The final two pieces are available for purchase in The Warhol Store

You Are So Little, ca. 1958 Print

Dog, 1986 Print

A recent study has revealed that greyhound racing is going downhill fairly quickly in America.

According to a recent estimate, the number of greyhound racing tracks in the country have halved, compared to a decade ago. Ten years ago, one would be able to find 50 greyhound race tracks in the country, which were dotted over a total of 15 states.

However, the statistics which are presently available on the greyhound racing industry of the country have sent a wave of disappointment among its few remaining fans. Currently, there are only 25 greyhound racing tracks left. Some of the states that previously hosted greyhound race events have now totally closed down their operations. As of now, there are only seven states that still feature greyhound racing events in their few remaining race tracks.

Another decline that the greyhound racing industry has seen over the years is related to greyhound farms. Back in the 1980s, there were a significant number of farms (750) where professional greyhounds were bred and nurtured. However, that figure has now dropped down to 300. This fact was revealed by the executive director of the National Greyhound Association, Gary Guccione.

There are several factors that can account for the decline of the greyhound racing industry in the States.

For the majority of its history, the sport has faced harsh criticism with respect to its treatment of greyhounds. According to welfare activists, the living conditions of the greyhounds are far from tolerable.The activists claim that the animals are made to live in small cages where they are kept all the time except when nature calls.

Additionally, the food that is given to these professional dogs is of a poor quality. When race events draw near, the greyhounds are injected with steroids in efforts to improve their performance and make them more competitive.

Another factor that is playing a more immediate role in the steep decline that the greyhound racing industry is experiencing is the fact that slot machines have taken a major chunk of gamblers away from betting on the greyhounds.

In the minds of some people, the dismal condition in which the greyhound racing industry finds itself could well mean the end of it.

This Super Bowl might be remembered for the underdog.

Not the New England Patriots or the New York Giants, but a French bulldog in red sneakers.

Manhattan Beach-based Skechers USA has traded in Kim Kardashian — who starred in the shoe company’s steamy Super Bowl advertisement last year — for a cuddly creature named Mr. Quiggly.

2012 Super Bowl Spot Suzuki

“Last year our advertisement got millions and millions of views online and it came out among the top of the consumer surveys of favorite ads,” said Leonard Armato, president of the Skechers Fitness Group. “I thought, ‘How am I going to top that?’ “

The answer is on view in a 15-second teaser Skechers released to promote its upcoming advertisement in the Super Bowl. The ad marks the Southern California company’s third outing in the Big Game.

Billionaire Mark Cuban also will be featured in the commercial. But Mr. Quiggly’s other co-stars — sleek greyhounds — have drawn the attention of animal rights activists who have protested the dog-racing theme. Skechers said no animals were mistreated in the advertisement, which was shot at a Tucson, Ariz., dog track.

Instead, the advertisement promotes Skechers’ new line of high-performance footwear, Skechers GOrun.

“This is a metaphor for the technology and the spirit of the brand,” Armato said.  “Animals work really well in Super Bowl ads.”

Skechers won’t be the only company placing a dog prominently in its spot. While the details are under wraps (or perhaps under the couch), Volkswagen also has a canine theme in its highly anticipated ad, created by ad agency Deutsch LA.  Last week, VW released a minute-long teaser for its advertisement called the “Bark Side,” which quickly went viral online and has been watched more than 9 million times.

“There is nothing like the power of the pooch,” said Rob Siltanen, founder of Siltanen & Partners, the El Segundo-based firm that created the Skechers spot. “People absolutely love dogs.”

Siltanen should know.  His team created the Super Bowl spots for Orange County-based carmaker American Suzuki Motor Co. — the ad will run in 21 markets (although not L.A.) — and feature Siberian huskies. So far, animal rights activists have not expressed any concern about the treatment of these sled dogs.

Over the past month Novartis closed an important manufacturing plant in Lincoln, Nebraska in response to consumer complaints it has received regarding a number of its leading human consumer medications.

Interceptor Flavor Tabs, Sentinel Flavor Tabs, Clomicalm, Program Tablets and Suspension, and Milbemite all suspended from production by Novartis Animal Health

The FDA issued a highly critical report of that plant (see here) after an inspection in June of last year.  On January 8th, Novartis announced in a press release that it was voluntarily recalling a number of its leading human products produced at the plant including Excedrin, NoDoz, Bufferin and Gas-X while it strengthens quality standards.

