Live-baiting saga update: Tom Noble to fight cruelty charges
TOM Noble, the Queensland greyhound trainer at the centre of the live-baiting saga, will fight the charges of alleged animal cruelty he is up against.
A taskforce established to investigate live-baiting within the QLD greyhound industry has slapped the 68-year-old with seven counts of serious animal cruelty charges.
Noble's lawyer, Daniel Hannay, said his client intended to fight the allegations made against him following on from the Four Corners program which used secret surveillance cameras set up around Noble's private Karrabin-based trial track to expose the alleged use of live animals tied on the lure to teach greyhounds to chase.
“We are fundamentally denying the allegations,” Mr Hannay said.
Noble appeared in front of the Ipswich Magistrates Court on Tuesday and was granted bail.
Noble is one of five greyhound trainers from across Queensland who have been warned off for life by Racing Queensland following the damning footage in the ABC program.
IN MORE media news, Channel Ten's The Project aired a story on Monday night addressing the issues of re-homing and wastage within the greyhound industry. The program featured interviews with Animals Australia's Lyn White, Emma Haswell from Brightside Farm Sanctuary and philanthropist, Jan Cameron.
Throughout the program, Haswell declared some massive figures in regards to the number of greyhounds allegedly put to sleep each year.
“We're killing at least 18,000 beautiful healthy young greyhounds every year in Australia,” Haswell said.
Cameron, a businesswoman who was reportedly once Australia's fourth richest woman, is hoping to team up with Animals Australia to “rehabilitate hundreds of discarded dogs at her 250-hectare farm in Dysart, Tasmania.”
However, it has been said they would need funding from the authority bodies to make it happen.
“The concept is that Animals Australia would run the property and see to the daily workings of the property…and we would require a financial commitment from the industry to set up the infrastructure that is required,” White explained.
CEO of Greyhounds Australasia Scott Parker released a statement in response to the claims brought forward in the show.
“The industry has reduced breeding numbers by over 50 percent across the country since 1975 when over 36,000 greyhounds were whelped. Now, less than 18,000 are whelped a year,” the statement read.
The program reported 18,000 dogs were put down each year, which is a startling claim given Greyhound Australasia's official figures show there is less than that being born each year.
IN NEW South Wales, Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) has clarified its current position on arm trials. Greyhounds Australasia has drafted new national rules which dictate that participants can only use artificial or synthetic lures during the training, education or preparation of a racing greyhound. These rules are expected to be in force by next week.
Additionally, GRNSW have advised all race clubs to stop staging finish on lure trials until further notice.
NEW rules have also been put in place in South Australia, with Greyhound Racing SA (GRSA) updating its Local Rules which are expected to be implemented in the next couple of weeks.
The rules which have been updated are LR79(SA) and LR99(SA) and are outlined below:
LR79(SA)
Any person found guilty of a breach of these Rules shall be liable to –
(a) a fine not exceeding $20000 for any one (1) offence other than a breach of LR99(SA);
(b) suspension; and/or
(c) disqualification; and/or
(d) cancellation of registration; and/or
(e) warn off.
LR99(SA)
(1) A person who –
(a) uses in connection with greyhound racing or training for greyhound racing any species of bird or animal which is alive, whether as a lure or to excite a greyhound or otherwise; or
(b) has possession on, or brings on to, any grounds or premises or within the boundaries of a registered address or any property within which a greyhound trial track or racecourse is situated any such bird or animal which might reasonably be capable of being so used; or
(c) allows a greyhound for the purpose of training for greyhound racing to pursue or attack any live bird or animal or animal carcass; or
(d) is in any way directly or indirectly involved in conduct as set out at (a), (b) or (c) above; or
(e) aids, abets, counsels or procures conduct as set out at (a), (b) or c) above
(f) is convicted in a Court for the use of or having a live bird or animal for any purposes connected with greyhound racing, shall be disqualified for a period of not less than 10 years and fined a sum not exceeding fifty thousand (50,000) dollars.
(2) A person who witnesses conduct as set out at (1)(a), (1) (b) and 1(c) above but fails to report that conduct to the Stewards as soon as reasonably practicable shall be disqualified for a period of not less than 5 years and/or fined a sum not exceeding twentythousand (20,000) dollars.
(3) Where an offence contrary to the Rule occurs on any ground under the control or management of a Club that Club shall proceed against the offender, and in default the registration of that Club may be cancelled, either for a specified period or permanently, and the Club may be fined pursuant to these Rules.
(4) Where an offence contrary to the Rule occurs on any ground under the control or management of the licensee or manager of a greyhound trial track the registration of the track and of any person concerned with the management of that track may be cancelled, either for a specified period or permanently, and any such person may be fined pursuant to these Rules.
(5) Any person penalised in relation to this Rule, shall not be entitled to make any future applications for licence to the Controlling Body or to be an owner of any registered greyhound.
(6) A person shall not be in breach of this rule where the animal or bird is kept on or at the premises as a domesticated pet with notification to and approval from the Controlling Body or where the bird or animal is kept for rural or agricultural purposes with notification to and approval from the Controlling Body. For the purpose of this subclause notification must be in the manner and form required by the Controlling Body for this exclusion to apply.
Go to hell Tom Noble and rot there for what you have done to our industry and those poor defenceless animals tied to the lure.
Grnsw wanna stop all finish on trials for the time Being ? Idiots hope they don’t ping dogs for failing to chase or fighting let alone hope for young dogs in pre training to actually make it since they won’t have any idea what there doing.
Never meet tom noble…but good luck…..
A month ago animal aust was calling for the end of the industry because of a few bad eggs now they want a hand out from us bit hypocritical isn’t it an if Jan Cameron was the 4th richest women in aust why whould they need industry funding
grsa rules are interesting
No need to swear, but I wonder if you have seen halal meat murdered? Or chickens, pigs beef killed for normal human consumption ?
Go to hell Tom Noble and rot there for what you have done to our industry and those poor defenceless animals tied to the lure.
Grnsw wanna stop all finish on trials for the time Being ? Idiots hope they don’t ping dogs for failing to chase or fighting let alone hope for young dogs in pre training to actually make it since they won’t have any idea what there doing.
Never meet tom noble…but good luck…..
A month ago animal aust was calling for the end of the industry because of a few bad eggs now they want a hand out from us bit hypocritical isn’t it an if Jan Cameron was the 4th richest women in aust why whould they need industry funding
grsa rules are interesting
good luck when he is in gaol, hope the grub gets what he deserves the fucking scum
No need to swear, but I wonder if you have seen halal meat murdered? Or chickens, pigs beef killed for normal human consumption ?