Andrew Johnson disqualified over death & treatment of greyhounds

ON Sunday (RQ) conducted an into the circumstances surrounding the death of the greyhound Gold Plated, a winner of three races from 33 starts, at the Bouldercombe property of her trainer, Andrew Johnson.

On March 1, 2016, IRU Officers visited Johnson's property after RQ received information that Gold Plated had died on February 26, 2016, after having a barking muzzle applied by Johnson before he departed that morning.

IRU Officers initially interviews Johnson and then contacted the to seek assistance to have the body of the greyhound exhumed to allow for an autopsy to be performed.

Subsequent tests found that cause of death was hard to ascertain, but that a snake bite or heat stress may have been plausible.

At the RQ inquiry Johnson advised he had applied barking muzzles to 15 greyhounds on his property prior to leaving at 7:30am in the morning, returning late that afternoon. Weather Bureau records indicated that the temperature in on February 26, 2016, had risen to 35 degrees celsius.

IRU Officers reports also identified other deficiencies around the property in regards to the condition of his greyhounds and the property itself, with Johnson being slapped with a notice to attend to the identified issues.

Further evidence at the inquiry was also presented via telephone link, with Chris Tory, the owner of Gold Plated, advising RQ Stewards that Johnson's son had contacted him late on February 26, 2016, to advise that the greyhound had died of a twisted bowel, however this cause of death was ruled out by the aforementioned autopsy on the greyhound.

After considering the situation, RQ Stewards charged Johnson with a breach of GAR 106(2) in that, on February 26, he subjected the greyhounds in his care to unnecessary pain and suffering when he applied barking muzzles them and left them unsupervised for a significant period of time which likely caused the death of GOLD PLATED.

Johnson pleaded guilty to the charge and was subsequently disqualified for a period of two years.

Darren Taylor fined and given suspended sentence

faced a RQ Inquiry after a urine sample taken from his greyhound, What Magic, showed the presence of the prohibited substance , a relatively specific β-adrenergic blocking agent and has effects on the cardiovascular system of the greyhound, prior to it competing at on September 20, 2015.

Taylor was charged with a breach of GAR 83(2)(a) which reads:

“The owner, trainer or person in charge of a greyhound nominated to compete in an event shall present the greyhound free of any prohibited substance.”

Taylor pleaded not guilty, but was lated found guilty as charged. He was subsequently fined the sum of $5,000, while RQ Stewards also suspended his trainer's licence for six months, which was wholly suspended for two years on the condition that Taylor does not come before stewards on any other prohibited substance matter during that time.

What Magic was also disqualified from the event in question, with placings amended accordingly.

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Stripey Joe
Stripey Joe
7 years ago

Please can someone explain how have your licence suspension suspended is a punishment?  What a farce, no wonder the public has no confidence in the industry – and as for the idiot with the anti barking muzzle, what point of dogs breathe through their mouths doesn’t he get?  Shocking, it shows the calibre of the people involved in racing,  Why didnt the RSPCA bring a prosecution for crueltly against him?

MareeMitchell
MareeMitchell
7 years ago

Please help me understand why these monsters are not punished accordingly. Do you blame those of us (that have adopted greyhounds) hating the entire industry so much whe there are so many that mistreat these beautiful dogs. How many more greyhounds need to suffer horrific injuries on tracks? How many more greyhounds need to die in horrible ways due to lack of care before something is done.
For the record greyhounds rarely bark so why did they need to be muzzled with those disgusting anti bark contraptions?

Stripey Joe
Stripey Joe
7 years ago

Actually, Maree Mitchell, Greyhounds in racing kennels bark all the time, a reflection of thei stressful barren environment they live in. Hence the anti barking muzzles, which I believe GRNSW have banned but not GRQLD.

savingwilma
savingwilma
7 years ago

And you wonder why these beautiful dogs start dropping dead once they’re adopted.. can’t be all the illegal drugs that have been pumped into them their whole racing career can it.. ? sigh.  How much damage to their insides are these drugs doing..?  Almost not a day goes by when there is not someone up on a positive drugs swab.. poor bloody dogs.  Makes me sick.

