Legacy……….

On January 4, Mr. Bruce Halle, founder of Discount Tire passed away. I had the privilege of working on a Discount Tire project a few years ago.  Two things were very obvious my first week on the contract.  When a customer called for help, you did whatever it took to take care of it and worked the problem through till resolution was complete. Corporate headquarters did not let those at the stores hang. Another refreshing observation was the friendliness found in the Discount Tire workplace. It was almost like everyone was family

Now remember I was not an employee of Discount Tire. During my time there I was just a faceless contractor hired to assist with an SAP implementation. One afternoon on my way back from lunch, I noticed an older gentleman walking towards the door I had just entered. I went back and I held the door open for the elderly gentleman. The gentleman looked at my badge and said "thank you, Rory". When I mentioned it to co-workers they remarked, oh you just met Mr. Halle. From that point on during the project, anytime Mr. Halle saw me he always greeted me by name. The founder set the standard for courtesy at Discount Tire.

During my time at Discount Tire, a local fellow greyhound adopter needed new tires. She had her greyhound with her when she dropped her car off at Discount Tire. It was during the summer months and for those of you who may not know, here in the valley of the sun temps are often over 100 degrees and it gets very toasty in a vehicle. Later that afternoon when she picked up her car, she did not see it in the Discount Tire parking lot.  Asking where her car was, the Discount Tire technician told her that the car was in another lot parked under a tree so it would be shaded and kept cooler for her greyhound. That is what Discount Tire employees do. They care about their customers.

Courtesy. Caring. Consideration. Doing your job well. Mr. Halle lived that from the day he started Discount Tire with very little money and 6 tires till the day he passed way as a 5-time billionaire. That is a legacy that is passed down from Mr. Halle to many who had the privilege to meet him or work for Discount Tire. 

Be nice, treat others as you would want to be treated and take care of customers. You do that and you will be successful.

We each need to ask ourselves - What will my legacy be? Will it be all about me? Or should we strive to be sure our legacy is what we have taught others and shown to others so that they can pass along kindness and service to others? 

Common Sense………..

We often hear people ask "Whatever happened to common sense?".

Thinking about common sense in the greyhound world one may ask - Why don’t “humane advocate protectors” and those who care about racing greyhounds get along? What happened to common sense?

In order to have common sense people must have something in common. While one might say greyhounds are what is in common, I disagree. “Humane advocate protectors” use greyhounds to lay the ground work for their true objectives - a world free of gambling, a world that is 100% vegan, a world where animals have the same legal rights as humans and perhaps most disturbing, a world free of any animals as pets.

Many “humane advocate protectors” have an effortless way to earn a living. You do realize your donations pay the salaries of “humane advocate protectors”, don't you?  How easy it is to use a greyhound to tug at the publics financial heartstrings so that they keep hitting that donate button allowing the “humane advocate protectors” to lobby and wine and dine whoever they need to in order to push their agenda and depriving greyhound adoption programs - the true individuals who help ex-racing greyhound find homes - of much needed financial support which truly is 100% for the greyhounds. 

To deny or reject what a greyhound is and their history is not something one does if they truly love the breed. 

Can the “humane advocate protectors” have common sense if they cannot love the greyhounds for what they are as well as what they have been? How can they claim to know what is best for greyhounds if they do not have hands on experience with all aspects of greyhounds? 

As with a good marriage or a good relationship, success comes from mutual love, mutual understanding and a mutual willingness for give and take in order to make things better for a common goal. That's simply common sense. But if one side looks only to destroy what exists or demand the other side to all things "their way", what sense does that make?

Perhaps if the “humane advocate protectors” made the effort to understand and love the greyhound, we would all have something in common.

What’s in a Name…….

Name recognition is a number one item for many corporations and politicians. In the greyhound world, it is equally important. Greyhound Pets of America for instance has built up a name recognition over the years as being a leader in greyhound welfare, placement and speaking truthfully. Under the Greyhound Pets of America banner over 90,000 ex-racing greyhounds have found homes.

Greyhound Pets of America is also commonly called GPA and has been known by and associated with those letters since 1987.

