CAGED NationWide

  • Home
    • Pentobarbital and Dog Meat - Should we be worried
    • Whistle-blower wins court case against Swindon Track after a greyhound loses his leg
    • DEFRA Response to Greyhound Exports
    • GREYHOUND REMEMBRANCE 2021 >
      • Award Winning Trainers Greyhounds Exported
    • The Hidden Truth of Greyhound Retirement >
      • Greyhound Racings Last Chance
      • Attention; Animal Rescue and Welfare Groups
      • RCVS declare shortage of British vets
    • Horror of Retired Greyhounds Failed by GBGB
    • Where are the Lockdown Dogs?
    • Open Letter to the GBGB Ambassadors >
      • IGB Greyhound Trainer Cries Propaganda
      • Caged Food4Life Appeal
      • Henlow greyhound track, a record of cruelty
      • Industry Failure to Discredit Caged
      • Threats to Caged team
    • Will Cruel Greyhound Racing Return to Oxford
    • Betting Shop Awareness Campaign >
      • Joining a Track Protest Group
      • Greyhound Track Campaign Groups
      • Get Active For The Greyhounds >
        • Misunderstood Facts
        • Ways you can help >
          • Massive Mail out
      • March for the Murdered Million >
        • Monument to remember the greyhounds >
          • The Proposed Greyhound White List Explained
          • Project End Greyhound Exports
          • Greyhound Remembrance 2014 >
            • Greyhound Remembrance 2013
    • URGENT APPEAL- FOOD 4 LIFE >
      • APPEAL FOR PLAY MAITE - REWARD £2000 >
        • Coronavirus Threat and The Greyhound Derby
    • RTE INVESTIGATES >
      • Greyhound
    • Irish & UK Greyhounds exported to China >
      • Who's Sending Greyhounds to Die in China?
      • Sighthound Abuse in Pakistan Exposed
      • Cruel Exports of British Greyhounds in Argentina
      • No More Greyhounds to China
      • Irish & UK Greyhounds exported to Pakistan
      • End The Greyhound Exports
    • MEGA BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN 2018 >
      • Caged Nationwide Awareness Tour
      • Greyhound banner in the sky
      • Billboard for the greyhounds
      • Greypride 2016
      • Demolish Belle Vue Greyhound Stadium >
        • Easington Greyhound Stadium
        • Anti greyhound cruelty vintage bus >
          • Caged What We Did For the Greyhounds2019
          • Raced to Death Bus Campaign
        • We Want Wimbledon Closed
        • Don't Save Hall Green Stadium
      • Greyhound Derby Protest 2018 >
        • Big Protest - Ban Greyhound Racing
        • Greyhounds Awards Protest 2018 >
          • GBGB Awards Protest 2017 >
            • GBGB awards gala 2016 protest >
              • Manchester Hilton Greyhound Protest
        • Greyhound Derby Towcester
        • Greyhound Derby Protest >
          • GBGB Head Office Protest
      • The Westhoughton Greyhounds Closure Campaign >
        • The Belle Vue Big One
        • Raced to Death Tour
      • CAGED NW OUTDOOR AWARENESS PROJECTS
    • Greyhounds Awards Protest 2019
  • Greyhound Welfare
    • Prosecution of a GBGB licensed greyhound trainer
    • Greyhound Abuse - The Majority NOT a Minority >
      • Greyhound Tales
      • What Is Wrong With Greyhound Racing >
        • Greyhounds Forced to Race During Heatwave
        • The Forgotten Dogs
        • Greyhound Abuse & Cruelty Cases >
          • Gambling Establishments and Cruelty >
            • Failure to Home Greyhounds Responsibly >
              • Insider Witness Statements of Dogs Beaten
          • Justice for Bobby
          • Remember Valentina
          • Remember Rusty
          • Appeal for Petal
          • Appeal For Angel
        • Is Greyhound Racing Wrong
        • The truth about racing >
          • Sentient Beings
          • Is Greyhound Racing Cruel
    • Greyhound Injuries >
      • Greyhound Racing & Why It's Cruel
      • Talksport covers the misleading banners at Kinsley >
        • A Night At The Dogs
    • Allotment Watch
