A two-year-old female greyhound named Pa’s Mismakamess (Missy) came up lame after the sixth race on Friday evening at Tucson Greyhound Park (TGP). She finished the race, but had sustained a commonplace injury to her hock. Kennel owner David Blair observed her being carried into the office of the track vet. Although Missy was not a dog from his kennel, he entered the office to assist.

Seeing that Missy had sustained only a minor injury and was not experiencing excessive pain, Mr. Blair offered to see to it that Missy got to a greyhound adoption group so that she could be treated and adopted out. The track vet, the state vet, the dog owner all insisted that the dog was going to be euthanized in spite of Blair’s offer to save her life.

This is when things turned ugly. Blair, who by his own admission states that he had a few beers, insisted that he was not going to let them kill the dog. Track manager Tom Taylor called the police, who escorted Blair outside and the track summarily killed the dog.

In an effort to cover-up this shameful, irrevocable act, state officials suspended Blair’s license and shut down his kennels in both Tucson and Phoenix. “The track is trying to divert attention away from the dog killing and make this a case about Blair’s creating a disturbance – an offense for which Blair is more than willing to take appropriate punishment,” said Greyhound Protection League (GPL) President Susan Netboy.

What you can do: Show up at the Tucson Greyhound Park on Sept. 4 to show your support for the kennel owner that tried to save Missy’s life. The public hearing is at 5:10 p.m. and digital cameras, tape recorders and video cameras are OK. Show up at 4:45 to protest. Spread the word about the ongoing conditions at Tucson Greyhound Park where Rick Favreau “disappeared” with over 140 dogs that have yet to be accounted for.

This article appears in Aug 30 – Sep 5, 2007.

16 replies on “Protest Regarding Tucson Greyhound Park”

  1. Greyhound racing exists for the “entertainment and profit” of unconscious (if not downright cruel), people, all too often at the expense of the dogs who race.

    Many other states have found compassion for these beautiful animals and have shut down their tracks. Tucson is a better city than this. Isn’t is about time that Tucson join the 21st-century and do the right thing and close the Tucson Greyhound Park?

    Janet Napolitano, I know you are an awesome Governor (and I don’t even live in Arizona). Won’t you please step in and take pity on these poor animals?

    Thank you.

  2. “Mr. Blair offered to see to it that Missy got to a greyhound adoption group so that she could be treated and adopted out. The track vet, the state vet, the dog owner all insisted that the dog was going to be euthanized in spite of Blair’s offer to save her life.

    This is when things turned ugly. Blair, who by his own admission states that he had a few beers, insisted that he was not going to let them kill the dog. ”

    While honorable that Mr. Blair would go to the effort to save the dog, it is not his property until he purchases it. It sounds callous to call an animal as property, but we all do it: the pet cat is property of the family, the cow is property of its farmer and that dog is property of that owner.

    the next step is asking why that owner did not sell or give away the dog — lame dogs can’t race again can they?

  3. Tucson Greyhound Park trainer said, “It’s always my standard option to put dogs down”. (I went to this kangaroo court.)

    According to an article in today’s Star, http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/199796.php, the TGP’s GM says

    “So far this year, Taylor said, five greyhounds have been euthanized after suffering injuries at Tucson Greyhound Park. Four had broken legs and one had a broken back. We have many dogs that have minor breaks and they are never euthanized,” Taylor said.

    That doesn’t account for the 2 dogs that they (or their kennel operators) took to local emergency veterinarians over the 4th of July. One died (Bert) from swallowing his collar and the other, Ernie lived after a dog fight. You can read about their saga here – http://www.azgreyhoundrescue.org/html/bert-ernie.html

    That doesn’t account for the 2 dogs that around that very same time went to the another greyhound group. One died from spitting up rocks and stones and seizures and the other lived after swallowing her collar and metal buckle.

    The dog in question was euthanized with a broken hock. That is a common injury. A vet tech from the Tanque Verde Animal Hospital testified that her clinic has never put down a dog with a broken hock. It is not life threatening.

    The absolute of Tucson Greyhound Park during this issue and the bigger issue of disposal dogs is frightening.

  4. How much longer can we, as a society, tolerate animal misuse, abandonment, and other acts of cruelty? Greyhound racing – with its ensuing callus abandonment of losers – really should stop. To encourage the continued breeding of racing greyhounds in Arizona is a tragedy and unworthy of life in the 21st century.

