Greyhounds rejoice: Last dog racing track in Texas to close

Photo: ASPCA

from: mystatesman.com

By Tim Eaton - American-Statesman Staff

Gulf Greyhound Park in La Marque will end live dog racing, the last track in Texas to run greyhound races, officials confirmed Wednesday.

The dog track, which opened in 1992 near Houston and Galveston to great fanfare, has been struggling along with horse tracks across the state. Wagering is down 85 percent since its first full year in 1992, according to figures from the Texas Racing Commission.

The track will cease live racing effective Jan. 1, Gulf Greyhound Park General Manager Sally Briggs said in a statement provided first to the American-Statesman.

“We are unable to successfully compete with racetracks in surrounding states who offer expanded gambling opportunities,” she said, adding that the Texas Lottery, Internet gambling and the proliferation of illegal slot machine-like “8-liners” also have led to the track’s demise.

Further, she blamed “the continually rising cost of regulation in the face of a declining and much smaller industry.”

Nick James, executive director of the Texas Greyhound Association, said track officials tried without success to reduce the fees they pay to the commission.

“Their prudent monetary decision is to close,” James said.

Between 250 and 300 jobs at the track likely will be lost, plus 11 nearby kennels will suffer due to the closing, James said.

“It’s a big impact on the kennel owners, too,” he said. “It’s huge deal, and it’s going to be felt across the country.”

Briggs said that the dogs housed at the track will be sent to other states or go to adoption programs.

It’s unclear if Greyhound Racing Park still will offer simulcast betting, like the two other greyhound tracks in Texas that have already ended live racing.

The news came a day after the racing commission voted to defy state Senate leaders to keep in place a rule to allow historical racing. Racing industry representatives say the new form of gambling — which allows betting on already-run races with identifying markers stripped from horses — could revive the state’s seven racetracks. State Republican leaders call the move an illegal expansion of gambling.

The greyhound track’s tax payments likewise have plummeted. In 1993, the track paid the state $7.7 million in pari-mutuel tax, not counting real estate, admission, sales, liquor and other taxes. By 2004, the pari-mutuel tax fell to $436,000. Last year, the state collected $254,000 in pari-mutuel tax from Greyhound Racing Park, according to racing commission figures.

Before the track opened, several groups jockeyed for ownership, but Paul Bryant Jr. — the son of late University of Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant — ultimately led the winning bid to own the track.

At the time, dog racing was witnessing two decades of growth, and investors had estimated that the Galveston County track would generate handles — the amount bet on races — as high as $300 million annually.

Last year, the total handle amounted to $40.2 million, most of which came from live racing, off 57 percent from a decade earlier.

Christine Dorchak, president of the GREY2K USA animal advocacy group, called the news of the closing “a victory for everyone in the state who cares about dogs.” The group objects to the confinement and treatment of the race dogs, some of which have suffered serious injuries.

Total wagering at Gulf Greyhound

1993: $268.4 million

2000: $138.2 million

2004: $91.9 million

2010: $55.5 million

2014: $40.2 million

Source: Texas Racing Commission

Exclusive report: Yesterday was National Dog Day and Austin cats didn't notice

It's the day after and Austin cats still don't care

From across 'the pond'

Dogs sniff out medical breakthroughMeet the dogs hoping to sniff out a medical breakthrough - it's claimed they could be MORE reliable than current medical methods at detecting cancer Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Posted by Channel 5 News on Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Chron obit on a very good dog

from: austinchronicle.com

In Memoriam: Robin Goodfellow
Singular Austin improviser has taken his final bow (wow wow)

BY ROBERT FAIRES, 6:36PM, WED. AUG. 12, 2015

As the rest of the world mourns the loss of Uggie, that furry scene-stealer from The Artist, Austin is still grieving for the loss of its own canine superstar.Robin Goodfellow, one-half of the improv duoBuddy Daddy, passed away July 30, at the age of 10.

As noted by Buddy Daddy's human half, Arthur Simone, in an obituary on Facebook, Robin was "half beagle and half dachshund, and a preeminent member of the Austin Improv Collective since 2005."

