THE GUAM GREYHOUND CHRONICLES
Around mid-December 2008 I wrote what I thought would be my last public word on the plight of as many as 350 retired racing greyhounds systematically abandoned by Guam Greyhound, Inc, (GGH) under the guise of a purported ‘adoption’ program. It turns out that there’s much more to the story of the Guam greyhounds, and now that virtually all of the animals are out of danger it can be told in its entirety.
That callous act by GGH caught the attention and raised the ire of several national and international greyhound advocacy groups. Greyhound Friends of Boston, affiliated with the American European Greyhound Alliance (AEGA), dispatched award-winning photojournalist John Mottern to investigate and document the Guam situation. Mr. Mottern carried with him a substantial donation from AEGA to the local Humane Society chapter, Guam Animals in Need (GAIN) to aid in recovery, treatment and eventual relocation of however many animals could be salvaged.
The spotlight of local and international media attention immediately focused on the GGH giveaway scheme. Photos and commentary graphically depicting the abuse and cruelty inflicted on dogs indiscriminately handed off to any who asked – often three or four per ‘adopter’, and in one case, ten – surfaced in local and international newswires, TV and print media.
The GGH greyhound giveaway abruptly stopped. On 10 December 2008 Mr. Mottern met with GGH general manager E.J. Calvo, Territorial Veterinarian Dr. Thomas Poole and others and forged an agreement to provide for interim care and eventual relocation of more than 100 greyhounds still in GGH custody. That same day he issued, on behalf of Massachusetts
“The Guam Greyhound Track announced today that they will be working closely with local and national greyhound organizations to formulate a responsible exit plan for the remaining retired greyhounds still living at the facility.”
Also part of the agreement was a GGH pledge to match funds up to $50 per dog for medical needs. According to Mr. Mottern GGH also agreed to safeguard and continue to care for animals still in their custody, and to aid in relocation and legitimate adoption efforts. Quoting again from the press release: “We are very happy to work with the Guam Track to help them transition these retired racers into the community in a thoughtful and responsible manor.”
As noted above, Territorial Veterinarian Dr. Thomas Poole was present at the meeting, presumably in his role as chief animal control officer and – one would suppose --as animal advocate. He was by then well aware of multiple instances of abuse and cruelty visited upon several of the “adopted” greyhounds. From the press release: “A positive dialogue and commitment for the responsible placement of these greyhounds has also been made possible through the efforts of the Guam Territorial Veterinarian’s office headed by Dr. Thomas Poole.”
Territorial Veterinarian Dr. Poole, in an article published in the 26 January 2008 Critter News, had called for an aggressive sterilization program to help curb Guam ’s stray animal population. He adopted a contrary stance, however, when he refused to intervene as GGH proposed to indiscriminately introduce 150 or more unsterilized greyhounds to the community canine population: many of which he knew, or should have known, would ultimately be exposed to extreme levels of cruelty and abuse. The massive GGH giveaway program was obviously an animal control issue, well within his authority to halt pending a coherent and humane solution. He chose not to do so.
Guam Greyhound had also agreed to provide access to Guam Animals in Need (GAIN) representatives for those animals still at the track in order to identify, photograph and otherwise collect information needed for the relocation program. That didn’t happen. Repeated attempts to gain access to the GGH kennels brought excuse after excuse, as local and national animal advocates worked toward what they believed to be a valid arrangement to save the animals. In mid-December the GGH management announced that there were 104 greyhounds remaining in track kennels. Based on that information, GAIN personnel and supporting stateside advocates worked feverishly to arrange for immunizations, sterilizations, shipping containers, airline reservations and a multitude of things incident to moving the GGH dogs, and dogs recovered by GAIN, from Guam to the mainland USA
As the Christmas holidays approached more abandoned and abused greyhounds made their way into the GAIN shelter. By 31 December there were 27, occupying approximately half of available kennels, and the space situation was critical.
Guam Greyhound Inc. had promised that the kennels and dogs would be open for GAIN representatives by December 29, but once again postponed access until 5 January. Disturbingly, the GGH track manager advised that now only 60 animals would be available for relocation. What became of the other 44? Nobody was saying.
Around New Years Day I learned that Jon Anderson, speaking on behalf of GGH, had called K-57 a few days earlier and announced that GGH was preparing to resume its ‘adoption’ program – a rerun of the previous giveaway scheme -- and would also offer an incentive in the form of a $50 voucher redeemable for medical purposes at local veterinarians. GGH meanwhile continued to avoid contact with GAIN.
This was disturbing news. It was by now apparent that GGH had no intention of honoring the 10 December agreement with Boston-based Greyhound Friends’ representative John Mottern. It was also apparent, based on past events, that Territorial Veterinarian Dr. Poole was unlikely to intervene. Some 44 more greyhounds were now at grave risk.
On 2 January I notified greyhound advocacy contacts in the mainland and locally of the emergent situation and imminent risk to the 44 animals. I also filed a complaint with the Governor’s Office, asking that he cause the Agriculture Department Director to call a halt to the GGH plan under Guam ’s animal control law. We had already seen the often sickening result of the first wave of over 100 unlicensed, unsterilized and possibly non-rabies-immunized animals introduced to the Island canine population. GGH was unresponsive and unrepentant, and it was past time for decisive action to salvage as many of the remaining animals as possible.