    • Greyhound Hell >
      • Remember the Dorset Seven
      • Greyhound Breeder Exposed
      • Malcolm Taylor >
        • KennelsExposed
    • Greyhound Board of Great Britain Exposed >
      • GBGB Exposed
      • GBGB Staff Exposed
      • Banned Trainer Kennels Retired Greyhounds for Greyhound Trust
      • Harndens List
      • Animal Abusing Hunter & Greyhound Trainer
      • Evidence submitted to the EFRA enquiry
      • Defra Greyhound enquiry
      • Lame greyhound forced to race >
        • Forced to Race
    • Love the Dogs >
      • Greyhounds & Cocaine
      • Greyhounds & Racing >
        • Love the Dogs
    • Charity night at the dogs >
      • Argos and Greyhounds
      • Groupon and Greyhounds
    • Legislation >
      • Retirement Form Failure
      • GBGB Greyhound Retirement Form
      • Open letter to the GBGB
  • BAN THE BOLT
    • Greyhound Disposal
    • The Captive Bolt Gun
    • Lush Greyhounds & the Bolt Campaign
    • The Ban the Bolt Tour
  • Leaflets
    • Posters
    • Protest Guidelines
    • Merchandise
    • Facemasks
    • CAGED NATIONWIDE T-SHIRTS
    • CAGED NW Christmas Cards
    • CAGED Nationwide Hoodies
  • Pets not Bets
    • Greyhounds Make Greyt Pets >
      • In Memory of
    • Rescued Greyhounds Storys >
      • Chaplin
      • Normans Story >
        • Appeal for Norman
      • Queen Mabs Story
      • Keats Story
      • Minnies Story
      • Jim and Robbie's Story
      • Winnies Story
      • Molly's Story
      • Marley's story
      • Charlie's Story
      • Lucy's Story
      • Jessica's Story
      • Sophie's Story
      • Andy's Story
      • Reggies Story
    • Foster Homes Needed >
      • Sparky needs a home
      • Colin the Greyhound needs a home
      • Maizi the Whippet Cross needs a home
      • Meeka and Sandy need a home
      • Teddy the greyhound needs a home
      • Earl the Lurcher needs a home
  • Petitions
  • Contact Us
    • About us
  • DONATE
  • Home
    • Pentobarbital and Dog Meat - Should we be worried
    • Whistle-blower wins court case against Swindon Track after a greyhound loses his leg
    • DEFRA Response to Greyhound Exports
    • GREYHOUND REMEMBRANCE 2021 >
      • Award Winning Trainers Greyhounds Exported
    • The Hidden Truth of Greyhound Retirement >
      • Greyhound Racings Last Chance
      • Attention; Animal Rescue and Welfare Groups
      • RCVS declare shortage of British vets
    • Horror of Retired Greyhounds Failed by GBGB
    • Where are the Lockdown Dogs?
    • Open Letter to the GBGB Ambassadors >
      • IGB Greyhound Trainer Cries Propaganda
      • Caged Food4Life Appeal
      • Henlow greyhound track, a record of cruelty
      • Industry Failure to Discredit Caged
      • Threats to Caged team
    • Will Cruel Greyhound Racing Return to Oxford
    • Betting Shop Awareness Campaign >
      • Joining a Track Protest Group
      • Greyhound Track Campaign Groups
      • Get Active For The Greyhounds >
        • Misunderstood Facts
        • Ways you can help >
          • Massive Mail out
      • March for the Murdered Million >
        • Monument to remember the greyhounds >
          • The Proposed Greyhound White List Explained
          • Project End Greyhound Exports
          • Greyhound Remembrance 2014 >
            • Greyhound Remembrance 2013
    • URGENT APPEAL- FOOD 4 LIFE >
      • APPEAL FOR PLAY MAITE - REWARD £2000 >
        • Coronavirus Threat and The Greyhound Derby
    • RTE INVESTIGATES >
      • Greyhound
    • Irish & UK Greyhounds exported to China >
      • Who's Sending Greyhounds to Die in China?
      • Sighthound Abuse in Pakistan Exposed
      • Cruel Exports of British Greyhounds in Argentina
      • No More Greyhounds to China
      • Irish & UK Greyhounds exported to Pakistan
      • End The Greyhound Exports
    • MEGA BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN 2018 >
      • Caged Nationwide Awareness Tour
