Friday, August 21, 2009

Friday Hound Blogging

A while back we took a trip down to West Virginia to visit the overlords and learn about advanced track management and dog training techniques. We were particularly impressed with the bet on the race after it's over handicapping method, although it might explain why people who like gambling aren't coming out to the tracks so much.

Anyway, we thought this week we'd pop back down and take a closer look at the high degree of care and compassion the overlords have for the units...er...the dogs. You know, like they're always telling us they do.
In late 2008 we received a packet of information that contained reports, memos and e-mails between WV owner-breeder Dean Miner of "Miner Racing Team" and Kansas owner-breeders Vince and Lance Berland. Together they formed a WV kennel company on August 28th, 2003, known as "Flying Eagles - Miner." Miner lives in Wheeling WV. In fact, the information came from one of their own employee’s.
Oh good. Now we'll get a chance to see first hand how decisions are made for the care of these dogs. As the overlords say, greyhounds are professional athletes after all, and to give them anything but the best care would be ludicrous given the investment they represent, right Dean Miner, Lance & Vince Berland?
Here is one of those e-mails…. Sent, January 26th, 2008 at 20:39:14 from Dean Miner to Lance Berland... .

"Lance: We’ve gotten killed in the last 10 days. Flying McGrath sprained a hock winning AA. Maloy broke a hock last week. Tarragon a hock tonight…done…euthanasia. Flying Ace and Flat Out Harley; Kay Dancemaker broke bones in his foot. Doves Augustus off limping today in AA."

On Sunday January 27th, 2008 at 11:005 PM came the reply from Lance Berland....

"As far as the injuries, five of those dogs are older and they are all males… Put them down if they cant be expected to return to racing….."
There, see? Proof positive that everything the overlords tell us about the commitment they have to he dogs and the responsibility they feel to make sure they're given the best of care is true. Well, except for that part about killing them when they can't make any more money part, but no program is perfect.

Hey, athletes are athletes right? And athletes get injured in any sport. Now it's true we wouldn't kill Eli Manning if he broke his leg, but at least while the dogs are competing their accommodations are first rate.
Greyhounds are constantly on the road being hauled across the US. Over the years, there have been too many hauling accidents to mention here. Not only are greyhounds killed and injured when any hauler has wrecked, but also maimed, killed and become deathly sick while being shipped to and from racetracks, breeding and training. Some locations they are hauled to aren’t on any map or racetrack brochure you will find. One such place, is a secluded training farm for pups that uses "live bait." It is in Oklahoma. Many well known owner - breeders in West Virginia send their dogs for the 4 to 6 week boot camp, depending on how long it takes to instill the killer instinct needed for racing. Training a dog to routinely chase down a defenseless animal and maul it to death can take some time.

WV State Senator Mike Green has been in the senate since 2006 and the greyhound industry since at least 1998, has used this trusted location with his former racing partner Harvey Maupin. Maupin, is also the Vice President of the WV Greyhound Breeders Association. Senator Green and Maupin ran"Green-Maupin Kennel" until 2008. How do we know this, Maupin said so.

How could these high profile owner-breeders trust that their dogs would be illegally trained with live bait, and in complete secrecy? Because, the man doing the training has more to lose then anyone if he is found out. Sam R. Burdette, President of the WV Greyhound Association & the 2009 Vice President of the National Greyhound Association is that trainer.
Oh come on now. Those are some pretty serious allegation laid against some of the most prominent citizens of the state. You can't just go around spreading malicious rumors like that without proof. How do you know this?
How do we know this? Maupin admitted to it. And, this author spoke to Burdette in Oklahoma in 2008. At the same time, longtime trainer-owner Paul Carbenou and Greyhound Racing expert and consultant Don Dodd, also confirmed it was occurring in 2008. Even though the Green-Maupin Kennels in WV had their own training farm, they couldn't use live bait there because of laws against it, and Senator Green’s image and reputation.
Oh. Well, ah...that's...uh...that's hard to argue with, huh Wilma?

