Rally to Remember Missy the Greyhound – Wednesday – August 31, 2011 – for time/location – see below
Four years ago on August 31, 2007 Pa’s Mismakamess (Missy) broke her hock while racing at Tucson Greyhound Park. She raced only 7 times. She was 2 years old.
To his credit, David Blair, then a Marana kennel operator/trainer, tried to save her from euthanasia. Unfortunately, his alleged intoxication got in the way, but was that really the reason this dog with a common injury was euthanized?
A local adoption group was in transit to pick up Missy as well as an adoption group from San Diego. A third adoption group in name only was on the premises, as the General Manager of Tucson Greyhound Park was there, but he also wore a conflict-of-interest and confusing hat as the president of the track-sponsored Greyhound Pets of America-Tucson chapter.
Despite the people trying to save Missy, she was still euthanized.
The Arizona state regulation R19-2-329 reads: “Every effort shall be made to adopt greyhounds not used for racing or breeding.”
Effort was made by a kennel operator and two adoption groups, but effort was not made by her owner for Missy to go to a Tucson adoption group where broken leg dogs find suitable homes just like non broken leg dogs. So not “every effort” was made.
What happened that night of August 31, 2007 when not one, but three adoption groups including the track-sponsored one on the premises, failed to save Missy’s life?
This incident came to light of a greyhound advocacy group only because a bread winner in the dog racing industry thought a terrible wrong was committed. He was right.
Otherwise, is this business as usual, shrouded in secrecy, a state regulated business which has received a hardship tax credit (at the expense of Arizona tax payers) for the past dozen years or more?
According to the Arizona Department of Racing, the biggest crime that evening was not that a greyhound was euthanized or that R19-2-329 was ignored, but that a kennel operator was allegedly intoxicated.
Kennel operator’s alleged conduct trumps greyhound welfare.
Speaking of kennel operator conduct, the kennel operator for whom Missy had the misfortune of racing for her life, opted to euthanize her rather than turn her over to experienced people who cared.
Is greyhound racing in Arizona nothing but state sanctioned animal cruelty?
This 13-page Arizona Department of Racing report on the David Blair/Missy incident states: 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, if an adoption organization was present to formally commit to the adoption of the dog, if someone or an organization had been present to assume the cost and responsibility for medical care, and if financial resources were readily available for medical care, the outcome may have been different. But, none of these “ifs” occurred in this matter.”
Let’s dissect some of this iffy drivel:
…If circumstances were different – Yes! If anybody bothered to adhere to the Arizona state regulation R19-2-329 — “Every effort shall be made to adopt greyhounds not used for racing or breeding.” –Missy would have lived.
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.
…if the veterinarians were not obstructed and delayed in providing medical attention – Why does a “sport” exist where race dogs break their legs? Why does a state-sanctioned sport exist where racing regulations are ignored?
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.”
Dr. Carlton also noted that 333 total injuries occurred during this three-year period at Tucson Greyhound Park. Fifty, or 15% of the animals, were euthanized.
…if Blair was not intoxicated and disruptive – It’s interesting that although track personnel claimed Blair was intoxicated, the South Tucson Police Department did not give him a breathalyzer test nor did they stop him from getting in his vehicle and driving elsewhere while allegedly intoxicated.
…if a proper and legal offer and acceptance had occurred for the sale of the dog – Missy the greyhound suffered a broken leg. Broken leg race dogs are not sold. She became of no use to the kennel operator for whom she was racing. Another kennel operator tried desperately to save her life. You don’t get any more proper than that. The General Manager of Tucson Greyhound Park tried to broker a $200 sale of an injured greyhound from one kennel operator to another. That is never proper and I’m not sure whether it’s even legal but the fact that it happened shows the unaccountability of the dog racing industry in Arizona.
“Mr. Taylor contacted Kevin Mathieu, at the request of Chief Greyhound Steward Eddie Rosano, to see if the owner of the injured greyhound would be willing to release the greyhound to Blair. Mr. Taylor informed Mr. Mathieu that Mr. Blair wanted to buy the dog. Mr. Mathieu offered to sell the dog and told Mr. Taylor to set the price, which he did, at $200. Further records show that Mr. Blair refused to pay that amount.”
