You Say Tomato...

You don't have to be an Einstein to Google a quote correctly.

Even a grade school teacher knows that Albert is not spelled A-l-f-r-e-d.

Maybe this image should be put on a big banner and hung in the offices of the "humane advocate protectors" because not everything they put out in cyberspace or in the hands of legislators is 100% correct.

#RealGreyhoundAdvocates

#Greyt2Know

#GreyhoundNetwork

#GreyhoundGuardians

#GreyNation

#GreyhoundLovers

#TruthAboutGreyhounds

BLACK 'GREY' FRIDAY FUNdraiser - PLEASE SHARE WITH FRIENDS!

***Check out the contest Greyhound Pets of America is running on Facebook – go to Facebook then go to Greyhound Pets of America - National***

Hi, I'm a Black Greyhound and I need your help. There's a group out there called Greyhound Pets of America. If you haven't heard of them, check them out. They're pretty cool. They are volunteers and LOVE Greyhounds and would do anything for them. Because of this, I decided to solicit a bunch of my friends to help me raise money for them.

When discussing what we could do, one friend suggested a competition (you know how much we love to compete). My friends all think they are the "best dog ever". So, in the spirit of friendly competition, we decided to have our humans submit their favorite photo of us. YOU get to decide which one of us will hold the title of BEST BLACK GREYHOUND.

Check out all the photos below and vote for the one you feel best suited for the title of BEST BLACK GREYHOUND. My friends are listed in alphabetical order along with the group's name that helped them find their forever home.
Once you've decided on your favorite, click this link www.greyhoundpets.org and click on the DONATE button. For every dollar you donate, my friend and their group will get one vote. So, if you donate $10 that = 10 votes. The more you donate, the more votes my friend and their group will get.

When the competition is over, the dog with the most donations/votes wins the title of BEST BLACK GREYHOUND and their group along with Greyhound Pets of America will split the donations. It's a win-win for all.

The contest runs from 11/24 (Black Friday) at 7:00 a.m. to 11/27 (Cyber Monday) at 11:00 p.m. EST.

Please help us help our friends at Greyhound Pets of America.
Sincerely,
A Black Greyhound

Greyhound Pets of America is a 501(c)(3) and all donations are tax deductible as permitted by law. Your PayPal or Credit Receipt is proof of donation.

I Am Done Hiding – Part I

I have been once again contacted by an individual in the greyhound community who shared their heartbreaking story of childhood sexual assault and has asked me to share it with my readers. This story pulls no punches. It is not easy to read. Both my wife and I cried after reading it. This story shows the trauma, the pain of an abused child and also exactly how a child molester can and does alter the life and rob the innocence of the children they molest.

I Am Done Hiding - Part I

My story and survival begins before I was born.

My biological mother was an alcoholic, RX drug addict, and had a life threatening auto immune disease. Due to a blood transfusion, she contacted Hepatitis B. I know my mother did not want me. I survived medications that were supposed to make her miscarry me. Then I survived a saline abortion. I was due November 28^th, but was born Aug 3^rd.

My mother was in the hospital until I was six years old due to her auto immune disease. Sometimes she was able to come home for a weekend, sometimes not. My grandmother raised me and took care of her mother as well. My great-grandmother was Cherokee and we spoke our language until she passed. Soon after her passing my grandmother met a preacher and they began a common law marriage. This preacher forbid us speaking anything but English, and it was quickly learned that being anything but Caucasian was severely shameful. My hair, once black as night and down to my ankles, was cut short and dyed red. The preacher loved the movie “Annie” and said I looked like her. I cried. I hated that movie. I still do.

My grandmother worked near her house and allowed me to go home to fix a sandwich or watch cartoons rather than stay the full day at her work with her. One particular day, the preacher was home.

