HSUS TARGET OF RESTRICTIVE LEGISLATION IN OKLAHOMA

Protect the Harvest, an agriculture advocacy organization, is reporting that a bill aimed at restricting HSUS fundraising activities in Oklahoma has passed that state’s House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee with a unanimous vote.

Oklahoma State Representative Brian Renegar, a veterinarian, authored House Bill 2250. The bill would prohibit animal rights organizations from raising funds in Oklahoma and spending it in other states or on political action inside or outside Oklahoma.

HSUS fundraising activities in Oklahoma were the subject of a high-profile investigation by Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt. Pruitt found that HSUS had employed deceptive fundraising practices by raising funds supposedly for the rescue of animals displaced after natural disasters, but then diverting those funds to other purposes such as lobbying.

According to Protect the Harvest’s website, Rep. Renegar wrote the bill to ensure that any funds raised by HSUS in Oklahoma will be used in the state to benefit animals and not for political purposes. That provision is particularly significant for Renegar.

In November this year, Oklahomans will vote on a state referendum to protect the “right to farm” in the state. The bill would protect the rights of farmers and ranchers against animal-rights driven initiatives to limit or end animal farming. HSUS has spent millions of dollars fighting similar proposals in other states.

Renegar told KSWO Radio, “Outside political interests will be coming into Oklahoma and spending many, many dollars fighting this.” If adopted, House Bill 2250 would prevent HSUS and other animal rights organizations from doing so in Oklahoma.

 

 

 

2015 ADOPTION AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

South Carolina and Georgia are home to the two greyhound adoption organizations that have been named winners of the 2015 Greyhound Adoption Program of the Year Award. The groups are Greyhound Crossroads of Greenwood, SC, and Second Chance Greyhounds of Douglasville, GA. The award is presented each year by the American Greyhound Council (AGC).

AGC Communications Coordinator Gary Guccione said the organizations are very different in their focus but share a common commitment to going “above and beyond” to ensure that every retired greyhound finds a loving permanent home.

“Both of these organizations exemplify the total dedication that has made greyhound adoption the remarkable success story it is,” said Guccione. “The AGC is honored and proud to recognize them for their extraordinary contributions to the adoption movement.”

Greyhound Crossroads has been placing retired racers for approximately 19 years. Although its primary service area is North and South Carolina and Georgia, Greyhound Crossroads has been known to facilitate adoptions as far away as Alaska. The group places 150-200 greyhounds per year in adoptive homes.

Its trademark event is Beach Bound Hounds, an annual gathering that draws over 500 greyhounds and owners each year to beautiful Myrtle Beach, SC. The program includes speakers and workshops, education and training programs, and “a whole lot of fun,” according to Greyhound Crossroads Director Kim Owens.

Nominators for Greyhound Crossroads paid special tribute to the organization’s “amazing network of volunteers, who step up whenever they are needed because the dogs are always the priority.”

Second Chance Greyhounds operates a unique program in which retired greyhounds are fostered and trained by prison inmates for ten weeks before being placed in their permanent homes. The program was developed in partnership with Jenkins Correctional Center at Millen, GA. A dozen inmate volunteers were trained as trainers, and they work with 12-15 dogs at a time. Second Chance provides complete support, including crates, dog beds, toys, food, training treats, veterinary care and transportation.

Second Chance Chair Patti Peterson said the program benefits prison residents as well as the dogs. “The dogs learn the behaviors and skills they’ll need in their new homes, and the inmates learn patience and responsibility. They also experience the unconditional love that comes with the human-animal bond, something many of the prisoners have never experienced,” she said. Peterson also noted that working with the dogs reduces inmate boredom and tension, which makes for a safer prison environment for inmates and staff.

The two groups will receive donations of $1,000 each for their programs, as well as commemorative plaques for permanent display in their offices.

In 2014, the GAPY Award program was modified to recognize outstanding adoption organizations instead of deserving individuals. The award began as an initiative of the American Greyhound Track Operators Association (AGTOA) in 2007, and became an AGC program in 2010.

 

The all-star Greyhound Crossroads crew and President Kim Owens, gathered to celebrate their GAPY award.

 

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Patti Peterson and the dedicated Second Chance volunteers take time out for a photo session at Jenkins Correctional Center in Millen, GA.

 

 

 

 

 

FLORIDA NEWSPAPER PUBLISHES AGC RESPONSE

AGC Communications Coordinator Gary Guccione scored a direct hit on December 2, when the Bradenton Herald published his response to a November 25 commentary attacking greyhound racing.

Guccione noted that the commentary contained “propaganda” promoted by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), which he described as “an extreme animal rights organization with a huge budget and zero credibility.”

