a Greyhound Racing in Florida | December 2011

Transcription

Prepared by
GREY2K USA
Greyhound Racing in Florida
December 2011
a
Greyhound Racing in Florida | December 2011
Dear Opinion Leader,
In the following pages, you will find a Report on Greyhound Racing in Florida.
This report is a comprehensive examination of dog racing in the Sunshine
State, covering both humane and economic issues. It is the first document of
its kind.
In compiling the report, we followed three specific guidelines:
1. All information relates directly to greyhound racing in Florida.
2. All information in recent. Only source materials from 2004 to present
were used.
3. All data in this report comes from official sources, including state records
and credible news reports. A majority of the data is from records
maintained by the Florida Department of Business and Professional
Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering.
Thousands of sources were examined during the completion of this report,
and some of the most relevant sources are included here as appendices.
It is our hope that this document will provide lawmakers, media, and the
general public with additional information regarding greyhound racing. We
believe there is a direct correlation between the amount of information that
is publicly available and the health and welfare of greyhounds.
In closing, we would like to thank the American Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals for providing the funding to make this report possible.
Sincerely,
Carey M. Theil
Executive Director
Christine A. Dorchak, Esq.
President and General Counsel
TABLE OF CONTENTS
REPORT
Executive Summary
p.1
1.
Historical Overview
p.3
2.
Greyhounds Endure Lives of Confinement
p.5
3.
Greyhounds Suffer Serious Injuries
p.8
4.
Greyhound Racing is a Dying Industry
p.12
5.
Other Issues
p.15
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: Additional Photographs of Florida Greyhound Kennels
p.26
APPENDIX B: Additional Greyhound Track Injury Reports
P.30
APPENDIX C: Wagering Statistics from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
p.34
APPENDIX D: Other Relevant State Documents
p.36
APPENDIX E: Related News Reports
p.43
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
•
Florida dog track owners and executives have publicly acknowledged that greyhound racing is a
dying industry and is no longer viable
Other Issues
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Since 2004, state investigators have documented at least nine cases of severe neglect at Florida
dog tracks and associated kennel compounds
Greyhounds have repeatedly tested positive for serious drugs at Florida racetracks, including
cocaine
State inspection reports have documented poor kennel conditions, injured dogs, dozens of
incidents where greyhounds were double caged, possible drug violations and fire hazards
Greyhounds have died at Florida racetracks from a form of horse flu that had never before jumped
species
State regulators have documented greyhounds being killed because they were no longer
profitable
Greyhounds have died while being transported to Florida racetracks
In 2005, ten greyhounds died and 54 were hurt in a fire at a Florida dog track
At Florida racetracks, greyhounds are fed the cheapest meat available to reduce costs
Florida greyhound licensees have been repeatedly cited for expired vaccinations
A Florida dog track executive was cited in 2004 for not employing a veterinarian during races
2
SECTION 1
Historical Overview
Dog racing began as an illegal enterprise in the 1920’s. The Miami Kennel Club of Hialeah (1922), the
St. Petersburg Kennel Club (1925) and the Six Mile Creek Kennel Club of Tampa (1925) were Florida’s
first dog tracks - none legal.1
In 1931, Florida lawmakers overrode the veto of Governor Doyle Elam Carlton and authorized legal
wagering on greyhound races.2 Florida’s were the first state-authorized “pari-mutuel” operations
to exist in the nation.3 The term pari-mutuel refers to a system of wagering in which bettors play
against one another.4 Winners divide the total amount bet in proportion to the sums they have
wagered individually and with regard to the odds assigned to particular outcomes.5 Gambling was
still generally prohibited, but the new Florida law created an exception for pari-mutuel permitholders
who conducted full schedules of live racing and met other requirements.6
Today, greyhound racing exists at thirteen operational facilities in Florida.
5
11
9
3
1
12
1. Daytona Beach Kennel Club & Poker Room (Daytona Beach)
2. Derby Lane (St. Petersburg)
3. Ebro Greyhound Park (Ebro)
4. Flagler Greyhound Track (Miami)
5. Jefferson County Kennel Club (Monticello)
6. Mardi Gras Gaming (Hallandale)
7. Melbourne Greyhound Park (Melbourne)
8. Naples-Ft. Myers Greyhound Track (Bonita Springs)
9. Orange Park Kennel Club (Orange Park)
10. Palm Beach Kennel Club (West Palm Beach)
11. Pensacola Greyhound Track (Pensacola)
12. Sanford Orlando Kennel Club (Longwood)
13. Sarasota Kennel Club (Sarasota)
1
2
3
4
5
6
3
7
2
13
10
8
6
4
Paul C. Hartwell, The Road to Emeryville, A History of Greyhound Racing (National Greyhound Association, 2003) (1980), pp. 11-15.
Florida Senate Committee on Regulated Industries, Report No. 2005-155, Legalized Gambling in Florida – The Competition in the
Marketplace, p. 1.
Hartwell, p. 70.
Section 550.002(22), Florida Statutes.
Ibid.
Florida House of Representatives Staff Analysis, HB 1145 (2011).
SECTION 1
Historical Overview
Florida’s racing laws have been the subject of legislative attention for decades.7 Special programs
have been authorized, including simulcasting in 1987,8 and tax rates have been repeatedly adjusted to
bolster the dog racing industry.9 Additionally, in 2004 voters approved a constitutional amendment
allowing for the introduction of slot machines at the two dog tracks in Miami-Dade and Broward
Counties; under the new law, the facilities are still required to offer live racing.10 On the humane front,
in 2002, the Legislature passed a requirement for all greyhound racing permitholders to provide an
adoption booth at their facilities.11
7
8
Florida Senate Report No. 2005-155, pp. 5-17.
