What Matters Most?

I still remember my first home visit 27 years ago with regards to possibly adopting a greyhound. One of the reasons I got involved with greyhound adoption was my impression of how the home visit was conducted. Not once was my religion asked about, not once was my view regarding greyhound racing questioned. The adoption volunteer conducting the home visit was concerned with the environment that a potential greyhound would be living, if there were other pets, and most important if those living in the home would genuinely care for the greyhound and truly offer it a forever home.

Over the years I have traveled to attend greyhound events literally from sea-to-sea and have met thousands of greyhound adopters. I have met pro-racing adopters. I have met adopters who were against racing. I have met greyhound adopters with no opinion on racing and simply loved their greyhound.

All the greyhounds with regards to the three categories mentioned above had one thing in common – a loving home & family.

Today there is an obvious shift in greyhound adoption & racing industry to only send greyhounds to groups who publicly declare themselves as “pro-racing" (with extra bonus points to those that politically and financially back the movement to save greyhound racing) flooding the chosen groups with available dogs or holding greyhounds for a period of time while many greyhound adoption groups who have loving forever homes lined up and waiting are not sent any dogs nor are those families given the chance to adopt the, in my opinion, most wonderful dog in the world.

I sometimes wonder if (as the saying goes) "it's all about the dogs" or has it now become "it's all about the beliefs". A family is only worthy of the chance of adopting a greyhound if they are of the approved mindset?

I hope as Florida winds down the remaining tracks will put an enormous effort into quality of home vs. the group and homes racing views, and help those that believe in the importance of placing the greyhounds into loving forever homes takes precedence over the stance. Personally, I fear that the stance has become the priority and believe that will put a risk on the quality of homes available to the ex-racing greyhounds. Will adoption groups be forced to hold on to their adoptable greyhounds in fear that unless they adopt out as "instructed" they will forfeit access to any adoptable greyhounds going forward?

Is not a forever loving home for the ex-racing greyhounds the reason many of us got into this in the first place?

Play by your rules…

A few years ago when advising one of my clients with regards to dealing with their annual SOX audit, I advised the client never say they would do something when the facts showed they did not have the manpower to accomplish or the desire to actually follow through with the tasks. Auditors love to nail business units on items they say they will do but fail to.

For years we heard that the use of live lure training was a practice of days gone by and that in today’s greyhound racing community, anyone caught doing such would be "kicked out". Many believed that this was fact.  

During the Arizona Racing Commission meeting held August 18, 2020, the Chairman of the Arizona Racing Commission (me) made the following public statement:

“Those of you who may have been in attendance over 8 years ago when I was introduced as the new racing commissioner representing the greyhounds may remember I mentioned that I can be a quite person, but have the capability to speak up and maybe get long winded as I am the son of a Baptist minister.

At the end of July, a news story with videos circulated across the nation regarding live lure training of greyhounds. 

Most if not all of you with us today know that adopting ex-racing greyhounds as pets is something, I have done for 27 years. Not only do I love the greyhounds, I have supported the sport and have been an active voice for the adoption effort as well as a national leader for the mission of assisting ex-racing greyhounds being placed in loving homes. While those basics have not changed, many of you in the electronic conference room today have known that over the last 8 years as part of this commission, I’m a supporter of ensuring the safety of all participants in the sport of horse and greyhound racing. I am a firm believer and enforcer of playing by the rules.

While I do not personally believe greyhound racing will be able to overcome the accusations of the past few weeks, as I personally see this as a huge ethical problem for greyhound racing, I do believe those of you in horse racing can learn a lesson, I would like to take a few moments to share my thoughts.

While my fellow commissioners and I, as well as others here today,  have taken an oath to uphold the laws and ensure the protections of the public and all participants, each and every one of us in the sports has a duty to abide by the laws, statues, and house rules. Each one of us has a duty to uphold the sports with the greatest of loyalty and care, each one of us has a duty to treat each other with respect and treat the animals involved with the greatest of care. Doing such shows the public that while each of us is human and capable of sin, our duty of care and loyalty creates an environment that our actions and conduct are pure, professional and law abiding and as such, the public perception of our sport is greatly increased.