Wilma is very sweet, outgoing and loving. She will push her chin against your leg and look up at you for attention. She is very happy and likes to give hugs. She loves to give hugs. Her ears stand straight up and she has a stunningly shiny coat. She likes to play with toys and shake them around. She has also fetched toys. Wilma would do well in a working family home with another dog to keep her company or as an only dog in a home that has someone home more often. She is good with other dogs and would probably be good with well-mannered children, 8 and up. For more information about this dog, and other rescued racing greyhounds looking for homes, go here. If you don't know about the plight of racing greyhounds go here.

Editor's Note: I'd like to step out of character here, and say that I make fun of these people because it's the only way I can get my mind around the callousness, unspeakable cruelty and depravity in which these people live every day of their despicable lives. I truly wonder if they are actually human beings.

People like Christine Dorchak, Susan Netboy and the authors of the piece quoted above, Jack Swint and Sam Webber are to be commended for having the courage to go into this dark, terrible jungle and fight to save innocent lives.

There is far and away more than enough cruelty and meaningless death in this world. As Mr. Swint says, greyhound racing is one example of inhumanity that we have the power to stop. Not everyone can be a world leader, or an ambassador for peace, but each of us can make a difference for a dog suffering silently under the abuse of people like Miner, Berland, Green, Maupin and Burdette.

Just writing those names makes me feel dirty. Let's clear our palates with another pooch looking for a forever couch. Meet Alex:

Alex is very sweet and he likes affectionate. He is a little timid and is reluctant to approach for pets, but loves to receive pets. He will come up to you for a treat. He is playful. He likes to play with the family’s greyhound. Alex would do well in a working family home with well-mannered children, 5 and up. He is good with other dogs, and would probably do better in a home with another dog that will help him through his shyness.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great story IM!

To read the article written by Jack Swint, please go to: http://www.westvirginianews.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

YOU ROCK!

Anonymous said...

It is so shocking and so barbaric, what do these guys do when the lights go off?
They should all be neutered, lobotomized, and amputated.
Something tells me it probably would just be better to put them in laboratories and let the scientists experiment on their sick, twisted, "units".
(That includes their wives and children over 18.)

Anonymous said...

Well, if that's the best West Virginia can do, no wonder tourism is on the skids.

Anonymous said...

If I see one more stupid grin from that other inbred glutton, MIKE GREEN, I am going to scream!
Mike.....You don't even have a face "a mother could love."

Anonymous said...

I like your Blog Ironicus Maximus. But sometimes, it just gets too depressing.
I'm with you but can't somebody do something with these guys that have done worse than Mike Vick? ( At the very least, MIke never pretended to be protecting anything.)
If the NGA VP gets away with this, what does it truly say about the NGA?

Michelle Young Cuenant

Anonymous said...

The NGA is out to KILL GREYHOUNDS.
That is what it says about the NGA.

SAM BURDETTE, EARL RAY TOMBLIN, MIKE GREEN all of WEST VIRGINIA, and whoever else using these submissive GREYHOUNDS to death, literally, shall eventually end up in jail due to it .
But how much longer until we are able stop the CHAPMANVILLE KILLING FIELDS OF WEST VIRGINIA?
You have heard the author...there is even worse going on in OKLAHOMA.

ANIMAL ABUSERS AND KILLERS ARE THE BEGINNINGS OF RAPISTS, BATTERIES AND MURDERS.

Anonymous said...

You know what is beautiful? All these crooks are now having to watch Ironicus Maximus and Jack for their next move.
Way to go IM and Swint! Your pens are indeed mightier than their DOPE.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic story once again!
Keep kicking - ass!

Anonymous said...

"Senator Green's image and reputation"?

He is a racist.(see Jewish vet letter)
He probably has huge sympathies with white leaners to the KKK (lots of militants up there)
He is an obvious killer of Greyhounds and partakes in the cruelty and mutilations of live animals.
(Mike Vick has probably killed 1% of what Mike Green has killed and tortured)
Say that again?
Mike Green has an "image and reputation"?
Ya, so what's stopping him?
Nothing.

Anonymous said...