While it is understandable that in the course of 30 years, several GPA chapters have broken away to be independent adoption groups, it may come as a shock to some of you that many of these newly independent groups who have voluntarily left the GPA family have chosen new group names oddly similar to Greyhound Pets of America who's initials condense to GPA, thus causing an unknowing public to think that they follow the same standards, accountability, honesty, financial responsibility and actions as the true GPA chapters. Why it is almost like these groups who no longer wish to be part of the GPA family still wish to be viewed as, thought of and referred to as "GPA" by the donating and adoption public. Seems a bit deceptive.

So, the next time a group tells you they are "GPA", do yourself a favor and verify that they are indeed a true, original GPA and not a group coyly presenting themselves as GPA in an attempt to fool the unknowing into thinking they are still a part of an organization they chose to leave.

I Am Done Hiding – Part II

You may tire of reading how I feel that the individual running and participating in family friendly greyhound events who is a lifetime registered sex offender and convicted child molester must step away from the greyhound adoption community and those adoption groups and greyhound vendors who enable this individual should also be boycotted. Some of you do not agree with me but after reading both parts 1 & 2 of the story of a fellow member of our greyhound community written in their own words, a person many of you know and have had involvement with, if you still feel the need to support/condone/embrace a registered lifetime sex offender and convicted child molester as part of the family friendly greyhound community please comment on this blog using your real name and tell the world why such a person should be celebrated in the greyhound community now that you know what far too many in the adoption community have suffered at the hands of child molesters, sex offenders and sexual deviates.

I am now an adult.

I am expected to just get over this.

I am expected to forgive and forget.

Please tell me how. Please.

How do I forget ropes digging into my wrists and being beaten until my legs bled because it was a turn on?

How am I to forget hair being yanked out of my scalp for not doing something right?

How am I to forget shirts shoved in my mouth to shut me up or choked until I passed out, only to wake up to the preacher on top of me?

How am I to forget eight grown men doing what they did for hours on end all night long as I cried and begged them to stop and begging to die?

How do you forget?

Easy.

One whole bottle of Tramadol, one whole bottle of Vicodin, a bottle of Oxycontin, a bottle of Percocet and washing them with two bottles of Jose Cuervo.

But what do you do when God says NO, YOU'RE TO LIVE. Well, that I can answer. You live. And you sit here writing this between tears. You can't forget. 

You look at other people's children, and you cry “That will never be you”. You deal with men not wanting to date you or marry you because you can't give them children.

You give up on life.

You give up.

And you're picked up. Through Christ, I've found my way.

It's not easy but I'm here. I'm here to tell my story. To tell others that they can overcome this too

That doesn't mean forgetting.

So does someone who attacked a child deserve to be forgiven? True, Christ says to forgive. However in our day we have laws and those laws say to protect. Those laws are made to protect others against those who do something so horrible that they are designated a lifelong offender. I'm a victim of someone who should have been. I'm a victim of those of you who look the other way. I'm a victim of those of you who say a person is changed and good. You don't have to live with waking up in the middle of the night screaming because you're petrified someone just woke you up choking you. You don't live with having PTSD. You don't have to live with severe anxiety. No, you don't.

You look the other way and choose to see a monster as being a wonderful person. Good for you.

But I'm supposed to “get over it”? Ok. I will.

Will you take away my memories?

Will you heal my insides and allow me to have my own children?

Will you heal the other scars on my body?

No. You can't.

I'm almost 39 years old. I still wake up screaming to this day. I can't see anything on TV  even remotely like what I endured or I have flashbacks for days on end. I'm there again. I feel the belt. I feel the preacher ripping my insides out. I feel the beating. I feel the pain... the blood…the humiliation. I hear the yelling that it was my fault. I caused this. I provoked this.

Tell me how as a six year old girl, I forced a grown man, a Baptist preacher, to tie me up, beat me until I bled and rape every part of my body until I passed out and continue doing it until he felt he was done? Explain to me how I caused this? What did I ever do?

So tell why are you standing up for someone who harmed innocent children? Are you not interested because it does not involve you? What if it were your child? You wouldn't ignore them, would you?

I am part of your world. I've walked beside many of you, talked to you and had meals with you. I've been taught to be ashamed of my past. To hide it. Never speak of it. It's taken me over thirty years to discover there are those who fight for those of us who are innocent.