"I got Robin from the SPCA about a month after Hurricane Katrina," Simone told the Chronicle's Wayne Alan Brenner in a 2007 interview. "I sought out a supermellow critter, and I sure got it. If he weren't so pliant, I doubt I could ever do a show with him." A dare from fellow improviser and New Orleans expat Chris Trew prompted Simone to take the stage with his canine pal at the Hideout Theatre in 2006. What might have been a one-off stunt became an improv staple, thanks to Simone's skill, as Brenner put it, "at conjuring characters from thin air and bringing their personalities to vivid, often humorous life" while responding to the actions – or lack thereof – of his canine collaborator.

"Goodfellow’s aloof and laconic characters over the years have included restless housewives, rocks and rock stars, the Phantom of the Opera, a submarine-with-periscope, spies, aliens, Hitler, a loaf of bread, tigers, and the new kid at school to name a few," noted Simone in his obit. "Unscripted performances with Simone as the comedy duo were usually accompanied by snacks, most notably cheese cubes."

Buddy Daddy performed most often in Austin, appearing regularly at the Out of Bounds Comedy Festival, but the duo also toured with the comedy group ColdTowne to Arizona and Washington, D.C.; headlined the Twin Cities Improv Festival in 2011; and headlined a fundraiser in Shreveport, La., for rescue animals, for whom Robin had a special fondness, being a rescue pup himself. Robin's onstage success and appeal also led to work beyond Buddy Daddy: Buddy Mommy, with esteemed improviser Jill Bernard; a guest stint with local sketch troupe Hoover's Blanket; screen appearances on America’s Got Talent and at the Alamo Drafthouse playing Babe the Pig; and Dystheatre’s production of Robin Goodfellow’s Hamlet, in which he played the Ghost, "eating plenty of ham along the way," according to Simone.

The response from the improv community was widespread and loving, with many improvisers recalling shows in which they watched or performed with Robin. "Magic" was a term used in more than one condolence. Dave Buckman called Robin "a Renaissance Dog," and John Ratliff said of him, "His emotional intelligence was acute, and he could read a room better than most people can." Those wishing to see some of Robin's work may do so on Simone's YouTube channel.

In addition to his partner and friend Simone, Robin Goodfellow is survived by his friends Meg Holle and the black lab Mudcat, who ask that those wishing to honor their pal make memorial donations to theSPCA.

I think I love this: Austin Animal Center's new Thinking Walk

from: dogsoutloud.com

Dogs Out Loud was awarded an enrichment grant from Animal Farm Foundation that we chose to use to support the dogs at our city shelter, Austin Animal Center. After working for several months to coordinate the project with the city, the components were installed at the shelter yesterday afternoon!

We managed to complete the project and have our set-up day fall just as August and its heat advisories have arrived in Austin, but we think the, um, “tans” we worked on yesterday will be worth it!

The Thinking Walk consists of 10 simple activity stations designed to make training and enrichment easy and accessible to all dogs, volunteers, and staff. It is set-up along the front courtyard loop of Austin Animal Center, a frequently traveled path for canine bathroom breaks and walks. Volunteers and staff can sneak in a little training during a potty break and not only help work the dogs’ minds, but give them skills to make them more adoptable!

You can view and print the full .pdf of the Thinking Walk here (183KB).

Purina backs Beneful dog food as lawsuit expands

from: nbc.com

Pet food giant Purina launched a national campaign in support of its Beneful brand last week — just as an ongoing lawsuit against the brand expanded its allegations that the popular feed is making dogs sick.

The amended complaint against Nestlé Purina PetCare Company's Beneful dry kibble dog food was filed on June 8 in California federal court, adding 26 additional pet owners from states spanning coast to coast.

The lawsuit now alleges that Beneful contains toxins and that Purina has been offering cash settlements in exchange for silence from those who voice complaints about the brand.

The amendments to the suit come on the heels of a national campaign launched by Purina last week defending its products. The "I Stand Behind Beneful" campaign features a full-page advertisement in the New York Times and a TV commercial showing workers who both make Beneful and feed it to their own pets, the company said.

