A Public Statement...

The following post appeared on social media on October 13, 2016. I have been given permission by writer to post it to my blog. It is powerful, from the heart and very important to read.

A Public Statement.

I would like to take a moment of your time to extend a thank you to The Dewey Gathering Planning Committee, this was my first year in attendance and I had solid reservations and frankly some anxiety on attending this event. I know this year was a bit of a roller coaster of emotions and some fire’s to put out for some. I know many may be confused or do not understand the reason for any separation of events and making statements of “It is all about the dogs” and “He has paid his dues”.

Taking the child attendance out of the equation for just one moment, we need to realize that before these events can be about the dogs, there is a requirement of the human interaction to “make it happen”. Those humans whether they have children, had children or have Grandchildren, all started off as children. What many may be overlooking to place into this equation is, what about the adults who attend who were once children and may be a victim/survivor of abuse? Whether it was Sexual, Mental or Physical.

It has taken me more than thirty years to have a voice and make any statement in public about my past as a child. Much of my family is still not aware of what happened to me as a child. For what felt like eternity, was in actuality many years of sexual abuse by a family member. Each year, 60,000+ children are victims of sexual abuse in the USA alone. These crimes can have a serious impact on the life and development of a child, and can continue to impact the survivor later in life. Which has clearly been the case for me, at 41, I am now able to understand the impact this played on my life and will continue to play a role in for the rest of my life.

So please, before you voice your distain about why you may disagree or choose to ostracize The Dewey Gathering Planning Committee please remember this, there are adults on this forum who are survivors of sexual abuse, be it vocal or not, it is all a personal choice. The Dewey Gathering Planning Committee would like to make their event safe for any children who may be in attendance, may it be just 1 or 100 but also for those of us still trying to navigate through life as a survivor.

At the end of the day we all make choices and many may continue to choose the other side, which is your choice and yours alone but please try and not forget those of us who may be struggling on a day to day basis because an adult took advantage of us as a child, and now we walk through life trying to feel as human and as whole as we possibly can. If he has paid his dues, done his time and the slate should be wiped clean, ask yourself this; what about us, the survivors? How does that help fix us? How do we get to wipe the slate clean and move on with life as a normal human being, we don’t get that option!! So if you still think this event should be “All about the dogs” remember this, think of the owners of those dogs who may be in attendance as they continue to struggle through live trying to be a survivor!

So I will reiterate this again, to The Dewey Gathering Planning Committee, thank you for making me feel safe and making me feel like my life as a survivor is valuable, honored and respected.

Excuse #1 - They have paid their debt to society.

Many in the greyhound community say that a convicted child molester with lifetime sex offender registration has paid their debt to society and the individual's molestation of two innocent children was a long time ago. 

Actually the individual is still paying on that debt to society in the form of being required by law to register for life as a lifetime sex offender due to the sexual assault of two innocent children. And while not all child molesters are required to register for life, it is only those who commit the most serious assaults and who experts in the judicial system, law enforcement and child protective services believe to be a lifetime risk. If an individual is required to register for life as a sex offender, why are there some in the greyhound community who feel this is nothing to worry about?

Will board of directors of organizations, and in particular a board on which such an individual sits and who have personal responsibility for this individual, be warning all attendees and hosting establishments of such an individual's presence so that all attendees and hosting establishments at such events are given full disclosure, much the same as communities do when a registered sex offender moves into a city or town, in order to make attendees and local residents in the area aware of the liabilities and risks?

The excuse is moot. A debt to society is still owed and the community has a valid and existing reason to know about an individual that may be standing beside them and their families at family friendly greyhound events.

***If you liked this blog, you may want to also read this entry.***

http://rorygoree.blogspot.com/2016/04/before-you-hit-enter-key.html

Excuse #1 - They have paid their debt to society.

Many in the greyhound community say that a convicted child molester with lifetime sex offender registration has paid their debt to society and the individual's molestation of two innocent children was a long time ago. 

Actually the individual is still paying on that debt to society in the form of being required by law to register for life as a lifetime sex offender due to the sexual assault of two innocent children. And while not all child molesters are required to register for life, it is only those who commit the most serious assaults and who experts in the judicial system, law enforcement and child protective services believe to be a lifetime risk. If an individual is required to register for life as a sex offender, why are there some in the greyhound community who feel this is nothing to worry about?

Will board of directors of organizations, and in particular a board on which such an individual sits and who have personal responsibility for this individual, be warning all attendees and hosting establishments of such an individual's presence so that all attendees and hosting establishments at such events are given full disclosure, much the same as communities do when a registered sex offender moves into a city or town, in order to make attendees and local residents in the area aware of the liabilities and risks?