Guccione took particular aim at HSUS for its continued “false and deceptive claims against greyhound racing” based on badly outdated adoption statistics. “Given the fact that only about 10,600 greyhounds were registered to race in 2014, simple match demonstrates just how wrong the HSUS numbers are,” he wrote. “But HSUS isn’t about the truth, it’s about the fundraising.”

The letter also highlighted the fact that HSUS is reportedly under investigation in several states for its deceptive fundraising practices, which lead donors to believe the organization operates pet shelters when, in fact, it does not, and gives less than 1 percent of its immense wealth to shelters operated by other groups.

“We hope your readers take these deceptive claims against greyhound racing with a grain of salt,” the AGC letter concluded. “As Mark Twain once said, a lie can get around the world before the truth gets its pants on.”

 

 

 

RETIRED RACERS BRING NEW FREEDOM, PEACE TO VETERANS IN NEED

A South Florida greyhound adoption group has won recognition for developing a program that matches retired racing greyhounds with veterans experiencing PTSD, mobility issues and other special needs.

Hounds and Heroes, a program of Awesome Greyhound Adoptions, Inc., was honored in November with a $1,000 donation from LocalDines.com, an online restaurant promotion company that selects a different charity each month to receive the generous contribution.

Awesome Greyhound Adoptions launched the Hounds and Heroes program in 2011, working in partnership with Palm Beach Kennel Club (PBKC). Carolee Ellison, head trainer for the Hounds and Heroes program, said the greyhounds are perfect for these very special assignments because their calm disposition and gentle nature can help reduce anxiety and manage the stress associated with PTSD and mobility issues.

In addition, the greyhounds are specially trained to help their veterans get in and out of chairs, move comfortably in crowds and maintain balance while walking and climbing stairs. The dogs receive training for about four months before they are placed with their owners, and then the veterans and greyhounds receive another two months of training to learn how to work together.

A YouTube video highlighting the Hounds and Heroes program features two of the veterans who have adopted greyhound companions. Both describe their dogs as amazing, and report that the greyhounds have changed their lives greatly for the better.

We owe our veterans so much. On this Veterans Day, it’s great to know that retired racing greyhounds are helping us pay that debt. Congratulations to Palm Beach Kennel Club, Awesome Greyhound Adoptions, Inc., Hounds and Heroes and LocalDines.com for bringing us this awesome good news story.

DON’T DONATE TO HSUS, COLORADO EDITORS ADVISE

A leading Colorado newspaper has published a stinging editorial criticizing the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) for its “radical, special-interest agenda,” and urging Coloradans to give their donations to local humane shelters instead of the Washington DC-based animal rights giant.

Here’s the full text of the column as it appeared in the October 1 edition of the Colorado Springs Gazette:

“The Humane Society of the United States sounds like an outfit in the business of rescuing pets from abuse, neglect and abandonment. It raises money with national ads featuring distressed dogs and cats. Polling shows 71 percent of Americans confuse it as the umbrella for local humane societies —such as the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region — that rescue and care for animals throughout the country.

Truth is, donating to the Humane Society of the United States does almost nothing to help organizations that unquestionably improve animal welfare, such as local shelters, the American Humane Association, the Dumb Friends League and yes, the local Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region.

“The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region is NOT affiliated with HSUS,” wrote Jan McHugh-Smith, executive director of the local humane society. “Donor dollars are precious, so I encourage donors to research any charity before they give a gift.”

The Humane Society of the United States is mostly a left-wing lobbying outfit that does not operate a single shelter. The society boasts donations to animal rescue organizations — contributions that comprise less than 1 percent of the society’s budget. Much more of the money it collects from unsuspecting donors goes into the organization’s massive executive pension plan.

Other donations fund lobbying against hunting, fishing and traditional agriculture.

Those are issues some donors might favor, but money is raised under the pretense of a mission that has much broader support.

Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams is reviewing a complaint against the society. His spokesperson, Lynn Bartels, said the office will try to complete the review within 90 days.

“Most people think that when they give money to the Humane Society of the United States it’s going to go back to the local humane society and it’s just not the case,” said Will Coggin, director of research with the Center for Consumer Freedom. “They’re not upfront with the public about what their real agenda is.”

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt investigated the society’s fundraising last year and found it raising funds with “heart-wrenching imagery of puppies and kittens,” only to spend it on “high-powered lobbying and special interest campaigns that are determined to shape state and federal legislation that would harm farmers, ranchers and other Oklahomans.”

A group of 29 sporting and conservation groups, ranging from   Bear Trust International to the NRA, wrote to Williams last week in support of the Colorado complaint. The letter quotes the society’s top executive opposing all hunting — even by those who hunt for food. It explains how the association is “lining their pockets and funding an extremist political agenda.”

