Mr Horan lodged an appeal on July 26, 2018.

The Wellington-based trainer faced ‘one charge of failing to provide veterinary attention when necessary to a greyhound in the participant’s care or custody, and one charge of failing to exercise such reasonable care and supervision as was necessary to prevent a greyhound in the participant’s care or custody from being subjected to unnecessary pain or suffering,’ according to the report presented by the GRNSW Inquiry Panel.

On February 18, 2018, Horan’s dog, ‘It’s Her Shout’ competed in - and won - race 4 at the Mudgee Greyhound event and another man assisted Mr Horan at the race meeting as a handler.

At the end of the meet, when loading the greyhound into the trailer, both the trainer and handler noticed that the dog was bloated and “puffed up” around the rib cage and Horan determined that the greyhound should be returned to the kennel area and examined by the on track veterinarian. The vet advised that the greyhound required immediate attention at a veterinary surgery.

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The dog was taken to Mudgee Veterinary Hospital where vets examined and diagnosed the greyhound as being at risk of the life-threatening condition “gastric dilation and/or volvulus" and it was recommended that the greyhound undergo further tests and possibly emergency surgery. Further discussion was had about cost of the surgery and alternative care options such as euthanasia.

According to the report, the trainer declined treatment for the greyhound and it was taken back to its kennel in Wellington and given pain relief medication provided by the vet hospital.

The trainer also researched the greyhound’s condition online and discussed it with trainers with similar experience.

Between 2am and 6am on February 19, 2018 the greyhound died at the trainer’s Wellington home.

An autopsy of the greyhound by the Wellington Veterinary Hospital revealed the cause of death to be consistent with "gastric and splenic torsion".

The report cites conflicting evidence between the trainer and veterinary doctors about whether the dog’s condition was accurately expressed and that euthanising the greyhound was mentioned as an option, however the Inquiry Panel found that the severity of the situation should have been evident to the trainer following the advice of the on-track vet in Mudgee.

The Inquiry Panel also found that the pain and suffering was unnecessary from the time the trainer departed the Mudgee Vet Hospital until the time of the its death.

The Inquiry Panel found both charges proven, and determined that the trainer will face two charges or disqualification for six years to be served concurrently, citing consideration that the trainer had been licensed since 1990 with no prior breaches of the rules that would impact on the penalty and the trainer's remorse.

‘It’s Her Shout’ had raced 68 times with 13 first place wins from 2015-2018.

A copy of the decision of GRNSW about the penalty imposed can be found here