of the racing greyhound in the UK, visit the Action for Greyhounds websiteat and/or Greyt Exploitations.

————

The Killing Fields: Here’s an article in the Daily Mail about a man named David Smith who shot 10,000 greyhounds in the head with a bolt gun before dropping the dogs into a pit and covering them with dirt. The perp says, that he had been doing society a favour by disposing of them.

“It was claimed he killed for 40 greyhound trainers and would regularly execute up to 40 dogs a day.”

Was there any punishment for his crime? Not really. Smith was prosecuted for owning a landfill site without a proper permit.

Dog muzzled inside cage at the South Tucson track

This is an amazing resource to those of us who wonder what goes on behind closed doors at the numerous U.S. greyhound race tracks, some fortunately long gone and fewer still operating.

Twenty-two years of searchable data has been compiled by GREY2K USA from public record requests to public agencies overseeing and “regulating” dog racing.  The data spans 22 years of documented animal cruelty from minor infractions to major abuses. That’s a whole lot of scanning and entry.

For instance, search “drugs.” From the drop down menu, select all, like, and then type in — drugs. You will receive 341 entries :

–dog tested positive for procaine
–dog tested positive for DMSO
–dog tested positive for theobromine
–dog tested positive for Oxyphenbutazone & Phenylbutazone
–dog tested positive for cocaine
–The following prohibited items were found in…

And that’s just the in the first 20 entries…

You can also search by state. From the drop down menu, select all, like, and then type in — Arizona. You will receive 291 entries.

Kudos to the team who put this amazing resource together. Sadly, I have to wonder what doesn’t get reported or regulated in the dog racing industry. Transparent, it is not.

(Photo credit: Pima Animal Care Center but obtained by GREY2K USA through a public information request.)

Handsome Freeway Petey

Previously I reported about Freeway Petey – first the initial shock of a Florida racing greyhound who while being transported from one dog track to another fell out of the truck and survived 38 hours in the vicinity of Interstate 75. Then I gave an update on his amazing recovery and the efforts of those people helping him and hoping for him to get better.

Today I am happy to report that Freeway Petey is ready for adoption and all his sutures and stitches have been removed. Hot dog! He is one handsome hound. I last heard that he was in a foster home with other greyhounds and roo-ing to everyone’s delight.

I feel like doing the happy dance here.

According to Gold Coast Greyhound Adoption, Gainesville chapter, Freeway Petey’s life-saving veterinary bill was $10,100. Watch the video.  That doesn’t include the amount ($2,000 to $3,000) written off by the University of Florida Animal Hospital.  And to their credit, the National Greyhound Association (the dog racing industry) donated $500.

Along with many other donations, GCGA is holding an online auction which ends June 24. Please check it out and start bidding.

Is hauling or transporting dogs a black hole with little to no regulation? Does that mean that any schmuck with truck can move dogs from point A to point B? In Arizona, I can think of three horrific hauling incidents:

8 greyhounds die on haul from Oklahoma City to Arizona  (2010)

State cracks down on dog hauler - Oh really?  (2006)

8 or more greyhounds headed for the Juarez Dog Track perish in desert heat  (2005)

Here are some hauling standards according to ARCI (Association of Racing Commissioners International) where the adoption of the model rules by all racing regulatory jurisdictions would provide uniform standards and regulation, a goal of ARCI.  These are suggestions, not requirements.

Tucson Tails hopes that the Freeway Petey catastrophe puts stronger sanctions on transporting dogs from track to track.

ARCI-018-039 Transportation of Greyhounds
(1) When transported within the state or jurisdiction, all greyhounds shall be hauled in crates designated for the sole purpose of transporting greyhounds. These crates shall be a minimum of two feet wide, three feet long and 34 inches high.

(2) When transporting racing greyhounds to and from the racetrack, there shall be allowed a maximum of two greyhounds per crate, provided that there is enough space for each greyhound to comfortably turn about, sit, lie and stand erect. When otherwise transporting greyhounds within the state or jurisdiction, there shall be allowed only two greyhounds per crate, provided that there is enough space for each greyhound to comfortably turn about, sit, lie and stand erect. The crates shall be of sound construction and maintained in good repair to ensure that the health and safety of the greyhounds are not endangered.