I'm done hiding in the shadows. I'm done hiding behind closed doors and closed minds. I'm done with abusers getting away with it or being allowed to lie about it or having others say “he’s okay because it was years ago”.   

It's been over thirty years for me, too and I have to live with this the rest of my life.

I am done hiding behind the curtain of shame. This is me. This is my story. This is my book of life. God helped me overcome this so I can help others, and I can't do that when I still hide.

So I'm standing up. No more shame.

I am Jennifer Boswell.

I am the director of the Alabama Greyhound Rescue And Adoption Center.

I am a survivor.

I'll be here to protect others like me who didn't know where to go, what to do, or how to heal.

Proof that testosterone turns female greyhounds into males……………

The “humane advocate protectors” have been busy making claims that a low dose of testosterone turns female greyhounds into male greyhounds.

I’ve personally researched this subject and have found proof that indeed they just might be correct.....or is it they haven’t a clue?

"humane advocates protectors" unable to tell difference between a female and male greyhound

Happy New Year’s: Duh Moment #3

Before you see duh moment #3 check out moments 1&2 

Another “duh” moment from the ones who claim to know all about the greyhounds…….Posted April 13th, 2016

“Duh” moment #2 (of many) from the “humane advocate protectors”……..Posted April 15th, 2016

It sure seems like the “humane advocate protectors” and friends have one thing in common – they lie and haven’t a clue what they are talking about. Scary thing is some politicians are not bright enough to know better and accept what this ilk spews and base legislation on the lies!

Save the greyhounds – ban the “humane advocate protectors” and friends from influencing any legislation because if they can't tell the difference between a whippet and a greyhound, how can they speak for the greyhounds?

Choices…………….

Did you know verbal assault is defined as?
•    Yelling
•    Lying
•    Name-calling
•    Insulting, swearing
•    Withholding important information
•    unreasonably ordering around
•    Telling a person she or he is worthless or nothing but trouble

Sounds very unprofessional, huh? Certainly not something that an individual running greyhound event would do to a greyhound adopter, right?

Recently I was contacted by someone in the greyhound community who posted the following on social media: 

“The other day, after receiving an email from the other Greyhound event taking place next week, I sent an email back to them with a few general questions: Who were the speakers? What was the schedule for the speakers? Who were some of the vendors? What adoption groups were benefiting from the event? I also wanted to know if it was a family event where children could attend and if a person with a lifetime registration as a sexual offender would be present. I asked these questions previously on their Facebook page and in response I was kicked off their page. I did get a response this time, before being removed from the mailing list.
I felt I should share it with you:”

The person who asked is a greyhound adopter and volunteer as well as someone who donates funds and time to both greyhound and animal causes. This person is also female and did state her name and email address in the inquiry to the organization that runs the greyhound event in question.

Now take a moment to carefully read the response that was sent to the woman by the organization that runs this family friendly greyhound event and who's president and "public face" is an individual who is a convicted child molester with lifetime sex offender registration: (please note -any and all spelling errors are left as they appeared in the original response)

"On Sep 29, 2016, at 6:05 PM, <admin@xxxx.org> <admin@xxxx.org> wrote:
Thank you for writing. It's rare to connect with such a hateful and ignorant person like you.
Not that you care, but we help greyhounds. We don't attack people or spread ignorance or hatred. Just not what we do.

We raise funds for greyhound adoption through holding greyhound events. We have run 18 successful events over the span of 11 years. We have raised over $100,000 for greyhound adoption. And we have done so with a perfect 100% safety record for all attendees. (Don't you hate facts like that? It's so hard to be ignorant!)
Now that said, because you are a selfish and ignorant troll, we know that none of these facts matters in the slightest to you.

So please, if you don't like our event or you don't like any of our volunteers or --what is more obvious -- you don't like yourself very much, please stay home. We won't miss you.
We have hundreds and hundreds of event goers who love greyhounds and support everything we're doing. So, please, crawl back under your bridge and spew your ignorance to those who will listen.

We don't care.
Good luck,
Admin"

Does anyone see a bit of irony that the "Admin" of an organization that runs family friendly greyhound events whose president is a convicted child molester with lifetime sex offender registration makes the statement…

"We don't attack people or spread ignorance or hatred."