…if an adoption organization was present to formally commit to the adoption of the dog – An adoption organization was on the way from Marana. That was a known fact. Another was on the premises brokering the $200 deal – - was he utterly confused by which hat he was wearing?
David Blair: “I called Barb Gadola from Arizona Greyhound Rescue, thinking if they wouldn’t give the dog to me, maybe they’d give it to her. She and her husband immediately agreed to come down. I called Kathy Johnson of the Greyhound Adoption Center. She was willing to jump in the car and drive all the way from San Diego. The forces were aligned; and I figured all I had to do was buy Missmakeamess a little time until the cavalry arrived.”
…if someone or an organization had been present to assume the cost and responsibility for medical care – See above; I repeat someone from a Tucson adoption organization was in transit.
Barb Gadola: When I called Tom (Taylor) and told him that David Blair had just called and we were on our way to help, he told me that he was standing right next to David, that David was drunk, the dog didn’t belong to him and that the dog’s owner wanted it euthanized. I asked Tom if there was anything we could do to help, he said “no,” the dog was going to be put down.”
Within the greyhound racing industry, humane euthanasia is a typical and acceptable response
to hock fractures based entirely on the owner’s willingness and ability to secure immediate medical attention, arrange surgery, and commitment to subsequent medical monitoring.
…if financial resources were readily available for medical care, the outcome may have been different. – See above, a local rescue group was in transit and would’ve been responsible for the medical care. That’s what rescue groups do – they rescue and rehabilitate and spay and neuter the dogs and provide the care necessary until placed in forever homes. The fact that dogs break their legs and there is no responsibility from where and how the injury occurred (i.e. the dog track) except if the owner / kennel operator wants to euthanize the dog is a major problem with greyhound racing.
The final irony is that Arizona Department of Racing went after the wrong guy.
The record does show that Mr. Mathieu was initially denied a license by the Tucson Greyhound Park Board of Stewards. On appeal to the Director, Mathieu was granted a license with several conditions, including review of prior criminal history, continuing professional medical assistance, drug and alcohol prohibitions, and the identification of an on-site mentor.
The record showed that Mathieu failed to disclose prior criminal history on his license application. The criminal history incident was an arrest two weeks prior to making the license application for a violation of a protective order and harassment. This information was not available for the first Director’s hearing.
Note: Italicized text is taken directly from the Arizona Department of Racing report on the David Blair incident. The report is dated Feb. 8, 2008. Here’s the attachment again.
After this incident, I attended a hearing that to me resembled a kangaroo court held at Tucson Greyhound Park. Many local adopters and David Blair supporters attended as well as the news media. Blair pleaded his case but was fined $500. His license was suspended for 14 days for creating a disturbance, being intoxicated, and interfering with a racing operation. To his credit – he never returned to TGP but instead took his operation to other racing venues.
If you take the time to read the 13-page document mentioned above, you will note that many people sent recommendation letters to the Arizona Department of Racing in his defense. Here are two worth noting:
“. . . David has always had the greyhounds’ best interest at heart when dealing with the dogs.”
“In the greyhound rescue world David Blair is known as “one of the good guys” for his
concern for dogs and his humane treatment of them. He would not stand by and let a dog be hurt or suffer. He does go the extra mile to insure each dog has the best chance of being adopted after racing.”
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The Missy incident stunk in 2007 and still reeks in 2011.
Have conditions approved for the Tucson greyhounds?
Watch the investigative video from Tucson Greyhound Park
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RALLY TO REMEMBER MISSY THE GREYHOUND (and all the other greyhounds who have lost their lives from cruel and inhumane dog racing in South Tucson)
Wednesday – August 31, 2011 – 7 to 8:30 a.m. (stop by on your way to work)
Meet in front of an off-track betting place located at 4915 E. Speedway Blvd (2 blocks east of Swan), park on Arcadia.
Bring a sign or we will provide signs (some from the original protest in 2007)
Please link this blog post to your Facebook page!
use this tiny url – http://tinyurl.com/3z44m28
Tags: Greyhound Injury, Greyhound Racing - TUCSON (TGP), Speak Out Against Greyhound Racing by NoMoreRacing
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