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
1 comment:
At this time my overwhelming concern about the injuries at Dairyland Greyhound Park (“Dog Racing Injuries Increase,” Feb. 25, 2008) is that the author of this article is pointing a premature finger at the people who operate Dairyland.
At least, that would seem to be the case, but it’s impossible to tell because of some of the key statistics that are missing – most notably, the total number of dogs running races (“dog starts”) each year. Without this figure, how can anyone possibly judge the injury situation?
A chart accompanying the article says that there were 334 total performances at Dairyland last year. But a quick look at Dairyland’s web site would indicate that “performances” means events containing multiple races, with each race having multiple entries. Therefore, the number of annual dog starts must be much higher.
And indeed, it took only a little research to learn that, in 2007, there were at Dairyland roughly 50,000 dog starts in all races, including qualifying races. So let’s see: If there were 462 injuries, from minor to major, and 76 broken legs, in 50,000 starts, that would mean injury rates of 0.9% and broken-leg rates of 0.1% in 2007.
Do these stats indicate an increase over 2006? Possibly, but my calculator can’t handle decimals that tiny. Which leaves me to wonder if they warrant a front-page, above-the-fold exposé in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the original source of this article.
I have no connection with Dairyland. I am a dog trainer and writer, most recently authoring Hip Ideas for Hyper Dogs (Wiley, 2007), and have probably been to a dog track twice in my life.
However, I am a dog lover and know that dogs love to do what they were bred for. Racing greyhounds may not be any more prone to injury than the family pet; and when they do get injured, they are no longer athletes. Thanks to Dairyland's excellent adoption program, they usually retire and are adopted into loving homes to become "sofa warmers."
I’m very concerned that a newspaper would run an article that can only be described as a hatchet job on an already ailing business. How can you release this story in the absence of data that are critical to forming an accurate opinion?
Amy Ammen
Milwaukee
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