      • Greyhound banner in the sky
      • Billboard for the greyhounds
      • Greypride 2016
      • Demolish Belle Vue Greyhound Stadium >
        • Easington Greyhound Stadium
        • Anti greyhound cruelty vintage bus >
          • Caged What We Did For the Greyhounds2019
          • Raced to Death Bus Campaign
        • We Want Wimbledon Closed
        • Don't Save Hall Green Stadium
      • Greyhound Derby Protest 2018 >
        • Big Protest - Ban Greyhound Racing
        • Greyhounds Awards Protest 2018 >
          • GBGB Awards Protest 2017 >
            • GBGB awards gala 2016 protest >
              • Manchester Hilton Greyhound Protest
        • Greyhound Derby Towcester
        • Greyhound Derby Protest >
          • GBGB Head Office Protest
      • The Westhoughton Greyhounds Closure Campaign >
        • The Belle Vue Big One
        • Raced to Death Tour
      • CAGED NW OUTDOOR AWARENESS PROJECTS
    • Greyhounds Awards Protest 2019
  • Greyhound Welfare
    • Prosecution of a GBGB licensed greyhound trainer
    • Greyhound Abuse - The Majority NOT a Minority >
      • Greyhound Tales
      • What Is Wrong With Greyhound Racing >
        • Greyhounds Forced to Race During Heatwave
        • The Forgotten Dogs
        • Greyhound Abuse & Cruelty Cases >
          • Gambling Establishments and Cruelty >
            • Failure to Home Greyhounds Responsibly >
              • Insider Witness Statements of Dogs Beaten
          • Justice for Bobby
          • Remember Valentina
          • Remember Rusty
          • Appeal for Petal
          • Appeal For Angel
        • Is Greyhound Racing Wrong
        • The truth about racing >
          • Sentient Beings
          • Is Greyhound Racing Cruel
    • Greyhound Injuries >
      • Greyhound Racing & Why It's Cruel
      • Talksport covers the misleading banners at Kinsley >
        • A Night At The Dogs
    • Allotment Watch
    • Greyhound Hell >
      • Remember the Dorset Seven
      • Greyhound Breeder Exposed
      • Malcolm Taylor >
        • KennelsExposed
    • Greyhound Board of Great Britain Exposed >
      • GBGB Exposed
      • GBGB Staff Exposed
      • Banned Trainer Kennels Retired Greyhounds for Greyhound Trust
      • Harndens List
      • Animal Abusing Hunter & Greyhound Trainer
      • Evidence submitted to the EFRA enquiry
      • Defra Greyhound enquiry
      • Lame greyhound forced to race >
        • Forced to Race
    • Love the Dogs >
      • Greyhounds & Cocaine
      • Greyhounds & Racing >
        • Love the Dogs
    • Charity night at the dogs >
      • Argos and Greyhounds
      • Groupon and Greyhounds
    • Legislation >
      • Retirement Form Failure
      • GBGB Greyhound Retirement Form
      • Open letter to the GBGB
  • BAN THE BOLT
    • Greyhound Disposal
    • The Captive Bolt Gun
    • Lush Greyhounds & the Bolt Campaign
    • The Ban the Bolt Tour
  • Leaflets
    • Posters
    • Protest Guidelines
    • Merchandise
    • Facemasks
    • CAGED NATIONWIDE T-SHIRTS
    • CAGED NW Christmas Cards
    • CAGED Nationwide Hoodies
  • Pets not Bets
    • Greyhounds Make Greyt Pets >
      • In Memory of
    • Rescued Greyhounds Storys >
      • Chaplin
      • Normans Story >
        • Appeal for Norman
      • Queen Mabs Story
      • Keats Story
      • Minnies Story
      • Jim and Robbie's Story
      • Winnies Story
      • Molly's Story
      • Marley's story
      • Charlie's Story
      • Lucy's Story
      • Jessica's Story
      • Sophie's Story
      • Andy's Story
      • Reggies Story
    • Foster Homes Needed >
      • Sparky needs a home
      • Colin the Greyhound needs a home
      • Maizi the Whippet Cross needs a home
      • Meeka and Sandy need a home
      • Teddy the greyhound needs a home
      • Earl the Lurcher needs a home
  • Petitions
  • Contact Us
    • About us
  • DONATE
Pentobarbital ​and dog meat
​Should we be worried?



