JUNE SPELLS DOOM FOR 15 GREYHOUNDS

Stewards’ reports indicate that 15 greyhounds died while racing in June 2022, making it a fatal month for greyhounds.

Seven greyhounds were murdered on NSW racetracks. Three were killed on South Australian racetracks, two apiece in Victoria and Western Australia, and one in Tasmania. Although the earnings of the deceased greyhounds totalled almost $250,000, it was obvious that this sum was insufficient to prevent any of them from being put to death by on-track veterinarians after suffering racing injuries.

At barely two years old, Jacobite Tartan suffered a collision on the back straight turn at Goulburn track and completely snapped her front leg. She must have screamed in pain as she failed to finish the race. At this same meet, a trainer managed to present “the wrong greyhound” for racing in breach of GAR86(3).

The following week, at Wagga Wagga, three-and-a-half-year-old Galaxy Icon fell after colliding with one of the other four dogs competing in the race. She sustained multiple complex fractures to BOTH forelegs. Additionally, she could not finish because running on two broken legs is difficult.

It’s still unsafe with only four dogs in a race, as Bazza Brann, 5, found out at Grafton when he collided on the first turn, and fell, breaking his back.

Peyton May, age three and a half, was murdered at Maitland, NSW, after breaking her femur (hind leg). She could not continue and was put to death by the on-track veterinarian. In the previous month, she had competed in seven races and earned her owner close to $40,000.

Grevell Creed passed away at Wentworth Park, the so-called “jewel in the crown” of Greyhound Racing NSW, while he was just a baby at 22 months old. When he collided with another greyhound during his twelfth and final race, he broke his tibia and fibula in two separate places. In less than a year, both his racing career and his life were finished. The greyhound he collided with suffered a hock fracture and was placed on a 90-day layoff.

Poor little Are You Serious, who had a brief career, fractured his front leg after falling in his final race at Dapto after colliding with another greyhound. He was just 21 months old. So his career in racing for six weeks was gone. At the same meet, a different greyhound’s teeth got trapped in the kennel mesh, but it wasn’t stopped from racing.

In the catching pen at Nowra, Pop Famous, age two and a half, sustained a terrible compound fracture of numerous bones in his leg.

In Angle Park, South Australia, two greyhounds were killed. Where’s The Bees broke his right leg. Only three days earlier, he had been raced. After a fall, 4-year-old Aston Ryker was put to death, but no information about his injuries was made public. In his 79th race, he was competing.

Ranger Rose died in the catching pen in Gawler, South Australia. In his most recent race, he came in third, but due to “an event in the catching pen,” he fractured his left ulna and radius in a “catastrophic” way. He had placed second in his 88th race and had earned close to $18,000.

At almost four years old, Ollie collapsed and died on Australia’s deadliest track at Geelong, Victoria, during his 87th and final race. In the twelve days prior, he had three races. He was “raced to death,” so to speak.

At the Warrnambool track in Victoria, Stay Together did fall in the straight back bend. As a result, she shattered her left foreleg twice when she was two years old. She was put to death by the on-call vet. Stewards examined the track following her fatal injury but found it “acceptable to continue racing on.”

Two greyhounds were killed in Western Australia within four days at two different racetracks. After colliding, crashing on the first turn, and failing to finish the race, Kelly Gusto was killed in Cannington. Complex fractures were sustained in her foreleg. Jolie Export was in an accident and fell in the Mandurah capturing pen, fracturing his left ulna and radius in the process. The veteran on the track swiftly executed him.

Masani Bale, about three years old, died in a tragic accident in Hobart, Tasmania. She slipped and hit the ground, breaking her spine. At the track, she was put to death.

Remember that many other injured greyhounds likely had their lives ended away from the tracks. Over 5,000 dogs have been hurt, and 78 dogs have now perished while competing in 2022.

Image above shows young Ollie (in red) about to collapse and die during his race at Geelong.