Cockyaleg

More appropriate ways to state your opinion, I agree. But you also need to check your behaviour. I have read your posts and you are very comfortable denigrating those you don't agree with. Quotes: "low life wanker", "bigger muppets", "low life scum", "mongrels", and references to parentage. And I would like to correct your assessment of greyhound racing. The sport is not in the shit as you so eloquently put it because of... The sport is in crisis because some individuals put personal profit above all else and are happy to sacrifice the sport's participants to get it. The sport is "in the shit" because some have no moral or ethical fibre, no concern for welfare. The sport is "in the shit" because some have no conscience. You should think long and hard about that last sentence.

Posting for interest sake. On October 1, 2018 a raft of new animal welfare laws came into effect. There have been several successful prosecutions since. This link is to a case that resulted in the defendant being issued with a lifetime animal ownership ban. Cruelty in any form is a criminal offense, the maximum penalty being jail time. These prosecutions send out a clear message, engage and the law will come down hard. Cruelty for pecuniary gain is a confinement offense at the top end of the scale. Anyone in our industry who thinks such action is OK should be banned for life, the penalties should mirror statute law. There is no room for excuses. https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/112905838/huntly-man-banned-for-life-from-owning-animals-after-botched-tail-dock?cid=facebook.post&fbclid=IwAR2KAArFLyUxSm6RVVxU3Ois0vCPG40rc6Ogn5bYa5IT9N9E2Ud2czeiick

It is time to let the club system go. It is time to look seriously at centralisation. It is time to eliminate all conflicts of interest. It is time to overhaul nomination criteria. It is time to review field composition. It is time to sort the crap out once and for all. No club employee should have ties to any kennel. No club board should be allowed to align themselves with any kennel. Raceday management should be totally independent. The whole system needs to be overhauled. The fire that now burns brightly in the CD is fueled by many sources. But it is not just confined to the CD, smoke rises across the country. The model is failing.

The photos will all see the light of day soon enough. Releasing the rest now would only harm the participants and the SPCA case. The narcissists at the heart of this debacle cannot be allowed an out because those watching lack patience. Let the SPCA do their job. Of concern. A kennel that has been found guilty of three positives and was treated very leniently by the system only to produce a 4th. A kennel that was brazenly strutting their stuff in the name of team Cole on Friday night. A kennel who has transferred all their dogs to other trainers. A kennel that has allegedly said they refuse to pay the original fine. Another kick in the guts for participants. The rift just gets bigger. I feel sick watching the industry unravel. Why is this behaviour allowed to continue? That action was raising the finger to you all.

As you have declared your involvement with breeding, what hereditary medical data do you possess prior to looking at potential matings? And do you follow up with the dogs you have bred after they have retired? Are you aware of the post-racing medical history of all your dogs?

Thank you, I am well aware of what this study is about. My point and there was one is this: No reliable breeding data has ever been kept by the GRNZ. The anecdotal evidence from retired racer owners shows a marked increase in disease across the board, cancers top the list, pannus also high. If breeding data was taken seriously, patterns would have emerged which should have been investigated much earlier. The information would have pointed to possible causes, ie, genes, nutrition, toxins, etc, then the risk could have been managed, eliminated. Now in the case of pannus which is thought to be linked to genetics. People will say it's just pannus, it can be easily managed. Not a great selling point when rehoming dogs to the public. You are passing on a life long cost to someone who believed they were adopting a sound dog. Why would you breed dogs with a known risk of contracting the disease? There is a bigger picture here.

These statistics need to be notified, collated, logged, and studied. Then and only then can lines be accurately identified to eliminate gene disorders and diseases from future breeding. The GRNZ should have begun data collection years ago. Also, rehoming agencies need to be brought into line. Accurate retirement records would identify disease which manifests after retirement from the track. Types of cancer, diabetes, coronary, blindness, etc. Together the data would give an accurate picture of why and how. At present large breeders may be compounding the problem by being allowed multiple litters to the same bitches. If sires are responsible for genetic failures, then those culpable need to be identified and retired.

I included the information as Yankiwi stated "This is the first time of heard about this being a problem." There may be others that are also unaware of the part genetics plays in canine blindness.

Further to the above, 5 toxins known to cause canine blindness. NOTE: Ivermectin is first on the list. https://www.aspcapro.org/resource/shelter-health-poison-control/five-toxins-can-cause-blindness

For anyone interested in inherited retinal disease. Purebreds appear to have a much higher risk. This is a clinical conversation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4480793/

That's where the majority of his patients are. The two largest rehoming agencies are in the CD. They take in greys from all over the country for rehoming. So greys rehomed here could be from other areas. The study will be done close to him for convenience. He is the only specialist who has bothered to accumulate data. There is no available data from other regions so you cannot conclude the Manawatu has a higher incidence than anywhere else. You are reading more into the advisory then is stated. A

Yankiwi, Craig Irving is the eye specialist in Palmerston North so the majority of his patients are in the lower North Island. Through his practice, he identified a prevalence of blindness in greys. Having spoken to a number of retired grey owners seen, there are many possible causes. Worming is one. To say this is a CD only problem is misleading. There is no data available from other areas. The CD will become a stand-alone study which could be followed on in other regions later. Please give them a chance to identify the causes before jumping to conclusions. There may well be some merit in what you are saying, but right now there is no proof what so ever.