Local and regional humane shelters throughout Colorado need financial contributions to continue their work. They can’t afford losing money to the deception of a national lobbying group with radical, special-interest agendas that don’t help suffering pets. We suspect Secretary Williams will give this complaint the serious attention it deserves.”

 

COURT GREEN-LIGHTS DEFAMATION LAWSUIT AGAINST HSUS

A little-noticed court ruling could become a big headache for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), according to Courthouse News Service, an online legal news outlet.

In a July 17 story, Courthouse News Service reported that a Missouri state appeals court has ruled that a dog breeder in that state may proceed with her defamation suit against the HSUS, which in 2010 included the breeder’s kennel operation on a list called “Missouri’s Dirty Dozen.”

The breeder is Mary Ann Smith, whose son, Jason–unfortunately for HSUS–is a Republican member of Congress. She originally brought suit against the Humane Society in 2011, but a circuit court dismissed her claims. That ruling was reversed by the Southern District Missouri Court of Appeals on June 29, saying that HSUS must face defamation and invasion of privacy claims after ranking Smith’s kennel “among the worst puppy mills in Missouri.”

Smith described the HSUS claims as “false, scandalous and defamatory,” and said they deprived her business “of public confidence and social and business associations.”

In reversing the lower court’s dismissal, Judge Nancy Steffen Rahmeyer wrote, “In a press release, it was stated that ‘the licensed puppy mills identified in this report have an undeniable record of flagrant disregard for even the most minimal humane care standards for dogs…These statements imply verifiable factual information, not statements of opinion.”

In 2010, when HSUS published the “Missouri’s Dirty Dozen” list, the animal rights group was actively campaigning for passage of the “Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act,” a statewide referendum ostensibly designed to prohibit “cruel and inhumane treatment of dogs raised in large-scale breeding farms.” The referendum passed by a narrow one-percent margin in the November 2010 election.

In March 2011, however, the Missouri legislature rewrote much of the act, removing many of the most onerous regulatory provisions it contained, saying the referendum as written would have put the state’s extensive dog breeding industry out of business.

The appeals court found that the Humane Society’s “public statements allegedly attributed to her (Smith) conduct and beliefs associated with irresponsible and disreputable dog breeders that she did not engage in, share or approve…these statements allegedly placed plaintiff in a false light and caused injury to her right to be let alone.”

While defamation cases are notoriously difficult to win, AGC Communications Coordinator Gary Guccione said, “It’s encouraging that this individual has at least won the right to have her case heard in the courts,” he said. “Too often, groups like HSUS are allowed a free ride because small business owners just can’t afford to take them on. HSUS has millions of dollars to spend on litigation; the rest of us just can’t afford to do that.”

NEGLECTED DOGS NOT RACING GREYHOUNDS, NGA CONFIRMS

National Greyhound Association (NGA) Executive Director Gary Guccione has confirmed that none of the 24 emaciated dogs confiscated by the Grant County (OK) Sheriff’s Dept. on Tuesday, July 21, is associated with greyhound racing.

Guccione said Friday that the dogs, described by the media as “greyhounds or mixed greyhound breeds,” are not registered with the NGA, which is the only official registry for greyhound racing in North America. According to Guccione, the Tulsa Humane Society has confirmed that none of the confiscated dogs carry ear tattoos—a requirement for NGA-registered greyhounds.

The owner of the dogs, whose name has not yet been released pending further investigation, voluntarily relinquished them to Grant County authorities.

“Having visited with Oklahoma authorities involved in the case, we’re virtually certain that the person or persons responsible are not associated with greyhound racing or the NGA in any way,” Guccione said.

The Tulsa Humane Society is nursing the dogs back to health. “They were very emaciated, and a couple of them are anemic. But they are coming around,” a representative of the agency told Guccione. She added that one of the dogs tested heartworm positive, but other than that there were “no major medical issues.”

GREY2K: MISSING IN ACTION ON GREYHOUND ADOPTION

In a recent blog post, Carey Theil touted the fact that he recently adopted a retired racing greyhound. You’d think from his comments that Carey and Grey2K are the world’s biggest greyhound adoption boosters. Nothing could be further from the truth.

While greyhound breeders and tracks continue to invest tens of thousands of dollars each year in greyhound adoption efforts, Grey2K remains largely missing in action when it comes to securing homes for retired racers.

Consider these facts, taken directly from Grey2K’s own tax records, which are public information, and Carey Theil’s blog, “Saving Greys.”

  • From 2009 to 2014, Grey2K USA and its sister entity, the Grey2K Education Fund, raised a total of slightly over $2.03 million in donations.
  • During that five-year period, the two organizations donated a whopping $34,000 to greyhound adoption–approximately 1.4 percent of the total raised.