I was six years old the first time I learned about sex. I had bruises all over from trying to get away. I still remember hurting so much. My mom was home that weekend. She came to pick me up that evening. When I told her what had happened... well... I would like to tell you that he was arrested. I can't. Instead, I'm here to speak the truth. I was slapped hard enough that I got a black eye. My mother dragged me to my grandmother and the preacher and I was forced to tell them the “lie” I had told her and made to apologize for lying. That was the beginning of eight years of repeated rape by the same preacher. My only friend at the time, a Doberman, once tried to protect me. I was eight and had enough that day of the preacher and yelled at him. He grabbed me by my throat and threw me through the kitchen window. My grandmother witnessed it, but she only focused on my Doberman attacking the preacher. I remember her coming out to the porch and fussing at me that it was my fault for starting it, all the while pulling glass out of me. I still bear those scars on my back and arms. My Doberman was killed the next day by the preacher, and everything got much worse. I would go to school petrified of not knowing if he would be the one picking me up from school. It was nothing uncommon for me to have severe stomach ulcers from stress. I did my best to stay with my grandmother, but he would find reasons that I needed to go back to the house, and I was forced to go.

I never bothered telling my mom about the neighborhood boys. What difference would it have made that three boys pushed me off my bike and dragged me into the woods.

When I was twelve, my biological mother had a friend and insisted that I become her daughter's friend. I was never interested in either of them, but my mother insisted. She insisted one day we go to some family gathering of her friends. That night I found out why I was forced to go. I wasn't worth what my mother sold me for. As she sat getting high and drunk, I was gang raped by eight men. Of course it was all my fault. My mother being a psychiatric nurse was good at mind games. For years, I believed it was my fault.

The first time I went to see a gynecologist he was startled to see the internal (in addition to external) damage I had. I was told I would never be able to conceive or give birth to children. Never. Yet again, this was all my fault. Yet again another reason for my mom to hit me.”

Part II will be posted 6/23/17

The Lasting Scars of Child Molestation

I recently received communication from a member of the greyhound community who chose to share their story of childhood sexual assault and granted me permission to share their words. I am once again humbled and honored to be trusted in such a way.

Greyhounds have been a part of my life for 24 years and the knowledge that an individual who is a lifetime registered sex offender and convicted child molester is embraced/supported/admired in the greyhound community continues to sicken me especially after reading accounts as I am about to share with you, knowing that women, men & children with histories much the same are also part of the greyhound community and attend greyhound or sighthound related events, often having to come face to face with an individual known to them to be a child molester who must register for life as a sex offender due to the severity of the crimes.

If after you finish reading my blog, you are able to utter phrases like - "I don't care, it wasn't me or my child" or "the individual served his time" or "as long as the individual helps greyhounds, it does not matter that they sexually abused children" - I pity you and fail to understand how you show such little regard for children yet profess to be willing to do "anything to protect greyhounds".

These are the words of someone in the greyhound community that is most likely known to many of you. Someone who truly helps the dogs.

"I wanted to comment about your informative posts regarding the sex abuser. When I was a child, I was molested repeatedly by 2 older brothers.

The molestation started when they were teenagers, and continued after they reached the age of 18. With today's openness and awareness of sexual abuse, these 2 molesters, had this molestation happened today, would have likely severed prison time and had to register as sex offenders. But this happened in the 1970's.

My molesters are free to live their lives, while I carry deep, deep scars that will forever be painful. I appreciate you making people aware of this abuser’s history so hopefully parents can take steps to protect their children from him.

The molestation I suffered was painful. But far more painful to me are the decades since, where I see (on Facebook) pictures of my molesters among other family members...all smiling together. It feels like a huge slap in my face that people who know what these two did to me not only accept my molesters, but share photos of them together smiling, and it shows up on my Facebook page. I fear I will always be their victim. So... thank you for sticking up for the victims whose lives are forever scarred by this man.

I recognize that this man has "done his time", but parents need to be aware of him so they can protect their children. I also want to point out that parents need always be on guard, because not all molesters have been caught and identified publicly. My molesters go to church most Sundays and may seem like decent people. They are not. Please watch your children and trust no one. Family members and adults who should be able to he trusted with your children (teachers, priests, other clergy, scout leaders, etc.) are often the perpetrators. If you care to share my message, you have my permission. Please keep my name private however.... Again, thank you for taking a stand to protect children."

When Is Sexual Predator "Kid Friendly"?

Currently in the greyhound adoption community there is a convicted child molester who is required by law to register for life as a sex offender due to the nature and severity of his crimes against two innocent children. The crimes were committed in the state of Wisconsin when this individual was in their mid-to-late 30's.