Florida Senate Report No. 2008-150, Review of Simulcast Wagering at Pari-Mutuel Facilities (simulcast wagering is betting or
wagering on races taking place outside the host track).
9 1995-96 and 1999-00 Department of Business and Professional Regulation Annual Reports on the Pari-Mutuel Industry (among
other assistance, the 1996 legislation reduced the greyhound intertrack tax rate from 7.6% to 6%, capped daily fees on simulcast
wagering and created tax exemptions for permitholders in certain counties; in 2000, a 76-page amendment to the racing bill
included $20 million in tax reductions for permitholders statewide).
10 House Staff Analysis, H.B. 1145 (The Flagler Dog Track – now known as Magic City - is required to offer a minimum of 163 days of
racing and Hollywood Greyhound Park – now Mardi Gras – is required to offer one hundred).
11 2001-02 Department of Business and Professional Regulation Annual Report on the Pari-Mutuel Industry.
4
SECTION 2
Thousands of greyhounds
endure lives of confinement
at Florida racetracks, with as
many as 8,000 dogs being
housed at track kennel
compounds across the
state.12
These compounds are
generally comprised
of several long, narrow
buildings with “turn-out”
pens – fenced-in dirt runs
where dogs are “turned
out” and allowed to relieve
themselves.13
Aerial view of the Jefferson County Kennel Club kennel compound in
Monticello, Florida. Image from Google Maps, 2011.
Greyhounds are kept in warehouse-style kennels
Inside these compounds,
greyhounds are kept in
warehouse-style kennels in rows
of stacked cages. Shredded
paper or carpet remnants are
commonly used as bedding.
Confined housing is used
because commercial greyhound
racetracks require a large
number of dogs in order to
operate. Photographs taken
by the Florida Department
of Business and Professional
Regulation document this
situation.
Inside a greyhound kennel at Daytona Beach Kennel Club. Photograph by the Florida
Department of Business and Professional Regulation, 2011.
12 Linda Jensen, Correspondence to lawmakers urging a no vote on House Bill 1145, May 2011.
13 Photographs of multiple Florida greyhound track kennel compounds, Google Maps, online at http://maps.google.com (last visited
November 4, 2011).
5
SECTION 2
Greyhounds are confined for 20 to 23 hours per day
Greyhounds are confined perpetually
in their cages with two exceptions:
1. A few times per month,
greyhounds are removed from
their cages and taken to the
racetrack to compete, where
they are similarly confined before
racing.
2. A few times per day, greyhounds
are “turned out” in a large group
and allowed to relieve themselves.
According to an investigator for the
Florida Department of Business and
Professional Regulation, greyhounds
in the state are “normally confined”
for “20 to 23 hours per day.”14
A greyhound at the Florida Kennel Compound in Hialeah, which
warehouses dogs for Flager and Mardi Gras. Photograph by the
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, 2007.
Large greyhounds cannot fully stand erect in their cages
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation currently does not have any rules or
regulations governing kennel conditions, cages sizes, or the duration of “turn-out” times.15 A state
rule requiring a minimum cage size was proposed in 2010, but as of the date of this report it has not
been approved.16
State records, however, indicate that at least some dog track cages used in Florida measure three feet,
by three feet, by three and a half feet, and are “the minimum space needed to house one greyhound,
the average length of which, standing on hind legs, is 6’0.”17 This is consistent with cage sizes
throughout the greyhound racing industry.
According to the American Greyhound Council, most greyhounds stand between 23 inches and 30
14 Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, Investigative Report for Case No.
2006029115, July 20, 2006.
15 Jill Blackman, Chief of Operations for the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel
Wagering, letter to GREY2K USA dated May 23, 2007 (on file with author).
16 Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, Draft of Proposed Rule 61D-2.023.
2006029115, July 20, 2006.
6
SECTION 2
inches tall at the shoulder, and weigh between 50 and 85 pounds.18 Large greyhounds cannot stand
fully erect in the cages used at Florida dog tracks.
Greyhounds often require socialization before being adopted
Because greyhounds have been extensively confined, they often require special socialization before
being placed for adoption. As adoption advocate George Farrell of the non-profit greyhound
adoption organization Homeward Bound commented in a 2006 news story published by the Naples
Daily News:19
“They know one thing from the time they’re born … that’s the kennel. The
(sliding) glass doors? They will bump their heads on them. The same
with water. With a pool? They’ll try and walk on it. Some won’t walk on
linoleum.”20
A standard cage at Daytona Beach Kennel Club. Photograph by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, 2011.
18 American Greyhound Council, Frequently Asked Questions About Greyhound Pets, online at http://www.agcouncil.com/node/17
(last visited November 4, 2011).
19 T.D. Mobley-Martinez, 45-mph couch potatoes, Naples Daily News, November 5, 2006.
20 Ibid.
7
SECTION 3
Unlike most racing states, Florida does not require greyhound injury reporting
Unlike most states with active dog tracks, Florida does not require that greyhound racing facilities
report injuries to the public. Because of this omission, it cannot be known how many greyhounds are
injured annually.
In recent years the Florida Greyhound Association (FGA), which represents greyhound breeders, has
actively opposed efforts to disclose injury data. For example, in 2006 a lobbyist for the FGA thanked
two lawmakers for helping defeat a proposal to require injury reporting. According to the lobbyist,
the lawmakers filed an injury reporting bill themselves, to control the legislation and ensure it could
not advance.21
The data that is available suggests that serious injuries are common at Florida dog tracks
Despite the fact that injury data is not publicly
disclosed, Florida dog tracks do in fact maintain
such records. Some of these have become
available as part of state investigations made by the
Florida Department of Business and Professional
Regulation. These records, along with other state
investigative files, document dogs suffering broken
legs, a broken shoulder, an open skull fracture,
and a broken back, a dog that died after having
apparent seizures after racing, dogs dying from
heart attacks, and a dog that was electrocuted.