Dezzey
Dezzey
7 years ago

Wow. NZ know how to do it.  

Prominent greyhound owner David Scott has been banned from the sport for 11 years after pleaded guilty to attempts to administer performing enhancing substances to his dogs.
Scott, 45, of Wellington, was fined $5000 for each charge – $10,000 in total. He also has to pay $5500 in costs to the Racing Integrity Unit (RIO) IU and $7500 in costs to the Judicial Control Authority.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/racing/79033575/greyhound-racing-nz-board-member-david-scott-pleads-guilty-to-charges

Tony Davis 333
Tony Davis 333
7 years ago

So given the majority of trainers feed their dogs better than you would have fed your kids, given the majority of trainers would look after their dogs better than you would have looked after your kids, does that make you a disgraceful parent ? Yes your right probably. Do you really need to hijack these posts ? Half the time the cases are not what they seem. The above doesn’t look any good ant they will get their sentence. But if you don’t know the facts it’s a bit hard to comment. You don’t see us greyhound people hijacking left… Read more »

Stripey Joe
Stripey Joe
7 years ago

Half the time the cases are not what they seem?  Really, and why is that?  I am commnenting on an article in an industry publication that is meant to be the facts.  The public are the people that are going to close this industry down not the “left wing loopy weirdo forums”;  you all seem to forget that you need a social licence to run so called “sports” like greyhound racing, and yours has expired.  You really don’t help yourselves with stuff like this that happens with monotonous regularity.  As for the ‘better than you look after your kids” yep… Read more »

another growler
another growler
7 years ago

You are an idiot stripe brain and obviously know nothing about greyhounds. Once emptied out and or exercised, and fed greys will go to bed and you will not heat boo out of them till its next time for an empty or feeding. Clown take your dribble remarks elsewhere

Todman
Todman
7 years ago

I wonder how you are smart enough to breathe let alone write Stripey Joe you are a troll and you should be banned from commenting on something you have no idea about, another vegan with a crippled mind.

Stripey Joe
Stripey Joe
7 years ago

another growler Thanks for your very considered remarks.  Sounds like you have never been to a race meeting. If greys never bark why were his wearing anti barking muzzles?  Just some weird form of torture?  It gets worse

Stripey Joe
Stripey Joe
7 years ago

Todman Thanks for your reply.  Obviously the poor greyhound in the story was not smart enough to breathe either.  Or his trainer was not smart enough to keep him breathing.

Some Kiwis Care
Some Kiwis Care
7 years ago

Dezzey –

GeoffWilson
GeoffWilson
7 years ago

Stripey Joe Todman Greyhound racing will be around when we are all dead and buried. The Anti’s cannot stop it, never will.

Stripey Joe
Stripey Joe
7 years ago

Please can someone explain how have your licence suspension suspended is a punishment?  What a farce, no wonder the public has no confidence in the industry – and as for the idiot with the anti barking muzzle, what point of dogs breathe through their mouths doesn’t he get?  Shocking, it shows the calibre of the people involved in racing,  Why didnt the RSPCA bring a prosecution for crueltly against him?

MareeMitchell
MareeMitchell
7 years ago

Please help me understand why these monsters are not punished accordingly. Do you blame those of us (that have adopted greyhounds) hating the entire industry so much whe there are so many that mistreat these beautiful dogs. How many more greyhounds need to suffer horrific injuries on tracks? How many more greyhounds need to die in horrible ways due to lack of care before something is done.

For the record greyhounds rarely bark so why did they need to be muzzled with those disgusting anti bark contraptions?

Dezzey
Dezzey
7 years ago

Stripey Joe @mareemitchell  

Don’t waste your time asking questions. Unless it’s about money, no one will comment. 