Yet proceeds to call a woman in the greyhound community "a hateful and ignorant person" and "a selfish and ignorant troll" in addition to telling the woman “you don't like yourself very much" and to "crawl back under your bridge and spew your ignorance".

So much for this organization taking the high road and not verbally attacking someone, huh?

There are still people in the greyhound community who attend and/or vend and/or support a group and/or individual who authorizes their "Admin" to send out such a missive. Well, that is their right and I can only guess they are proud to continue to have ties to such an organization and such an individual. Now perhaps these attendees and vendors and supporters might be able to inform the rest of us in the greyhound community exactly what amounts and exactly where this "over $100,000" is documented and can be accounted for? My math could be off but 100K over 18 event comes out to a bit over $5000 per event and this amount is supposedly divided up to the adoption groups that assist this organization which runs family friendly greyhound events, claims not to attack people or spread ignorance or hatred and is run by an individual who has lifetime sex offender registration as a result of a conviction of sexual assaults to children.

As this organization only files a 990N with the IRS and no information is available via the normally used, trusted verification sites for not-for-profit organizations, many are in the dark about the expenditures and if they might be a bit over the top. If an organizations bills or expenses far exceeds what is actually donated to individual greyhound adoption groups, perhaps those in the greyhound community would be wiser to send their donations and event registration fee amount directly to a greyhound adoption group they support rather than run donations thru a 3rd party event planner who offers no full financial accounting that anyone has ever put forward.

"Don't you hate facts like that?"

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.

TBT - Shipmate

Shipmate

Yesterday was Mother’s Day

Today is just another day.

Every day a mother’s child is a victim of sexual assault. Communities notify their residents when a sexual predator is in the area. National databases do their best to contain information about individuals who are registered sex offenders. Yet there could be a child molester who has lifetime sex offender registration within 50 feet of your child ~ at a family-friendly event, at a church, at a national park. People around you may already know and do not bat an eye as they feel if the pedophile has done their time there is no concern and feel no need to share the information because they feel your children are not at risk. Yet what mother is will knowingly allow their child to stand next to a pedophile, a convicted child molester, a lifetime registered sex offender? What mother would not be mortified to learn that the past of a convicted child molester was kept hush-hush by friends just so the party could go on?

Imagine how wonderful Mother’s Day would be if every mother knew that every child would never be the victim of sexual assault?

"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!

TBT – as greyhound event season gets ready to kick into high gear let us not forget we have a “stain” that still needs to be washed away!

http://rorygoree.blogspot.com/2015/11/an-open-letter-to-greyhound-suckers.html

Adoption Contracts - Time for a legal review.........

A bit of background info for today’s blog:

A chapter of Greyhound Pets of America who is currently being harassed and being subjected to social media character assassination by an adopter who has no compunction about ignoring one of the basic rules of greyhound adoption - keep on lead in an unenclosed area - but also common sense of pet ownership - keeping a collar with identification on your dog and having your dog micro chipped. The most difficult thing to understand is why this individual failed to contact the adoption group any of the times his dog got loose and went missing. Yet because the adoption group felt the need to take possession of the dog after its last escape, this adopter is mounting an all-out assault on the GPA-Chapter and its membership, other GPA chapters as well as GPA National all because this adopter failed to follows the rules in the adoption agreement that he willingly signed. And while the greyhound has been returned to this adopter, the hateful attacks have not stopped by the adopter and his supporters who also do not seem to understand the correct care of an ex-racing greyhound so much so that one supporter feels that all the greyhounds shown on Facebook's Greyhound Amber Alert may well be greyhounds that have been stolen from adopters by the greyhound adoption groups.

Time for a legal review……

Several years ago an adopter got arrested and spent some quality time in jail. Upon entering jail this adopter turned over her greyhound to a local shelter. The greyhound adoption program that originally adopted the greyhound to her was able to retrieve the greyhound from the shelter. Upon exiting jail the adopter wanted her greyhound back and sued. I was named in the lawsuit, as at the time I was Greyhound Pets of America’s National President. I had no problem getting myself removed from the lawsuit, thanks to some excellent counsel, but it still required me spending time to show up for court appearances and also legal fees.