"This really boils down to the fact that we're really proud of the Beneful product and there are no issues with the quality," Keith Schopp, vice president of corporate relations for Purina, told NBC News. "We thought one of the best ways to show that pride would be actually through the men and women who make Beneful and feed it to their own pets."

The company featured a second full-page in the New York Times on Sunday after the initial launch this week.

Plaintiff and pet owner Frank Lucido, who claims one of his dogs died and two others became ill after eating Beneful, initiated the original lawsuit against Purina in early February of this year.

Jeffrey B. Cereghino, the lawyer spearheading the case against Purina, said he and the law firms participating in the suit have been contacted by thousands of people who believe Beneful may have poisoned their dogs.

"The immediacy of folks willing to participate was really quite extraordinary," he said.

The amended suit includes 26 additional plaintiffs with similar storiesand claims that Purina failed to disclose that the brand contains substances toxic to animals — including Industrial Grade Glycols (IGG), lead, arsenic and mycotoxins. The suit is seeking class-action status and $5,000,000 in damages.

Purina has continued to deny the allegations in the suit, publishing an extensive statement on its website on June 9 in response to the amended complaint.

"We're really disturbed by the ongoing false and unsubstantiated allegations," Schopp told NBC News.

The company said in the statement that Beneful is not formulated with IGG, but rather "high-quality human food-grade levels" of propylene glycol.

While Industrial Grade Glycols are not approved for use in food by the FDA, food-grade propylene glycol is approved as safe for use in human and dog food. The original lawsuit listed propylene glycol in its complaint, instead of IGG.

The Purina statement also says the company tests "for well over 150 substances," including mycotoxins, lead and arsenic as part of its food safety and ingredient surveillance programs.

Dr. Kurt Venator, director of veterinary strategy and programs at Purina, said the strict testing standards extend to their ingredient suppliers as well.

Purina products "meet or exceed food quality and safety standards," he said.

The pets listed in the lawsuit vary in age and in length of time consuming Beneful before becoming ill, but the consistent symptoms, according to the suit, include: vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, liver or kidney malfunction and failure, seizures, and even death.

Plaintiff Rob Benham, of Versailles, Indiana, told NBC News he and his family believe Beneful is responsible for the death of Sadie, a 7-year-old Miniature Fox terrier, and the ailing health of their 5-year-old Shih Tzu Willie.

Benham, 47, began feeding his dogs Beneful in June 2013, partially for financial reasons, he said.

"Purina is a household word, we felt very safe in doing that," he said.

Within a month, Sadie began losing weight dramatically, Benham said. When they took her to their veterinarian, they were informed Sadie had developed problems with her liver and would need medication. But the vet was unable to find the cause of the problem.

"He was baffled," Benham said. "He could think of no reason for it."

The symptoms only got worse.

"She started having trouble with her vision and was staggering everywhere," he said. "She had always been very healthy."

"On October 19 of 2013, we lost her," Benham said through tears.

Cereghino said there was a disconnect between the company's new campaign and how Purina has treated concerned customers.

The amended suit claims that Purina has been contacting consumers who post negative experiences with Beneful to social media, denying liability while offering them cash settlements in exchange for restrictive confidentiality agreements. The lawsuit claims to include a copy of a non-disclosure agreement for a complaint involving Beneful.

Schopp, the Purina spokesman, said any customer service agreements and compensation were "good-will gestures" by the company and a common practice in many industries.

"Anytime consumers have questions they can contact us, whether validated or not we have at times responded to them and offered compensation as a good-will gesture," he said. "The notion that this is something we just started or there is some sort of a negative motive here is nonsense."

The dry kibble variations named in the suit include Purina Beneful Healthy Weight, Purina Beneful Original, Purina Beneful Incredibites, and Purina Beneful Healthy Growth For Puppies, Purina Beneful Healthy Smile, Purina Beneful Healthy Fiesta, Purina Beneful Healthy Radiance, and Purina Beneful Playful Life. 

Rare plug: The Wizard of Dogz! starring rescued dogs and a macaw at the Dougherty

for more info: chickendog.net