Stripey Joe
Stripey Joe
7 years ago

Actually, Maree Mitchell, Greyhounds in racing kennels bark all the time, a reflection of thei stressful barren environment they live in. Hence the anti barking muzzles, which I believe GRNSW have banned but not GRQLD. Just another shameful episode, funny how regularly they appear considering there are only meant to be a few bad apples. Beginning to look like the whole orchard

savingwilma
savingwilma
7 years ago

And you wonder why these beautiful dogs start dropping dead once they’re adopted.. can’t be all the illegal drugs that have been pumped into them their whole racing career can it.. ? sigh.  How much damage to their insides are these drugs doing..?  Almost not a day goes by when there is not someone up on a positive drugs swab.. poor bloody dogs.  Makes me sick. 

Dezzey
Dezzey
7 years ago

Wow. NZ know how to do it.  

Prominent greyhound owner David Scott has been banned from the sport for 11 years after pleaded guilty to attempts to administer performing enhancing substances to his dogs.

Scott, 45, of Wellington, was fined for each charge – ,000 in total. He also has to pay in costs to the Racing Integrity Unit (RIO) IU and in costs to the Judicial Control Authority.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/racing/79033575/Greyhound-Racing-NZ-board-member-David-Scott-pleads-guilty-to-charges

Tony Davis 333
Tony Davis 333
7 years ago

So given the majority of trainers feed their dogs better than you would have fed your kids, given the majority of trainers would look after their dogs better than you would have looked after your kids, does that make you a disgraceful parent ? Yes your right probably. Do you really need to hijack these posts ? Half the time the cases are not what they seem. The above doesn’t look any good ant they will get their sentence. But if you don’t know the facts it’s a bit hard to comment. You don’t see us greyhound people hijacking left… Read more »

Stripey Joe
Stripey Joe
7 years ago

Half the time the cases are not what they seem?  Really, and why is that?  I am commnenting on an article in an industry publication that is meant to be the facts.  The public are the people that are going to close this industry down not the “left wing loopy weirdo forums”;  you all seem to forget that you need a social licence to run so called “sports” like greyhound racing, and yours has expired.  You really don’t help yourselves with stuff like this that happens with monotonous regularity.  As for the ‘better than you look after your kids” yep… Read more »

another growler
another growler
7 years ago

You are an idiot stripe brain and obviously know nothing about greyhounds. Once emptied out and or exercised, and fed greys will go to bed and you will not heat boo out of them till its next time for an empty or feeding. Clown take your dribble remarks elsewhere

Todman
Todman
7 years ago

I wonder how you are smart enough to breathe let alone write Stripey Joe you are a troll and you should be banned from commenting on something you have no idea about, another vegan with a crippled mind.

Stripey Joe
Stripey Joe
7 years ago

another growler Thanks for your very considered remarks.  Sounds like you have never been to a race meeting. If greys never bark why were his wearing anti barking muzzles?  Just some weird form of torture?  It gets worse

Stripey Joe
Stripey Joe
7 years ago

Todman Thanks for your reply.  Obviously the poor greyhound in the story was not smart enough to breathe either.  Or his trainer was not smart enough to keep him breathing.  

Some Kiwis Care
Some Kiwis Care
7 years ago

Dezzey
Don’t think we’re that good, Dezzey.  The prominent greyhound owner was on the  Greyhound Racing New Zealand Board.   When this issue first surfaced (November 2015), several of David Scott’s dogs were transferred to the name of one T F Valentic. Up until that time Mr Valentic has been barred from attending race meetings and was not allowed on Greyhound Racing property.  To add to this, Mr Valentic is married to the GAP Kennel Manager in the Central Districts.

GeoffWilson
GeoffWilson
7 years ago

Stripey Joe Todman Greyhound racing will be around when we are all dead and buried. The Anti’s cannot stop it, never will.