Last year, South Tucson voters gave a thumbs-up to helping the
beleaguered dogs of Tucson Greyhound Park.
Among other things, the new law makes it illegal to inject female
greyhounds with anabolic steroids. Those steroids contain hormones to
keep the dogs from going into heat, but are also believed to cause
genital deformities and severe urinary-tract problems.
Since passage of the Tucson Dog Protection Act, however, questions
have emerged about whether this law is actually being enforced, and if
so, by whom. Those concerns crystallized recently when the Tucson
Weekly learned that a Green Valley veterinarian is regularly
injecting the dogs, in direct violation of the South Tucson city
ordinance. Furthermore, Dr. Joe Robinson isn’t planning to stop.
“It’s licensed under the state of Arizona,” he said, “and I’m doing
what I’m licensed to do.”
Susan Via heads Tucson Dog Protection, a group that helped pass the
ballot measure. “I am appalled but not surprised that a veterinarian
would openly and flagrantly violate the law,” she said.
By Robinson’s rationale, “I guess that means that he can drive 75
mph in a school zone—or in a populated area where a city has
posted a 25 mph speed limit—because the state’s speed limit is 75
miles an hour,” Via said.
Meanwhile, Tucson Greyhound Park manager Tom Taylor is taking
Robinson’s defiance to Orwellian extremes.
“It’s not in violation of the South Tucson ordinance,” Taylor said
angrily several times when asked about Dr. Robinson’s injection
routine. “Our attorney is John Munger. Go ahead and reach John Munger,
and he’ll give you any comments that you would like to have.”
Then Taylor hung up.
Munger, a Tucson attorney and recently announced GOP gubernatorial
candidate, didn’t return several phone calls seeking comment.
But here’s exactly what the South Tucson ordinance says: “No person
shall give or administer anabolic steroids as defined in the United
States code and relevant sections of the code of federal regulations to
any dog to artificially enhance performance or enhance estrus.”
That seems remarkably clear-cut. But we called to discuss the
apparent dichotomy with Hector Figueroa, an attorney for the city of
South Tucson, and he wasn’t much help. “I don’t know what a
veterinarian or anybody else said,” said Figueroa. “I can’t make any
comment with regards to any legal matter.” Click.
This might be just another case of municipal apathy, except for the
fact that Via and others consider steroids to be an ongoing health
threat to the dogs of Tucson Greyhound Park.
Nor is it the first time that South Tucson officials have been made
aware that track officials may be ignoring the law. In April, the
Tucson Weekly reported that South Tucson outsources its animal
services—including oversight of Tucson Greyhound Park—to
the county’s Pima Animal Care Center or PACC. (See “No Shot of
Enforcement,” April 30, 2009.)
But Pima County hasn’t monitored compliance with the new law. “Our
workload is such that we only respond to complaints,” PACC manager Kim
Janes said at the time. “Only if a complaint comes in will we go and
make sure what’s happening.”
Any griping from Tucson Greyhound Park seems unlikely, however,
since Taylor refuses to allow the public—including
reporters—to see conditions inside the track’s kennels.
Subsequently, it appears that PACC will only respond should kennel
operators suddenly decide to report themselves.
Perhaps Dr. Robinson’s remarks will suffice. While Robinson is
licensed to work at the track, he is not a staff veterinarian. That
role is shared by Drs. Paul Pullen and Gretchen Green. Instead,
Robinson drives up from his Green Valley home every three weeks and
injects the female greyhounds to prevent estrus. This routine began
about six months ago, he said, at the request of the park’s kennel
owners.
Is Robinson concerned that, by administering the steroids, he’s
violating a city law? “Nope,” he said. South Tucson voters who passed
the ballot initiative “involved themselves in other people’s business
that they had no right to be involved in. That’s the owners of the
dogs’ rights, not the city of South Tucson.”