When arrested the individual who committed these most heinous of acts was in a position of respect and authority employed as a teacher. Anyone who has studied the patterns of child molesters knows they often seek positions of authority and respect in order to groom and lure their victims. Do you know that an individual with the legal requirement of lifetime sex offender registration who now presents themselves as a “greyhound event coordinator” is perceived by some in the greyhound community as "ok" and who protect/embrace/promote the individual claiming “It’s all about the greyhounds”?

According to Wisconsin, an individual is required to register as a sex offender so that the public is furnished with information regarding the convicted sex offender’s whereabouts. Providing this information is a critical step towards encouraging the public to develop constructive plans to prepare themselves and their families.

The following photo was taken at a greyhound event, designated on Facebook as being "kid friendly". Was the family in this picture alerted and/or given information that a convicted child molester who has life time sex offender registration requirements would or could be in attendance thus allowing parents to be alert and to develop constructive plans to prepare themselves and their families about an individual who is known to the event organizers prior to the event?

From this day forward, I will always be in possession of flyers with information on this convicted child molester who has lifetime sex offender registration so that if this individual is at an event that I’m attending where families with minor children and woman are in attendance, I will notify the event organizers and leave it to them as to how they inform those attending the event. I will also inform all woman and families with children that I am familiar with who may be in attendance of this individuals presence by handing them informational flyers so they can take steps towards being alert and shielding themselves, even if that means requesting their registration fees back due to not being told of the risk prior to walking in the door. My intent is not to deny the individual right of way however the protection of any and all children attending family friendly greyhound events and all women who in any capacity would be fearful of being in close proximity to an individual with lifetime sex offender registration is of great importance.

If this individual, this convicted child molester, this lifetime sex offender registrant feels their past, their present and their crimes should remain secret and hidden away then this individual needs to stay away from any and all greyhound related activities where women and children are present.

It is not only or all about our greyhounds. It is also about the women and the children of our greyhound adoption community who deserve to enjoy a greyhound event that they have paid registration to attend without fear or emotional stress, especially when the individual is known to the event organizers or could be the event organizer. 

It should be noted that the individual’s attorneys were informed of this fact in 2016. It is not unusual for the individual to hire attorneys in an attempt to silence and discredit those who present the facts. Also in 2016, the individual’s attorneys were informed that if the individual does not attend any greyhound events where small children are involved, or attending with their parents, there would be no reason to call his criminal history to the attention of others who are unaware of it.

We live in a world where victimization of children is sadly commonplace and such assaults will forever alter the lives of innocent children. It is for that reason that the Congress and state legislatures around the county have implemented reporting laws so that people with small children can be extra cautious around those who have histories as sexual predators.

As the picture obviously shows, children are present at greyhound events.

Is it not time to say enough is enough and unwelcome/unembraced/unsupport a known individual who molested children and has been trying to silence anyone who expresses concern for the welfare and wellbeing of all in our community?

Trust who???

Should you ever trust anything a convicted child molester says? Or should you follow the statements of an individual who must register for life as a sex offender?

On September 16 2014, a convicted child molester with LIFETIME sex offender registration who runs family friendly events in the greyhound adoption community sent out an email blast for an event this individual runs that contained the following statement:  

Fast forward to 2016. To an event run by a convicted child molester with LIFETIME sex offender registration who put up two of those previously self-proclaimed tents that won’t go anywhere in the event of wind or rain tents for vendor shopping. Apparently like those who called the Titanic unsinkable, the individual was tempting fate. Fate can be cruel. When put up against the elements, the tents blew down. So despite that 2014 vow to vendors and attendees by a convicted child molester with LIFETIME sex offender registration that any tent he erects would not blow down, blow down they did. It is unfortunate that vendors may have lost or damages stock and displays due to their faith in such promises yet I do have to question the wisdom of the individual who puts up tents for an event when under a previous organizer always vending tents and weather conditions were always an issue, especially in 2006 when their tents blew down. 

Do some individuals pay no attention to the past?

Do repeat offenders ever learn?

Kari Young

Sad News from the AAGI Family (Arizona Adopt A Greyhound Inc.)

It is with great sadness we announce that our director and friend, Kari Young,

passed on from this life Christmas morning while surrounded by her husband, Bill

and her daughters, Shauna and Chris.

