Media release – Office of Racing Integrity, Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, 21 April 2022

Investigation Report – Injury and Management of Greyhound – Tah Bernard

The investigation into the injury and subsequent management of greyhound Tah Bernard has concluded, and the Director of Racing has today released a report in relation to the incident.

The investigation found that the actions of the trainer did not breach the provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 1993, or the animal welfare provisions of the Greyhound Australasia Rules.

The extensive investigation has been conducted by the Office of Racing Integrity in conjunction with RSPCA Tasmania.

In response to the circumstances of the incident, the Director of Racing made two recommendations:

  • That there must be a veterinary surgeon present at all race meetings and official greyhound club trial events or alternatively procured in a manner that provides for immediate on-track attendance in the event of an injury
  • That Tasracing and the Office of Racing Integrity review all local rules, animal welfare guidelines and associated documents related to euthanasia and treatment of injuries to ensure that they are clear, concise and non-contradictory – and that they clearly identify the roles and responsibilities of participants.

The Director referred one matter to the Stewards for determination – this was in respect of the administration to the greyhound of medication that was prescribed to another animal.

The Stewards decision is released concurrently with this report.

The investigation was instigated in November 2021, following the Office of Racing Integrity receiving a complaint in relation to the management of an injured greyhound by a prominent Launceston greyhound trainer.

The scope of the investigation was to:

  • Identify all circumstances relating to the injury, treatment and subsequent euthanasia of the greyhound, Tah Bernard;
  • Identify any shortcomings in the treatment and standard of care of the greyhound – and if necessary, refer those to any other appropriate body; and
  • Identify any opportunities to improve processes and ensure that animals are treated with care and dignity.

The investigation report can be found at: https://nre.tas.gov.au/racing/about-the-office-of-racing-integrity/media-releases

INVESTIGATION REPORT – INJURY AND MANAGEMENT OF GREYHOUND – TAH BERNARD

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Meeting community expectations regarding the appropriate treatment of racing animals before, during and after their racing days is critical in maintaining the ‘social licence’ for racing.

Allegations of animal cruelty involving racing participants are a critical risk to the industry and therefore must be investigated and dealt with appropriately and with transparency.

The Rules of Racing and provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 1993 are clear, and racing participants are provided with guidance in relation to expectations when they receive their first licence and regularly throughout their involvement in the industry.

On 23 November 2021, an incident occurred at the Mowbray greyhound racing track, where an unraced greyhound, Tah Bernard, suffered an injury to its lower right foreleg. The event was a club trials event that was not attended by a veterinary surgeon – unlike formal race events.

The trainer of the greyhound took the animal to a nearby veterinary clinic for treatment. He subsequently left the clinic without receiving treatment – the reasons for this are considered in this report.

After leaving the first clinic, the trainer immediately sought veterinary treatment at several other veterinary clinics around Launceston but was unsuccessful. Following this, he took the greyhound home where he administered pain relieving medication to the greyhound. The medication was not specifically prescribed for this animal.

Later that evening, the trainer arranged for a local veterinary surgeon to assess the greyhound the following morning. The veterinary surgeon attended on the morning of 24 November 2021 and following the consultation, the greyhound was euthanised.

The incident and the management of the greyhound in the 12 hours post-injury is the subject of this investigation report.

Based on the information gathered, it was determined by RSPCA Tasmania and Biosecurity Tasmania that there was not sufficient evidence to warrant referring the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions in respect to a breach of the Animal Welfare Act 1993.

An assessment of the facts was considered by the Stewards to determine if any of the circumstances warranted the issue of a charge under the Rules of Racing.

One matter was deemed to warrant a Steward’s Inquiry. This related to the administration of medication to the greyhound that was prescribed for another animal.

The Stewards Inquiry found that the trainer’s actions in administering medication that was not prescribed for the animal was strictly against the Rules of Racing. This could be considered a perverse outcome, considering that if the trainer had not done so, and in the absence of any other action, he could potentially have been the subject of charges under the Animal Welfare Act 1993. A penalty, appropriate in the view of the panel, has been applied for this offence.

Incidents such as this cause damage to the reputation of greyhound racing and risk a decreased acceptance of greyhound racing within the community. It is therefore important to gain an appreciation of the points in the chronology where different circumstances may have improved the management of the injury.

There were several factors that led to this incident: the fact that there was no veterinary surgeon at the track during the trials which caused a need for the trainer to attend the public waiting area of the veterinary clinic – and the decision of the trainer to leave the veterinary clinic was the catalyst for this incident.

In interview, the trainer has provided an explanation for that decision.

He stated that he left to de-escalate a situation in the clinic. The trainer claimed that he felt an element of anxiety given the content of the discussions in the clinic where a person suggested that the dog should be surrendered.

Irrespective of the reason, the decision was in hindsight, a poor one given the circumstances that have now played out.

This report includes two recommendations:

• That there must be a veterinary surgeon present at all race meetings and official greyhound club trial events or alternatively procured in a manner that provides for immediate on-track attendance in the event of an injury.

• That Tasracing and the Office of Racing Integrity review all local rules, animal welfare guidelines and associated documents related to euthanasia and treatment of injuries to ensure that they are clear, concise and non-contradictory – and that they clearly identify the roles and responsibilities of participants.

Read the full report: https://nre.tas.gov.au/Documents/FINAL%20Investigation%20Report%20Tah%20Bernard.pdf