Report on Greyhound Injuries in Arkansas - Grey2K USA

SECTION 1
Introduction
Between 2004 and 2012, GREY2K USA submitted multiple public information requests to the Arkansas
Racing Commission requesting data on greyhound injuries. In February 2012 the state released
preliminary data, covering January 2008 through December 2008. For this period, we received full
page reports for each individual injury sustained by a racing greyhound.
Two months later, GREY2K USA received additional 2009-2012 injury data. For the period of
September 2009 through March 2012, however, we were not provided full page reports for each
individual injury. Instead, we received summary spreadsheets. Unlike the actual injury reports received
for 2008 and part of 2009, these spreadsheets did not list the cause of the injury or any medical
treatments provided to the greyhounds. These spreadsheets also did not specify whether or not dogs
were “retired from racing” 7 or euthanized. A third series of summary spreadsheets was obtained by
the Arkansas Times for its June 20 article on Southland. 8 A sample of the different injury report forms
can be seen in Appendix A.
Additionally, it is worth noting that the number of reported injuries is far greater for the time period in
which actual injury reports were provided than for the period in which only a spreadsheet is available.
For example, the spreadsheets report no injuries for the month of November 2010, instead asserting
that “no injuries seen or reported to me for the month.” 9 In total we received 182 injury reports for
2008, 101 reports for 2009, 58 reports for 2010, 88 reports for 2011, and 47 reports for 2012 (January
through June).
According to legal counsel for the Arkansas Racing Commission, this represents “all of the injury
reports that exist in the files of the Arkansas Racing Commission or its Veterinarian.” 10
7 Ibid.
8 Leslie Newell Peacock, Greyhounds put in harm’s way so racino can prosper, Arkansas Times, June 20, 2012.
9 Injuries 2010 spreadsheet from the Arkansas Racing Commission.
10 ARC Outside Council, Byron Freeland, letter to GREY2K USA dated March 30, 2012 (on file with the author).
Greyhound Racing in Arkansas 2