While Robinson’s admission doesn’t surprise Via and other opponents
of greyhound racing, this proof of illegality does add a relishing
touch to their efforts, which have even included a $2,000 reward for
proof of the track’s violations.
Meanwhile, the Arizona Department of Racing hasn’t exactly been at
the top of its game, either. When contacted earlier by the
Weekly, Dr. Andy Carlton, the department’s chief greyhound
veterinarian, said he doesn’t regularly review medical records of the
tracks, although those records must be available if needed. Still,
during inspections, “We have seen no signs of steroids at the track,”
he said.
Later provided with a recap of Robinson’s remarks, Carlton said he
would have no comment until the department can review the
allegations.
Closer to home, South Tucson City Manager Enrique Serna said he’ll
“get with the city attorney” regarding Dr. Robinson’s actions. “But
(Robinson’s) professional license would be on the line, wouldn’t it?”
Serna asked. Beyond, that, the city manager promised no specific
action.
As for the city’s failure to monitor the track since the Dog
Protection ordinance took effect, Serna said his hands have been tied:
“I can’t send the cops down there when I’m not aware of any laws being
broken there.” He also blamed Via for “failing to do her due
diligence,” saying that she was aware that South Tucson—and its
Police Department—are perennially cash- and-manpower strapped.
“So if she has some action plan that she thinks will work, I’d be happy
to listen to her.”
For her part, South Tucson Mayor Jennifer Eckstrom said she needs to
examine the ordinance—nearly a year on the books already—to
see if it’s been broken.
To Via, however, Tucson Greyhound Park has been allowed to exploit
South Tucson’s fiscal straits and make a mockery of its electorate.
Taylor “had no intention of even trying to follow the law,” she said.
“And if you believe a law is not a wise law, you go to a legislative
body, or you go through the initiative process, and you try to change
it. You don’t just violate it.”
As for Robinson, he appears supremely undaunted by all the fuss.
When asked whether he’ll continue injecting dogs at the track, his
answer was succinct: “Yep.”
This article appears in Oct 15-21, 2009.
This confirms what is clearly known to anyone with half a brain:
Greyhound racing is cruel and inhumane and must be outlawed, not just regulated. See injury records from the Arizona dog tracks and join the fight to end the cruelty of dog racing at http://www.GREY2KUSA.org
C. Theirfelder
Defiant veterinarian and track manager plus buck-passing by the city – – another losing combination for the greyhounds.
Way past the time for all the cruelty to end.
Defiant veterinarian and track manager plus apathetic city equals another losing combination for the greyhounds.
Way past the time for the cruelty to end.
Jules I hope you’re right that someones head rolls. Nobody or no entity has ever been accountable before and that doesn’t seem to be an issue with the Department of Racing, PACC, or anyone else.
John Munger, AZ GOP candidate for governor is the lawyer for TGP. Now there’s an endorsement he probably won’t be putting on his campaign materials.
Inexcusable. Laws are in place for a REASON. Just because these are dogs that are suffering, that’s not a reason to ignore the law or the inhumanity of this practice. Let the poor dogs be dogs, for heaven’s sake!
Tucson Greyhound Park is simply a disgrace – it makes a mockery of the law and repeatedly lies to the public. First they said they would take the dogs outside the city so as not to violate the law, now they’ve managed to find a veterinarian who openly disregards a law because he doesn’t agree with it.
How sad, yet utterly predictable for this sorry excuse for a business that makes money mistreating and abusing helpless hounds.
Thanks to Tim Vanderpool for another excellent article exposing what is taking place at Tucson Greyhound Park. Arizona-based Greyhound Network News has been reporting on the dog track industry since1992. For more information on the plight of racing greyhounds visit http://www.greyhoundnetworknews.org
Thanks to Tim Vanderpool for another excellent article exposing what is taking place at Tucson Greyhound Park.