Kari served as the director of Arizona Adopt a Greyhound, Inc. for sixteen years.

She steered AAGI through the closing of the Phoenix Greyhound Park and

through the Tucson track closing. Through her long involvement in the greyhound

community at large and her reputation as an individual with “sterling integrity,” she

set up an arrangement with a California adoption group enabling us to continue

our work helping greyhounds in need of homes.

As many of you are aware, in March of 2013, Kari had a double lung transplant,

and came back stronger than ever. The second week of November of this year

Kari went back on oxygen. At the beginning of December, she was admitted to

the hospital to determine the cause of her increasing breathing difficulty. It was

diagnosed as full blown lung rejection, and she was admitted into Hospice care at

home. The past three weeks saw a rapid progression of the disease. She

originally wanted to be the one to tell volunteers and the AAGI community at large

what was happening but was unable to do so.

About a year ago, Kari set up a team responsible for a variety of functions

including events, fostering, adoptions, nails, administration, etc. None of that will

change, we can assure you. With the help and support of wonderful people like

you, AAGI will continue to do good work finding forever homes for retired

greyhounds for many years to come. AAGI will continue in service to the

hounds as Kari intended it should.

There will be a memorial service at Tempe’s Desert Palms United Church of

Christ in a couple of weeks. The date is not yet set, but another email of the time

and address will be sent, and we will post it on the website as well. Kari wanted

the greyhounds to be present but they are not allowed in the sanctuary, so we

may hold a secondary ‘ROO’ at another time or place. Keep checking the website

for details.

Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated and needed at this difficult time.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Rebecca Spellman

rebecca@arizonaadoptagreyhound.org

4807344461

Cards may be addressed to:

Bill Young

5060 W Chicago Circle S.

Chandler, AZ 85226

Or:

AAGI

P O Box 63033

Phoenix, AZ 85082

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?

Memorial Day 2016

Many gave their lives so that we could live ours. We designate a day to reflect on those brave men and women but let us not reflect one day, let it be every day. Let’s remember what they died for and live our lives each and every day fighting for those who our fallen heros died for. Let us also not forget the families of those who died and fight each and every day to ensure the families of our fallen are protected and taken care of, let us fight each day to ensure the health of our service members are a priority.

Let us respect each and every one of those who the brave died for and work to protect all.

Over the years I’ve spent a great deal of time in the greyhound community, as that time comes to an end in the near future, I’m dedicating myself to helping families who have children that have been molested and will be using all political connections to strengthen laws locally and nationally. A national registry of sex offenders must be exact.

Children are the most precious wealth of our nation. They are the nation’s future and they are who we all need to protect in honor of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our nation as they protected us.

Thank you to all who served our great nation, In the decade I served in the U.S. Navy, I served along side many that I came to consider friends and cannot thank them enough for the commitment they gave our nation.  We can never personally thank those who died for our nation but we can live our lives respecting and protecting that which they died for.

We have the power to live our lives daily showing respect for those who gave all for our country not just by designating a holiday for this purpose but by celebrating and respecting life daily by giving back to our communities, working to protect the less fortunate and ensuring that those who are in need of protection or help are given what they need.

This Memorial Day I pray for not just a day of rememberance but a year that we as a country show our graitude by honoring and remembering the brave by helping and protecting our children and those in need and showing respect for each other. I hope we live not to embarass the memory of our fallen but that we live each and every day honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Summer times here and that means we need to remind the “humane advocate protector/profiteers” to not use dogs as props in the heat!

I know - It's pretty sad that we have to remind the "humane advocate protector/profiteers"  who claim to be speaking for and protecting the greyhounds how to actually protect and  care for a greyhound!



“humane advocate protector/profiteers” Crazy From The Heat


“humane advocate protector/profiteers” Busted protesting at a pace that may kill?

U.S. Racing Drug Test Results

Here is some information the "humane advocate protectors" do not want you to be educated on. Another item of note is the "humane advocate protectors" have yet to release the injury statistics and drug testing results from the  UNREGULATED dog racing that a co-founder of the hate based "humane advocate protector" group is involved with.