The excuse is moot. A debt to society is still owed and the community has a valid and existing reason to know about an individual that may be standing beside them and their families at family friendly greyhound events.

***If you liked this blog, you may want to also read this entry.***

http://rorygoree.blogspot.com/2016/04/before-you-hit-enter-key.html

Second Chance or Ounce of Prevention……..

Why do we give our greyhounds heartworm medications? We do so to prevent them from getting heartworm and risking their health.

Why do we keep our greyhounds on leash? We do so to prevent our greyhounds from getting away and running into harm.

I recently heard an individual remark that a child molester who must register as a sex offender for life due to the conviction of molesting two innocent children should be given a "second chance". 

Which raised the question - shouldn’t potential future victims be given an "ounce of prevention"? 

The individual runs greyhound events that have minors present. (Please do not doubt this fact as there are photos that clearly show children at events this individual runs and also attends) A child molester who while out on bail molests a second child does not appear to be a trustworthy individual, and a child molester who when one reads the court and parole records is acting and conducting himself in same manners he did when he was caught is not someone to trust!

Would you trust and give a second chance to a significant other who molested your child?

Would you trust a neighbor who molested your child?

Would you trust a sport team coach who molested your child?

Would you trust a teacher who molested children?

Wouldn't you wonder how many children may have been molested but were too fearful to come forward?

Would you willingly allow your child or your wife or your girlfriend to be offered a ride by a convicted child molester with lifetime sex offender registration? Perhaps you did not know of the sex crimes done by an individual however now that you do know, is a ride with such an individual really worth it? There have already been two recorded strikes. How many second chances are you willing to give?

Is your adoption program ready and willing to give a convicted child molester with lifetime sex offender registration a second chance in exchange for a monetary donation that is given only if you work...excuse me, volunteer to work at an event run by such an individual? The care and placement of ex-racing greyhounds is of utmost importance to me as it should be to all in the greyhound adoption community however exactly what are you willing to turn a blind eye to in order to receive a donation?

You say give the individual a second chance but tell me what do you say to children who have been raped, who have been molested, who have endured a childhood of hell due to sexual assault? You say people change but if you knew nothing of the individual previously how can you honestly say such a person has changed when you know nothing about them? You say that was a long time ago, yet are you sure? You preach that anyone who adopts a greyhound must be a good person.  Do you also feel that someone who is aroused by children is a good person?

Just as we give our greyhounds an ounce of prevention, the children and women of our community deserve the same. Those whose lives have been forever altered by sexual assault never get a second chance at innocence. 

So whats it going to be?

Live By The Contract.

As a consultant I deal with contracts. Every job requires a detailed contract which is not just for the client’s protection but equally for my own protection. Contracts outline expectations for all involved and spell out reasons that a contract may be cancelled and they also detail the scenario should one of the parties need to exercise legal rights as agreed upon in in the contract, such as where it will be litigated and who will be responsible for expenses of winning party.

Remembering my first greyhound adoption contract, I read it not just on adoption day but referred back to it several times to ensure I was in compliance with what I signed. I cared deeply for my greyhound Anna Marie and never wanted to bring harm to her by acting stupidly and violating the contract I signed and agreed to abide by. It is something that I still do to this day each time I sign a greyhound adoption contract.

Events and situations of the last year have left me wondering if we suddenly have a culture of greyhound adopters who think they are entitled to willfully violate the terms of a contract they signed. Are they merely paying lip service to rules and guidance set by experienced greyhound adoption groups to ensure the safety and well-being of the greyhound they place? As the saying goes, stupid is as stupid does and willfully violating the adoption contract is not only stupid, it reveals an extreme lack of respect and understanding of the greyhound they have contractually agreed to be responsible for.

Some may say I’m biased in this view because I was once part of the Greyhound Pets of America (GPA) family.

No, not bias at all...unless there are those that would feel that being respectful and grateful to those who do a job that is often times lacking in respect and gratitude is a bad thing. The nationwide volunteers of GPA not only do wonderful things for ex-racing greyhounds with no financial compensation or receiving a salary, they also from time-to-time have to do what is morally right for the greyhounds they have placed, even if the social media mavens chastise them.

If you don’t like it when a volunteer has to stand up to ensure the protection and well-being of an adopted greyhound by enforcing the terms of a signed contract, perhaps it is time to get off Facebook and get into the day-to-day adoption trenches so that you can learn that the enforcement of a signed adoption contract is not an opening to harass adoption volunteers simply because you and friends think you are above any contract that you sign nor is it an action that an adoption group takes willy-nilly and without legal counsel.

Mirror Mirror.........