Pentobarbital
Controlled drug 
greyhound

Pentobarbital and Meat
Pentobarbital is a controlled drug, commonly used in the euthanasia of animals 

GBGB Disciplinary Committee Claims Cat3 Meat fed to greyhounds is responsible for findings of Pentobarbital in Urine
(Scroll down to see Prof Tim Morris report)

The Food Standards Agency says Pentobarbital is NOT approved to enter the food chain or be classed as Cat3 meat
(Scroll down to see full FSA response)


Food Standards Agency confirms that in order for meat to be categorised as category 3abp, it must not pose a risk to animal or human health and therefore must not contain levels of any prohibited veterinary medicines.


Understanding Categories of meat
Cat 1 high risk
Cat 2 high risk
Cat 3 low risk


Cat 3 meat 
​ 'Products or foods of animal originally meant for human consumption but withdrawn for commercial reasons, not because its unfit to eat'

​
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-by-product-categories-site-approval-hygiene-and-disposal


The response by the FSA (scroll down) appears to provide detail which contradicts the claims made at several different disciplinary hearings held by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, in that Category 3 meat fed to  greyhounds is likely cause, for pentobarbital found in greyhound urine
​


One of the Disciplinary hearings involving the feeding of cat3 meat and Pentobarbital
Disciplinary Committee Inquiry by the GBGB
involving professional greyhound trainer John Simpson

https://www.gbgb.org.uk/about/publications/
https://gbgb-prod-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/19115025/Calendar-19-November-2021-Vol-13-No-23.pdf

4 Romford Stadium – DARK CRUSADER / EXPERT STAR – Professional Trainer Mr J Simpson Professional Trainer Mr John Simpson was found in breach of rules 152 (i), 174 (i)(b), 214 and 217 of the GBGB Rules of Racing in that urine samples taken from the greyhounds DARK CRUSADER on 5 May 2021 and EXPERT STAR on 15 May 2021 at Romford Stadium were analysed by LGC Health Sciences as containing the presence of pentobarbital and hydroxylated metabolites of pentobarbital and that he had in his charge a greyhound that showed the presence of a substance that by its nature could affect the performance of a greyhound or prejudice its wellbeing.

Mark Bird, on behalf of GRB, proposed that the Disciplinary Committee hear the two cases together. Mr Simpson confirmed that the procedure had been explained to him by Mr Bird and he had no objection to this.
Mr Simpson was in attendance. Mark Arkell, racing manager of Romford Stadium, and Professor Tim Morris, independent scientific adviser, were also in attendance.

On 5 May 2021 a pre-race urine sample was taken from the greyhound DARK CRUSADER at Romford stadium which, when analysed by LGC, tested positive for the presence of pentobarbital and hydroxylated metabolites of pentobarbital' On 15 May 2021 a pre-race urine sample was taken from the greyhound EXPERT STAR at Romford stadium which, when analysed by LGC, tested positive for the presence of pentobarbital and hydroxylated metabolites of pentobarbital' The Disciplinary Committee heard evidence from Professor Tim Morris to the effect that pentobarbital is available as a veterinary medicine as a concentrated solution for injection for euthanasia of animals in the UK. Pentobarbital affects dogs as it does other animals and people with increasing doses causing sedation, anaesthesia, and then death through respiratory and cardiac arrest. As a depressant of the nervous and respiratory systems it a substance which by its nature could affect the performance or prejudice the welfare of a greyhound.