The practices of TGP come as no surprise to those that monitor the greyhound racing industry. Arizona-based Greyhound Network News has been reporting on the dog track industry since1992. For more information on the plight of racing greyhounds visit http://www.greyhoundnetworknews.org
Once again, the dogs are the ones who are suffering and being betrayed. Shame on this abhorrent neglect of the dogs’ welfare, and may you all be reprimanded!
What a bunch of schmucks! Down with Dog Racing! May it be eradicated for all time! What in the world is wrong with people that they constantly refuse to do what they KNOW is right?!?!?!?!?!?
Sad that there isn’t someone who will enforce this. Hopefully this article will help someone “wake up” and do their job.
Not to defend what is going on there, but to correct a mis-statement. “And if you believe a law is not a wise law, you go to a legislative body, or you go through the initiative process, and you try to change it. You don’t just violate it.”
In fact, that’s exactly what you do. Violate the law, and then have your day in court – presenting arguments that the law is invalid. That is the whole POINT of civil disobedience.
To South Tucson Public Officials: I’m sure you don’t think of yourselves as jokes. How about you take your jobs as seriously as you take yourselves. The TGP is making a laughingstock of you, and the real victims are dogs who don’t want to be there in the first place! Take the first step to ending this animal abuse and cruelty by enforcing the spirit of the ordinance as voted on by S.T.’s citizens.
Troy Gray
Hey Tom Taylor…remember Pa’s Mismakamess? Remember that she was only two years old and got a small fracture on your racetrack…and with an adoption group enroute that was willing to pay her medical bills and you decided to put her to sleep? That little girl would still be alive right now holding down someone’s couch if you had a conscience. Please….Let’s end greyhound racing now and put in video slot machines. The state would probably make more money.
The voters spoke up to help greyhounds. It’s a disgrace that nothing is being done about these illegal measures. Not only for the dogs they are hurting but for those that voted. Their voices are being ignored. What’s the point of voting?
So does it now come down to what laws will be enforced and what laws wont?
Since when can we just pick and choose? Is that why certain people dont have to pay taxes
(like the TGP) and others do? This whole thing is a sham. Soon this disreputable
business will be shut down. In the meantime, the people we pay to enforce the laws and the process to install them, need to wake up and do their job.
To W Corvi: No, you do NOT break a law because you don’t agree with it. Remember the employer verification law? Opponents went to court AFTER it was passed and tried to challenge it on various grounds. Protests against immoral laws like Jim Crow and miscegenation are inapposite – this is hardly civil disobedience. It’s a craven veterinarian and greedy track people making money at the expense of defenseless greyhounds. It’s continuing dog abuse for money while lying and misleading the public. Taylor told the public on KOLD that the dogs would be taken outside South Tucson to skirt the law, and that they would obey the law. Guess he changed his mind . . . .
Another great article by Tim Vanderpool. What a great voice for the greyhounds. The situation at the Tucson track is deplorable and the dogs continue to suffer. Mr. Vanderpool, please continue to expose the slimy underbelly of this blood sport.
Unbelievable and desperately stupid. How can this mistreatment of animals be tolerated or rationalized? It’s time this cruel sport was ended and the dogs freed from their miserable, abused lives on the track.
South Tucson voters made their opinion known when they voted to improve life for TGP greyhounds. When John Munger is running for governor, the voters will have another chance to make a statement. Arizonans are too smart to let something like this slide by. Munger, Taylor, Robinson…birds of a feather…Keep that in mind when you go to the voting booth.
Beltane- the video slots will actually let the race continue forever if they get them. Say NO to slots. They want to use that to prop up the industry so they can run more dogs into the ground. They already have a “hardship” tax credit and don’t even cover the budget for their oversight (AZ dept of Racing). We the taxpayers are paying for the oversight. Soooo I wish they would oversee!!!
This article has been a long time coming almost a year after voters passed Tucson Dog Protection- thank you Tim Vanderpool for this artice. People ask themselves “Why do we vote? Why bother if our voice doesn’t count?” The voters decided to pass the Tucson Dog Protection Act, Tom Taylor goes about business as usual. Will someone PLEASE enforce this ordinance? Why can’t PACC go on property, greyhounds are still DOGS? Why isn’t Az Dept of Racing doing something about this? South Tucson City Council? Police, Sheriff’s Dept? Where can we turn to?