State records also suggest that injuries are
common at Florida racetracks. For example:
•
According to state records, twenty greyhounds
were injured at Flagler between June 4,
2011 and July 24, 2011.22 At least fifteen
of these greyhounds suffered broken legs.23
Additionally, a greyhound was euthanized after
suffering a broken back, and a dog named
Fuzzys San Jose died on the track after suffering
a heart attack.24
Track injury report for Fuzzys San Jose, who died after
suffering a heart attack at Flagler on June 4, 2011.
21 Diana Moskovitz, Lobbyist: Two helped doom a race-dog bill, Miami Herald, June 11, 2006.
2011036678, August 15, 2011.
23 Ibid.
24 Ibid.
8
SECTION 3
•
At Ebro Greyhound Park, twenty-eight greyhounds suffered “substantial” injuries and ten
greyhounds were euthanized in a six-week period between May 21, 2011 and July 5, 2011.25
•
On May 7, 2011 a two-year-old brindle greyhound named Gossip was euthanized after she was
struck by other dogs, flipped over, and broke her left shoulder during a race at Sanford Orlando
Kennel Club.26
•
On April 23, 2011 a three-year-old brindle greyhound named Rumblin Reba was euthanized when
she collided with other dogs during a race at Sanford Orlando Kennel Club and broke two bones
in her left hind leg.27
•
On April 22, 2011 a two-year-old black greyhound named Hang Aue was euthanized after breaking
several bones in his right front leg during a race at Palm Beach Kennel Club.28
•
On April 7, 2011 a two-year-old brindle greyhound named AMF Rocky Road collapsed during a
race at Daytona Beach Kennel Club and died.29
•
On January 17, 2011 a three-year-old brindle greyhound named SV Weihl Cool collapsed and died
shortly after racing at Daytona Beach Kennel Club.30
•
On January 7, 2011 a two-year-old white and red brindle greyhound named Boc’s Maisie Mae
suffered an apparent seizure and died after finishing a race at Sanford-Orlando Kennel Club.31
2011028746, July 22, 2011.
2011023955, May 13, 2011; Greyhound Breeding and Racing Database, online at http://www.greyhound-data.com (last visited
November 4, 2011).
November 4, 2011).
November 4, 2011).
2011018962, April 11, 2011; Greyhound Breeding and Racing Database, online at http://www.greyhound-data.com (last visited
November 4, 2011).
2011004076, February 27, 2011; Greyhound Breeding and Racing Database, online at http://www.greyhound-data.com (last visited
November 4, 2011).
November 4, 2011).
9
SECTION 3
•
On January 5, 2011
a three-year-old red
brindle greyhound
named Crystal B Disco
died after she collided
with another dog
during a race at Sanford
Orlando Kennel Club,
struck the rail with her
forehead, and suffered
an open skull fracture.32
•
In September 2010,
Sanford Orlando Kennel
Club veterinarian Bruce
Olson euthanized four
greyhounds due to
injuries sustained on the
track in a single month.33
The final race of Crystal B Disco, who died in 2011 after she struck the rail with her
forehead. Still image from a video by Sanford Orlando Kennel Club.
•
At Daytona Beach Kennel Club, eighteen greyhound injuries occurred over the course of sixteen
days in July 2010.34 According to state records, at least some of the injuries involved broken legs,
and one dog was euthanized.35
•
Four greyhounds at Sarasota Kennel Club suffered broken legs on the same day on March 20,
2010. Three of the greyhounds were euthanized.36 In total, at least fourteen greyhounds were
euthanized at the track between November 2009 and April 2010.37
•
On November 19, 2008 a two-year-old fawn greyhound named Jawa Spock was euthanized after
he broke both back legs during a race at Palm Beach Kennel Club.38
•
On November 17, 2008 a three-year-old brindle greyhound named Birthday Toy was electrocuted
November 4, 2011).
2010048284, October 11, 2010.
2010035809, August 2, 2010.
35 Ibid.
2010015697, April 9, 2010.
37 Halle Stockton, Euthanized dogs prompt concern, Sarasota Herald Tribune, June 6, 2010.
2008063666, November 25, 2008; Greyhound Breeding and Racing Database, online at http://www.greyhound-data.com (last
visited November 4, 2011).
10
SECTION 3
during a race at Sanford Orlando Kennel
Club.39
•
A one-year old black greyhound named
Kiowa Scotty Run suffered a massive heart
attack and died shortly after racing at
Flagler on August 2, 2007.40 According
to a state investigative report, the dog
“could have had a heart condition caused
by cross breeding.”41 Three days later,
another greyhound died of a heart attack
after finishing a race at Flagler.42 Both
dogs were owned by the same individual
and were from the same racing kennel.43
•
On August 19, 2006 a two-year-old black
greyhound named Bb’s Story Book died
after he fell during a race at Mardi Gras,
ran the opposite way on the track and was
struck by the mechanical lure.44
•
A champion greyhound named Ozzie the
Man suffered a severe, career-ending
injury in June 2006 when he broke his foot
during a race at Palm Beach Kennel Club.45
A greyhound named Bb’s Story Book falls during a 2006 race at Mardi
Gras. Still image from a video by Mardi Gras Gaming.
Bb’s Story Book is struck by the mechanical lure. Still image from a
video by Mardi Gras Gaming, 2006.
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
11
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, Investigative Report for Case
No. 2008063896, December 2, 2008; Gary Taylor, Racing greyhound electrocuted in ‘unfortunate accident’, Orlando Sentinel,
November 25, 2008; Greyhound Breeding and Racing Database, online at http://www.greyhound-data.com (last visited November
4, 2011).