This is a big concern MM and needs to be taken seriously as you say. There has been anecdotal evidence that links blindness with worming drenches not specific to dogs, and not worming correctly during puppy rearing. I would be very keen to follow researchers progress. I hope they can identify the causes quickly.

Thank you Bettingman. I did know Karen has never bred a litter. Interesting. Do you know why the model was changed, ie was it not successful, industry changes, etc? I vaguely remember "Thrilling dogs" filling fields similar to the "Bigtime dogs" now and that would definitely have been prior to 2012. The partnership has monopolised the strike-rate stats over the past 6 years, no denying that.

Likely to be an admin error. Four litter mates qualified last week.

I'm really not sure what that comment means? 2010 was 8 plus years ago. I assume there was a change in the business model?

I don't believe anyone is slighting other trainers or the condition of their dogs. Rather, they are praising her care, consistency, and overall presentation. Both dogs and staff presentation is immaculate. Many trainers present their dogs in pristine condition, but only one has produced a dog who has broken 25s. Also, the dog was bred and reared at her property and will be rehomed at the end of his career. This post is a great example of what greyhound racing should be all about. Love, care, and pride. There are a few participants that could well take lessons. There has been little to celebrate of late, again, well done to Karen and her team.

That is an outstanding effort, well done Karen and team.

I get that you are angry and protective. Here's the kicker, the people in the photos will be identified in court. Hard copies were taken to the races. There is no mistaking who the persons are. If anyone is putting their faith in someone else's lawyer to escape exposure, they seriously should think again. The house of cards will collapse, the challenge, will anyone survive? The time to act is rapidly diminishing, once the door closes, there is no coming back.

I agree with you as would 90% of licence holders in the sport. There is currently a ministerial review of racing's present structure including the racing police. LP's have reported face to face conversation have already taken place. I would say without hesitation most would be seeking sweeping changes across the board. The present system has brought us to this point due to abject failures on many levels. The legalities surrounding the SPCA's prosecution have raised a number of questions. The lessons weren't learned following the Australian fiasco, that is a major concern. I think for me the most disappointing behaviour is that those in power failed to keep their participants safe. All are feeling the effects, the uncertainty, the implications. It is possible the sport could be used as a bargaining chip in the country's next general election. There should have been a robust plan in place to deal with this situation immediately. The kennel, including trainer and all staff employed at the time, should have had their licenses revoked when the charges were laid. The SPCA does not bring cases to court it believes it will not win. To my knowledge, they have never lost a case. If I was one of those involved, I would be fearful. The sport needs to come down hard, the warning needs to be powerful. You engage, you are done! If found guilty the sport should seize all property, assets, and animals to recoup illegally earned stakes, and the ban should be for life.

WOW! Remember this, you wrote it; "FACT.Coles been charged with nothing. FACT.You say a bison and a rabbit were likely killed. FACT.No charges laid. FACT.Your full of it." How ridiculously inane can you be? No one has the right to place in jeopardy the livelihood of an entire industry to serve himself. His actions have the potential to end the sport in this country. You seem to be totally OK with that and deserve no respect for your posts. In the business world "monopolies" are frond upon. Business is highly regulated to eliminate dishonest practices and promote healthy competition. Healthy competition and consumer confidence have all but disappeared. The potential to rort the system under this present business model has also been identified by those in power. Your blind support for someone who has been charged with a criminal offense is sickening. Even the staff abandoned ship en masse. The majority of participants are now fighting for their lives through no fault of their own. Pull your head in!

Nothing compared to the nastiness she dishes out at the track. Often seen laughing when other trainers dogs get hurt, can't contain her delight. The smart arse comments roll easily off her tongue, chip off the old block. Totally unnecessary behaviour and far from endearing.

He's not even a trainer, just a handler. They couldn't even get that right.

LOL. Bob is making excuses for these charges by claiming there was allegedly another case a few years ago. Because that alleged complaint didn't result in charges, this one shouldn't either. The logic of that argument escapes me. Name the alleged offender Bob, it's never too late.

I understand the first line of your paragraph. As for the rest well, jealous? how does that work? I very much doubt anyone wants to be facing criminal charges for live baiting, so jealous, no. This disagreement you speak of, who is this ONE all-powerful person? And your last sentence is irrelevant. I get the feeling you are comfortable with live baiting which is a big worry, as that action isn't just against racing rules, it is also a criminal offense which carries a possible jail sentence. So, Bob, this is as bad as it can possibly get. From a racing viewpoint, no one is enamoured by a trainer who uses illegal practices to gain an unfair advantage over their competitors. It is called cheating. From a public perspective, the situation is totally unacceptable and could result in the revocation of our public license. I don't think you have the necessary faculties to realise the gravity of what is about to unfold. But good on you for sticking up for your mate.