Personally, I am appalled at the evidence that has shown a number of greyhound racing participants actively involved in live lure bating with jackrabbits in what is also termed as “jacking”.  Many have asked me to speak up over the past couple of weeks however I have remained silent as I struggled to come up with words to express my feelings.  

My feelings do not matter. I can say I do not struggle with the enforcement of the rules, laws, statues, and house rules. While this body does not have any jurisdiction in the current situation, I do believe we have a right to question the signals imported into our state and demand that the greyhounds and racing participants abide by the rules so that those signals are fair. If we fail to address this issue are, we protecting the Arizona public as best we can regarding this situation?

As a commissioner, as someone who has been a leader in greyhound adoption, as a person who has supported responsible racing and as one who has had many adopted ex-racing greyhounds at home, I personally encourage the National Greyhound Association to stop sidestepping this infraction. I encourage them to take bold and rightful actions. I encourage those with authority to investigate and bring the facts to light.

Each of us of can be tempted by the serpent to cheat. Do not let yourselves be tempted. Uphold our sports with the upmost respect for not only yourselves but for your fellow owners, trainers, jockeys, other participants of the sports and perhaps most of all the horses and greyhounds who look to us for care, protection and love.

I hope you all know I respect you and I will support you. If you violate the rules, the respect and love for all living beings, the foundations that my father Reverend Goree taught me as a child will not cease, but as my mother often had to say to my young self - you have broken the rules of this house and you know the consequences.

 

Violating the rules leads to consequences. Cheating harms not just the cheater, it brings great harm to the collective sport, participants and animals involved and it harms the future. Cheating, violation of the rules, beating the system, call it what you like...in the end all it will do is bring about the demise of the sports you love.

 

Call it what you want, willfully violating the rules is not responsible racing.”

 

As I have yet to hear that the National Greyhound Association has taken a hard-liner stance on live lure training, publicly condemned any members caught doing so and permanently removing those members, today while I know it will not make a bit of difference, I returned my ballot for NGA board elections.

 

Be not afraid to abide by the rules, be not afraid to take a stand.

The New Savior Complex

In October of 2019 the track management of Daytona Beach Racing & Card Club contacted me to discuss the movement of the soon to be retired greyhounds at the Daytona facility. Delaware North wanted to do the right thing and start moving greyhounds out as soon as possible once they were no longer racing. I saw this as they did not want hundreds of greyhounds sitting at the track during the last few weeks of racing. When it came to adoption, Delaware North has always done what’s right for the greyhounds, in my opinion.

Since October 2019, track management kept in contact with me and planned to move greyhounds off the facility as they were graded off as there was no need to keep hundreds of greyhounds sitting around when they could be quickly moved to adoption groups.

Sadly, the efficient effort by the Daytona track to professionally transport 80 Grade D retired racing greyhounds was destroyed and the greyhounds waited at the track longer than necessary as two individuals stonewalled the effort. I can only surmise the outrage and stonewalling by these two individuals was not about the retired greyhounds but more about themselves. Was it a financial perk? Was it an issue of some type of salary? Was its personal glory? Will the truth ever come to light? Keeping greyhounds at a track that is closing just so individuals can in some way benefit is not sound. If you are about what is best for the greyhounds then each retired greyhound that is ready for adoption should at that time be sent to adoption in the safest, most effective manner possible.

(And for those who claim to be "in the know" as to my movements, I can state that I have not made any trips - secret, private, public and/or personal - to Florida in recent memory. For those who claim otherwise, feel free to produce copies of flight, hotel, rental car, photos or other documentation as fact that I was in Florida during the time you claim.)