A few weeks ago I had the privilege to discuss greyhound adoption efforts with adoption officers from another country.  It was a privilege to convey to them my experience of running local adoption programs and also a National organization for 17 years then top it off with my current views/experience as a regulator.
Watching the first storm of the monsoon season roll through the Valley of the Sun I thought about my discussion with them regarding home visits and how that came about. We hear the term often in greyhound adoption but many may not realize how it came to be.

Years ago a person adopted a couple of greyhounds.  This was back in the day when we tried to move as many as we could; we knew we couldn’t get them all. The group that adopted these greyhounds out happened to be in the neighborhood of the adopter and thought, hey let’s stop in and see how the greyhounds are adapting.  As it turns out the address was bogus and with a little further investigation it was found out that the adopter just acquired the greyhounds so they could sell them for research.

The term “home visit” was from that point on a term that would live forever within the greyhound community. It started out as a way to protect the greyhounds and grew into a tool to help determine the suitability of a home and match the right greyhound for the home.

Over the years the community has grown and done many things to protect the greyhounds, but one item is severely lacking – the checks on ourselves.

We’ve concentrated so much on the greyhounds that we forgot to look in the mirror. We automatically accept an individual with an adopted greyhound as a good person without knowing anything about them. We "know" them from reading about them on the internet or they are our "friends" because they are in some way a part of the greyhound community. Yet they are also convicted rapists or convicted child molesters or have life time sex offender registration. If we had paid just as much attention to ourselves as we do potential adopters these disgusting individuals would have not been able to weasel themselves into our community and use the good will of our community to prop themselves up and solicit praise. Committing serious and heinous crimes against women and children is not the norm and should never be brushed under the carpet in exchange for having adopted a greyhound.

Something to consider - if during a home check it was found out that the adopter was a convicted child molester or someone with lifetime sex offender registration, would you place a greyhound with such an individual, knowing the percentage and likelihood that such types assault animals? If you said no, would you also continue to welcome and condone such individual’s participation in our family friendly community being next to children, women and yes even be near our dogs? Over the years many have found fault with the greyhound racing industry and with some of the individuals involved with it, but do you even think for once a convicted child molester would easily get a license to train greyhounds or operate a kennel having to go thru state background checks and licensing procedures?

It is time the community takes a look in the mirror and gets serious about ourselves the same we do about potential adopters.

Live and in person………

Hope to see some of my fans live and in person today at the Heart of America Greyhound Gathering.

Today’s live blog is titled “Oh No…….Mr. Bill” Must be present to learn about why I have no fear of our future.

"Duh" moment #2 (of many) from the "humane advocate protectors"

Greyhounds Whippets are love……….

Today is the second of what is sure to be a continuing series that shows “humane advocate protectors”, self-proclaimed experts on greyhounds, are in fact not that savvy when it comes to greyhounds.

While stating to be “the largest greyhound protection organization” one would hope anyone making such a declaration would be able to tell the difference between greyhounds and whippets.

Apparently this is not the case. Recently seen on a “humane advocate protectors” social media offering:

It is becoming obvious that the “humane advocate protector” principals of this organization who supposedly have years of experience with greyhounds just aren’t understanding the breed they claim expertise on.

For those interested in seeing how 2 female greyhound weighing 50 pounds and 54 pounds fit on a 35” x 40” dog bed, I offer the following photo:

If “humane advocate protectors” who continue to herald themselves as experts on greyhounds do not even know the difference between a whippet and a greyhound 

(or even a male and female greyhound for that matter), one has to wonder what other “facts” trumpeted by these “humane advocate protectors” are nothing more than fiction.

Another "duh" moment from the ones who claim to know all about greyhounds.......

For years I’ve been preaching that the “humane advocate protectors” can’t be trusted. Well now I offer you proof that while they claim to be "all knowing" about greyhounds, to date, they can’t tell the difference between a male and female greyhound!

Hey “humane advocate protectors” I would be more than happy to offer you some instruction on how to tell the difference between a male greyhound and female greyhound so you don’t look so foolish saying a he is a she in the future!

Guessing the new board members just not bringing the "greyhound" experience they thought they would bring!

Throwback Thursday – The “humane advocate profiteers”

Note –  If you are so inclined and feel you must donate to organizations that are out to destroy racing at any cost, may I suggest donating to an adoption program that states that they are anti-racing rather than making donations in any form to the “humane advocate protectors”. After all, it is better to give to a greyhound adoption group that shares your views about adoption and puts your donation to the cause it was given - the greyhounds. Be certain your donations truly assist greyhounds rather than organizations that use a lot of money on things that don’t actually contribute to the cause, unless the cause is for salaries and perks of the easy money “humane advocate protectors/profiteers" lifestyle.

"humane advocate profiteers/protectors" 1

"humane advocate profiteers/protectors" 1