Cover Stories Spring 2001

17 Greyhounds Escape from Hinsdale Kennel Compound During Blizzard

Hinsdale, New Hampshire: Seventeen greyhounds at Hinsdale Greyhound Park escaped from the kennel compound while the property was being plowed out during a blinding snowstorm Monday, Feb. 5. Two of the dogs ran out onto Route 119 and were killed instantly when they were hit by passing vehicles. The drivers of those vehicles left the scene before police arrived.

David Calef, the track's operations manager, told The Union Leader, "The outer gate was open for the plows, but the dogs were behind an inner gate. The height of the snow may have had something to do with it; one of the dogs may have been able to nose the [inner] gate open if the rope was loose. But we really don't know."

According to the New Hampshire PariMutuel Commission's Investigation Report of the incident, obtained by GNN under a public records request, the greyhounds, all females, escaped through the open front gate of the compound between 5:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. The report, prepared by the commission's deputy director Steve Edmonds, states: "The side gate of the turnout pen was either left open or was not latched properly." Track personnel had just used a snowblower to clear one of the pens and "the dogs were turned out into the cleared pen and immediately went out the side gate."
The security guard at the front gate saw the dogs coming and was able to turn them back toward the compound. While the guard struggled to close the gate against the piled up snow, the dogs reversed their direction and ran past him out of the compound.

Search and Rescue

Twelve of the dogs were recovered within hours of the initial search due to the quick response of three people on the scene, including the snow plow operator, a visitor, and a kennel operator. During the first two hours of the search, an additional 11 inches of snow fell. Visibility was less than 30 feet and the temperature was just below freezing.

By 10:30 p.m., two of the three still missing dogs had been recovered from the surrounding woods by searchers tracking paw prints in the snow. The last greyhound was brought back by a police cruiser the next morning, Calef said. "It didn't look like it spent the night out," he added. The investigation report stated the dog was returned anonymously and that "an assumption was made that she had found or had been given shelter during the night."
All the recovered greyhounds were in good condition and were taken offthe active racing list. Three of the dogs sustained minor injuries, cut pads, scratches and sore muscles. None of the greyhounds involved in the escape incident, including the two that died, were identified by name.
Edmonds' report concluded that "the severe snowstorm was the biggest contributing factor to what started the series of events that led up to this incident. The swift actions taken by those who were there kept this incident from becoming any worse."

Sources: Brattleboro Reformer: Patrick Armstrong
The Union Leader: Stephen Seitz
New Hampshire PariMutuel Commission Investigation Report