Professor Morris gave very clear evidence that there have been a significant number of cases where meat described at Category 3 Animals By Product has contained drug residues. His opinion was that contaminated meat was by far the likeliest cause of these two positive tests. Mr Simpson produced receipts which show that he only feeds category 3 meat. He told the disciplinary committee that he has now stopped feeding beef to prevent any repetition of these incidents. In the judgment of the Disciplinary Committee, he was entitled to believe that the category 3 meat he was feeding to his greyhounds was free of drugs residues. He therefore is in no way to blame for these positive tests.
In those circumstances the Disciplinary Committee ordered that no further action be taken in this matter.


You can find more Greyhound Board of Great Britain Disciplinaries involving the findings of Pentobarbital in Greyhounds 'fed Cat3 meat' on their website. 


Below is a response by the Food Standards Agency to a series of questions raised in relation to Category 3 meat and any presence of drug residue, especially Pentobarbital in beef.

Question; Is there any legal requirement for cat 3 beef to be tested for contamination of harmful drugs?   


Answer; There is no requirement to test category 3 Animal-By-Products for residue levels of veterinary medicines. Animals that have been provided with medication are subject to withdrawal periods, during which time they are not permitted to be sent for slaughter for human consumption.  Further, detailed health checks are conducted on animals presented for slaughter. The carcass of any animal slaughtered at an abattoir may be subject to veterinary medicines residue testing.

Question; Is all beef tested for contamination of Pentobarbital?   

Answer; A yearly residue monitoring programme for food producing animals slaughtered in England, Wales and Scotland is coordinated by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) in which samples are obtained at the point of slaughter and analysed for levels of veterinary medicines, prohibited substances and other contaminants. Pentobarbital is not tested for within the Residues Monitoring Programme for cattle, or other food producing animals. Pentobarbital is approved only for use to euthanise animals and is prohibited from being used as an anaesthetic. It is not approved to be used in any food producing animals destined to be used as food for human or animal consumption. It therefore cannot have been administered to food producing animals that are presented for slaughter. As such, there is no established Maximum Residue Level for Pentobarbital. There is no reason for residues of this medicine to be present in animals presented at abattoirs for slaughter.

Question; Would a piece of beef contaminated with Pentobarbital be classified as cat 3 meat? 
 
Answer; Pentobarbital is not approved for use on food producing animals destined to be used as food for human or animal consumption. As such, it would not be suitable to enter the food or feed chain or class as Category 3 Animal-by-Product.

Question; If your answer to no.3 is 'yes' would there be a legal requirement for this meat to be stained as a safety precaution.   

Answer; There is no legal requirement for staining Category 3 Animal by Products. Staining is relevant to high-risk material categorised at Category 1 or Category 2 Animal-By-Product which must not be used for animal feed.


Question; Do purchasers of cat3 meat need to be concerned about it being contaminated with any drugs and are there any precautions they should take before feeding it to domesticated animals to ensure their safety?   

Answer; In order to be categorised as Category 3 Animal-By-Product, the meat must not pose a risk to animal or human health and therefore must not contain levels of any prohibited veterinary medicines. It also must not contain residues of any approved veterinary medicines that exceeds the Maximum Residue Level (MRL).
 
 



Caged queried both the Greyhound Board of Great Britain and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. The Greyhound Board of Great Britain marked their reply to us as 'Private and Confidential', and the latter was marked as 'Official Sensitive' therefore we are unable to publish them.



Caged Nationwide are in the process of contacting DEFRA for a comment and will update with any response
 
​
Caged Contacted Professor Tim Morris, Independent Scientific Adviser for the Greyhound Board of Great Britain - and expert in Anti Doping

Prof Morris Directed us to the following report

PENTOBARBITAL: HORSE RACING'S SOLUTION,GREYHOUND RACING'S PROBLEM;
 www.scientialis.co.uk/ewExternalFiles/T%20Morris-pento.pdf
Picture
Caged Nationwide
Sighthound Welfare UK Ltd is a registered not for profit organisation

Picture
 This website contains images exclusive to Caged Nationwide