  5. They say that a society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. I say that should be expanded to include our four legged citizens. Then think if this is how we wish to be judged.

    We look back at the days of the Salem witch trials and slavery and find those times barbaric. One day in the future these practices will be looked back uppon with the same horror and distaste. At least it is my hope that we will move towards a kinder society.

  6. What a horrible thing to do! So why did Ross A. Amestoy (Missy’s owner) have the dog destroyed and thrown away like trash? And how many others have paid the ultimate sacrifice in blood for Mr. Amestoy’s livelihood? Does he have their hides used to cover his furniture and car seats so he can degrade them even more after they’re gone?
    No they can’t race again but they can and do make wonderful pets and companions. Mr. Amestoy needs to answer for his despicable action, NOT Mr. Blair.

  7. I am very sad about this story,and I wish that Ross A Amestoy be destroy and I feel for the poor inocent missy and others inocent dogs I wish he can’t never do it again and take all his dogs away, ofter all the poor inocent missy make him rich, and then kill her, I don’t know why how can peoples live like this, this guy need to learn and be punish for what he done

  8. Greyhound racing exists for the “entertainment and profit” of unconscious (if not downright cruel), people, all too often at the expense of the dogs who race.

    Many other states have found compassion for these beautiful animals and have shut down their tracks. Tucson is a better city than this. Isn’t is about time that Tucson join the 21st-century and do the right thing and close the Tucson Greyhound Park?

    Janet Napolitano, I know you are an awesome Governor (and I don’t even live in Arizona). Won’t you please step in and take pity on these poor animals
    I will answer to that, she will not do anything about it, remember the rich peoples just want money and she get a good pay out, but I wish she have a good heart and do it, don’t know, but is always hope, or may be she need to step down and let others peoples do it for her

  9. I have personally adopted 3 greyhounds that came from David Blair’s kennel. I know for certain fact that Mr. Blair is indeed an incredible guardian to these lovely dogs. He goes to great lengths to accomodate adoption agencies and make the process and smooth as possible which results in a greater number of adoptions. David Blair is a great advocate for the greyhounds and I support his decision to stand fast in his beliefs…to save each one. He needs some big guns to take on such a huge organization and will need as much support as he can get. I hope that this topic gets the national media attention that it deserves.

  12. This is the tracks way of covering up and letting the other kennels know not to get into there business..Fear factor….any other kennel at tucson would have to shout down there business. Tucson is the arm pit of the industry. There is no money to be made there by the kennels..only the track makes money. As for the state. They always side with the track…without the track they have no job..I am ashamed of this state backword ways..David is a good person and loves these animals, as far as the Tucson Greyhound Park and its HITLER run operation shame on you all…especially Mr. Taylor!!! I speak from experiance I ran a kennel in Tucson in the 80’s and Tucson Greyhound Park is the reason I got out of the business..

  13. So many lies in this incident:

    The Trainer (Kevin Mathieu) was not on premises in clear violation of Racing rules

    The dog should have been adopted out, also in clear violation of Racing rules.

    Both the Track and State Vet knew a rep from a local adoption agency was en route, yet chose to kill the dog.

    MIssy’s injury is very common and not life threatening.

    The Trainer has bragged that he put the dog down to piss off David Blair.

  14. Too bad that you people don’t even know anything about the incident and the DRUNK DAVID BLAIR. BTW her name was MESSY not missy you two-faced jerks!

  15. At record rates dogs are moving into tucson greyhound track. the track now has around 1,000 greyhounds to race making it one of the most stable tracks in the USA. In an interview with management, the track says it will continue to race no matter what. simulcast from east coast and phone betting from around the world to other tracks to wager on tucson has help boost the earnings. Kennel owners, are happy and thriving more now then in the last decade. Just goes to show that no publicity is the only form of bad publicity. thank you grey2k!!!!

  16. During the week KOLD-TV ran a segment about drugs at Tucson Greyhound Park.

    And then the Arizona Daily Star reported that five trainers tested positive for drugs.
    let it be known that JIM SHELTON of David Blair kennel was one of the five and has already had his lic to ever own a kennel stripped from AZ. David Blair is such a forgiving SOB ins’t he. Keeping a 2 strike loser as trainer of 70+ dogs at TGP.

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