The eventual outcome of the case was not what I expected. After all, the group had a signed adoption agreement with the adopter. The court ended up ruling in the jailbirds favor.

We all love our greyhounds, and greyhound adoption volunteers want to do what’s best for the greyhounds. Often times that love can lead to rash decisions that later cause legal headaches.

Now would be a good time for every adoption program to have counsel review documents, and then discussions on how to enforce said documents. Trust me, it is a lot cheaper to discuss with counsel now, than to have counsel try and right the wrongs at the end. It is also safer for the greyhounds if you are using approved legal documents with knowledge of how to enforce those documents.

If I was still on the front lines of greyhound adoption, the lessons I’ve learned in year’s past would have me letting counsel do all the communicating with a problem adopter that is violating the adoption agreement. Of course that would only be after I had counsel review all contracts and advice group on how it can or can’t be enforced.

Every day we have lessons to learn and if we do not take the time to learn from them, we are not doing what we envisioned to do for the greyhounds.

Many moons ago in simpler time’s greyhound adoption were fairly easy for both group and adopter. Yet even back then the best of intentions was not enough as one group learned a very hard lesson. An adoption rep decided to stop by and visit with an adopter and to their horror discovered the address on the adoption application was bogus. A few greyhounds had disappeared and their whereabouts unknown. It has been speculated that the person was getting greyhounds to sell to research facilities.

The group established safeguards to prevent such incidents in the future and out of those changes came the home visit. Today we have many other tools available that at that time were not available to check on an adopter’s claim of address. Be not mad at failure. Be mad if you fail to learn from the failure and make a difference going forward.

We owe it to the greyhounds to do it right so I encourage all groups to have that discussion with counsel before it’s too late for a greyhound or you end up racking up some serious unwanted legal bills that would crush the financial stability of your adoption program.

I think probably the most important forum that should be held at every adoption event should be guidelines for doing it right for our greyhounds here at home. As each year many, many ex-racing greyhounds are in need of being placed in forever homes this is, in my opinion, far more important that hearing about the fate of the galgos in other countries which seems to be dominating focus of greyhound events. Yes, the galgos plight is not a happy one but right now in the United States not only is their greyhound waiting for homes but also thousands of pets in animal shelters and puppy mills who need our attention and assistance.

The greyhound community has some great legal minds as well as many who have lead their adoption groups through successful legal encounters and I'm sure they would be more than willing to participate in forums to help the greyhound community do it right. We owe it not only to our past, present and future greyhound but to the unpaid and unsung volunteers across the country who do the right thing each and every day so that you can adopt an ex-racing greyhound.

Less Drama - More Cold Hard Facts…….

We all know the “humane advocate protectors” like to make claims about injuries, cite accounted for greyhounds as missing, and even stories of removing greyhounds from track with their own hands yet they never ever follow up with any hard facts.

Many like to call them out as liars, yet when anyone connected to the racing industry could clearly expose the lies of the “humane advocate protectors” lying, there is silence. If we truly want the industry to survive, there should be no silence, no vague answers, no clamming up. If you have the cold hard facts, if you know the truth about something, if what you know will help a dog from being used as an anti-racing propaganda tool by the “humane advocate protectors” or ensure the safety of a greyhound or greyhounds and you can debunk the lies and end their charade, you need to step up and do the right thing.

When faced with the cold hard facts that cannot be disputed, the ongoing lies of the “humane advocate protectors” will crumble.

So when a “humane advocate protector” makes a claim about personally pulling a greyhound (or three) off a track, not only ask for further data but be ready to show that the “humane advocate protector” is not telling the truth with cold hard facts.

An open letter to the greyhound “suckers”

Dear supporters and defenders of a convicted child molester with lifetime sexual registration who declares their "job" as an event coordinator -

Did you know that the greyhound community has many members who themselves are victims of molestation? Did you know that many members of the greyhound community have family members and or friends who are victims of child molestation? Did you know supporting and defending a convicted child molester reflects not only on you but the group you represent and or your business? Did you realize by defending a convicted child molester you are smacking hundreds of volunteers, donors, adopters, and customers in the face?

