FUTURE OF GREYHOUNDS

Photo bt Jeremy Reper

FUTURE OF GREYHOUNDS

Written by Julie Murray, Head-writer, Lowcountry Dog Magazine

One of the issues that has been greatly discussed in the rescue world lately is the passage of Amendment 13 in Florida. This change to the state’s constitution banned greyhound racing and anyone from wagering on live dog races, effective December 31, 2020. As you can imagine, this drew out much discussion and many differing opinions on both sides of the issue. Lowcountry Dog Magazine has worked with the local chapter of Greyhound Pets of America for many years. Their national president, Rory Goree, released an official statement letting people know that GPA was pledging to work closely with the greyhound racing community and various adoption groups to ensure that all greyhounds currently racing in Florida would have a safe place to go. Goree addressed the issue for those who were fearing an immediate crisis in greyhound adoption. He stated, “There is no immediate urgency to find homes for the canine athletes who will be dislocated in 2020. GPA has been working in the field of greyhound adoption for decades and we know how to prepare for this planned transition out of live racing. When the time comes, all greyhounds will be adopted or returned to their owners.” Fortunately, GPA works with rescues all over the country that will assist with this transition and they have dealt with this before when tracks in Massachusetts and Arizona also closed. lowcountry dog 24

Currently, there are approximately 3,700 canine athletes racing on the 11 dog racing tracks open in Florida. In 2019, 3 tracks did not open for racing so there are only 9 that are currently racing. Concerns for their welfare have been long-standing and bring up some of the more controversial aspects of this industry. The racing greyhounds are confined for long periods of time in small cages. There are many instances where trainers have been suspended and reprimanded for neglect and the use of steroids or other illegal drugs on the dogs in order to improve their performance. They are also reportedly fed “4-D meat” which, according to the FDA is meat from dead, dying, disabled, or diseased (4-D) animals. Sadly, they also state that this type of meat is “shipped for use by several industries, including pet food manufacturers, zoos, greyhound kennels, and mink ranches” and can pose a potential health hazard to these animals. Those who oppose the amendment say that these claims are overstated and the vast majority of greyhounds are healthy, well trained and treated well. Many trainers say that greyhounds are akin to elite athletes and could not achieve the feats they did if they were unhealthy or neglected. A representative from the Florida Greyhound Association also pointed out that racing generates revenue and provides thousands of jobs. Job losses are understandably a big worry for the employees of the tracks and so is Florida’s loss of revenue. In 2017,WUFT Florida reported that greyhound racing generated $11 million in state revenue. However, in an article by The Florida Bar Journal & News in September of 2018, it was stated that “aside from the well-documented negative impact on the animals, the current state of the law in Florida comes at a significant financial cost. The law requires tracks to hold dog races in order to be entitled to offer other types of more popular gambling.” This causes the tracks lose money on racing. The Bar Journal also quoted a study done by the Florida Legislature that found the regulatory costs associated with greyhound racing exceed the amount of revenue generated. Job losses also may not be as large as expected. According to the amendment, facilities that currently race greyhounds will be allowed to continue other aspects of their business, such as card rooms and slot machines - activities that generate a much larger amount of revenue for the businesses. Another corollary issue that has been discussed is the future of the greyhound breed in general. According to an article in Psychology Today, Dr. Stanley Coren reported that greyhounds are already on the list of dog breeds who are vulnerable to extinction in the United States. His research showed that greyhounds are part of the group of the 50 rarest breeds that account for only 1.2% of all the dogs in the AKC registry. It is a possibility that this gentle and sweetly stoic dog could slowly disappear when they are no longer bred for racing purposes. This is the double-edged sword that has been plaguing this controversial issue from the start. The ban on greyhound racing in Florida, in this writer's opinion, is a step in the right direction towards the more humane and respectful treatment of these amazing creatures. With any issue like this, there will be losses on both sides of the coin. Dana Nutter, President of the local chapter of GPA summarized it perfectly: “...the passing of Amendment 13 presents challenges to track owners, kennel operators and Greyhound adoption groups alike. GPA's ultimate role in this process over the next two years is to find homes for as many Florida Greyhounds as possible. We remain committed to those Greyhounds, our future adopters and our current adopters and fosters.” If you would like to learn more about the Greyhound Pets of America organization, please visit their website at: http://www.greyhoundpets.org You can read their mission statement, donate to the cause and read about other ways that you can help.