As word of the announced resumption of the GGH greyhound giveaway program became known to animal advocates worldwide, Guam again fell under the media spotlight. Governor Camacho and others in positions to act began receiving a flood of email and telephone calls with allegations of insensitivity and pleas to intervene.
Suddenly, on the weekend, GGH management abandoned its give-away plan and seemed willing – even eager – to honor the aforementioned 10 December agreement. By Tuesday, 6 January, GAIN and GGH representatives had worked out a plan to relieve overcrowding at the GAIN animal shelter and form the basis for legitimate adoption/relocation processing for all animals recovered by GAIN and those remaining at the GGH kennels. Animals would be incrementally staged for immunization, dental work, sterilization and medical evaluation through the GAIN shelter and returned to the GGH kennels, from which GAIN would arrange for them to be further staged in increments of 3 or 4 to stateside locations.
On Tuesday, 6 January, two significant events occurred. GAIN representatives were allowed to begin the process that could eventually lead to relocation and/or legitimate local adoption of the previously committed 60 animals. They were not provided access to the kennels as promised, but took temporary custody of dogs brought to the parking lot by handlers. As for the second significant event, GGH management resumed their plan to give away the 44 dogs still in their custody beginning on 10 January, the following weekend. Additionally, GGH management was adamant that the 44 animals to be ‘adopted’ (given away) from the track not be sterilized. Why? Was there a hidden agenda? Did it involve distribution of dogs to allegedly “prescreened” new owners who intended to breed them, with GGH aware of and complicit in that?
It was by now obvious to all, including members of some 300 greyhound advocacy groups across the nation that something must be done quickly to forestall the next round of greyhound giveaways. GAIN volunteers and animal advocates worldwide again invoked the power of the Internet and news media to focus public attention on the looming crisis. Photos of abused and starving greyhounds recovered by GAIN were distributed globally, provoking a predictably intense response. Animal advocacy groups worldwide, including the Humane Society of the United States , besieged Guam politicians and GGH management and ownership with pleas to put a halt to actions that could only result in further animal endangerment. Local media carried the story as well, with graphic depictions of the abuse visited upon some of the recovered greyhounds. The Internet was aflame with commentary and criticism of the GGH plan.
The level of exposure for GGH and its parent company, Bridge Capital LLC was intense and persuasive. On the morning of 9 January, one day before phase two of the greyhound giveaway was to take place, we learned that an agreement had been reached among national greyhound advocacy groups, GGH management, Bridge Capital LLC and others that caused the plan to be abandoned. This was welcome news indeed, gratifying to those of us who had worked so hard for so long to make it happen.
As these events unfolded literally hundreds of people on the far side of the Pacific Ocean gathered money, shipping crates and influence that extended to the US Congress and Presidential Cabinet, while locally GAIN management, employees and volunteers worked at preparing up to 160 or more greyhounds for relocation. There were rumors of an impending investigation and/or legislative oversight hearing involving GGH, the Department of Agriculture and the Territorial Veterinarian.
As the Guam greyhound story became known through media attention across the nation and the globe, GAIN staff and volunteers in Guam worked to begin relocation of recovered animals to rescue groups in the Mainland. Generous donations from organizations across the nation allowed us to send the dogs to local veterinarians for sterilization, immunizations, dental work and other medical needs. Susan Netboy of California ’s Greyhound Protection League negotiated an arrangement with Continental Airlines for a substantial discount on shipping fees, and the first shipment of two greyhounds departed Guam on 12 January 2009, bound for Los Angeles
By the end of January the medical work for all of the greyhounds under GAIN control and all of those reportedly under GGH control was complete except for those still not sufficiently recovered to tolerate the surgery. GAIN still had not been granted access to the track kennels and no historical, medical or other documentation had been made available. Regular shipments of two to four animals continued two or three times weekly. By 3 February 27 greyhounds had been shipped to California
By May the initial rescue and recovery rate of approximately one per day had slowed to a trickle, though many animals from GGH ‘adoptions’ in late November and early December remained unaccounted for. There was no information on who took custody of more than 100 animals reportedly given away. We know that many were neglected and mistreated, and addressed each case individually as we found them. Some we found too late -- dead from starvation, dehydration and mishap -- and there were certainly others never found.
As of 30 June 2009 there were no more greyhounds awaiting shipment. Beginning with that first two-dog shipment on 12 January, 151 greyhounds had been relocated from Guam . One went to Hawaii ; two to Japan ; 27 to the US East Coast (Boston ’s Greyhound Friends by way of Greys4Ever in Newark ); and 121 to Home Stretch Greys in the Los Angeles
The total cost of the Guam Greyhound Rescue Project won’t be known for some time, but currently exceeds $190,000. It couldn’t have happened without unfaltering support from folks like Susan Netboy, president of California Berlin , Lexus and Annie – departed Guam and arrived safely in California
That’s the Guam greyhound rescue story so far. It’s replete with uplifting and heartbreaking chapters, and with numbers that changed daily as we welcomed new arrivals and bid tearful farewell to those leaving us on their long journey across the Pacific. Their story, and the relentless determination of so many on both sides to see it through, will end only when the last Guam greyhound has a new and caring ‘forever’ home.
Dave Davis
6/13/10
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