West Virginia May Put an End to Dog Racing - National Humane Education Society
January 18, 2020
West Virginia is the only state that still subsidizes greyhound racing, according to WV Senate President Mitch Carmichael. Every year, the WV Greyhound Breeding Development Fund is given $15 million of gambling revenues to support the breeding of greyhound dogs who will be forced into a life of running in circles so humans can bet on them.
Four West Virginia senators believe that those $15 million could be better used elsewhere, like road maintenance, education, our waterways, or healthcare. Last week, Senators Carmichael, Cline, Roberts, and Plymale introduced Senate Bill 285 which would allow the state legislature to allocate those millions of dollars to more worthy causes. The bill also outlines that a certain amount of that money be withheld to fund greyhound adoption and spay/neuter programs, as well as a workforce retraining program for the dog track employees effected by this bill. There would also be a $500 tax credit given to state residents who adopt a greyhound from one of the race tracks!
Photo courtesy of Grey2K USA Worldwide.
There are currently two operational dog tracks in West Virginia—Mardi Gras Casino in Kanawha County and Wheeling Island Casino in Ohio County. According to state veterinary records, over 3,000 greyhounds suffered bone fractures, resulting in the euthanasia of over 400 dogs between these two tracks since 2008. At any given time, these racetracks are kenneling approximately 1,400 dogs in stacked rows of small, wire cages barely large enough for them to stand or stretch. Some dogs are given performance-enhancing drugs while others are withheld medical care.
Clearly, there is nothing humane about dog racing. Bettors may win, but the dogs ALWAYS lose.
SB 285 has been introduced in the WV State Senate and has been referred to the Committee on Finance for consideration before being voted on by the senate.
Take Action: West Virginia residents, please contact your state senators and tell them to vote in favor of SB 285! Send them an email or call. Feel free to use and personalize the message below.
Dear Senator [Name],
I am writing to you to ask you to please vote in favor of Senate Bill 285, which would stop funding for the West Virginia Greyhound Breeding Development Fund and help our state’s racing greyhounds retire to loving homes, rather than suffer through a life of confinement, injury, and neglect. $15 million in state gambling revenue is given to support this barbaric and failing industry. I believe that money would be better used for road repairs, healthcare, education, or the environment…anything but cruelty to animals.
Dog racing is already illegal in 41 states. Please vote in favor of SB 285 and put West Virginia on the right side of history! Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your State, City, Zip]
[Your Phone Number]
these athletes are feed only the best foods just like human athletes who compete there diets are only the highest quality of meats and vegetables.they love to run .and when they retire there are greyhound adoption agencies who place these loveable animals in homes
of only qualified persons..DO NOT fooled by by grey2k, look them up. there a husband and wife who keep almost every penny donated for themselves.give ZEO to greyhound adoption programs, check there Massachusetts 401c tax return,CRIMINAL
how they use donations for themselves.
Hi Monica,
Thank you for your comment. Many non profit organizations run on a skeleton crew, because we are non-profits and therefore are using any funds we collect to help our cause. Grey 2K USA as well as many other animal welfare organizations are working tirelessly to help end greyhound racing.
Have you ever met a greyhound? All they want to do is lay around and sleep. In fact, greyhounds are known as one of the “laziest” dog breeds, if you can believe it. They do not want to run all day. The veterinary reports of the multitude of fractures and euthanizations on a yearly basis at these WV racetracks are free for you to read and are readily available online.
Animals are not for our entertainment, and we should certainly not be making money off of them.
SORRY MONICA, THESE DOGS ARE FED THE LOWEST GRADE OF COMMERCIAL DOG FOOD SOLD – WHAT EVER THE RENDER CAN FIND, INCLUDING GETTING EUTHANIZED DOGS FROM SHELTERS WITH MICRO CHIPS, FLEA COLLARS COLLARS, ALL TOSSED INTO A VAT AND BOILED.
tHEY BELONG TO THE HOUND FAMILY, THEY ARE SIGHT DOGS AND WERE BRED TO CHASE DEER. GIVEN A CHOICE THEY WOULD SLEEP ALL DAY ON YOUR COUCH. GO BEHIND THE SCENE AND SEE FOR YOURSELF THE CRUEL WAY THEY LIVE, ALWAYS MUSSELED, NEVER PETTED – JUST RACED TO DEATH AND CAGED UP, DAY AFTER DAY. THIS HAS TO STOP!!! CLOSE DOWN THE TRACKS.
Susan Coyle, you obviously know nothing about greyhound racing and regulations in the state. The greyhounds would test positive if their meat is not 100% pure and the trainer would get into trouble. Your dog at home would test positive for band substances. Quit spreading misinformation.
Dog racing had it’s day before the general public knew of the cruelty the dogs indure. Now that the world is aware it’s just a matter of time sooner than later before the last USA track is closed. The people have spoke, empty stadiums and states subsidizing the dying industry.
Talking about on misinformation! My Dad is an 80 yr. old retired vet in Florida, and before greyhound “racing” was banned there, he saw (and used to talk about) a multitude of serious injuries endured by these gentle, sweet animals due to the racing stress put upon their bodies.