Dog Track Manager Thinks Cruelty Is in the Eye of the Beholder

For over sixty years, Tucson Greyhound Park has kept the off-track lives of their greyhounds well-hidden. The dogs' fate on the track was bad enough; last year, greyhound protection group, GREY2K USA, released a report documenting that a dog was injured every 3 to 4 days at the park — broken legs, fractured skulls, dislocations and muscle tears.

But until now, no one knew just how miserable the dogs' lives were.

GREY2K USA hired independent investigators to look behind the scenes. When they eventually got past the barbed wire fence, the investigators found an estimated eight hundred dogs spending most of their lives in total darkness, in small cages, with scraps of carpet as their only bedding. As if the cages barely big enough to stand up and turn around weren't confining enough, most of the dogs were wearing muzzles, too.

The investigation also confirmed that Tucson Greyhound Park feeds their dogs 4-D meat. Those four "D"s stand for the condition of the animal at slaughter: diseased, dying, disabled or dead. The trainer told the investigator "This is sick cows, you know, and they doctor them up or they medicine them up, and then they butcher them and sell us the meat, and they grind charcoal up in it to kill bacteria."

The use of 4-D meat is not only disgusting, but also happens to be illegal in Tucson. With an eye on the dog racing industry, in 2008, citizens voted to outlaw feeding 4-D meat. The city code was also amended to prohibit constant confinement of dogs.

Tucson Greyhound Park's CEO and general manager Tom Taylor told KOLD 13 that he can't really be sure if trainers are giving the dogs their legally mandated six hours a day outside. And, he claims, that's really the only part of the kenneling situation that isn't ideal.

But, wait, what about the video footage captured by the investigators? He didn't exactly deny that the video was a false representation of the conditions. Instead, he told KOLD 13 reporters (who he wouldn't let into the kennels), "I could show you the Mona Lisa and you could say that is horrible."

Christine Dorchak, President and General Counsel of GREY2K USA, filed a formal complaint (pdf) with the Mayor of Tucson, stating: "We are highly concerned about the apparent willingness of Tucson Greyhound Park to condone and in fact, to aid clear violations of the City Code pertaining to animal cruelty and neglect."

See, that's the difference between animal cruelty and art appreciation. There are no laws saying whether the Mona Lisa is good or bad. And, last I checked, the Mona Lisa isn't suffering.

Taylor admitted that he wouldn't keep his own companion dog in these conditions, but he thinks it's perfectly suitable for racing dogs, apparently because they have "a job."

Dorchak, who became a lawyer to fight for legislation to end dog racing, says the track isn't going to change their ways until the law makes them do it. In addition to last year's report released by GREY2K USA, there was also a scandal involving a kennel inspection that found foul water, spoiled food, blood and fecal stains, and a severe flea infestation. Add Taylor's response to this latest investigation, and it's clear that Tucson Greyhound Park needs to be shut down.

Join GREY2K USA in calling on state officials to investigate Tucson Greyhound Park and hold them accountable for animal cruelty.

Image credit: GREY2K USA