Greyhound Park CEO admits to ‘skirting the law,’ allowing injections banned by South Tucson
CREATED Aug. 27, 2012
A 9 On Your Side Investigation reveals that Greyhound Park operators have found away around South Tucson’s law banning steroid injections of racing dogs — by doing it blocks away in Tucson.
When approached as he was injecting the dogs, veterinarian Dr. Joe Robinson told our cameras what he was doing is ethical, but declined to explain further.
Greyhound Park CEO Tom Taylor admitted to skirting the law and said he had no qualms about doing what the people of South Tucson don’t want.
Councilman Steve Kozachik wants to ban the steroid injections in Tucson and Pima County.
Reporter: Claire Doan
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) –
Homeowner: “You can’t read the sign?”
Reporter Claire Doan: “We just want to know what you guys are doing here.”
Homeowner: “No, I want you to read the sign!”
Before we tell you why we went undercover and got kicked off this property, let’s hit rewind – back to where this story really starts at Greyhound Park in South Tucson. It’s where nearly 700 dogs rage for everyday track betting and simulcasting at the only such track in Arizona.
But something else is going here on here that you don’t know about – something one animal rights activist feels is shady.
“Everybody has been turning a blind eye to this – the legislature, the city of South Tucson, the track vets and the state veterinarian,” said Jamie Massey, the founder of Tucson Dog Protection.
The voters of Tucson passed an ordinance in 2008, making it illegal to inject female greyhounds with anabolic steroids. That’s what the track did for years, to stop dogs from going into heat and getting sidelined.
“The track doesn’t want to make any effort to comply with the steroid law,” Massey said.
So what did the track do instead? Well, that’s what KGUN9 News went to check out. So we waited in a non-descript van with our cameras rolling. Low and behold, at 6 o’clock in the morning, a truck loaded with dozens of dogs arrives on an empty street.
Veterinarian Dr. Joe Robinson gets to work right away, administering injections, which are perfectly legal in Tucson.
Doan: Mr. Robinson? Can we talk to you guys about what you’re doing here?
Dr. Robinson: It’s none of your business.
Doan: Is it ethical, what you’re doing?
Dr. Robinson: Yes, it is ethical.
Doan: How so?
Dr. Robinson: You’re involving yourself in a doctor client privilege – it’s none of your business.
But some of those people who are in the same business don’t agree with Robinson. More than 100 local veterinarians signed this petition to outlaw steroids in South Tucson. Councilman Steve Kozachik is no fan of this practice either and has harsh words for Robinson.
“I think the guy is really unethical. I think he’s a slime bag. And I want to run him out of the state,” Kozachik said.
Here’s why Kozachik and other dog lovers are concerned. The Medical Director of the Humane Society of Southern Arizona said such steroid injections can cause serious side effects.
“Most commonly, it can affect the liver and cause swelling of the liver and also hepatitis,” said Dr. Karter Neal.
Long term, Neal said steroids can inhibit the dog’s immune system or cause birth defects like hermaphroditism.
After capturing video of the injections, 9 On Your Side tracked down Greyhound Park’s CEO Tom Taylor. He admitted the dogs were receiving steroids in Tucson that had been banned in South Tucson.
Doan: Some people would say that by traveling 5 miles or so that you’re simply skirting the law of South Tucson.
Taylor: I am.
Doan: So you blatantly admit that?
Taylor: Yeah, I’d break the law if I did it here. And by doing it there I’m not breaking the law.
Doan: And you have no qualms about it?
Taylor: Not at all.
Taylor allowed our cameras to shoot the greyhounds’ kennels – what he calls “perfect conditions” for the pooches – and insists that animal rights activist are wrong in wanting greyhounds to be treated like people.
“There are no health effects [of steroids] on the dogs as long as the dogs are given the proper quantity,” Taylor said.
But Kozachik feels South Tucson banned these injections for a good reason.
“Now it’s up to the city of Tucson residents and the Tucson governing body to say it’s just as illegal and just as unethical in the city of Tucson,” Kozachik said.
Kozachik and other activists believe anyone who thinks the steroid injections are harmless is running from the truth.
To be clear, by injecting the dogs in Tucson, neither the track nor the Robinson is doing anything illegal.
Whether it’s ethical is a matter of opinion. The ethical code for veterinarians calls for them to promote animal welfare and ease suffering.
Along with banning the steroids in Tucson, Kozachik also wants to ban the practice in Pima County. We asked Taylor what he would do if those bans are successful. He said he would shut down Greyhound Park, costing 140 people their jobs.