(3) The crates shall be of sound construction and maintained in good repair to ensure that the health and safety of the greyhounds are not endangered.

(4) Floors and lower sides of the crates shall be constructed or shall be covered on the inner surfaces to contain excreta and bedding materials.

(5) The crates shall be cleaned and sanitized at least daily, or more frequently as may be necessary in order to maintain a sanitary environment for the greyhounds.

(6) Hauling vehicles shall provide ventilation that reaches each greyhound by means of windows, vents, air conditioner or evaporative cooling system. Air conditioning, or evaporative cooling devices in good working order shall be provided when the atmospheric temperature is above _____ degrees Fahrenheit to provide comfort to the greyhounds during transport. Heat, insulation or bedding adequate to provide warmth shall be provided when the atmospheric temperature is below ______ degrees Fahrenheit.

(7) Greyhounds in hauling vehicles shall be inspected at least once in each four-hour period and their needs attended to immediately. Water shall be provided at each four-hour interval check.

(8) Racing kennels, breeding farms or other operations that receive greyhounds transported from out-of-state locations shall maintain a log. The log shall include:
(a) Greyhound names, if applicable;
(b) Left and right ear tattoo numbers;
(c) Name of owner/lessees;
(d) Date of shipping/receiving;
(e) Purpose (breeding, racing, training);
(f) Name of hauling company and driver.

(9) Newly arriving greyhounds shall be immediately given a physical evaluation by the owner or trainer of the kennel. Included in this evaluation shall be:
(a) Checking for ticks and fleas;
(b) The greyhounds general health;
(c) The greyhound’s health certificate and vaccination record.

If necessary, the administration of any proper treatment shall be carried out within a reasonable period to ensure the health and safety of the greyhound.

(Photo – courtesy of GCGA)

Petey D after surgery

This is a story that doesn’t happen on the dog track. The story unfolds on May 9th somewhere on Interstate 75 near Gainesville, Florida.  For us greyhound adopters, the story unfolded on Facebook and conjecture and photos fly right and left.

See updates below

The story begins with a greyhound who was found running on I-75. A good Samaritan rescued the dog from traffic; he was initially dubbed Freeway because that is where he was found. The dog was muzzled. (For non-greyhound folks, dogs are usually muzzled when being transported.) The good Samaritan called Gold Coast Greyhound Adoption (GCGA). Kendra, the Gainesville volunteer adoption coordinator, immediately took the dog to the nearest veterinarian school (University of Florida Veterinary School).  In order for the dog to be treated, Kendra needed to pony up a credit card which she did willingly.

This is what most adoption people do – the welfare of the dog is always first.

Initially the conjecture was that the dog had been out for 3 to 5 days based on the opinion from the vet school staff for how badly the wounds looked but according to the dog’s trainer, he was out less time.

The greyhound’s racing name is Petey D. He was being hauled from Sarasota Kennel Club to the Ebro Greyhound Track when he and another dog may have gotten into a fight and somehow the latch opened, and both dogs fell out. The driver pulled over and found the other dog, looked for Petey D for 1.5 hours but was unable to find him, and continued on his way.

The trainer was unaware of Petey D’s mishap and the owner was shocked. Both seemed concerned about Petey’s condition and are glad to know he’s in capable hands.

Petey D stands alone

These photos illustrate the story but mercifully Petey D continues to improve. He pees. He poops. He is thirsty and drinks water. He stands on his own. He eats a little chicken. His resilience is amazing. He will need another debridement surgery to remove the dead tissue in order for new tissue to grow.  He is far from recovered but there is hope.

Because of social media, Petey D’s story has touched the hearts of many. So far people in 30 states, three Canadian provinces and Washington D.C. have pledged money or donated using Paypal. You know who you are: AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, MI, MO, MO, NC,  NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV and  British Columbia,  Nova Scotia, and Ontario.

GCGA has six chapters. Gainesville adopts out 20-30 dogs a year; Clearwater does 30-50 dogs a year, and Orlando which shuttles dogs north, does over 300 dogs a year.

You can follow Petey D’s recovery on Facebook.

Update a/o 5/14/12: He tried to bloat overnight but I rushed him into UF CVM ICU.  He only had a lot of gas but never twisted. He is comfortable this morning and should have his second surgery to try to cleanup some more of those wounds.

