Dog racing injuries increase!

Seventy-six greyhounds broke their legs racing last year at Dairyland Greyhound Park, an 18.7% increase over the year before, state records show.

A broken leg, or hock, is considered to be one of the most serious injuries a greyhound can suffer at a track.

In all, a total of 462 injuries were reported at the track last year, a 19% increase from 2006.

Of those 462 injuries last year, 363 involved dogs that suffered muscle-related injuries, sprains or fractures. Track owners have complained for several years that the state's Gaming Division, which regulates the track and compiles injury statistics, throws together relatively minor injuries like nail or tail injuries along with the more serious injuries.

The 2007 report makes a distinction between the more severe injuries and the minor ones.

Asked to explain why more dogs are breaking their legs, state officials pointed to a number of factors, including the condition of the track, the race quality of the greyhounds and the weather. Greyhounds run year-round at the track, which opened in 1990 and is the state's last remaining dog-racing track.

Jenifer Barker, a state veterinarian on site at Dairyland who treats most of the injured dogs at the track, cited the condition of the track's surface and the overall deterioration of the greyhound industry in general as reasons for the increased injury rate.

The track has not been completely resurfaced since at least 1995, according to Bill Apgar, the track's general manager. However, he said, the track is constantly maintained and groomed for the dogs.

"Nobody likes injuries," he said. "This is an athletic contest, and injuries do happen. We spare no expense in making the track as safe as we can."

Apgar said the track employed four full-time employees to groom the track, plus three part-timers. In addition, a maintenance director, the track's racing director and Apgar himself monitor the track, he said.

Apgar said that not every injury is attributable to the track itself. "A third of these injuries were injuries when the dogs were bumped in turns. Other injuries could be the result of genetics. Maybe the dog got bumped, didn't show any effects right away and the next time he ran, he broke down," he said.

Barker said her veterinary peers around the country did not have a set policy on how often a track needs to be resurfaced, but said a rule of thumb is every three to five years.

Industry experts have differing opinions on what constitutes a well-maintained track that minimizes injury. Some say a hard surface is the best surface; others say a more forgiving surface can minimize injury.

Barker also said the greyhound industry has been in decline for years, a victim of differing tastes and the growth of casino gambling.

"Some have called it a dying industry," she said. "There's not much money in it, and there isn't as high caliber of help as there used to be."

Barker recalled a time in the 1990s when each kennel at a dog track would have several helpers on duty. Today the average is more like two helpers per kennel.

Dan Subach, the Gaming Division's chief steward at Dairyland, said a number of factors played a role in the number of injuries. But all parties are trying to address the frequency of injuries.

"It will take enormous efforts by numerous parties. . . to hopefully have a positive impact on this," he said.

According to Subach, weather plays a role in injuries at Dairyland. The dogs are subjected to rain, wind, snow, sleet and very dry conditions.

"And there is a concern that the quality of dogs Dairyland is getting is not as good as they've seen in the past," Subach said. "And that quality may be related to past health issues, or previous injuries. Finally, when dogs run well, they tend to be moved out to other tracks.

"We want to look at the kennels and the education and training at the kennels, and make sure they are putting a sound animal on the track."

Besides pari-mutuel greyhound racing, the track also offers simulcast horse and greyhound racing from around the country. In 2006, the track reported it had lost $2.84 million; track owners say they expect to report they lost millions in 2007.

The owners of Dairyland are awaiting federal approval of a proposed more than $800 million casino-convention center project that would be built on the grounds of the dog-racing track. The Menominee tribe has an option to buy the track for $40.5 million. The tribe is partners with the Mohegan tribe in Connecticut to build the complex and continue live dog racing. The Mohegans would develop and manage the casino for seven years.

Dog Lover,
Dorothy
www.DogMillion.com

Miniature horse dies from dog attack

LUBBOCK, Texas — A second miniature horse has died after being attacked by pit bulls last month.

Kauli Sparks, co-owner of Hearts and Hooves of Lubbock, said the decision was made Saturday to put Jolly down to ease the therapy horse's suffering.

"He was doing really well until yesterday, probably around 2 p.m.," Sparks said in Sunday's online edition of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. "He basically crashed."

