The bones could be seen in aerial photographs, scattered about
the 18-acre property. On closer inspection, authorities found
the buried remains of an estimated 3,000 animals, including
hundreds of greyhounds who had been shot and then
unceremoniously tossed, some while possibly still alive, into
their makeshift graves.
The remains were discovered Tuesday, May 21, in Lillian,
Alabama, after investigators were tipped off that dogs from the
Pensacola Greyhound Park in Florida were allegedly taken across
state lines and improperly destroyed.
"It's like a Dachau for dogs," said David Whetstone, the
district attorney for Baldwin County, Alabama. "This is like
the very same thing we saw in World War II, except it applies
to animals. These people deem certain dogs unworthy of life
just because they are slow or crippled or no longer
wanted."
Authorities on Wednesday, May, 22, charged Robert Rhodes,
68, with three separate felonies related to the investigation.
Each felony conviction carries a prison sentence of one to ten
years. Authorities are also looking into other misdemeanor
charges for animal cruelty and health violations because Rhodes
allegedly collected dead cows and horses to feed the
greyhounds. Rhodes operated a racing greyhound kennel on his
property.
After a search warrant was served Tuesday, Whetstone said
investigators unearthed 40 dogs who appeared to have been
recently executed. A veterinarian autopsied four dogs and
concluded that three of them had been shot in the neck and
mouth, places that would not cause instant death.
"We don't know how long they may have suffered, or if they
were alive when they were buried," Whetstone told The HSUS in a
telephone interview. "We're going to pursue it hard."
Whetstone said they will work with authorities in Florida to
go after anyone there who was involved in the mass killings.
"The people involved circumvented both Florida and Alabama
state law so that they could find the cheapest method of
disposal for these dogs, no matter how cruel," he said.
Rhodes, who has been in the greyhound racing business since
the 1960s, has admitted to killing the dogs. In fact, he has
told other sources that he's been killing them for the past 40
years, but he contends he didn't know it was illegal.
"I guess now there are laws against it, but I haven't read
those books, and so I don't know," Rhodes told the Pensacola
News-Journal. "But I'm learning. . .I don't see how it's any
crueler to shoot a dog with a gun than [to use] a needle."
The Humane Society of the United States is calling for a
complete investigation and is offering assistance to the
district attorney, if needed.
"The greyhound racing industry has vehemently denied their
involvement in the disposal of unwanted animals for years,"
said Brian Sodergren, an issues specialist for companion
animals for The HSUS. "This case offers the best opportunity
yet to investigate potential ties between the industry and the
cruel and illegal killing of greyhound dogs. The HSUS strongly
urges Florida and Alabama officials to investigate connections
between these dead dogs and area dog kennels, dog tracks and
track operators."
The greyhound industry breeds tens of thousands of dogs
every year. While some race for several years, many more aren't
fast enough to compete. A small percentage of greyhounds are
adopted, but many more are killed, sold for research, or sent
to overseas tracks where conditions are far worse than in the
United States. In 2000, an estimated 19,000 greyhounds were
killed.
Of 46 greyhound racing tracks operating in 15 states,
Florida is home to more than a third of them. Seven states have
bans on live greyhound racing, yet in the states where
greyhound racing exists, a strong lobby ensures its continued
survival despite dwindling attendance and revenue. In the past
decade, 16 tracks have either closed or stopped hosting live
racing.
Cases of alleged abuse within the greyhound industry also
surfaced this week in Iowa and Oregon. While these cases are
not anywhere near the scale of the Alabama case, they shed
light into the cruelty inherent in greyhound racing.