Update a/o 5/15/12: Freeway/Petey is doing very well this morning. Talked to the student on his case (Maria) and she said he ate this AM, got up, walked outside to pee, and is comfortable. They will change the wet to dry bandages this afternoon on those hip wounds. He will most likely be in the hospital the rest of the week and then hopefully go to his foster home this weekend. Another week in the hospital with two surgeries is going to add up quickly.

Update a/o 5/16/12: Greyt news this morning! Petey D is doing so well he is now trying to chew off his bandages. Eating and drinking on own and now off of fluids as well. One last minor surgery tomorrow to close the hip wounds and he is being discharged on Friday morning. Thanks again for all of the support we have gotten. Please use this spirit of good will to help out your local greyhound (or other breed) rescue group. Most are all volunteer and work off of donations. THANKS AGAIN!

To make a donation via Paypal, click here OR send a check to:

Gold Coast Greyhound Adoptions Inc.
Attn: Freeway/Petey D
PO Box 6501
Clearwater, FL 33758-650

Blogger’s thoughts:
–Is there no established NGA protocol for a hauler to report a lost greyhound that falls out of a truck? Call the owner. Call adoption groups in the area. Call the NGA (National Greyhound Association). Call the local county animal control or highway patrol. Is it business as usual to just drive away and hope nobody notices?

–Some pro racing extremists have vilified Kendra saying she should’ve looked at the dog’s tattoos first and contacted the owner right away. Yeah, right; as if this dog is ever going to race again. (For non-greyhound folks, dogs are tattooed in both ears for identification purposes. If you live in Arizona, you may remember Chandler Heights 1992, when 124 dogs were found in the desert dead with their ears cut off so there would be no finger pointing as to ownership.)

–Herein lies the difference: Adoption saves dogs as do many concerned people in the racing industry, but this small posse of raging pro racing extremists, not so much.

–The dog’s owner and the NGA  should be contributing to help pay for Petey D’s medical bills. Kendra says accidents happen. Yes, they do. The entire greyhound racing community, whether you are pro or anti or neutral, should come together to give Petey D another chance which he most definitely deserves. Every ex racing greyhound deserves a second chance which is why adoption groups exist.

–Please keep Petey D in your thoughts and prayers.  And thank you to Kendra and the dedicated volunteers at GCGA for all they do for the Florida racing greyhounds. There are 13 dog tracks in Florida.

(Photos courtesy of Kendra Stauffer)

dog racing program

This is the second year in a row that the two Florida millionaire owners of Tucson Greyhound Park found sponsors for the Tucson Greyhound Park decoupling bill.  Thank you to Senator Michele Reagan (R) and Representative J.D. Mesnard (R) for co-sponsoring this bill.

What SB 1273 does is allow for decoupling. That means Tucson Greyhound Park can still offer simulcast and off-track-betting of other races (horse & dog) year around but can now have live dog racing for 100 days a year, and can also agree to reduce the number of live race days to less than 100. Under the previous law, the track was forced to hold a minimum of 200 races per year. SB 1273 was presented as purely a business bill not related to anything having to do with improving the lives of greyhounds.

Tucson Tails would prefer no dog racing, no days a year, but for a state like Arizona that is not animal friendly or people friendly for that matter, 100 days of racing is an improvement.  Wouldn’t it be  wonderful if the TGP greyhounds won’t have to race this summer like they did last summer and decades before that in 100-plus-degree temperatures?

Between January 2007 and November 2009, there were nearly 1,000 greyhound injuries reported at Arizona dog tracks, including broken legs, sprains, dislocations, muscle tears & strains, lacerations, a cracked skull, broken backs, heat stroke, puncture wounds, and paralysis. You can view the Arizona report here.

Tucson Greyhound Park has a litany of offenses. Here are but a few:

• Video exposes cruelty at dog track in South Tucson
• Ticks crawling up the wall
• Dopes dogs outside South Tucson
• Kennel transcends mere filth
• More than 150 missing greyhounds

Please consider writing to Sen. Reagan and Rep. Mesnard and Governor Jan Brewer and thanking them for supporting and passing the bill.

On an unrelated note, Freeway the greyhound was found running on I-75 in Florida. He survived 3 days in the sun with his muzzle on. If you can make a small donation to help in his medical bills, please do. Thank you