Talk about the fox guarding the hen house.

According to an Arizona Department of Racing representative, the decision as to whether or not greyhounds race in extreme temperatures at Tucson Greyhound Park lies first with the state veterinarian and track veterinarian. If the vets notice that a greyhound seems to be in distress, they then confer with the state and TGP stewards.

A greyhound has to first exhibit signs of distress in order for vets to think about addressing the past two nights’ extreme temperatures?

Does that sound like animal welfare to you?

Let’s see — signs of heatstroke in racing greyhounds are excessive trembling, puking, dehydration, muscle weakness, organ failure. Does a veterinarian have to wait until the greyhounds get sick and debilitated to know that conditions aren’t right? What about preventative medicine? What about common sense?

That’s scary stuff.

Here’s who the kingpin decision makers are that are employed by the dog track.

The State Department of Racing website seems to have no listing showing who the State veterinarian is for the racing greyhounds.

I bet if you asked your vet if you and your dog can run around the school track when it’s 103 degrees outside, your vet would scold you and question your sanity. Maybe your vet would even call PACC and fault you for animal cruelty.

Also when asked what the guidelines were to making decisions as to whether or not the temperature was too hot or too cold, the Arizona Department of Racing representative said — no guidelines.

On Monday June 27, weather.com said the temperature was 103 at 8 p.m. Four races occurred at Tucson Greyhound Park. The fifth race was cancelled “due to extreme heat.”

On Tuesday, June 28, weather.com said the temperature was 102 at 8 p.m. This is one degree less than races being cancelled the previous day. On Tuesday, June 28, dogs ran 13 races. Does one degree make that much difference?

What else was different on June 27 than on June 28? Did a dog or more than one dog exhibit signs of distress on June 27? Is that what caused the cancellation of races #5 through 13 that night? If so, which dog or dogs were in distress? What treatment was provided? What is that dog’s or those dogs’ condition now?

It’s time for official records’ requests to be made of the Arizona Department of Racing. Anyone and everyone reading this is entitled to that information.

I’m not surprised that the representative from ADOR passed the baton to the veterinarians. It doesn’t seem like much anybody cares. Regulating? Animal welfare? Hell, when’s the coffee break?

Here’s an interesting article about heatstroke in racing and retired greyhounds.

“Given the greyhound’s purpose as a performance dog and the conditions under which they are trained, raced, confined, and transported, it is safe to assume many racers have experienced one or more episodes of heat/exertional ailments. These dogs may then have a predisposition for future episodes of similar illnesses and likely will have compromised kidneys and other organs. Consequently, great care should be taken to protect them from over-exertion and heat-related illness.”

Tags: Arizona - Show Me the Money, Greyhound Racing, Greyhound Racing - TUCSON (TGP), Speak Out Against Greyhound Racing by NoMoreRacing
No Comments »

Tonight once again I called the dog track in South Tucson at 8 pm to find out if the dogs were still racing. According to weather.com the temperature at 8 pm was 102 degrees.

To my dismay the belligerent female voice on the other end said yes they were racing. I wanted to yell, DOG KILLER but thought better of it because I was in a crowded restaurant.

When I asked whose decision it was to allow dogs to race when the temperature was over 100 degrees, she said with the usual greyhound racing industry arrogance — the General Manager.

Aha.

Was this the same General Manager who recently compared the Tucson Greyhound Park to the Taj Mahal?

Yesterday what sounded like the same female voice, said it was the Stewards’ call as to what temperature the dogs raced in.

So what is it? Do they know the answer? Or do they just make it up as they go along?

According to the Arizona Department of Racing minutes dated May 11, 2011 Director Lonny Powell reported that the budget bill Senate Bill 1623 was passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor which created funding for racing and the newly created racing regulation fund (known as CYA). Beginning July 1, 2011, the appropriation of funds would be 42% from State funds (your tax dollars) and 58% from the (racing) industry.

(That might sound shocking but it used to be 85% from the General Fund or your tax dollars so this is a minor improvement. Personally, I would rather eat my dog’s poop than fund the Arizona Dept of Racing, but hey, the state of Arizona doesn’t give me that choice.)

For the fiscal year starting July 1, 2012, the Department of Racing should have 100% funding from the industry.

(Does that mean Tucson Greyhound Park won’t get their hardship tax credit anymore?)

But back to the minutes, according to HB 2314 additional funding allows the Department of Racing to operate at a higher level of regulation (their words not mine) with more funds going to drug testing, animal welfare, licensing, and enforcement.

(Speaking of enforcement, does this mean they will finally try to collect on the $239,000 fine they put on Rick Favreau when he made 140+ greyhounds disappear from Tucson Greyhound Park never to be found again? That would be a good starting point for ADOR’s coffers to collect this money.)

This brings me back to regulating animal welfare. Does the AZ Department of Racing regulate how hot is too hot to race in the evening and for daytime schooling races? Or do they allow the Stewards (two of who are State employees) to make the decisions or the General Manager who compares TGP to the Taj Mahal?

What exactly does the Arizona Department of Racing do as far as animal welfare? That has always been a fuzzy concept.

And what exactly is a “higher level of regulation?”

(Higher than what? Sounds like political bullshit to me)

I urge people reading this to call Lonny Powell, the director of AZ Dept of Racing and ask him these questions.

Director – Lonny T. Powell
Phone: 602-364-1730

Tags: Arizona - Show Me the Money, Greyhound Racing, Greyhound Racing - TUCSON (TGP), Speak Out Against Greyhound Racing by NoMoreRacing
No Comments »

Tucson greyhounds race in 103 temps

Today – June 27 – the temperature here in Tucson was 112. According to the news, this is the hottest it’s been since 1995.

At 8 pm I looked at the Weather Channel for zip code Tucson, AZ 85713 and it was 103 degrees.

I went outside and put my foot on the ground to test if I could walk my dog and the ground was still sizzling.

Yet, the dogs at Tucson Greyhound Park are racing. As a matter of fact when I called TGP, the woman who answered the phone said, “Yes, they were racing.”

I asked if there were any temperature guidelines to determine whether or not dogs should race. She paused. She said it was up to the stewards to make that call. Two of the three stewards are state employees; the third is a TGP employee.

According to the Arizona Department of Racing website, their “job” is to regulate and supervise pari-mutuel racing and wagering conducted in Arizona in order to protect racing participantsand the wagering public.

Are the dogs considered racing participants?

If yes, how is ADOR regulating the racing participants welfare?

I asked to talk to the stewards and she said she would “patch me up there.” Wherever there is.

I waited for a few minutes and hung up.

Now my question to the Arizona Department of Racing and the Tucson Greyhound Park stewards is…

How hot is too hot?

Take off your damn shoes and run around that track and tell me how hot is too hot.

Here’s one of the problems with greyhound racing: A total disregard for greyhound welfare and the overwhelming blood thirst for the almighty buck. Where is the regulation?

Call ADOR (602-364-1714) and ask them what the standards are for racing greyhounds in extreme heat.

Call Tucson Greyhound Park (520-884-7576) and ask them what the standards are for racing greyhounds in extreme heat.

103-degrees? Feels like hell to me.

Tags: Greyhound Racing, Greyhound Racing - TUCSON (TGP), Speak Out Against Greyhound Racing by NoMoreRacing
4 Comments »