Keinbah owners respond to investigation findings
THE current owners of the Keinbah Trial Track, Robert and Natina Howard, have expressed a sense of relief after it was announced on Wednesday an independent investigation into allegations of a mass grave on the property had been finalised.
Led by Clive Steirn SC, the investigation found at least 99 greyhounds had been killed and buried on the site between 2009 and 2013, prior to the property being purchased by the Howards.
Rumours of a mass grave at Keinbah led to two investigations by Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) in 2014 and 2015, neither of which found evidence of a mass grave at the property.
However, last year greyhound remains were discovered when equipment, which was being used for fencing at the time, sunk into the ground and revealed a number of bones.
Following the discovery, GRNSW appointed Mr Steirn SC to head an independent investigation into the matter.
“It is with some relief that the investigation into the Keinbah Trial Track has been released today,” the Howards said in a media release.
“Over the last year the industry has embrace(d) change. Nothing matters more to us that tham the welfare of our dogs and the Integrity of our industry.
“We have not been issued with the final investigation report so there’s nothing we can comment on any further on this matter.
“But we would like to say stop blaming the 95% of the industry for the government’s failings.”
GRNSW is yet to make the report from the investigation available to the public, announcing in a statement the case had been handed to law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies to determine whether the report discloses any criminal offences.
Also speaking out on the Keinbah case was Brenton Scott, the CEO of the NSW Greyhound Breeders Owners and Trainers Association (GBOTA). Scott stated that although the findings of the investigation were saddening, the industry is committed to reform.
“The findings are a great disappointment and confirm that the greyhound industry has had issues that must be, and are being, confronted,” Scott said.
“The death of any greyhound, without proper reason, is unacceptable and the industry must continue to maintain a position of zero tolerance. Any position less than this is part of our past, it is not part of our future.
“The Keinbah investigation does reinforce the industry’s commitment to total accountability during the past 18 months.
“The independent investigation released today represents the third inquiry, each of which materialised as a result of greyhound racing participant complaints. This commitment to the investigation reinforces a level of openness and transparency which is critical to the change journey the industry is on.
“The greyhound racing industry has changed and will continue to change to absolutely ensure all participants act in a manner that meets community expectations in relation to the welfare of animals.”
I see that this event is over three years ago. There have been changes and solid new regulations brought into play. How does that affect today’s findings and why do we continually have to answer for the past. We are evolving and the industry is new, fresh and strong. Why are we allowing a radical activist party with a few followers destroy the livilhood, the passion and the industry that is Greyhound Racing.
If the industry is so committed to change, why does the Stewards report show a greyhound is dead, but GRV and GRNSW databases show the greyhound as merely retired. Still trying to paper over the cracks I see. Nothing but complete transparency is required, and while the industry still actively tries to hide deaths of greyhounds, it will bring about its own death.
DaveSampson75 This is one inconsistency- you figured out the dog had died it was easily done, it must be if you could find it. Why are you so convinced this one incident is a huge cover up -could it have have been a clerical error. As your said all the dog people are stupid and lack intelligence. It might be a cover up if they had all claimed the dog was retired but the stewards had reported it. Another “Ernie” Why do you want to know this greyhound is dead what you actually care about it? No you just want to use… Read more »
Deborah555 DaveSampson75 How about we make a dare out of it, if I can produce say another … lets say 5 dogs in the next 24 hours which I can prove have died, but the database states as merely retired, you have to say on here ‘GBOTA are run by a bunch of numpties and I can’t believe they still have their jobs.’ … if I lose I’ll say ‘GBOTA are brilliant and Brenton Scott in particular is knowledgable and doesn’t at all look like a union heavy.’ Agreed?
DaveSampson75 Deborah555 179 dogs have already been recorded as having died while racing- the special commission has put that in the public domain. If the data bases are inaccurate that is not GBOTA’s responsibility, that is the responsibility of the government run boards. These government run boards don’t love greyhounds. These men love the betting turnover and their well paid jobs with super, they don’t care it goes to the wall as long as they are appointed to another board, It is the owners and trainers who care about them. What you think they would have seriously given a shit if I told them all my… Read more »
Deborah555 DaveSampson75 I still say your wasting your time Deborah, these people are brainwashed.
lone widow Deborah555 DaveSampson75 (This is not about you Dave) I read this site every day and only when Baird and his buddies decided he could run a dictatorship I thought I might start commenting. Bad enough when he flogged off the electricity generation assets- I have just simply had enough of ooogles and linney and now the clown who has joined the show, pollies who were appointed rather than elected and know claiming to love greyhounds because next time they might actually need some votes (I have assured one particular one it has nothing to do with her cultural or religious… Read more »
Dave Sampson,, no one of any consequence cares what you think, so be a good boy and piss off
Brenton Scott has less credibility than you Dave, so kindly remove yourself, you Neville
Todman Haha, so you like me even more than Brenton Scott …. ouch!!! I feel bad for Brenton now.
Todman Come now Todman …. thats not entirely true, I was speaking with an official from GRV just yesterday and he seemed to respect and agree with what I had to say to him about certain matters relating to GRV and GRNSW.
DaveSampson75 Todman What those liars and hiders of facts, those ignorant stupid greyhound people seem to respect and agree with you. He was just being polite. I will give send them a copy of your posts from here you might not get quite the same reception next time.
DaveSampson75 Todman don’t be ridiculous Dave we like Brenton Scott we just put up with you because we have not got the administrator’s pass word to this site to block you.
Why are we arguing this point it’s not the activists that have the industry in this position it’s the participants albeit a minority, with a board that regulates numbers and ensures that people are kept honest there is a stigma around these activists that they don’t breathe the same air sure your seeing things you don’t want to see and the balance of opinion relates to the bastards of the industry but to keep the industry you have to be accountable you have to relate and you have to ensure that the next time someone calls out the industry you… Read more »
Tremaly Hear Hear Tremaly!. Well said
No mention of the previous owners, the Pullams?
Dezzey That’s a bit below the belt isn’t it? Why do you think the current owners were so co-operative Dezzey (aside from the fact that they would have had no choice if they wanted to retain their licenses. They wanted the dogs found so they could not be blamed sometime further down the track ( I have no issue with that) but I have an issue when some-one starts putting people’s names in the public domain before any -one has been found guilty of anything.
Deborah555 Hi Deborah, I only ask because the Australian newspaper ran a story about them this morning.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/index.html?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&mode=premium&dest=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/dog-dynastys-land-gives-up-greyhound-kill-pit/news-story/cb44d6c8ad3d1ec8f28bfaf73c9b8259&memtype=registered
Dezzey Deborah555 That’s okay Dezzey, I was just a bit concerned that more people will be tried in the court of public opinion while Baird drip feeds the public with what had already been admitted and as I have said it is not an offence to shoot a dog if you have a licensed weapon.