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, Investigative Report for Case No.
2007044269, August 8, 2007; Greyhound Breeding and Racing Database, online at http://www.greyhound-data.com (last visited
November 4, 2011).
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
2006045533, August 31, 2006; Greyhound Breeding and Racing Database, online at http://www.greyhound-data.com (last visited
November 4, 2011).
Craig Dolch, Ozzie the Man forced to retire after injury, Palm Beach Post, July 7, 2006.
SECTION 4
Gambling on dog racing, tax revenue from greyhound races, and attendance are all in
significant decline
Between 2004 and 2010, the total amount gambled on pari-mutuel racing at Florida dog tracks
declined by 35%.46 During the same period, paid attendance declined by 69%.47 Between 2004 and
2011, tax revenue from live greyhound racing declined by 72%.48
AMOUNT GAMBLED ON PARI-MUTUEL RACING AT
FLORIDA DOG TRACKS, 2004-2010
$500,000,000
$450,000,000
$400,000,000
$350,000,000
$300,000,000
$250,000,000
$200,000,000
$150,000,000
$100,000,000
$50,000,000
$0
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, 74th Annual Report for Fiscal Year
2004-2005; Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, 79th Annual Report for
Fiscal Year 2009-2010.
47 Ibid.
48 Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, 74th Annual Report for Fiscal Year
2004-2005; Ken Lawson, Secretary for the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, enclosed with letter to
46
Representative Dana Young dated August 19, 2011.
12
SECTION 4
PAID ATTENDANCE AT FLORIDA DOG TRACKS, 2004-2010
1,800,000
1,600,000
1,400,000
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
2004-2005
2005-2006
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009
2009-2010
TAX REVENUE FROM LIVE GREYHOUND RACING, 2004-2011
$8,000,000
$7,000,000
$6,000,000
$5,000,000
$4,000,000
$3,000,000
$2,000,000
$1,000,000
$0
2004-2005
13
2005-2006
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009
2009-2010
2010-2011
SECTION 4
Greyhound racetracks are losing money on live racing
According to a 2011 news report, Mardi Gras was expected to lose an estimated $2.5 million this year
on live greyhound racing, with Flagler losing nearly $2 million annually on dog races.49
Greyhound industry leaders have publicly acknowledged that dog racing is no longer viable
Several dog track owners and executives have publicly acknowledged that greyhound racing is
a dying industry and is no longer viable. For example, in 2008 Pat Biddix, General Manager of
Melbourne Greyhound Park called greyhound racing “a thing of the past.”50 Juan Fra, General
Manager of Flagler indicated in 2010 that live greyhound racing is a “money-loser.”51
In 2007, Naples-Ft. Myers Greyhound Track Operations Manager Pete Wedeles publicly said that he
doesn’t see a future for greyhound racing:
“It’s very close to being on life support. I don’t think, on its own, it can survive.”52
According to Richard Winning, who is a part owner of Derby Lane, this decline is due in part to
demographic changes:
“The new generation is into video games, they like instant gratification … They
don’t want to sit with a program and figure out how to handicap a dog.”53
Similar public comments were made in 2007 by greyhound trainer and owner Wilma Edwards:
“There is so much more to do today. Interests have changed.”54
49 Michael J. Mooney, Mardi Gras dog track loses $2.5 million a year on greyhound racing, Broward Palm Beach New Times, March 4,
2011.
50 Donna Balancia, Greyhound racing goes to the dogs, Florida Today, October 20, 2008.
51 Linda Robertson, A vanishing sport: Dog racing is running its course, Miami Herald, December 27, 2010.
52 Ft. Myers News-Press, On 50th birthday, greyhound track’s prognosis poor, December 23, 2007.
53 Mitch Stacy, Dog racing’s decline, Associated Press, October 7, 2007.
54 Mark S. Krzos, Greyhound trainer in it for love of dogs, Ft. Myers News-Press, December 22, 2007.
14
SECTION 5
Other Issues
Multiple cases of greyhound neglect have occurred at Florida dog tracks
Since 2004, at least nine cases of severe neglect at Florida dog tracks and associated kennel
compounds have been documented by the Florida Department of Business and Professional
Regulation.
•
On October 29, 2010 state
investigators discovered 37 dead
greyhounds during an inspection
of the Ebro Greyhound Park kennel
compound.55 Five other dogs
were alive but severely emaciated,
including one greyhound that was
unable to stand.56 Many of the
dogs were double crated, and at
least some of the dogs had silver
duct tape wrapped around their
necks.57 The tape was wrapped
so tightly that it could not be cut
off and had to be unwrapped.58 A
necropsy later determined that the
greyhounds died from dehydration
or starvation.59
Deceased greyhounds that were discovered in a kennel at Ebro Greyhound Park.
Photograph by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, 2010.
On the same day, a greyhound trainer named Ronald Williams was arrested.60 A few days later, he
was charged with 37 counts of felony animal cruelty.61 Additional charges were later added, and
Williams faced a total of 42 counts of felony animal cruelty.62
A week after the dead greyhounds were discovered, Washington County Sheriff Bobby Haddock
commented publicly on the case and expressed shock.63
“This is the worst case of cruelty to animals that I’ve ever seen. It’s just unreal.”64
2010054357, May 13, 2011; Felicia Kitzmiller, Greyhound abuse defendant ready for plea bargain, Panama City News Herald,
February 10, 2011.
56 Ibid.
57 Ibid.
58 Ibid.
59 Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Press Release: Necropsy shows greyhounds died of dehydration, starvation, November 5, 2010.