The American Greyhound Council (AGC) was founded in 1987 to fund and oversee greyhound health, welfare and adoption programs. Since that time, the organization has invested more than $2.25 million in direct grants and donated in-kind services to support the nationwide adoption effort. That averages out to about $80,000 per year. And that sum doesn’t include the thousands of dollars that tracks spend annually on their own in-house adoption programs, or the thousands of dollars donated each year by grateful breeders to their nonprofit adoption partners.

In 2014, greyhound adoption programs accounted for 39 percent of the AGC’s annual budget. That percentage has remained fairly consistent over the years, even as AGC revenues have decreased due to declining numbers of tracks and breeders. In hard dollars, the amount allocated to greyhound adoption has remained unchanged for nearly a decade, with cuts made to other areas not directly related to greyhound welfare. Funding greyhound adoption efforts remains the organization’s highest priority and its largest budget item.

So when it comes to greyhound adoption, don’t be deceived. While Carey Theil brags about adopting one retired racer, we work every day with our friends in the adoption world to make a difference for thousands of greyhounds. While Grey2K talks the talk, it’s the real greyhound advocates in greyhound racing and the adoption world who actually walk the walk.

INDIANA LAWMAKER SEEKS INVESTIGATION OF HSUS

The Indianapolis Star is reporting that six Indiana legislators have asked the state’s Attorney General to investigate the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) for deceptive fundraising practices. State Senator Brent Steele and five of his colleagues have sent a letter to Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller accusing the nation’s wealthiest animal rights organization of misleading Indian residents into “believing that donations will benefit abandoned pets at local humane society shelters, which are not affiliated with the national group.”

In the letter, Steele wrote, “Hoosiers would be well-served to know that their donations may go to high-powered lobbying and public relations experts of a national organization that has attacked institutions, traditions and practices that are part of Indiana’s heritage, such as farming, ranching and hunting.”

If Zoeller grants the request, he will be the second state Attorney General to investigate the wealthy animal rights giant. In 2014, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt issued a consumer alert about HSUS and opened an investigation of the organization’s fundraising practices in that state. After Pruitt issued subpoenas to obtain HSUS fundraising and financial records, the HSUS filed a lawsuit against him. That action is still pending before the court.

 

THEIL COLUMN ‘LONG ON FICTION, SHORT ON FACTS,’ AGC SAYS

Carey Theil’s recent commentary in the Pensacola News Journal was ‘long on fiction and short on facts,’ according to AGC Communications Coordinator Gary Guccione. Guccione made the comment in a counterpoint commentary submitted to the newspaper today in response to a June 20 “Viewpoint” column by Theil, the co-founder of Grey2K.  (Update: The AGC response was published on June 27.)

Here’s the full text of Guccione’s response.

Carey Theil’s June 20 column about greyhound racing, “Time for real change for greyhounds,” was vintage Theil–long on fiction and short on facts. This is predictable; the facts don’t help his organization, Grey2K USA, raise money. Both Theil and his wife, Christine Dorchak, rely on donated funds to pay their salaries and lobbying fees.

 It is absurd to suggest that Florida greyhound breeders have a “sudden interest” in greyhound welfare. In fact, the greyhound racing industry formalized its ongoing commitment to greyhound welfare in 1987 with the creation of the American Greyhound Council (AGC). The AGC was formed as a joint effort of greyhound breeders and track operators across the nation to fund and manage an extensive array of greyhound welfare and industry education programs.

 For instance, the AGC conducts unannounced inspections of breeding farms to verify compliance with industry standards for greyhound housing, nutrition, exercise, sanitation, health care and kennel management. Through the National Greyhound Association (NGA), the official registry for racing greyhounds, these rules are strictly enforced. Anyone found guilty of violating them is banned from racing for life, and other industry members are prohibited from doing business with the guilty parties.

 The AGC funded the development and publication of “The Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound,” an internationally acclaimed textbook that has been recognized as the ultimate source of information on every aspect of greyhound health and care. The book was written by top veterinarians with extensive specialized expertise on the greyhound breed.

 The AGC also funds and oversees greyhound adoption efforts for the racing community. Today more than 95 percent of all registered greyhounds are adopted or returned to the farm when they retire. Dozens of volunteer adoption groups throughout North America have worked constructively with greyhound racing to ensure that every adoptable racer finds a loving permanent home.

 The bottom line is that the greyhound racing community was actively engaged in greyhound welfare improvements long before Grey2K came on the scene in 1987. Since then, Grey2K has done nothing but play politics with the lives of greyhounds and the future of the breed. This so-called greyhound welfare group should work constructively with greyhound racing to support adoption and other positive initiatives. We’d love to see that kind of “real change.”