I know many in the greyhound racing industry who do right and always have. Unfortunately, there are many from the adoption side that are now so entrenched under the pro-racing banner they no longer put their mission of adoption first and instead direct their focus on how to be more pro-racing than the next guy. Can greyhound racing in the United States survive to continue as is? My observation is that if the racing enthusiast greyhound adopters keep wearing blinders, acting as if they are the sport's salvation and continue to attack anyone who can see the facts rather than buy into the "what if", then the greyhounds and the sport will suffer due to a few who fail to put both the truth and greyhounds first.

Will I be attacked on social media because of this blog? Of course, I will, because those who prefer the lynch mob mentality will never contact me to discuss

What’s Important?

Keyboard warriors.

You know the type - those who think they know best, know everything, have mastered all things greyhound racing in 3 short years.  Those who have been on a tangent to rid the greyhound community of good homes for ex-racers based on the social media post of someone they have never met. The keyboard warriors feel being pro-racing makes them experts in all things greyhound racing and adoption since the dawn of time.

Not very long ago the racing industry and the adoption world respected each other's field and boundaries. Everyone focused on their expertise and met in the middle to work together - especially in the time of crisis - and knew the importance of a good home for each ex-racer.

Today's keyboard warriors pontificate that potential greyhound adopters should disclose their personal opinions regarding racing. Today's keyboard warrior’s witch-hunt any adopter who dares to use a word or phrase said warriors don't like. Today's keyboard warriors act as if they and only they are qualified to determine what adoption groups should receive dogs and what individuals should be allowed to adopt.

I for one firmly believe that if a group is placing ex-racing greyhounds into homes where the greyhound will be loved, respected and become a part of the family then guess what, that is WHAT’S IMPORTANT!

I for one firmly believe everyone has a right to their personal opinions on racing however a personal opinion on racing seldom has any bearing on the level of love, care and pride that an adopter gives their greyhound. Today's keyboard warriors often present themselves as never having had a misstep with any greyhound they have ever adopted nor are they able offer their brand of guidance without vilification to anyone who is of a different mindset.

I for one will not let a list dictate my goal of finding greyhounds loving homes, and in reality, the worst thing that happened to greyhound adoption was the creation of all these "approved" lists. When racing makes adoption lists and adoption makes racing stance their criteria for a good home while knowing some in racing have and will continue to send dogs to those that the keyboard warriors condemn, it is the ex-racing greyhound who will get lost in the equation.

That’s my opinion and that’s what is important to me…..the greyhounds.

Time to Retire?

When an active racing greyhound no longer has the speed or their skills have diminished, the greyhound is retired and placed in adoption.

From the beginning I’ve been very concerned that SWA (as well as its previous incarnation) would fail simply due to the skill set of the main players. When attempting to mount a successful politically oriented mission, the leadership team must be prepared to ask and answer the hard questions, ready to make the hard decisions and willing to be honest and fully transparent with contributors and supporters. Many ridiculed myself and others (and I know still do) for being blunt about SWA. Diehard supporters’ usual response was "well at least they are trying/doing something" and "f*** you".

Every year at the beginning of the sports season, regardless if it is NBA, MLB, NFL or NHL, we know that certain teams just won’t make it to the playoffs for the simple reason that they just don’t have the leadership and players with the proper skill set to win. Sorry to those who have been continually offended by the honesty over the last few months, but isn't it time to stop buying into the SWA impossible dream and allow them to retire because it is my honest opinion that as long as their leadership remains the same, they are doomed to fail.

I would also like to address a comment made on Facebook by a “humane advocate protector” - SWA was not operating as the greyhound racing industry. SWA was a very limited small group with a worthy but unrealistic goal. The attempt to overturn Florida Amendment 13 in Florida was not an expertly organized and well thought out plan by the greyhound industry working as a whole.

Is it time for SWA to retire? Is it time for all those supporting them to start not only asking questions about the continued failed attempts, but demand a shakeup of leadership and question exactly how much more will be asked for in donations to fulfill their dream? I have an idea...if SWA leadership is going for the goal, their leadership should wholly fund their next phase and allow donation dollars that are in short supply in the greyhound community to assist the greyhounds being retired in record numbers due to continuing track closures, to say nothing of those greyhounds still on the farms?