U.S. Racing Drug Test Results Comparable to USADA & WADA Testing

LEXINGTON, KY – The results of anti-doping drugs tests conducted in 2013 by state racing commissions, the United States Anti-Doping Agency, and the World Anti-Doping Agency are “virtually identical” according to an analysis of all pertinent testing results.

“The numbers don’t lie,” said Racing Commissioners International President Ed Martin, noting that U.S. racing commissions sent 340,932^[1] biological samples to a network of professional drug testing laboratories in 2013.

99.65% of those samples were found to have no violation.

By comparison, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) performed 9,197 doping control tests in 2013.^[2] Of the samples tested, approximately 99.55% were determined to have no violation.^[3]

In 2013, testing authorities reporting to the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) performed 207,513 drug tests. Of that testing, 98.97% were found to have no adverse analytical finding.^[4]

“The anti-doping testing effort of U.S. racing regulators is 60% larger than the entire world wide effort of WADA. Our program is thirty-seven times larger than the one operated by USADA,” Martin said.

“Drug testing oversight in racing is performed by government agencies not beholden to anyone but the public. We all have the same challenge and we are all combatting it the same way and our results are similar,” he noted. “All sports have a challenge with those who would deliberately rely on doping to affect performance. We must continue to be vigilant in detecting and developing tests for substances that emerge.”

In 2013, racing commissions cited a total of 1,140 medication rule violations. Of that number, 1.2% (14) were for the most egregious Class 1 doping substances; 5.9% (68) for Class 2 doping substances.

The overwhelming majority of violations - 60.3% (687) - were for overages of Class 4 and 5 substances considered therapeutic overages and not doping. 32.5% (371) of the violations were for Class 3 substances.

The following chart is a state by state breakdown of the results of racing commission drug testing conducted during 2013:

Jurisdiction	Drug Tests	Violations	Adverse Analytical Finding Rate (%)	Clear Rate (%)
Alabama	1,576	1	0.063	99.94
Arkansas (Failed to Report)
Arizona	5,518	28	0.507	99.49
California*	26,005	89	0.342	99.66
Colorado	1,176	3	0.255	99.74
Delaware Harness	4,504	3	0.067	99.93
Delaware Thoroughbred	1,889	8	0.424	99.58
Florida*	68,317	251	0.367	99.63
Iowa	9,825	24	0.244	99.76
Idaho	363	5	1.377	98.62
Illinois	13,817	30	0.217	99.78
Indiana	8,792	5	0.057	99.94
Kentucky	7,588	56	0.738	99.26
Louisiana	12,806	74	0.578	99.42
Massachusetts	4,805	23	0.479	99.52
Maryland	8,898	1	0.011	99.99
Michigan	1,936	20	1.033	98.97
Minnesota	4,523	18	0.398	99.60
Montana	61	3	4.918	95.08
North Dakota	106	0	0.000	100.00
Nebraska	970	3	0.309	99.69
New Jersey	9,611	22	0.229	99.77
New Mexico	3,061	51	1.666	98.33
Nevada	182	1	0.549	99.45
New York	53,136	67	0.126	99.87
Ohio	14,311	75	0.524	99.48
Oklahoma	8,308	42	0.506	99.49
Oregon	1,211	9	0.743	99.26
Pennsylvania	32,678	52	0.159	99.84
South Dakota	132	0	0.000	100.00
Texas	11,010	68	0.618	99.38
Virginia	1555	26	1.672	98.33
Washington	1,179	8	0.679	99.32
West Virginia	20,923	73	0.349	99.65
Wyoming	160	1	0.625	99.38
All Jurisdictions	340,932	1,140	0.334	99.67
* Fiscal Year 2012-2013

Comparison of Testing Results

	U.S. Racing	USADA	WADA Worldwide
Number of Tests	340,932	9,197	207,513
Adverse Analytical Findings (Violations)	1,140	27 sanctioned + 8 referred + 7 pending	2,135
Clear Rate	99.67%	99.55%	98.97%

---

^[1] Government data provided by all official racing regulatory entities except Arkansas.

^[2] USADA 2013 Annual Report, page 14.

^[3] USADA 2013 Annual Report, pages 15 and 18.

^[4] World Anti-Doping Agency, 2013 Anti-Doping Testing Figures, Table 1-Summary.