VICTORIES

2004

Successful Lobbying Defeats Bill to Incriminate Trainers in New Hampshire

GRA successfully lobbyed in New Hampshire to educate the Governor about the paperwork and costs involved with trying to incriminate trainers for  recording injuries from minor toenail breaks to muscle strains.  The Governor saw through this legislation as a method for the animal-rights groups to gather data for their propaganda campaigns and realized that it would cost the state money, hurt the racing industry and cost the state jobs.

2003

GRA/America Approved Adoption Program (GAAP)

GRA launched its revolutionary program which will bring supplier discounts to all approved groups, as well as for the lifetime of the retired greyhound,  for medical supplies, wormers, and more!

GRA/America Adoption Directory

The first of its kind, this online directory not only lists the contact information for America's adoption groups, but it also includes valuable feedback and information for racing owners pertaining to the groups political affiliation and attitude towards the greyhound racing industry.

GRA/America seeks probe into funds distribution

The Greyhound Racing Association of America (GRA/America) lodged an objection to the disbursal of grants by the Massachusetts Greyhound Care and Adoption Council on Wednesday (Jan. 15). The objection was presented in a letter sent to Massachusetts State Attorney General Tom Reilly by GRA/President Ron Hevener. The Council overseas a trust fund funded by Greyhound purse money to help finance Greyhound adoptions. Hevener alleged that the Council violated a requirement which says, "The council shall authorize no expenditure to any entity that either promotes or opposes dog racing or has either promoted or opposed dog racing in the past." Citing grants exceeding a quarter of a million dollars, Hevener pointed out that fully 68 percent of money intended for unbiased adoption groups was instead diverted into anti-racing hands. "We have sireied the organizations which have received these funds and find the overwhelming majority of this money has gone to groups that are not only anti-racing, but very possibly contributors to (or have received donations from) organizations known by the FBI as domestic terrorists," Hevener wrote to the attorney general. Suggesting blatant conflicts of interest and misappropriation of funds, as well as possible collusion and conspiracy to commit fraud, Hevener issued the following statement to the national press. "The people of Massachusetts should be applauded for creating a special trust fund for the care of their retiring Greyhound athletes," he said. "The idea of contributing a percentage of racing purses for the welfare of our Greyhounds is a wise and noble one, respected by tens of thousands of racing fans. "On behalf of our members, The Greyhound Racing Association of America would like to thank the state of Massachusetts for initiating this noble gesture for our beautiful racing dogs. It is a great responsibility administering such funds. It is also quite a temptation. "This is a blatant slap in the face against our sport, our fans and our whole industry. It's common knowledge that anti-racing organizations are not allowed to receive these funds," Hevener said. "And yet they have been awarded $184,597 in grants from a Council infiltrated by members of notorious anti-racing groups. To say we are concerned about such a lack of financial integrity when it comes to a legitimate American sport such as ours is more than an understatement. "Greyhound racing and its proud fans are experiencing a revival," Hevener said. "We're on our way to becoming the cleanest sport in America." Claiming to have ample information to support its allegations, GRA/America has asked the Attorney General's Office for a formal investigation into why the majority of funds were granted to organizations opposed to racing and for a nationwide apology to the sport of Greyhound racing itself.

ARTICLE: Greyhound Racing Association Files Complaint Over Funding of Anti-Racing Groups

Tuesday, March 18, 2003

The Greyhound Racing Association of America filed a complaint in January with the Massachusetts Attorney General complaining about how a group that receives a state grant related to greyhound racing dispenses that money. In 2002 the Massachusetts legislature created a special fund to give grants to groups that encourage the adoption of greyhounds after they are no longer used for racing. The fund was created as part of a bill that expanded simulcasting of races on Massachusetts four greyhound racing tracks. The Greyhound Racing Association of America charges that rather than giving the money to groups promoting adoption, the Greyhound Care and Adoption Council is instead giving the money to groups actively opposed to greyhound racing. Greyhound Racing Association of America president Ron Hevener told The Taunton Gazette that two-thirds of the money dispensed by Massachusetts Greyhound Care goes to "anti-racing" groups. According to Hevener, It is a blatant conflict of interest and misappropriation of funds, as well as possible collusion and conspiracy to commit fraud. Diane Baedeker, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture, which administers the fund on behalf of the Greyhound Care and Adoption Council, told the Taunton Gazette, "We're confident that we followed all proper procedures."

Source: Greyhound Association cries foul over grant allocation. Susan Weinstein, Taunton Gazette, January 19, 2003. 

Racing Greyhound Insider

GRA helped sponsor an industry-wide greyhound racing publication.  This publication was an overwhelming success and improvements are being made.