Florida Campaign Promotes Ending Greyhound Racing

The "Protect Dogs—Yes On 13" campaign held a kickoff supporting Amendment 13, which would end Florida greyhound racing by 2020. The campaign spotlights the "inhumanity" of the sport. The Florida Greyhound Association claims the dogs are well cared for and sued to remove Amendment 13 from the November ballot.

With three rescued greyhound dogs in attendance, more than two dozen people recently attended the kickoff at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay for “Protect Dogs—Yes On 13.” Attendees heard a presentation about Amendment 13, which will appear on the November ballot and would phase out greyhound racing in the state by 2020, making Florida the 41st state to end the sport.

Christine Dorchak, president of Grey2K USA, the organization sponsoring the campaign, stressed the “inhumanity” of dog racing, noting, “Greyhound racing is cruel. Greyhounds spend 20 to 23 hours a day locked up in solitary stacked cages.” The group released a graphic TV ad depicting the caged dogs and dogs being injured on a track.

The greyhound industry said TV ad is misleading. Officials said they protect the dogs and that the ban will eliminate thousands of jobs. The Florida Greyhound Association filed a lawsuit to remove the amendment from the ballot. Association spokesman Jack Cory said, “We exercise the dogs all week. We give them all the proper food. We give them the proper care. We especially give them the proper love.” A court hearing has not yet been scheduled.

The Florida 2017-18 Constitution Revision Commission placed Amendment 13 on the ballot. It would ban dog racing and betting on dog races. At least 60 percent of approval is required for the amendment to pass. The amendment would allow card games and other gambling to continue at tracks even after dog racing ends. Live dog racing still is offered at 12 Florida tracks.

Florida Senator Dana Young, a “steadfast advocate of greyhound protection issues,” said she welcomes the amendment. “I have worked on the greyhound racing issue since my very first year in the legislature and I am thrilled that the voters of Florida will finally get a chance to decide the fate of dog racing in our state. I believe that, finally, common sense will prevail and these gentle dogs will no longer be forced to run around a track with no one watching,” she said.

“Protect Dogs – Yes on 13” will hold 13 grassroots meetings across the state. In addition to the TV ad, it also launched a digital campaign including a website, Facebook page, Twitter feed and Instagram account. Campaign Co-Chair Joyce Carta said, “This will be a true grassroots campaign. We are confident that when Floridians see the way greyhounds suffer in this industry, they will vote ‘yes’ for the dogs.”