60 Florida Freedom Newswire, PDL man charged with 37 counts of animal cruelty, November 1, 2010.
61 Ibid.
62 WMBB TV News, Williams pleads guilty to animal cruelty charges, October 20, 2011.
63 Meagan O’Halloran, Sheriff speaks out for first time in Ebro Greyhound Deaths, WJHG TV News, November 5, 2010.
64 Ibid.
15
SECTION 5
Other Issues
In response to the case,
the Florida Department of
Business and Professional
Regulation fined Williams
$170,000 and revoked his
license.65
Williams spent a year in jail
before agreeing to plead no
contest to thirty-nine counts
of felony cruelty to animals.66
He also agreed to waive the
jail credit for his time served,
and was sentenced to five
years in prison for each count,
to be served concurrently.67
A five year term was the
maximum sentence for each
charge.68
A severely emaciated greyhound that was discovered in a kennel at Ebro Greyhound Park.
•
On July 2010 a veterinarian and a track official documented unsanitary conditions in a kennel at
the Sanford Orlando Kennel Club.69 According to witness statements the kennel had “a strong
smell of ammonia” from urine, “indicating that the kennel was not being properly cleaned.”70 The
trainer responsible for the kennel was banned from the facility, but no further action was taken.71
•
On October 2, 2009 two state investigators inspected a kennel at Pensacola Greyhound Track and
discovered evidence of severe neglect.72 According to their official report:
“Upon entering the kennel it was apparent from the overwhelming urine
smell that the bedding materials in the crates were not cleaned in quite some
time. The smell was so strong and overpowering that it burned the eyes … the
greyhounds appeared unenergetic, lethargic, and most just laid there not even
offering a bark. Several of the cages were noticed with both dried and fresh
urine puddles in them. Four greyhounds in particular seemed noticeably thin.”73
2010054357, May 13, 2011.
66 WMBB TV News, Williams pleads guilty to animal cruelty charges, October 20, 2011.
67 Ibid.
68 Ibid.
2010035789, October 4, 2010.
70 Ibid.
71 Ibid.
72 Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, Investigative Report for Case
No.2009052612, February 19, 2010.
73 Ibid.
16
SECTION 5
Other Issues
Despite this evidence of severe
neglect, one of the state
investigators assigned to the case
completed a Kennel Inspection
Form on the same day in which he
indicated the overall condition of
the kennel was “satisfactory.”74
After inspecting the kennel, state
investigators interviewed witnesses
who indicated that 22 greyhounds
from the kennel had been
euthanized between August 31,
2009 and September 4, 2009.75 The
dogs were euthanized after being
examined by a veterinarian, who
indicated that they were severely
underweight and some were
suffering from pressure sores.76
•
On December 26, 2007 a state
inspection of a kennel at the Florida
Kennel Compound documented
severe problems.77 The compound
houses dogs for both Flagler and
Mardi Gras. According to the
official report:
A 2009 state Kennel Inspection Form indicating a kennel was “satisfactory.” On
the same day, a state investigation documented severe neglect in the kennel.
“During the inspection of the Greyhound Kennel #4, we found that the seventy four (74)
greyhounds being housed in the kennel showed visible skin irritation from flea and tick
bites and also what appeared to be live ticks. Also, during the inspection of the kennel
I noticed several blood stains on the floor. The overall condition of the kennel was poor.
There were mice droppings and a dead mouse on the floor. The refrigerator where the
food and meat are kept was dirty and the food appeared to be spoiled. The smell of
urine in the kennel was unbearable. I looked around and found no cleaning products. I
only saw a mop that was apparently not used in a long time.”78
74 Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, Kennel Inspection Form for the W.R.
Etheredge Kennel at Pensacola Greyhound Track, October 2, 2009.
2009052612, February 19, 2010.
76 Ibid.
2008000255, January 28, 2009.
78 Ibid.
17
SECTION 5
Other Issues
The investigator noted that this was an ongoing problem with this particular kennel.79 During a
follow-up inspection on December 27, the state investigator “observed no change in the condition
of the dogs and the sanitary condition of the kennel.”80
On the same day as this second inspection, an employee of the kennel indicated that the kennel
sometimes did not have enough money to feed the dogs, and would “go from kennel to kennel to
borrow food.”81 This employee also indicated that the kennel hauled dogs “in a vehicle that was
unfit for the safe transport of any animal” and that the trainer responsible for the dogs “transports
2-3 greyhounds in one compartment that is made to transport one dog at a time.”82 Also on this
same day, the state investigator documented further evidence of neglect:
“She escorted me inside Kennel Building #4 and showed me the condition of
the refrigerator, the walls were infested with fleas and ticks and the dogs which
were lying inside their individual crates had no proper padding or rug. Most
of the greyhounds were shivering and lying on a wooden floor with no proper
covering. She also accompanied me outside and showed me the vehicle used
to transport these dogs. Upon observation of the vehicle I found it to be in
poor condition. The wire dividers of the crates in the vehicle were broken and
had several pieces that were protruding, which could cause severe damage to
any greyhound being transported.”83
A third inspection on December 28, 2007 indicated that “the kennel was still filthy and the dogs
were still tick and flea infested.”84 According to the official report “it was apparent that the orders
to clean the kennel and seek medical care for the greyhounds had been ignored.”85 During this
same inspection, the state investigator witnessed the trainer responsible for the dogs dipping
them in an insecticide:
“I found TRINIDAD dipping the greyhounds in a barrel full of water and
Malathion 57%. (Malathion is an insecticide used for crops and should not be
used on animals.) The dogs were then placed back in the kennels. They were
dripping wet. He did not dry them but placed them back in the kennels with no
adequate padding and the smell of diesel fuel. I questioned TRINIDAD about
the diesel smell and his method of treating these animals. TRINIDAD claims
that he power washed the kennel floors with diesel fuel and that he was dipping
the dogs in this product (Malathion 57%) that was recommended by other
