Karyn’s Corner

The year 2016 was extraordinarily hectic for SA Greys. In 2016, Tucson Greyhound Park ended live racing on June 25. Unlike Phoenix Greyhound Park that closed for no reason in December 2009, TGP ended live racing through a legislative process on the state level. GREY2K hired a lobbyist to push it through and the Animal Defense League of Arizona, SPEAK, and other advocates near and far helped. On May 7, 2016, HB 2127 sponsored by J.D. Mesnard (R) passed with 28 ayes and two who did not vote. Then Gov. Ducey signed it into law on May 16, 2016.

According to their Arizona Department of Racing license, it was mandatory for dogs to race 100 days in a calendar year, so June 24 was the end date but a race day cancelled by rain postponed the end of live racing to June 25. TGP saw the handwriting on the wall and starting in April 2016, Renee Bennett and Taryn Westergaard worked closely with TGP kennel operators, the adoption group GPA-AZ, and the NGA (National Greyhound Association) to identify and place hounds that were ready to retire.

SA Greys created and maintained a database and website of descriptions and photos of available hounds. Adoption groups in Arizona, Texas, Idaho, New Mexico and California welcomed 80 TGP hounds into their homes. Seventeen additional hounds were selected and moved to other groups. Since April, SA Greys had brought in 15 hounds; four of which had a broken hock or toe.

In total there were 450 hounds at the track, 252 went to adoption groups and the remainder went to race at other tracks. SA Greys took in 51 hounds, 18 of which were Jackie’s Fund dogs! The last hound left TGP on July 3, 2016. The late Mary Freeman wrote a grant, which garnered $25,000 from PetSmart.

Steve Machtley was SA Greys’ president from 2015-2016. Steve started as a volunteer doing meet-and-greets and transports. At the time, he didn’t already have a greyhound but fell in love with Picasso at a meet-and-greet and while others were interested in this 85-pound red brindle with a white tail, Steve got first dibs and adopted him. Picasso lived to 12 1/2.

Moly (pictured) was one of the many dogs that needed a home when TGP was ending live racing. The name Moly came about when SA Greys ran a “Name a Dog” fundraiser and Moly was named after the shiny, silvery metal Molybdenum that is mined in Arizona. The petite 53 pound hound with the racing name Keeper True was a brown/red brindle with a silvery sheen and a blue nose who was adopted by Sean Martinez. Moly lived a wonderful life filled with love and adventures; she passed in April 2026.

More about what transpired in 2016 will appear in the July newsletter. Feel free to mosey over to my Facebook page Karyn Loves Dogs as I will be posting more dogs from TGP during this time plus the most outrageous fundraiser ever. If you think I missed anything or want to be interviewed, please email communications@sagreys.org  Thank you