The dogs who have no voice are hoping you’ll speak for them- write your legislators. (BTW- the track lawyer is running for office, guess who I’m not voting for) The City ordinance doesn’t ask for much- I personally think it doesn’t go far enough. Three humane improvements for the dogs:
1) no more than 18 hours in a cage 2) cook their meat so they don’t get poisoned by 4-d Raw meat 3)No anabolic steroids for performance enhancement or to suppress heat- separate the females instead.
They prove they can’t play by the rules again and again- Down With Dog racing!!! Get rid of this blight and make dog racing illegal in the state of Arizona. I’m disgusted that my tax dollars are being used to subsidize state sanctioned animal abuse.
As for the city’s failure to monitor the track since the Dog Protection ordinance took effect, Serna said his hands have been tied: “I can’t send the cops down there when I’m not aware of any laws being broken there.” He also blamed Via for “failing to do her due diligence,” saying that she was aware that South Tucson—and its Police Department—are perennially cash- and-manpower strapped. “So if she has some action plan that she thinks will work, I’d be happy to listen to her.”
That’s a riot that Mr. Serna thinks that South Tucson’s problems are caused by Susan Via. Last year several federal agencies were investing South Tucson because $455,000 was embezzled by a crooked cop in the South Tucson P.D. It took a long time for that embezzlement to come to light so clearly nobody was minding the store.
Mr. Serna, your problems have nothing to do with Susan Via. It’s time your town government took responsibility for its failings and make matters right.
By the way, now you’re aware that laws are being broken. Time to do something about it. That’s what you get paid for.
Time to end this inhumane sport in Arizona. Tracks are closing around the country as their attendance goes down and protests of dog cruelty go up.
Thanks to Tim V and the Tucson Weekly for following this story.
This is just another sad instance of the greyhound racing industry thinking they are above the law and deciding to regulate themselves. It is high time for Tuscon officials to step up and do what they are in office to do… enforce the law! What is Tuscon? The old west? Is there no law or enforcment of the law in South Tuscon? The police in South Tuscon have no money? Each and every resident in Tuscon should be worried if that is the truth.
I am shocked and saddened that these dogs continue to suffer at the hands of humans who are determined to exploit them, with or without the law behind them. It is the worst of the worst of our society that abuses animals, and that is exactly what this veterinarian and everyone who uses his services at the South Tuscon Greyhound Park are doing.
End the cruelty and death and close this low class track once and for all. These dogs deserve to be pets just like poodles, yorkies and labs. They do not deserve the horrific treatment they are subjected to at the Tuscon Greyhound Park.
Anyone who believes that just because someone makes it through veterinary school and obtains a license they love animals, or even care about their welfare, is just naive.
And I thought the ugly business of racing dogs was only corrupt in Massachusetts – silly me!
Dogs are an important part of our lives and deserve to be protected. Thank you Mr. Vanderpool for shining a light on these heartless, greedy people who make a living on the backs of suffering dogs. I hope justice prevails and Joe Robinson and Andy Carlton both lose their licenses.
Interesting – Munger is AZ GOP candidate for governor. No hope for the dogs under that regime. Animals lovers remember this on voting day. Give the dogs a chance for a better life (preferably on someone’s couch).
Thank you for an informative article, shedding light on a shady situation. Unfortunately, I am not surprised that TGP is not in compliance.
I say let Robinson (he doesn’t deserve the title Dr.) and others at TGP be injected with steroids and they can suffer the consequences. Business as usual at TGP. They don’t seem to think they have to obey the laws, so I guess it is mob rule. Close down TGP and make a nice park for South Tucson, then all the police have to worry about are drug deals, vagrants and graffiti. Maybe they can find the time and resources for that. Good luck getting elected, Munger. Arizona doesn’t need another sleazy governor.