Trainers.”86
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
18
SECTION 5
Other Issues
On the same day, the investigator was provided with evidence that three greyhounds from this
kennel had tested positive for the tick-borne disease Babesia.87
On January 3, 2008 the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation inspected the
kennel a fourth time, and discovered that “everything was still in the same condition.”88
After another unsuccessful attempt to inspect the kennel a week later, on January 11, the state
investigator handling the case wrote that “these animals have been neglected for weeks without
the trainer seeking appropriate veterinarian (sic) care.”89
In December 2008 the trainer responsible for the kennel was excluded from all pari-mutuel
facilities in the state and the case was closed.90
•
In July 2007 a state investigator documented neglect in a kennel at the Sanford Orlando Kennel
Club.91 In his official report, the investigator detailed severe problems:
“When we entered, the outrageous stench of ammonia was overpowering. Its
source was from the urine on the carpets that had not been cleaned from the
dogs that had not been let out of their cages.”92
The investigator spoke to a greyhound trainer who was temporarily taking care of the dogs, who
indicated that the dogs were “full of ticks and not well taken care of.”93 According to the official
report the dogs did have ticks and fleas.94 Upon completion of the report, the investigator took no
action, noting that “because we have no rules or statutes covering this kind of animal treatment
there is no violation and the case is closed.”95
•
On June 25, 2006 a greyhound named Airborne was seriously injured in a dog fight at Sanford
Orlando Kennel Club.96 Despite the obvious injuries the dog had suffered, the trainer responsible
for him did not ensure he received veterinary care.97 Instead, Airborne was “placed in a cage
within the kennel and left untreated” for two days.98
87
88
89
90
91
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
92
93
94
95
96
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
2007045488, September 7, 2007.
2006039341, July 20, 2006.
97 Ibid.
98 Ibid.
19
SECTION 5
Other Issues
•
In May 2006 a greyhound named Guvner Ahnold suffered a broken leg at Ebro Greyhound Park
and did not receive full veterinary treatment for approximately ten days.99 The trainer responsible
for the dog was issued a verbal reprimand.100
•
In April 2006, an investigation by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation at
Sanford Orlando Kennel Club “revealed that eighteen adult greyhounds were cramped into nine
crates designed to hold one dog.”101 The state investigative report indicated that the dogs were
perpetually muzzled:
“Keeping two large dogs confined in a small cage wearing muzzles for twenty
to twenty-two hours per day makes getting comfortable impossible and is
therefore cruel and inhumane.”102
The investigative report closed with the conclusion that “there are no PWM rules or statutes
prohibiting animal cruelty so no legal action could be taken.”103
•
Two individuals were arrested and charged with cruelty to animals after a dog fight occurred at
Daytona Beach Kennel Club in November 2005.104 According to a news report, the men allowed a
greyhound named Petey to suffer for two days after the fight and never sought medical attention
despite the fact that the dog was severely injured.105
Greyhounds test positive for serious drugs, including cocaine
Greyhounds have repeatedly tested positive for serious drugs, including cocaine, at Florida dog tracks
over the past decade. For example:
•
According to a January 2011 news report, seven greyhounds tested positive for cocaine at Daytona
Beach Kennel Club.106
•
A greyhound named Scotty Smalls tested positive for a cocaine metabolite after racing at Orange
Park on January 6, 2010.107 As a result of this positive test, a greyhound trainer was fined $1,000.108
2006032842, August 8, 2006.
100 Ibid.
2006029115, July 20, 2006.
102 Ibid.
103 Ibid.
104 Jim Haug, Handlers charged in dog’s death, Daytona Beach News-Journal, February 18, 2006; Florida Department of Business and
Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, Investigative Report for Case No. 2005064846, July 20, 2006.
105 Ibid.
106 WFTV News, Dogs at Daytona Beach Kennel Club test positive for cocaine, January 14, 2011.
107 Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, Administrative Complaint for Case
No. 2010010453, April 14, 2010; Kate Howard, Cocaine in Jacksonville racing greyhounds leads to arrest, Florida Times Union, July
14, 2010.
108 Ibid.
20
SECTION 5
Other Issues
•
A greyhound named G’s Rae tested positive for a cocaine metabolite after racing at Orange Park in
Jacksonville on January 28, 2010.109 As a result of this positive test, a greyhound trainer was fined
$1,000.110
•
According to the University of Florida Racing Laboratory, there were 49 positive greyhound drug
tests in fiscal year 2009/2010, including nine positive tests for cocaine or a cocaine metabolite.111
•
A greyhound trainer was fined $1,000 after a dog in his control tested positive for a metabolite of
cocaine after racing at Palm Beach Kennel Club on November 12, 2008.112
•
Three greyhounds tested positive for cocaine at Daytona Beach Kennel Club in July 2007.113 When
state officials went to the track to notify a trainer responsible for the dogs that his license was
suspended, they discovered that three other greyhounds had died from unspecified causes.114
The trainer was later fined $11,000 and his state license was revoked.115
•
A greyhound named Jaz Nicky tested positive for a metabolite of cocaine after racing at Flagler on
July 3, 2005.116
•
Over a three-year period between 2000 and 2003, 119 greyhounds tested positive for cocaine
at Florida tracks.117 During this time, cocaine positives occurred at racetracks in Pensacola,
Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Naples, Miami, Palm Beach and
Hollywood.118
In addition to these cocaine positives, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation has
investigated other cases involving drugs. For example, on May 18, 2011 state investigators discovered
a vial of testosterone propionate in a racing kennel at Derby Lane in St. Petersburg.119 Testosterone
propionate is an oil-based, injectable anabolic steroid.120
2010010456, September 22, 2010; Kate Howard, Cocaine in Jacksonville racing greyhounds leads to arrest, Florida Times Union,
July 14, 2010.