Foolish Behavior.....

On this April Fool’s Day, I wonder if 70% of the citizens of Florida got fooled...played...taken advantage of...snookered by some what could be described as shady individuals. By now many of you have heard the rumors about the individual who runs the Tampa-based Big Cat Rescue and the accusations about a previous husband.

Big Cat Rescue of Tampa

For those of us that have been in the real greyhound welfare movement for years, it doesn’t surprise us in the least to see that an individual who was swept up in some shady dealings in West Virginia a few years ago is linked up with Big Cat Rescue. We in the real welfare movement have come to know and realize that all these shady organizations calling themselves advocates or rescues, seem to have connections to each other.

Greyhound "humane advocate protector" enjoying company of fellow shady characters?

Dear 70% of Florida - you got fooled.

Florida Amendment 13 Disaster Relief Fund….

In a blog titled “Getting to know the humane advocate protector” posted Thursday, August 2, 2018 I wrote the following: 

“You see the legislative actions spearheaded by “” humane advocate protectors”” always lack provisions for the proper placement, funding and care of those greyhounds who will be needing homes when their racing careers are forcibly ended by “humane advocate protectors”.

It is now February 2020. Two months into the calendar year in which per Florida Amendment 13, the betting on live greyhound racing is to cease in the State of Florida by December 31, 2020.

What does this mean? 

It means that the remaining tracks currently open in Florida will start the process of ending live racing. 

What does this mean? 

It means that THOUSANDS of greyhounds will soon be in need of relocation and adoption in no small part due to the work of those who "claim" to love, care and always do what they do "for the greyhounds".

Sadly, the animal protection organizations who spent heavily to ensure passage of Amendment 13 in Florida have moved on to spending even more money in other states and other countries in hopes of ending live greyhound racing worldwide yet they have they have left those of us who truly care about the greyhounds high and dry. The charitable organizations who have for years made the adoption of retired racing greyhounds a labor of love, however the problematic situation we face now requires more than love. It requires funding.

Will PETA, HSUS, and Grey2K step up and pay for the damage they created? They spearheaded amendment 13 yet did not place any provisions into amendment 13 to ensure the safe transportation of every greyhound they fought to put out of a job. Will they donate to assist in the transport of the racing greyhounds that will be displaced by their actions?

Join me in insisting that these organizations that claim they did it "for the greyhounds" yet now that financial help is need, fail to actually help the dogs. They continue to bank millions of dollars of donations but offer zero funding to transport, care for and adopt out these wonderful greyhounds. 

PETA, HSUS, Grey2K, and all the Floridians who voted to pass Amendment 13 - Now is the time to step up and do as you claimed - care about the greyhounds. Put your money where you tell the world your heart is. Help the thousands of greyhound dogs that now need to get to adoption groups across the United States and Canada in order to be adopted into loving homes.

You can send your donations to:

Greyhound Pets of America – National

Attn: Amendment 13 Disaster Relief Fund

P.O. Box 40

Highlandville MO 65669

To those who supported Florida Amendment 13 and lobbied for its passage - are you aware that a transport haul of 40 greyhounds can cost $3000 to $5000. Do you care that the Daytona and Sanford Orlando tracks will be closing in the next few months? Do you even care that now others will have to somehow scrimp and beg for the funding to transport these greyhounds to adoption groups? Do you even care at just these 2 tracks it may require upwards of 30 hauls, costing the charitable greyhound adoption organizations $120,000.00?

You got what you wanted. You brought about the end of live racing in Florida. You claim you did it for the greyhounds. Time to pay for what you have done.

Again, I promise that all funds will be used for the transportation, housing and care of each greyhound that PETA, HSUS, and Grey2K lobbied to put into this predicament.

Do it now. Do it for the greyhounds.

Rory S. Goree’

President

Greyhound Pets of America-National

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