Five Hearts and Hooves miniature horses were attacked by pit bulls last month. Oreo was killed in the attack.

Sparks said Jolly developed toxemia, a general infection that spread throughout his body and caused many of his organs to begin shutting down.

Hearts and Hooves is a nonprofit organization that brings miniature horses indoors to people who need therapeutic healing.

The owner of the dogs signed them over to Lubbock Animal Services.

Sources: Associated Press

Dorothy
www.DogMillion.com

It is a Dog Life!

I AM a dog. Well, at least according to the Chinese zodiac I am. And according to an article I recently stumbled across on the Internet, people born in the Year of the Dog “possess the best traits of human nature.”

I’m inclined to agree with this gross generalization. But then, I’m inclined to agree with anything that depicts me in a positive, glowing manner. Like all good dog people, I have a deep sense of loyalty. I am also honest and inspire other people’s confidence because I know how to keep secrets. Unlike rat, snake and monkey people, I suspect.

But ... and there’s always a but ... “dog people are somewhat selfish, terribly stubborn, and eccentric.”

If these are some of “the best traits of human nature”, I hate to imagine what traits non-dog people possess.

But there’s more. “They (dog people) care little for wealth, yet somehow always seem to have money. They can be cold emotionally and sometimes distant at parties. They can find fault with many things and are noted for their sharp tongues.”

I don’t know about you, but I feel there’s something wrong with that last paragraph. It’s as if the author is saying that dog people come by their money in a suspicious way. And if I’m cold emotionally, what would I be doing at a party? Cold people don’t go to parties. They like to stay at home and play games like “Revenge of the Killer Dog” on their computers.

Although I normally don’t find fault with anything or anyone (don’t forget I’m honest), I don’t have anything good to say about the writer of that article. As for having a sharp tongue, I only reserve that for really irritating people, like most Malaysian drivers, pushy shop assistants, people who look at me in an odd way, women who wear strong perfume, and people who walk slowly in front of me in crowded shopping malls. Oh yes, and the designers of shopping malls. Other than that, I’m probably the sweetest, most amiable person you’re ever likely to meet.

The zodiac article does redeem itself when it concludes by saying that dog people make good leaders. But then again, perhaps an emotionally cold leader isn’t such a good thing. As far as I know, Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini were all cold leaders. And they didn’t get up to much good.

It also seems that I am compatible with people in the Years of the Horse, Tiger, and Rabbit. Of the few friends I do have (due to my emotional coldness) none were born under these zodiac signs. Indeed, if the zodiac article is correct, I have aligned myself with a bunch of eccentric, bad-tempered loners. Not exactly the sort of people you want to have around you at a party.

I’m not even all that compatible with my children. My son is a snake person and my daughter is a pig person. Interestingly enough, people born in the same year as my son “never have to worry about money; they are financially fortunate.” He’s obviously benefiting from all the money I seem to have. Or maybe it’s because he’s memorised my credit card numbers.

My daughter, on the other hand, in true pig-like fashion, is kind to her loved ones and very loyal. When I’m old, I’d much rather have a kind, loyal pig taking care of me than a snake. Besides, the zodiac article asserts that snake people are usually good-looking and sometimes have marital problems because they are fickle. Maybe good-looking people can afford to be fickle with their partners because they know that it’s relatively easy to attract another mate if their marriage fails. I certainly don’t want to be stuck in the same house as a disgruntled daughter-in-law during my twilight years.

Dogs are also not all that compatible with people born in the Year of the Rat. Typically, rat people are charming and highly attractive to the opposite sex. But they are stingy. They are also quick-tempered and love to gossip. But all is not lost for people contemplating having a baby during this coming Year of the Rat, because rat people are said to “work hard to achieve their goals, acquire possessions, and are likely to be perfectionists. Their ambitions are big, and they are usually very successful.”

In short, children born this coming year will likely grow up to have fabulous careers and every luxury money can buy, but they won’t share it with anyone.

I think I’ll stick with the pigs.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

by MARY SCHNEIDER

Cheers!
Dorothy
www.DogMillion.com