110 Ibid.
111 University of Florida Racing Laboratory, Drug Positives for Fiscal Year 2009/2010.
2008066218, June 14, 2010.
113 April Hunt, Dogs found dead at Daytona track, Orlando Sentinel, August 25, 2007.
114 Ibid.
115 Amy Driscoll, Tracks may face tougher scrutiny, Miami Herald, March 31, 2008.
116 Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, Consent Order for Case No.
2005038739, January 25, 2006.
117 Alan Snel, Drugs Taint Integrity of Greyhound Races, Tampa Tribune, May 3, 2004.
118 Ibid.
2011025681, June 21, 2011.
120 Anabolic Bible, online at http://www.anabolic-bible.org/Profile.aspx?callpage=testosterone_propionate (last visited November 4,
2011).
21
SECTION 5
Other Issues
According to a 2010 investigative report, the state does not test racing greyhounds for steroids.121
In the same report, Dr. Richard Sams of the University of Florida Racing Laboratory indicated that
anabolic steroids, such as Stanozolol, would be “excellent” for enhancing performance.122
State Inspection Reports document humane concerns
GREY2K USA conducted an analysis
of 689 greyhound kennel inspection
forms that were filed by the Florida
Department of Business and
Professional Regulation between
January 1, 2009 and April 27, 2010.
These reports documented several
humane concerns, including:
•
In 127 inspection forms the
condition of the kennel facility
was listed as “poor.”123
•
There were 714 entries indicating
a greyhound was “injured.”124
•
28 inspection forms indicated
that multiple greyhounds were
living in the same cage. 125
•
23 forms indicated possible drug
violations.126
•
29 forms documented expired
fire extinguishers or fire
hazards.127
•
A December 2009 state Kennel Inspection Form that documented poor conditions.
On 14 inspection forms, greyhound trainers could not provide proof of vaccinations, or greyhound
vaccinations had expired.128
2009043310, February 26, 2010.
122 Ibid.
123 Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation; analysis by GREY2K USA.
124 Ibid.
125 Ibid.
126 Ibid.
127 Ibid.
128 Ibid.
22
SECTION 5
Other Issues
State inspection reports also contained specific details regarding greyhound kennel conditions. For
example, a December 4, 2009 inspection report from the Florida Kennel Compound documented the
following conditions:
“Kennel in very poor condition. Mice droppings throughout the kennel. Prep area
dirty and food not protected from rodents. Bedding wet from not being changed
in a couple of days. Walls were dirty with feces from blow outs. Smell of urine
was pungent.”129
Greyhounds die from form of horse flu that had never before jumped species
In the summer of 2004, hundreds of greyhounds fell ill with a respiratory illness and ten dogs died
at racetracks across Florida.130 Greyhounds died from the illness at Naples-Ft. Myers Greyhound
Track, Palm Beach Kennel Club, Sanford Orlando Kennel Club and Derby Lane.131 Six greyhounds had
died from the illness the previous year.132 The mysterious illness also caused the cancellation of 670
greyhound races statewide.133
It was later proven that the dogs died from a form of horse flu that had never before jumped
species.134 Within a year, this new dog flu had spread beyond the greyhound racing industry to pet
dogs and was detected in several states throughout the country.135
In 2006, seventeen greyhounds died from a respiratory illness at the Naples-Ft. Myers Greyhound
Track.136 According to a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Business and Professional
Regulation, at least two additional greyhounds died from the same illness at other tracks in the state.137
State regulators have documented greyhounds being killed because they were no
longer profitable
In a 2004 court hearing, investigators for the Florida Department of Business and Professional
Regulation testified that greyhound owners and trainers sent dogs to the farm of an Alabama man,
who shot the dogs for $10 apiece.138 According to law enforcement officials, the man admitted to
killing between 2,000 and 3,000 greyhounds over a 40-year period.139
129 Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, Kennel Inspection Form for the Gulf
and Bay Kennel at the Florida Kennel Compound, December 4, 2009.
130 Kristen Zambo, Sick racetrack dogs suffering relapses, Naples Daily News, July 31, 2004.
131 Ibid.
132 Ibid.
133 WKMG TV News, Mysterious illness kills more Fla. Greyhounds, July 29, 2004.
134 Rob Stein, Dog flu jumped from horses, Washington Post, September 27, 2005 (after the publication of this news report the illness
was detected in additional states).
135 Ibid.
136 Anne Marie Apollo, Illness continues to kill greyhounds at track, Naples Daily News, June 17, 2006.
137 Ibid.
138 Associated Press, Witnesses: Killing of Florida racing dogs widespread, April 23, 2004.
139 Ibid.
23
SECTION 5
Other Issues
Greyhound track acknowledges that a pesticide was used on dogs as a way to reduce costs
In November 2011, the general manager of Daytona Beach Kennel Club admitted that greyhounds
at the track had been given a pesticide named Termidor for years, in an attempt to control fleas and
ticks.140 After an investigation by the state Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Occupational
Safety and Health Administration, the track agreed to stop the practice.141 In announcing its decision,
Daytona’s general manager stated that the use of Termidor was an “industry standard” practice and it
was used by greyhound kennels because it is “cheaper” than flea and tick repellants.142
Greyhounds have died while being transported to Florida racetracks
Because greyhounds often compete at multiple facilities during their career, they are frequently
hauled long distances. On at least two occasions, greyhounds have died while being transported to
Florida racetracks.
