6:26 PM Tue, Jul 25, 2006 | Permalink
Jane Smith
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I've gotten a few emails from viewers about the Greyhound story I broke on Monday, July 24th, so I thought I'd let you know how the story unfolded.
I got an annonymous tip from a viewer that 35 dogs died from the heat over the weekend in Eagle Creek. The caller wanted to know why the media didn't know about this. At first, it sounded like a possible cover up.
Once I started investigating, I began to realize it was a series of unfortunate events that lead to the tragedy.
The owners of Washburn Kennel went to a family reunion at the coast Friday, leaving 52 dogs at their kennel. It was the first time they left the dogs for longer than an afternoon in 10 years. Most of the greyhounds were being cooled off by an air conditioner. But with temperatures in the triple digits that day, the a/c unit quit working, sadly 34 of the dogs died. Another had to be put down the next day.
The family had a worker checking on the dogs. The greyhounds were left alone for six hours. The veternarian who put down 35th dog tells me they died from heat exhaustion in about an hour.
She says it probably wouldn't have made a difference if the family had been home.
The owner tells me he checked the air conditioner and cleaned it before they left for the reunion. His wife also says she bought the unit for their house, but decided to put in the kennel so her "babies" could be comfortable. The family is distraught. I don't think the impact of the dog's deaths has sunk in.
The Oregon Racing Commission is investigating, but says there was no wrong doing. It considers the deaths an accident. A deputy with Clackamas County Sheriff's Office went to the house Friday night, but left after the Commission said it was accidental.
The kennel owners have a great reputation for breeding greyhounds. They've been in the business for 20 years.
They say even though they make their livlihood from breeding dogs, those Greyhounds were their friends.
While I understand the outrage many of you feel that 35 dogs are dead, from my observation, it is the family who is truly heartbroken.
Were these greyhounds being bred for racing? Or was this a retired racer's kennel for adoption?
I was heartbroken to hear of the deaths of these poor dogs. While I understand that these folks are normally reputable, in no way shape or form should that dogs be left unattended in this heat, as anything can happen. This is their business and livelihood, and if there was any lesson to be learned in this, it is to check your animals often when extreme heat occurs. I am sorry they are hurting, but one has to realize that when you are caretakers of anything, animal or human, steps must be taken to ensure their safety. Someone should have been left in charge of the dogs while the owners were away. And I am hopeful by this unfortunate and tragic lesson they will think twice before doing this again. Those animals suffered for an hour, and that is simply unacceptable. If the dogs truly were their 'babies', more steps would have been taken.
I agree with you. The heat was an unusual event, something that the family could not plan ahead for too much in advance. They are not to blame, and you did fine with your report. I was concerned for myn own cats and dog. I used fans and a/c to protect all of us, as well as had a lot of shade to work with in my yard.
The video of the kennel contributes to the potential outrage over this story. Small cages stacked in a room that on the news looks dim, dank and rundown. Even without the tragedy, a story on this facility might raise eyebrows. Talk of the dogs being family doesn't quite jibe with the video of their grim surroundings. If this is a first-class facility, that isn't being conveyed in the footage we're seeing.