Greyhound destroyed after trainer gave her antibiotics prescribed for his chest infection

Greyhound Jetsun Singer had to be put down after the dog's trainer failed to seek appropriate treatment for her pressure wounds. Photo / GRNZ

A greyhound trainer gave his sick dog antibiotics prescribed to him for a chest infection, instead of taking her to a vet for pressure wounds, leading to the animal's destruction.

"I should've got the right antibiotics from the vet," Howard Scott told investigators after his dog had to be put down because of the wounds.

Instead of getting the right medicine for his racing greyhound Carrie - or Jetsun Singer as she was called on the track - Scott gave her antibiotics his doctor had prescribed him for a chest infection months earlier.

Racing Integrity Board investigators found the dog with three pressure wounds during an audit at Scott's Tokoroa property in June this year.

Scott told investigators he had noticed Carrie was chewing her wounds and they were getting worse but his car wouldn't start so he didn't take her to the vet.

The attending vet noted in his report that not taking the dog to a vet and administering his own antibiotics amounted to "serious neglect" by Scott.

Scott told investigators that after noticing Carrie licking at her hips to the point where the skin became pink he began administering antibiotics twice a day and wiping the area with sterile wipes he'd obtained from his vet a year earlier.

He denies Carrie was in pain or showed any signs of being in pain but acknowledged that not seeking veterinary advice was a factor in her ultimately having to be destroyed.

The RIB's vet said that underlying muscle and tissue were exposed in the dog's wounds and "a foul smell indicated significant necrotic [dead] tissue was present".

"Mr Scott reported Jetsun Singer was chewing her wounds, he noted they were getting worse. Mr Scott's only treatment was to administer his own antibiotics to her, and they were clearly ineffective," the vet said.

Since the incident Scott has told investigators that he had not raced any of his other 11 greyhounds "because it does not feel right until this process is complete".

"I was quick to admit to those in attendance at the kennel audit visit that I had been careless in the action taken in caring for Carrie," he said in submissions to the board.

"I acted quickly on Dr Joan Hessell's recommendation and took Carrie to South Waikato Veterinary Services on that day, June 27, 2022.

"It was after extensive discussion with [his vet] that I made the tough decision to have Carrie euthanised rather than extending her suffering."

Scott told the board he was devastated and fully accepted he made a mistake and that he should have sought the vet's attention sooner when it became obvious Carrie needed treatment.

He has a previously unblemished record when it comes to audits and has had no animal welfare charges laid against him in 23 years of looking after dogs.

However, the RIB categorised the offence as being at the "upper end of seriousness" and banned Scott from racing for two years.

"He knew, or ought to have known, that his greyhound was exhibiting symptoms or behaviour that required proper veterinarian treatment.

"But rather than seeking the help of a professional veterinarian, he chose to administer antibiotics that had earlier been prescribed to him via his GP.

"No doubt he may have [mistakenly] believed that he was doing the right thing, but he did so without due regard for the risks or consequences that followed."

Earlier this month two trainers in Taranaki were also banned for two years after 15 of their dogs were found in "squalid" and "abhorrent" conditions.

That decision raised the ire of the SPCA and the Greyhound Protection League as the dogs' owners had signalled an intent to retire from racing greyhounds prior to the ban.