Humane Advocates are Winning the Debate Over Greyhound Racing

Jake runs on the beach

In the debate over the future of greyhound racing, humane advocates are winning. Just consider these facts:

• According to statistics from the National Greyhound Association, for the first six months of 2012 the number of dogs registered to race has declined by 14% when compared to a year ago.

• During the same time period, the number of greyhound litters reported to the National Greyhound Association has declined by 4%.

• The membership of the National Greyhound Association has declined by 16% over the last year, and now represents only 1,226 individuals nationwide.

• According to state statistics, the amount gambled on pari-mutuel wagering at Florida dog tracks in Fiscal Year 2011-2012 declined for the seventh consecutive year.

• In July 2012, the amount gambled on pari-mutuel wagering at Florida dog tracks was down by $1.6 million when compared to July 2011.

The greyhound racing industry is slowly dying. Greyhound breeders have repeatedly tried to convince themselves that there will be some magic revival of their cruel industry, but that's not happening. This decline also explains why dog race promoters have resorted to desperate personal attacks. At some level, even greyhound breeders know that their industry is vanishing before their eyes.

While these new statistics are good news for greyhounds, we must continue fighting for the dogs. At GREY2K USA, we will work hard until the cruelty of greyhound racing ends everywhere. We are making progress, but there is a lot still left to do.