A lot of names mentioned in the article, a lot of hedging.
The only ones who REALLY can’t do anything about this are the Greyhounds.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
– Mahatma Gandhi
TGP is VIOLATING A CITY ORDINANCE!!!,if anyone else did this they would be put in JAIL!!! What this is plain and simple is a case of Tgp’s ownership having PCAC and the South Tucson city council in their backpockets.Why can’t people SEE WHATS REALLY GOING ON HERE,TOTALLY CORRUPT FROM THE STATE AND TRACK OWNERSHIP RIGHT DOWN TO THE DEADBEAT TRAINERS WHO SUPPOSEDLY CARE FOR THE GREYHOUNDS ON A DAILY BASIS!!! WHEN Phoenix Greyhound Park closes it’s doors Dec.19th the HELLHOLE known as Tucson Greyhond Park will REIGN as the only dog track in the state of arizona.Let’s ALL WORK TOGETHER AS HARD AS WE POSSIBLY CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT TGP JOINS PGP IN OPERATING NO LONGER!!!
Dr. Andy Carlton, the department’s chief greyhound veterinarian, said he doesn’t regularly review medical records of the tracks.
Just what is Dr. Carlton’s job description? What does a chief greyhound vet do anyway?
Carlton reminds me of 3 monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
Isn’t anyone who has anything to do with greyhound racing ever accountable?
Very good point.
The employment documents / employment contracts / retainers – – whatever they’re called – – should be looked into for each of the persons mentioned.
How can this shit happen? So much for democracy. So much for “…of the people, by the people, for the people…”
Another great article about the abuses at TGP. Thanks for continuing to shine a light on this, Tucson Weekly. The situation will change eventually – we just need to keep plugging away. These folks will get what they deserve. The industry is circling the drain.
To all of you who are concerned and don’t already know the joy of sharing your home with a greyhound, please, please find one of these dogs to adopt. Our latest addition came straight off the TGP track. Once she figured out that people are nice and will rub your tummy or feed you treats, she became the most loving, goofy girl.
Remember Pa’s Mismakamess!
Put Tom Taylor out of a job. While you’re at it, keep Munger out of the governor’s office.
I am sitting here, in York England UK, cuddling my two rescued ex- racing greyhounds whilst reading the article and comments about the Tucson Greyhound Park and injecting the female dogs with anabolic steroids!
As if these dogs don’t have enough trauma to put up with whilst racing – without this i.e The filthy conditions in which some of them live, the food which is just good enough to keep them racing, the horrific injuries sustained whilst racing and being “finished off” at very early ages because they cannot run fast enough to earn their owners any money!!
If the Tucson Law forbids it then why are these people allowed to perpetrate this crime – because it is a crime! Just like drunk driving!
I have had 5 rescued greyhounds and they make the most loving faithful pets Its just as if they know they have been rescued from horrendous end! However many of them do suffer from illness because of what has happened to them whilst racing
I am at a later stage in life and I run Marathons – slowly – but I get there I would hate to have someone inject me just so I could run faster!!!
YOU BET THEY DIE!!! I will not be happy until all greyhound tracks are closed all over the world
Some of your States have taken the lead and tracks are closing Please keep up the good work of reporting all actions against greyhounds
Jean for greyhounds York England
Are you kidding me? The whole Munger family are adulterers and crooks. His brother Clark Munger was removed from the probate bench for ripping off the elderly. On the plus side, John Munger ignores red light camera tickets so he probably won’t be supporting them. votenojudgemunger(dot)com
Disgusting situation. GREED, simple explanation, at the expense and suffering of innocent animals. WHAT’S NEW?!!! I hope that this story doesn’t go away and it appears that Mr. Vanderpool will not allow that to happen–THANK YOU Mr. Vanderpool for trying to make a difference for the voiceless.