Studies exonerate more than 99.9% of racing greyhounds, but not necessarily their trainers GAINESVILLE, Florida––If dogs could do drugs unassisted, the hard-working, short, highly stressed life of a racing greyhound might drive many times more to substance abuse than just the 1,150 greyhounds among more than 700,000 known to have flunked race day urine […]
Greyhound Friends founder acquitted of felony neglect
Rescue legend allegedly no longer kept up with the pack FRAMINGHAM, Massachusetts–– Greyhound Friends founder Louise Coleman, 73, for nearly 35 years a pioneer of racing greyhound rescue, rehabilitation, and adoption, was on December 1, 2017 acquitted of felony neglect by Framingham District Court Judge David Cunis, after a four-day bench trial. Concluded […]
Hurricane Harvey: how horses, cattle, lab & zoo animals fared
Many still need help HOUSTON, Texas––How have horses, cattle, and animals kept in laboratories and zoos fared through Hurricane Harvey and aftermath? Soggy doggies and cats took the media spotlight during the first week of the Harvey crisis, but animals of every species shared the impact of the record deluge. (See also Hurricane Harvey: who is […]
Greyhound racing goes to the dogs in Miami, Macau, & Australia
Magic City is allowed to replace greyhound racing with jai alai––a precedent for “decoupling” animal racing from gambling permits MIAMI, Florida––The Magic City casino in West Flagler, Florida, after more than 13 years of legal struggle, is soon to become the first Florida betting venue to be allowed to abandon animal racing while continuing […]
The Wolf in Dog’s Clothing
by Margaret A. Cleek, Ph.D In the early 1990s the Alaskan Malamute Club of America was petrified that Malamutes would be included in bans of the then very popular wolf hybrid. To protect our breed, I developed an educational brochure for the Alaskan Malamute Club of America, which with only minor updates seems applicable as an addendum and commentary […]
2016 Del Mar thoroughbred deaths may set new track record
Second year back on dirt, after eight years on synthetic surface cut deaths in half DEL MAR, California––Sixteen horses dead in the first five weeks of racing this year at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club near San Diego has just about everyone associated with horse racing wondering why and what’s next. One more death […]
Stampede & Frontier Days ride furiously in opposite directions
No animal deaths in 2016 in Calgary; 8 injuries in 8 days in Cheyenne One day we rode the mountain crest and I went east & he went west. I took to law & wore a star while he spread terror near and far. ––Lorne Green, “Ringo” (1964) With two days left to run, at least 10 […]
Greyhound racing in Macau, China runs toward oblivion
Greyhound Racing New South Wales charges 179 “industry participants” with illegally supplying the only track in China RHODES, New South Wales, Australia; MACAU, China––Charges brought against 179 Australian “industry participants” for allegedly illegally exporting greyhounds to Macau appear likely to hasten the anticipated imminent end of greyhound racing at the Macau Canidrome, the oldest […]
Pimlico death again raises question: why do bettors favor beaten horses?
Did “a right-handed rousing” contribute to winning horse’s apparent cardiovascular collapse? BALTIMORE, Maryland––“Rallied under a right-handed rousing” by jockey Horacio Karamanos, according to the Pimlico Race Course chart-writer, the official record-keeper for the race, Homeboykris charged from behind to win the first race of the May 21, 2016 card culminating in the Preakness Stakes, the second […]
NFL warns players–22 years after Humane Farming Association
Eating Mexican or Chinese meat said to bring risk of ingesting banned drug NEW YORK CITY––A National Football League warning to players against eating meat from Mexico and China that may contain the synthetic steroid clenbuterol in early May 2016 at last caught up to Humane Farming Association warnings to the American public––22 years […]