Dog doping charge raises questions about meat supplies for Tasmanian greyhounds

Tasmania’s Greyhound Adoption Program manager has pleaded guilty to racing a dog with a prohibited substance in its system in a case that has raised concerns about unregulated meat supplies.

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THE head of Tasmania’s greyhound adoption program has been stood down and suspended from racing dogs after pleading guilty to an animal doping related charge.

Susan Gittus, who is a licensed greyhound trainer as well as co-ordinator of the state government-funded Greyhound Adoption Program, pleaded guilty to racing her dog Fitzgerald Grant on August 13 while the prohibited substance dehydronorketamine was in its system.

A stewards’ inquiry heard evidence the positive urine test was a result of contaminated meat.

In determining Mrs Gittus’ penalty, the racing stewards took into account her guilty plea, co-operation, her “clean offence record” and the “possibility that the positive sample was due to a contamination in meat supplies” and “the purchase of unregulated meat”.

The Office of Racing Integrity suspended Mrs Gittus’ racing licence for six months, with four months of the penalty suspended on condition she commits no further breach for 12 months.

Mrs Gittus’ effective two-month suspension ends on December 15.

Susan Gittus.has been stood down as Greyhound Adoption Program co-ordinator after the guilty finding. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

A Tasracing spokesman said the state-owned company had been advised that Mrs Gittus would lodge an appeal.

Mrs Gittus did not return calls on Saturday but the government said she had been stood down from managing the adoption program and would remain so “until the integrity process is completed”.

The Greyhound Adoption Program, designed to reduce the number of retired dogs being euthanised, received a record $467,000 in government funding last financial year and rehomed 137 greyhounds, up from 89 the previous year.

Ninety greyhounds were euthanised in Tasmania last financial year, down from 678 in 2015-16.

Federal independent Hobart-based MP Andrew Wilkie said the case raised major questions about unregulated meat supplies.

“Was the unregulated meat referred to in the decision horse meat? We know many racehorses that don’t run fast enough are butchered and turned into dog food,” Mr Wilkie said.

Federal independent MP Andrew Wilkie. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Co-ordinator of the group Let Greyhounds Run Free, Fran Chambers, said the penalty given to Mrs Gittus would not incentivise other trainers to do the right thing.

She said it was imperative the source of meat was identified and made public.

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