Post by hounddog on Aug 2, 2006 7:14:51 GMT -5
A potentially sad and disturbing story that I am sure many of you have seen. If anyone has any factual information on this story, I sure would appreciate knowing.
Claims of missing greyhounds spur state investigation
By Josh Brodesky
arizona daily star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.27.2006
The state's Department of Racing is investigating allegations that 100 to 200 greyhounds that had recently raced at Tucson Greyhound Park have gone missing.
The California-based Greyhound Protection League claims greyhounds that had raced at the track have disappeared instead of arriving at their next destinations, which are usually kennels or adoption groups.
"These concerns are serious enough for us to look into," said Geoffrey Gonsher, director of the Department of Racing, which regulates greyhound racing in Arizona.
Gonsher said he was made aware of the claims about two weeks ago from sources separate from the advocacy group. He said he made the decision to open an investigation because of the credibility of the agency's sources. He declined to release details of the investigation because it is ongoing.
The dogs in question are not owned by Tucson Greyhound Park, but instead by kennels. Tucson Greyhound Park uses a Colorado-based trainer to haul the dogs to their next destinations, said Tony Fasulo, the park's chief operating officer.
Efforts to reach the trainer were unsuccessful Wednesday.
Fasulo said he had not heard of the allegations, and the track had not been formally notified of an investigation. He said the trainer is a member of the National Greyhound Association.
"He takes them to his farm (in Colorado), and from there he takes them out to various adoption agencies," he said.
Efforts to reach Chris McConnell, general manager for Tucson Greyhound Park, were unsuccessful.
The allegations of missing dogs from Tucson have been circulating among greyhound advocates since winter, said Susan Netboy, president of the Greyhound Protection League, a national advocacy group.
She placed the number of missing greyhounds at 100 to 200, and said the disappearances occurred during multiple "hauls" from Tucson to Colorado over roughly the last six months.
"They (the dogs) haven't appeared where individuals were told they were supposed to arrive," she said. "They did not arrive at their destination, to the best of our knowledge."
Netboy said she contacted the Colorado Division of Racing about the missing dogs in February and requested a formal investigation.
After several months the investigation was made inactive because of a lack of witnesses, according to a June 1 letter sent to Netboy from Colorado Division of Racing.
Gonsher, of the Department of Racing, said investigators in Arizona will be working with their counterparts in Colorado. He said he did not know how long the investigation could take.
Claims of missing greyhounds spur state investigation
By Josh Brodesky
arizona daily star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.27.2006
The state's Department of Racing is investigating allegations that 100 to 200 greyhounds that had recently raced at Tucson Greyhound Park have gone missing.
The California-based Greyhound Protection League claims greyhounds that had raced at the track have disappeared instead of arriving at their next destinations, which are usually kennels or adoption groups.
"These concerns are serious enough for us to look into," said Geoffrey Gonsher, director of the Department of Racing, which regulates greyhound racing in Arizona.
Gonsher said he was made aware of the claims about two weeks ago from sources separate from the advocacy group. He said he made the decision to open an investigation because of the credibility of the agency's sources. He declined to release details of the investigation because it is ongoing.
The dogs in question are not owned by Tucson Greyhound Park, but instead by kennels. Tucson Greyhound Park uses a Colorado-based trainer to haul the dogs to their next destinations, said Tony Fasulo, the park's chief operating officer.
Efforts to reach the trainer were unsuccessful Wednesday.
Fasulo said he had not heard of the allegations, and the track had not been formally notified of an investigation. He said the trainer is a member of the National Greyhound Association.
"He takes them to his farm (in Colorado), and from there he takes them out to various adoption agencies," he said.
Efforts to reach Chris McConnell, general manager for Tucson Greyhound Park, were unsuccessful.
The allegations of missing dogs from Tucson have been circulating among greyhound advocates since winter, said Susan Netboy, president of the Greyhound Protection League, a national advocacy group.
She placed the number of missing greyhounds at 100 to 200, and said the disappearances occurred during multiple "hauls" from Tucson to Colorado over roughly the last six months.
"They (the dogs) haven't appeared where individuals were told they were supposed to arrive," she said. "They did not arrive at their destination, to the best of our knowledge."
Netboy said she contacted the Colorado Division of Racing about the missing dogs in February and requested a formal investigation.
After several months the investigation was made inactive because of a lack of witnesses, according to a June 1 letter sent to Netboy from Colorado Division of Racing.
Gonsher, of the Department of Racing, said investigators in Arizona will be working with their counterparts in Colorado. He said he did not know how long the investigation could take.
