This past Election Day brought a lot of uncertainty in Florida, but one measure on the ballot passed without question. Voters overwhelmingly voiced the desire to end dog racing in the state. Amendment 13 passed with 69 percent of the vote and will ban dog racing by the year 2020.
But the question now is, what will happen to the dogs?
Greyhound racing is a truly inhumane form of entertainment. People gamble on which dog will beat the others to the finish line — the only goal of the dog owners is to have the fastest animal. The dogs suffer mostly boring and confined lives, with much off-track time spent in kennels. Many of the greyhounds bred to be raced don’t make the cut and are euthanized. Many die from heart attacks while racing or sustain injuries like broken legs, heatstroke, or electrocution from the robotic rabbit they chase around the track. Even the most fit will have a racing life of only 4 or 5 years before their bodies are too broken to continue.
Amendment 13 is a huge win for greyhounds as Florida has 11 of the 17 greyhound racing tracks in the United States. Countless dogs will be spared a life of suffering for the entertainment of humans. Thousands that currently race only have to face a life of misery and possible death for another year. What will happen to the dogs that remain once the ban is put in place? There are around 3,700 greyhounds in Florida currently. Out of the ones that survive, some may be sold and forced to race elsewhere; the others will need homes.
Many organizations exist to find homes for retired greyhounds and will be stepping up to help with the influx after the ban. However, it is too early at this point to know which tracks will be closing first and which of the animals will need a home. If you are interested in adopting a greyhound now or in the future, contact a local organization as the dogs are often rescued from various places.
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Greyhound racing has been losing popularity and Florida’s ban will significantly reduce the amount of dogs forced to run for our amusement. But it will still be legal in Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Texas, and West Virginia — and many states allow betting from afar. We will continue working to educate the public on the cruelty of dog racing, and pushing to end the practice around the world.
THANKFULLY GREYHOUND RACING IS RECOGNIZED AS A BRUTAL SPORT. GOD BLESS THESE DOGS & I WISH THEM ALL A GOOD HOME. I would take one home with me, but I have 2 rescue dogs & 2 rescue cats.
Justice, compassion, laws, live, Love
paren las carreras de perros los animales se lastiman y los matan porque ya no son útiles a los dueños para ganar plata trabajen vagos
Great ! Prayers for homes for all these wonderful greyhounds. So happy greyhound racing is Banned in Florida.
Kristen, I live in California and would love to adopt a greyhound. Not sure to contact about it. Your article does not provide resources for rescue.
Thank you,
Roger
Contact these greyhound organizations…all are based in FL
https://www.greyhoundpetsfl.org/
Or
http://www.greyhoundpetsorlando.org/
Or
ahome4greys.org/
Or
http://www.greyhoundpetsorlando.org/
Also The Greyhound Project Inc. has a directory of adoption groups by state on its website.
http://adopt-a-greyhound.org/directory/list.cfm
There’s a greyt greyhound adoption organization, called GREYHOUND ADOPTION CENTER in El Cajon (southern) California. They have dogs for adoption now, including rescues from the track in Macau, China. phone is 877-478-8364; [email protected]. I’ve met the founder, Darren Riggs. Tell him I sent you!
Roger, if you are in southern CA: contact Greyhound Adoption Center, 877-478-8364; email: [email protected]. I’ve met the founder, Darren Riggs. Tell him I sent you! Thanks for considering greyhound adoption.
Please folks, step up to foster and/or adopt ex-racers. i have been with an adoption group in Colorado for 22 years and if you’d like to host a 45 mile per hour couch potato, this is the dog for you!
Judy do you have a resource for California?
thx
Roger, hopefully you rec’d my last post to you re: Greyhound Adoption Center in El Cajon, CA. If not, email me at [email protected]
Bless them. Let’s hope they all get nice homes. They deserve it.
Wish this country could work on a different system to pass the laws through all states instead of having to go through each one individually. Makes it more difficult for those of us trying to help.
Wish this country could work on a different system that individual laws don’t have to be passed by individual states. Makes it that much more difficult.
I do hope they all get re-homed and loved to try and make up for all the abuse they have suffered. They are sweet, gentle dogs.
THANK YOU FLORIDA FOR YOUR NEW LAW, HOWEVER WHEN YOU BAN SOMETHING AS CRUEL AS THIS WHY WAIT 2 YEARS. END IT NOW!!PLAIN AND SIMPLE. THESE INGRATES WILL MOVE ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL INNOCENT GREYHOUNDS TO ONE OF THE OTHER STUPID STATES THAT STILL ALLOW RACING…DUH!!!! SAVE ALL THESE DOGS …..NOW!!!!!!!!!!!
gracias por ayudar a los galgos y ojalá encuentren hogares amorosos se lo merecen y que nunca mas tengan que pasar por lo mismo eso debe terminar los dizque humanos no deben lucrarse con el dolor de los perritos
gracias por ayudar a los galgos y ojalá encuentren hogares amorosos se lo merecen y nunca más pasen por lo mismo y que esos inhumanos no deben lucrarse económicamente del dolor de los perritos no podemos esperar hasta el 2020 se debe acabar ya
WHY WAIT TIL THE YEAR 2020??? HIGH TIME TO END THIS “SPORT” IMMEDIATELY!!! AND THE GREYHOUNDS W-I-L-L BE ADOPTED…NO QUESTION!!! IN THE MEANTIME…BAN ANY FURTHER BREEDING!!!
Must be banned worldwide!!!!
Het is werkelijk tijd dat alle staten in Amerika, Australië, ierland een algemeen verbod krijgen op het hondenracen met eender welke hondenrassen…Dit moet een wereldwijde wet worden met enorme straffen en geldboetes als die wet of dat verbod wordt geschonden….De dieren overal ter wereld zijn altijd de dupe en dat moet stoppen…elke moord op welke manier dan ook is en blijft een moord en het beleid in elk land kan als ze dat willen er iets aan doen om dit te stoppen…zet druk op deze gruwelijkheden op dieren wereldwijd en laat de dieren een stem krijgen,zij hebben RECHT OP LEVEN ….AUB AUB AUB AUB AUB…Mijn naam mag met mijn toestemming openbaar gezet worden uit respect voor al het dierenleed dat er al ontelbare jaren dieren wordt aangedaan en laat het stoppen Aub,please,bitte,svp, GEEN WREEDHEDEN MEER …LAAT ONZE AARDE WEER TERUG WORDEN ZOALS ONZE SCHEPPER HEM HEEFT GEMAAKT MET DIEREN EN MENSEN IN HARMONIE….DANK U
Why not end it forthwith? Why wait? Please don’t back peddle like the N..S.W. State Premier did 2 years ago.
Actually, it was strongly hinted to me by a police officer a year or so ago, that the Premier and his family received serious threats and that is why he reneged and resigned from politics altogether almost immediately after that.
Racing doesn’t end till 2021 many of these dogs are going to other kennels in other states . That’s something this amendment failed to state .
Thank you, as an Alabama resident, I wasn’t aware of that
Breeders and racetrackers…it’s all about the MONEY! BAN THIS ABUSE IN ALL STATES!!!