On January 5th, Novartis sent a letter to veterinarians informing them that it was suspending production and shipments of the following Novartis Animal Health brands including Interceptor Flavor Tabs, Sentinel Flavor Tabs, Clomicalm, Program Tablets and Suspension, and Milbemite. The letter also noted that production of Deramaxx which was just recently moved to the Lincoln plant will also be affected although the company will continue to ship that product from existing inventory.

What the heck? Yes, there was a press release. But how many of you have heard about this! Why aren’t consumers being proactively notified?  Well, I suppose I am now doing just that.

The production suspension is leaving pet owners looking for these products subject to the inventory on hand with their local veterinarian.  As those supplies are exhausted, veterinarians will be obligated to prescribe competing substitutes such as Heartgard, Trifexis, Advantage Multi, and Rimadyl, and many other options are available. After learning about the situation, some consumers are asking for alternatives even when stocks are on hand.

I definitely advise – NEVER make a decision on a drug or flea or tick preventative without consulting your veterinarian. That product is best purchased with veterinary input….veterinary professionals understand the available options and best choice for your pets’ lifestyles.

Novartis has offered no indication of when production might resume however they have stated that the recent actions were coordinated with the involvement of health authorities.  With the FDA’s involvement, there is the possibility that the closure could be lengthy if it reaches the level of problems recently experienced at facilities owned by Johnson & Johnson, Genzyme, and Hospira. What’s going on? In human and animal health, not getting drugs manufactured correctly and then distributed appears to be an epidemic.

…but once you plug in the power cord the skeleton appears!

Available from the Dublin, Ireland based design studio Angry Retail

Christopher Evans, 33, who was bitten by a Vancouver polic dog last June after he broke a window of a city bus, shows his wound at his hotel in the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver.

Pivot Legal Society is suing Vancouver over the use of police dogs, saying officers are using the animals too early and too aggressively, resulting in a large number of serious injuries.

The B.C. legal advocacy organization launched the suit Thursday after losing a fight to change the way the Vancouver Police Department uses canine units. Pivot lawyer Douglas King said change is needed to reduce the number of injuries suffered from dog bites.

Vancouver accounts for nearly three-quarters of the dog-bite injuries reported by municipal police districts in the province. There have been 121 reported injuries from police dog bites in Vancouver since March, 2010, according to statistics from the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner.

Mr. King launched the suit on behalf of client Christopher Evans. Mr. Evans, 33, is seeking damages from the Vancouver Police Department after a police dog bit his leg during an arrest. He said his injuries, which required more than 100 staples to repair, caused him to lose both his job and his apartment.

“It just seems to be the worst-case scenario and the worst example of when somebody is bitten by a police dog and they don’t really need to be,” Mr. King said. “The consequences are so severe.”

The incident, which occurred last summer, started when Mr. Evans broke the window of a bus with his skateboard. He said he was frustrated with buses that failed to stop for him and admits that it was wrong to lash out. Still, what happened when he headed home was surprising, he said.

While skateboarding down an alley, playing loud music through earbud headphones, he was bitten on the back of his calf and fell to the ground. His initial reaction was that a stray dog was attacking him. But he realized the German shepherd was a police dog when he looked back and saw an officer standing 30 or 40 feet away, he said.

“I was just so pissed off that they let this dog ruin my leg. I didn’t know if my leg was wrecked permanently or what was happening to it,” Mr. Evans said. “At the time it looked like a grenade went off in my pocket. Like my leg was all open everywhere.”

Charged with mischief, Mr. Evans was taken to St. Paul’s Hospital and treated for his injuries. The charges were later stayed by the Crown, Mr. King said.

The Vancouver police had no comment about Mr. Evans’ case. Last week, the force issued a statement in response to Pivot’s request for a review of police-dog policy, stating that no change is needed.

Mr. King said he hopes the lawsuit will prompt the VPD to reconsider their earlier request to change police-dog policy, he said. This includes changing to a “bark and hold” method instead of the currently employed “bite and hold” technique. They would also like the VPD to stop using dog squads as first responders.

Approximately three-quarters of police forces across North America use the “bite and hold” method, said criminology professor David MacAlister of Simon Fraser University. He said there is a lot of debate among dog trainers over which method is best.

“A lot of police departments that are concerned about civil liability seem to be turning to the find and bark method,” he said. “You know, it is almost surprising that there aren’t more civil suits against the police.” Prof. MacAlister trained and sold German shepherds to the VPD and other police departments in the past.

Mr. Evans currently lives in the Balmoral Hotel in the Downtown Eastside and works part-time as a scaffolder.

Source – The Globe & Mail