A Colorado dog handler is under investigation for the disappearance of 185 retired greyhound racing dogs.
According to the Arizona Department of Racing, Richard Favreau, a licensed dog handler from Calhan, CO, contracted with the Tucson Greyhound Park to put 192 retired greyhounds up for adoption in Colorado earlier this year. The park manager, Chris McConnell, paid Favreau $150 for each dog, a total of $28,800, which is more than double the average handling fee of $60 to farm out retired racing dogs.
But only 7 of the dogs have been accounted for. They were put into homes through the Colorado Greyhound Adoption, said volunteer president Rick Bender.
“We found homes for almost 30, but when we went to Favreau for more dogs, he said they were gone,” Bender said. “These dogs are very trackable. They have tattoos in both ears and a documented history. If they’re around, you can find them.”
Favreau could not be reached for comment. Two of his telephone numbers were disconnected and a third never answered.
Favreau told investigators some of the dogs were adopted, some were returned to their owners and some were his, according to Gary Guccione, executive director of the National Greyhound Association, the national registry for all things involving greyhounds.
The Board of Stewards for the Arizona Department of Racing questioned Favreau on Oct. 4, and concluded he was “unable to provide verifiable information about the whereabouts of approximately 192 greyhounds.” The stewards suspended his license, fined him and recommended that he be banned from the greyhound business.
Jeffrey Gonsher, director of the Arizona Racing Commission and to whom the stewards report, said his investigators are still attempting to locate the dogs.
“The department of racing is very concerned about these dogs,” he said. “This should not happen.”
Dan Hartman, director of the Colorado Division of Racing Events, said his investigators assisted Arizona, even visiting Favreau’s kennel in Calhan, which didn’t have any dogs at the time.
“I don’t know where his dogs are,” Hartman said. “Favreau is licensed in Colorado but we will follow Arizona’s lead if his license is revoked.”
An estimated 28,000 greyhounds are retired each year, either because they aren’t good enough to race, or because they retired from racing or retired from breeding. Most become pets, while some are sold as hunting dogs and some end up in medical research. Colorado Greyhound Adoption averages an adoption a day through the year, according to volunteer Kathie Buckley.
A $10,000 reward has been posted for the missing dogs.
