Federal Bill Would End Greyhound Racing in America
Posted on: July 30, 2020, 08:22h.
Last updated on: July 30, 2020, 10:47h.
Greyhound racing may be on its last legs in the US, but a federal bill introduced Wednesday by two Democratic lawmakers would kill it off entirely.
The text of US Reps. Tony Cárdenas’ (Calif.) and Steve Cohen’s, (Tenn.) Greyhound Protection Act (H.R. 7826) has not yet been published. But the bill would amend the Wire Act to “clarify that gambling on commercial greyhound racing and field coursing using wire communication technology is prohibited.”
The Wire Act of 1961 prohibits the use of telecommunications for betting across state lines. Dogs bred for the greyhound racing industry are transported across state lines for racing, and meanwhile, races are broadcast to numerous states for simulcast gambling.
Greyhound racing is cruel and must end,” Cárdenas said in an official statement. “These docile animals are kept in stacked cages for 20 hours or more a day and are subjected to brutal training practices and races, facing the risk of injury and death at every turn.
“My bill allows for a sensible wind down of an already-declining industry that will ultimately outlaw greyhound racing,” Cárdenas added. “As a longtime animal welfare advocate, I am committed to always speaking up for the voiceless.”
Live-Lure Training Exposed
The bill comes just days after an investigation by greyhound protection NPO Grey2K found evidence of live-lure practices at three dog-training farms in Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. Live-lure training involves dogs being baited with live animals, which are then mauled to death in order to enhance the dogs’ “chase instinct.”
The practice is banned by the greyhound racing industry and is illegal in most states. It may also be illegal under the federal Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act (2019). But H.R. 7826 would make live-lure training specifically illegal.
Greyhound racing will soon end in the United States, and this bill allows for a managed phase-out of the activity to enable planning to provide homes for the dogs and certainty for the owners, workers, and breeders in the industry,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, in a statement.
“Greyhound racing is dying, and it’s best to manage the shutdown of the industry to allow for a soft landing for the people and the animals involved,” he added.
Dog Days of Racing
Greyhound racing’s days have been numbered since residents of Florida — which was formerly the epicenter of the sport in the US — voted in November 2018 to phase it out by the end of this year.
At the time of the vote, Florida was home to 11 of the 17 tracks in the country that offered live greyhound racing. Of those, just four intend to continue offering live races up until the end of the year, when the ban comes into effect.
When Florida goes, only four tracks will remain nationwide — two in West Virginia, one in Arkansas, and one in Iowa. The Arkansas track, Southland, has pledged to discontinue racing in 2022.
Last month, the last track in Texas, Gulf Greyhound Park, closed its doors, citing declining public interest in the sport.
A legislative push to defund greyhound racing in West Virginia earlier this year was approved by the state House, but came unstuck in the Senate.
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I’m not in industry but what will happen to greyhound dogs now? Will they become extinct? Greyhounds nearly became extinct during times of famine in the Middle Ages. They were saved by clergymen who protected them and bred them for the nobility. From this point on, they came to be considered the dogs of the aristocracy. In the tenth century, King Howel of Wales made killing a greyhound punishable by death.What I don’t understand is per humane society and other agencies “ Over 115 million animals – mice, rats, dogs, cats, rabbits, monkeys, birds, among others – are killed in laboratory experiments worldwide for chemical, drug, food, and cosmetics testing every year.[8]”Millions of dogs in American households are abused way worse then greyhound racing dogs. I’m mean seriously these dogs in racing are taken care of better than 80% of dogs in US households.Now the breed will die out and become extinct.We focus on a couple thousand dogs vs 100 million. Just doesn’t make sense. If I was a dog and had a choice, I’d take my chances with dog racing kennels over the any American household.
Some are, some are not, Kevin. Most get 3 to 5 hours of outdoor exercise a day when housed at the track. Rehomed greys that are in retirement are couch potatoes because they spent their formative years is an extremely structured environment. That is why they make great pets - yet some suffer from sleep aggressiveness. Never wake a sleeping greyhound.But, you are correct. This sport will end when WV and IA shut down, probably in two years
A lot of lies in the article, greyhound are not locked up in cages for 20 hours a day. Yes the sport is dying out so there really is no need to push so hard on ending the sport a tiny bit sooner.