The People of The United Methodist Church, overseers of a church site where a recent greyhound event was held, have the following statement about convicted child molesters on their website:

“Recent studies suggest a low likelihood that pedophiles can or will change. Without extensive professional treatment, virtually all child sexual offenders will re-offend. Repentance, prayer, and pastoral support, always in combination with lifelong professional treatment, can be crucial in helping to change behavior but, in themselves, offer slim hope of changing the behavior of perpetrators.”

For those of you who are defending a convicted child molester, did you know the greyhound community has several donors, adopters, volunteers and shoppers who have children? Can the supporters of a convicted child molester (and honestly, everyone knows who you are) beyond a shadow of doubt say that even if a convicted child molester is watched that they are not getting aroused when seeing the child or children of one of our donors, adopters, volunteers and shoppers?

Do you support a convicted child molester because they have asked you to “suck” it by giving you money or offering free perks at events or even sending you presents?  Who cannot find crimes against a child disgusting? Who would knowingly be socialize with a individual who  entered the room where a victim was sleeping, pulled her legs apart and rubbed their penis on the victim’s vaginal area. They then turned the victim over and did the same thing on the victim’s anal area and also inserted fingers in the victim’s vagina. A medical exam revealed a vaginal tear. The victim also indicated that the convicted child molester put “treats” on their penis and told the victim to suck it. Who would knowingly socialize with or welcome with open arms a convicted child molester at a family friendly greyhound event who did this to young girl(s) and very possibly still getting aroused when around young girls?

A convicted child molester has now ingratiated themselves in the greyhound community and wants you to “suck” it by defending him and saying no big deal or blaming others for this mess.

By your continued backing, embracing, idolization and happily taking the perks offered you are condoning and empowering a convicted molester with lifetime sexual registration. Are you proud of being viewed as a sucker?

The greyhound community as a whole needs to do the right thing and deny a convicted child molester the ability to have greyhound volunteers to “suck” it but more importantly the greyhound community needs to deny a convicted child molester the ability and opportunity to get aroused by the children in our community or in the host communities of greyhound events.

Contrary to what the supporters of a convicted child molester are spreading I’m not the one who started this. I am the one who a concerned and frightened individual came to and expressed outrage about a convicted child molester because they had done something that made this individual feel creepy and now scared. I promised this person I would assist in helping those wise enough to realize the harm a convicted child molester has done to children and the damage that will be done to the greyhound community if a convicted child molester is allowed to participate and have free reign at family friendly greyhound events so trying to paint me as a liar and gossip will not change my mind. 

What the greyhound community allows will continue. Your silence is your acceptance of a convicted child molester with lifetime sexual registration. It is up to you to ensure that he is not welcomed running or participating at any greyhound event or volunteering with any greyhound adoption program. 

That should be our promise to the victims and parents and children of the greyhound community.

Will you step up or just continue to be a “sucker”?

FYI - I've not forgotten about the "humane advocate protectors" and one should note they've been very silent on this issue - could it be they are also "sucker" - stay tuned.

Who Do You Trust?

Who Do You Trust?

Since August I and many others have been made aware that a convicted child molester with lifetime registration as a sex offender is masquerading as a greyhound supporter, using the dogs and other people’s money to build up support. This individual committed acts of first degree sexual assault, not one but 6 counts on a 5 year old girl and a 7 year old while out on bail. Apparently not even the State could trust this individual to keep to himself while out on bail - why should we? This individual "owns" greyhound events that are attended by families that often include children and grandchildren and these events are in towns and locations where children can be and are present. Records indicate that this individual claims to be associated with many adoption groups and organizations in various states in a variety of capacities. Are these adoption groups and organizations aware that many areas have laws against convicted child molesters volunteering for or with anything?

There are those in the greyhound adoption community who have cried foul regarding the fact that concerned attendees of a recent greyhound event as well as local residents contacted the "official" site of a recent greyhound event to question the liability and voice concerns about having a convicted child molester at a location with a nursery/child care center, a Safe Sanctuary designation and a children's skate park. Why is it frowned upon by some when legal counsel strongly advised calls of notification and concern be placed? Yet there are those in the greyhound community who did not make calls, yet receive communications of intimidation. Does the assault on women continue in a different form?