Is there a HUMANE SOCIETY of WEST VIRGINIA?
They have had a story about a cat or a dog they needed a home for.
Are you kidding up there or what?
We all know you have no balls. How about BRAINS?

Anonymous said...

BOOYAH!

Anonymous said...

Unbelievable is a word too tame but I am frozen from the inaction of Government and West Virginia.
Shameful, cowardly and repulsive.

Anonymous said...

So someone please tell me why this torture is allowed to continue to these beautifull animals. Where is main stream media? Oh, thats right. They are probably at the track making bets on the dogs.

Anonymous said...

The media has either been bought out by FOX NEWS or they are off in Tuscany, "reporting" smoked cheeses.

Greytdog said...

What the article doesn't mention is that the track veterinarians are complicit in the lack of treatment of these great dogs. And that the American Veterinary Association turns the other way while its members willfully engage in veterinary malpractice & abuse. The racing industry doesn't treat these dogs like athletes but like cannon fodder. And adoption groups maintain their silence because the industry has told them to shut up or lose access to the dogs.

Anonymous said...

Well...check out Friends of Greyhounds, Fort Lauderdale, May 28...some are truly trying to help.
The blog is the only one I know where you can get info. Hundreds have quit the "neutral" blogs who continue the suffering of these beautiful creatures by either covering up or being ruled viciously by these mobster race tracks.
More time and newspaper articles need to show outright, like Jack Swint's, the greed and ruthlessness of these crimes at their utter worst. Shame America with these truths.
These thugs are made of stone.

Unknown said...

I would like to learn more about what happens at the facility in OK.
banlivebaitdogtraining@yahoo.com

West Virginia News said...

We are looking for information to write a story on the involvement of any veterinarian’s involvement in…

“Track veterinarians are complicit in the lack of treatment of these great dogs. And that the American Veterinary Association turns the other way while its members willfully engage in veterinary malpractice & abuse.”

Please e-mail us at: WestVirginiaNews@gmail.com

Your personal information will be kept private.

Thanks in advance

Jack Swint
Publisher
WV News

Anonymous said...

Something brewing on Jack Swints website for Monday at 2pm.

http://westvirginianews.blogspot.com/2009/08/special-report-mans-best-friend-to-end.html

Anonymous said...

SO MANY OF US HAVE BEEN INTIMIDATED BY JOHN PARKER, ALABAMA-TEXAS, ON THE GREYHOUND LISTS, WE WANT TO KNOW WHY HE IS SO FEROCIOUS WHEN WE SPEAK UP?

Anonymous said...

it is obvious that he has much more going on with Greyhounds than he admits.
Why would anyone bother anybody about their opinions on the cruelty of GREYHOUND RACING? JOHN PARKER SUPPOSEDLY LOVES GREYHOUNDS?
Where are you now, John Parker? Why are you not condemning these extremely bad people?
You are friends of Greyhounds or friends of theirs?

Anonymous said...

Are you kidding? JOHN PARKER, is probably the most involved EVER of hiding facts and of being the bull whip guy to gather in the herd.
FEAR FACTOR rules with JOHN PARKER!
(about the same as STFU)

James said...

These "people" make me ill. Thanks for what you do to expose them. And, cute hounds you've got up today.

Jim Davies said...

New Story On WV News on Greyhounds. Very Enlightning To Say The Least

http://www.westvirginianews.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

On Jack Swints latest story on WV greyhound racing, he includes the e-mail addresses to all of the state law-makers, the governor and racing commission.

If people will bombard those lawmakers e-mails something will happen....At least they will know how people feel, and or it could overload their server and that to will send the word just how many are pissed.

As he says, "It just takes one honest politician to get the ball rolling... or a bunch of crooked ones that get bombarded with e-mails day in and day out from everyone concerned about the greyhounds being tortured and killed. If enough people keep at them, they will have to concede and stop racing in WV."

http://www.westvirginianews.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Well, I have just emailed a huge friend in Colorado who has about a 1,000 people on Facebook who love dogs, period.

GOOD LUCK WEST VIRGINIA!