Goodwin was convicted and fined $1200 for failing to provide the proper veterinary care for a dog called Hector after it sustained the wound following a dog fight.

Goodwin pleaded guilty in Kempsey Local Court on May 29. He was convicted and fined by Magistrate Pearce. 

The court heard on August 10, 2016 an RSPCA inspector and three compliance officers from Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) attended his Kempsey residence in relation to a complaint about an untreated injured animal at the property.

Goodwin admitted that he had failed to provide veterinary treatment for a large dog fight wound in a greyhound that he was training.

A veterinarian concluded after assessing the animal that immediate care would have prevented Hector from enduring extended pain and suffering.

“I consider that there was failure to provide necessary treatment for Hector following a dog fight which resulted in multiple full thickness wounds over Hector's chest and shoulders,” the report said.

“These wounds subsequently became severely infected as evidence of the purulent discharge from the wounds. This required treatment to clear the infection prior to surgery to suture the wounds closed.

“This would have resulted in Hector being in pain and discomfort from both the open wounds exposing vulnerable muscle and the severe infection.

“The infection required 30 days of treatment to clear and two surgeries were required for the wounds to be sutured and fully heal.

“lf the dog had been treated immediately, the likelihood of the wounds healing after the first surgery would have been far greater. Also the infection would have been most likely avoided with antibiotic treatment if treatment was administered immediately after the fight.”

Goodwin said it isn’t the hit to the hip pocket that he is most disappointed about – he knows his reputation as a trainer is now tarnished.

“I’m severely disappointed with myself,” he said.

“I pride myself on having a good reputation and this one incident is going to tarnish that.

“If I’ve done a million good things for the industry in all the time I’ve been involved, the one thing I will be remembered for is this.”

“If I had my time over again I would have taken the dog to the vet in a heartbeat.”

The 39-year-old conceded he had done the wrong thing when he didn’t take the dog straight to the vet because he felt he could treat the dog on his premises.

“It’s important to note that I kept all records of what I treated the dog with,” he said.

“I was thoughtful with the treatment the dog received, I took it to the beach twice or three times a week and let salt water do its thing.

“The wound was cleaned every day. In my opinion I treated it as well as I could, the only thing I was guilty of was not taking it to the vet because I felt the open wound would have naturally healed.

“It couldn’t be stitched.”

He emphasised he was guilty of not taking the dog to the vet.

“I’m not guilty of not looking after a dog to the best of its needs,” he said.

Goodwin knows he now has the challenge of rebuilding his reputation in the industry, something he had worked for more than 30 years for.

“Being a young bloke in this industry I’d like to think I’m a good role model and I pride myself on providing the best treatment,” he said.

“I don’t leave injured dogs lying in a paddock.”