While a percentage of the greyhound adoption community continues to embrace a convicted child molester, I wonder if they would do the same if a convicted child molester with lifetime registration moved next door to them or a family member. Have any of these individuals who would vouch for the safety of any child in the vicinity of a convicted child molester attended a community seminar offered by the department of corrections which offers instructions and addresses concerns to residents when a sexual predator moves into an area? These community seminars advise that a convicted child molester never be trusted near or allowed in the vicinity of children. One thing the department of correction does not say is that a convicted child molester is safe and the crimes against children are negated because a convicted child molester does volunteer work with greyhounds. But color me stupid as I guess the sages of the greyhound world know far more than professionals who deal with rapists, pedophiles and child molestation every day.

For those who continue to support the actions and behavior of a convicted child molester do you also support the social media declarations of such an individual stating that they would not be attending a recent greyhound event yet they did indeed attend? Would this be considered a lie to most people or because this is said in the greyhound adoption community lies are acceptable because an individual is involved with greyhounds? Before you answer do you also know that they made a declaration asking if we really expected "me to not show up?" Why yes, we really did. Or are we to gather that this is one lie in a sea of questionable behavior directed at the greyhound adoption community? 

I saw a number of children at the recent greyhound event. Who among the supporters of a convicted child molester are willing to possibly sacrifice the innocence of another child? Why are those that know the truth and facts about this individual being directed/advised to tone it down, to ignore the risk, to forget the past crimes but perhaps most of all that those who embrace, support and look up to a convicted child molester in the greyhound community not understand that this individual be the one to step away for the greater good of the dogs that we love.

I and many others will not waiver because the safety of children is just as important to us as the safety of our greyhounds.

Does acceptance provide the next victim?

My passion is animals and in particular greyhounds. I care that all involved in the care and placement of racing and ex-racing greyhounds always do what is right and in the best interest of the greyhound. 

I am not a parent or grandparent however I am disgusted to the core by any acts of violence done to an innocent child. 

Any person who would prey on the most vulnerable is truly disturbed and many of you may feel the same way.  Any person that molests children, robbing them of their innocence, is not a person I wish to associate with either in my personal life or in the family oriented greyhound adoption community and many of you may feel the same way.

Did you know that convicted child molesters are not allowed to use Facebook? Now I'm sure someone who would sexually degrade an innocent child would no doubt change the name of their account or lock it down if they felt they might be exposed or perhaps have enablers make posts for them.  What if such an individual, a convicted child molester, was a part of the greyhound adoption community, perhaps being involved with national family friendly greyhound events that you, your greyhounds and your children or grandchildren attend? Do you feel this is an acceptable situation?

We need to not only do the right thing for our greyhounds but also for the children and grandchildren who will be the adopters of future generations of greyhounds.

Do we know us……………..

Years ago the greyhound adoption community adopted the home visit as a standard to learn about the home and family life first hand in order to ensure greyhounds were adopted into good, safe homes. In reality the concept of the home visit started because a group adopted dogs to a “home” only to find out later the “home” was not a home but was a bogus address.

As time has gone by, debate about adding additional checks (example: background check, financial check, etc.) to the home visit.

What have we done, or should do, to ensure the self-proclaimed hero’s, leaders, volunteers in our organizations are on the up & up? Do we do anything to ensure the individuals we give our dogs to are indeed the good individuals they say or perhaps we determine the quality of the individual by their Internet persona? 

Would you place a greyhound with an individual who has a history of using animals for dogfighting?

Is it wise to elect an individual in the position of group treasurer if they have been fired from jobs due to embezzlement?

Can someone with an unaddressed drinking problem truly be able to evaluate the personality of a greyhound?

Should a convicted child molester run meet and greets or have any participation in family friendly greyhound outings?

If individuals are drug tested as a requirement of their jobs, shouldn't those in the greyhound adoption community or non-profit advocates who receive a salary or draw a salary from donations also be drug tested?

Are there ways to improve the knowledge obtained prior to placing a greyhound with an individual?

Will new procedures be enacted to make sure group volunteers and leaders have no criminal backgrounds that would present a liability to a group or event?

How can you claim to truly know everyone you have never met that you friend in social media?

What risks are you willing to take with someone you do not know?