Cocanines on the loose!
State racing authorities in Florida found five dogs who tested positive for cocaine, all belonging to trainer Malcolm McAllister. Unsurprisingly, that led to McAllister having his license permanently revoked, according to a Tampa Bay Times report.
McAllister denies giving the dogs cocaine, saying he had no idea how the drugs wound up in their systems. From the Tampa Bay Times:
Although he was listed as the trainer during the time frame in which the dogs tested positive, McAllister wrote, he was in the process of hiring a new trainer for the kennel and had four “helpers” working for him.
“One of these undesirables had to have either dropped or administered the ‘cocaine,’ ” he wrote. His only plea, he said, “is that it was not me.”
He underlined the last four words for emphasis.
Who’s to say McAllister is responsible for how his dogs spend their free nights? But in all seriousness, Florida racing laws state trainers are responsible for the condition of their dogs.
Carey Theil, the executive director of nonprofit watchdog group GREY2K USA, was astounded by the news:
There have been other cases of greyhounds testing positive for cocaine in the United Sates and Florida but never so many in such a short time frame in one kennel at one track, said Carey Theil, executive director of GREY2K USA, a nonprofit industry watchdog group.
“I’m not sure which is worse, that these were attempts to fix races or that individuals who are responsible for the dogs are doing cocaine,” Theil said. “Both of those are very grave scenarios and raise serious questions about the welfare of the dogs and the integrity of the races at Derby Lane.”
