NGA OFFERS HELP IN OHIO INVESTIGATION

The National Greyhound Association (NGA) has offered assistance to Logan County, OH officials investigating the deaths of 14 dogs, including some that may be greyhounds, found skinned and mutilated near a creek in Rush Lake Township.  

NGA Executive Director Gary Guccione said he advised the county’s humane agent, Joni Dailey, that his organization may be able to identify any dead dogs that appear to be greyhounds through DNA records.

“The NGA collects DNA samples from registered greyhounds, so there is a good chance, if these dogs are actually greyhounds, that we might be able to identify them and locate their owners,” Guccione said.

Although a local veterinarian identified some of the dead dogs as greyhounds, Guccione said coyote remains are often mistaken for greyhound carcasses.  If the dogs turn out to be registered greyhounds, the NGA’s own investigative and disciplinary process would be triggered.

“The NGA has adopted very tough rules to ensure that greyhound owners take responsibility for their dogs from birth to retirement,” Guccione said.  “People who violate those rules, especially in such an egregious way as this, are subject to lifetime expulsion from the sport.”

 “It’s hard to imagine why anyone would want to harm animals in this way,” Guccione concluded.  “Our members are in the greyhound business because they love dogs; when something like this happens, we want to help in any way we can to get to the bottom of it.”