Authorities in Baldwin County, Alabama arrested three more
people on felony animal cruelty charges on November 7 in
connection with nearly 2,000 greyhounds found shot to death in
May on an 18-acre property in Lillian, Alabama. The town is
just across the state line from Florida, where more than a
third of the greyhound race tracks in the United States are
located.
All three people arrested were based in Florida. They are
Ursula O'Donnell, who was arrested at Melbourne Greyhound Park
in Melbourne, Florida; Paul Discolo, Jr., who was arrested at
Ebro Greyhound Park in Chipley, Florida; and John W. Smith, who
was arrested in Marathon, Florida.
The total number of arrests now stands at four. Back in May,
authorities also charged Robert Rhodes, 68, with three separate
felonies. Rhodes admitted he was paid $10 a dog to kill
thousands of greyhounds since the 1960s, using a .22-caliber
pistol to shoot the animals in the head. At the time, Rhodes
claimed ignorance about any laws concerning humane euthanasia
of animals.
The method used to kill the dogs in Lillian has
animal-protection advocates and investigators alike wondering
how much the animals suffered before death. Investigators said
that some dogs may not have died instantly and could have been
struggling for survival in a corpse-laden pit where they were
thrown after being shot. According to an Associated Press story
dated November 8, investigators believe the dogs were shipped
from greyhound tracks across Florida to Pensacola, located
across the state line from Lillian, where Rhodes would pick
them up.
"We commend the prosecutors and investigators for following
up on their initial arrest, and pursuing this matter across
state lines. This situation appears to be a conspiracy,
originating from Florida and ending in Alabama, and we look
forward to an aggressive prosecution of these charges and a
meaningful sentence, including prison time, for all who are
found guilty," said Brian Sodergren, an issues specialist with
The Humane Society of the United States.
"For years, the greyhound racing industry has vehemently
denied its involvement in the disposal of unwanted animals, but
this case would appear to blow the lid off their claims,"
Sodergren added. "The only way to put an end to the killing of
greyhounds is to put an end to greyhound racing."
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 race 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 survival despite dwindling
attendance and revenue. In the past decade, 16 tracks have
either closed or stopped hosting live racing.
"The public knows this so-called 'sport' is nothing more
than exploitation and cruelty to man's best friend, which is
why the tracks keep losing customers and continue to ask for
government handouts," says Sodergren. "It's time lawmakers stop
the tax break, stop the handouts, and listen to the will of the
people. Greyhound racing must end."