Three greyhounds died in August 2008 while being transported from Iowa to the Palm Beach Kennel
Club.143 The dogs apparently died of heat related illness.144
On September 14, 2005, ten greyhounds were killed and several others injured when a trailer caught
fire on State Road 434.145 The dogs were being transported to Jacksonville to race.146
Greyhounds die in racetrack fire
On June 1, 2005 ten greyhounds died and 54 were hurt in a kennel fire at the Naples-Ft. Myers
Greyhound Track.147 According to the Naples Daily News, the dogs “languish(ed) for hours” in a
“kennel clouded with smoke” before being discovered.148
Greyhounds are fed the cheapest meat available to reduce costs
According to the industry handbook Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound, greyhound trainers
routinely use “4-D” meat from dying, diseased, disabled, and dead animals.149 This meat is used
because “it is the most economically feasible for the Greyhound industry at this time.”150 To
140
141
142
143
Tom Knox, Daytona Beach Kennel Club halts use of pesticide on dogs, Daytona Beach News-Journal, November 5,2011.
144
145
146
147
148
149
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
2008044972, January 8, 2009.
WKMG TV News, 10 racing greyhounds die in trailer fire, September 14, 2005.
Ibid.
Anne Marie Apollo, Ten dogs dead, 54 hurt as alarm overlooked at kennel, Naples Daily News, June 2, 2005.
Ibid.
Linda L. Blythe, James R. Gannon, A. Morrie Craig, Desmond P. Fegan, Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound, (American
Greyhound Council, 2007) p. 151.
150 Ibid.
24
SECTION 5
Other Issues
discourage human use, 4-D meat contains denatured charcoal.151
Greyhound licensees have been repeatedly cited for expired vaccinations
Since 2006, state regulators have conducted forty-nine investigations related to licensees having
greyhounds with expired vaccinations.152 For example, on February 9, 2011 a state review of 431
vaccination records at Jefferson County Kennel Club found that 185 (43%) were out of date.153
Dog track executive cited for not employing a veterinarian during races
In February 2004 the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation filed an
administrative complaint against Larry Baldwin, general manager for the Naples-Ft. Myers Greyhound
Track.154 The complaint stated that the track failed to employ a veterinarian during races at least
fifteen times over a 17-month period.155
151 Ibid.
152 Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering as analyzed by GREY2K USA.
2011007385, May 5, 2011.
154 Janine A. Zeitlin, Greyhound track manager could lose license over vet violation, Naples Daily News, February 6, 2004.
155 Ibid.
25
APPENDIX A
Additional Photographs of Florida Greyhound Kennels
26
APPENDIX A
27
APPENDIX A
28
APPENDIX A
29
APPENDIX B
Additional Greyhound Track Injury Reports
Daytona Beach Kennel Club Injury Report, 2011.
30
APPENDIX B
Flagler Greyhound Track Injury Report, 2011.
31
APPENDIX B
32
APPENDIX B
33
APPENDIX C
34
Wagering Statistics from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
APPENDIX C
35
Wagering Statistics from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
APPENDIX D
Other Relevant State Documents
36
APPENDIX D
37
APPENDIX D
38
APPENDIX D
39
APPENDIX D
40
APPENDIX D
41
APPENDIX D
42
Relevant News Reports
APPENDIX E
INDEX
1.
Naples Daily News
Greyhound Track Manager Could Lose License Over Vet Violation p.44
2.
The Tampa Tribune
Drugs Taint Integrity of Greyhound Races
p.47
3.
Naples Daily News
Sick Racetrack Dogs Suffering Relapses
p.48
4.
The Miami Herald
Dozens of Felons Now Working at Parimutuels
p.50
5.
Naples Daily News
Ten Dogs Dead, 54 Hurt as Alarm Overlooked at Kennel
p.52
6.
Naples Daily News
Total of 14 Dogs Now Dead After Smoky Fire at Greyhound Kennel
p.56
7.
Naples Daily News
Dogs Hurt in Fire Forcibly Taken From Vet’s Office
p.58
8.
Orlando Sentinel
10 Greyhounds Die in Trailer Fire
p.60
9.
The Miami Herald
Lobbyist: Two Helped Doom a Race-Dog Bill
p.61
10. Naples Daily News
Illness Continues to Kill Greyhounds at Track
p.63
11. Sun Sentinel
Activists Want Racetracks to Report Injuries to Animals
p.66
12. Daytona Beach News-Journal
Handler Gets Probation in Greyhound Cruelty Case
p.68
13. Orlando Sentinel
Dogs Found Dead at Daytona Track
p.69
14. Associated Press
Dog Racing’s Decline
p.70
15. Orlando Sentinel
Racing Greyhound Electrocuted in ‘Unfortunate Accident’
p.71
16. Sarasota Herald Tribune
Euthanized Racing Greyhounds Prompt Concern
p.72
17. Broward Palm Beach New
Times
Greyhound at Palm Beach Kennel Club Tested Positive for
Cocaine
p.74
18. The Florida Times Union
Cocaine in Jacksonville Racing Greyhounds Leads to Arrest
p.75
19. The Walton Sun
Necropsies-Greyhounds Died of Starvation, Dehydration
p.76
20. The Miami Herald
A Vanishing Sport: Dog Racing is Running its Course
p.78
21. Fort Myers News Press
Dog Tracks Face the Next Lap
p.82
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
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54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
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83
84
THIS REPORT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY A
GRANT FROM THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE
PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was the first
humane society to be established in North America and is, today, one of the largest
in the world. The organization was founded by Henry Bergh in 1866 on the belief
that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans,
and must be protected under the law. Headquartered in New York City, the ASPCA
maintains a strong local presence, and with programs that extend its anti-cruelty
mission across the country, it is recognized as a national animal welfare organization.
It is a privately funded 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, and proud to boast more
than 1 million supporters across the country.
GREY2K USA
[email protected]
1.866.247.3925
www.GREY2KUSA.org

a Greyhound Racing in Florida | December 2011

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