Epic Failure for New Iowa Dog Track

Harley raced at Dubuque Greyhound Park

Last year, the Iowa legislature passed a law to phase out dog racing at one track and permanently end millions of dollars in annual subsidies for greyhound breeders. Unfortunately the Iowa Greyhound Association (IGA), which represents the dog racing industry, was able to win major concessions in the law.

In the coming years, greyhound breeders will receive an outrageous golden parachute worth a total of $72 million. Half of these golden parachute funds can be used to operate a dog track in Dubuque. The law gives the IGA the exclusive right to operate this track, under a sweetheart deal that grants them a five-year property lease for only a single dollar per year. In addition to this waste, the IGA was given yet another $2.4 million state handout in March.

After receiving one special favor after another, the new dog track in Dubuque is still a failure. We now have data for the first three months at the newly minted "Iowa Greyhound Park," and dog race gambling is down across the board when compared to a year ago.

Gambling on live races at Iowa Greyhound Park is down a staggering 25%, as the Des Moines Register reported yesterday in a front page story. If we take a deeper dive into the numbers, the picture becomes even more bleak for the IGA. Remote gambling on the races held in Dubuque is down by 32.1%, and total dog race betting for the track has decreased by 26.2%.

Of course, the IGA is trying to put the best possible face on this epic failure. In the Register, IGA lawyer Jerry Crawford acknowledged the the track is losing money, but still claimed that things are just wonderful:

"What we are trying to do is make racing special, not make it a 24/7 activity because that model doesn't work. Our approach is succeeding."

Meanwhile, the IGA has refused to make a single meaningful reform to improve greyhound welfare. In November I laid out four key changes the IGA could make to help greyhounds: a new system of housing, halting the use of anabolic steroids in female dogs, ending the use of "4-D" meat, and providing funding to ensure that every injured greyhound receives veterinary care.

None of these changes have occurred. Instead of proving to the world that it is capable of reform, the dog racing industry has again put its personal profits ahead of animal welfare. Sadly, this new Iowa track can probably limp along for a while because the vast subsidy dollars the IGA will receive. Let history show that its Dubuque experiment was an economic failure on day one, and amounted to nothing more than another facility where dogs suffer and die.

Greyhound Gambling at Lowest Level in 30 Years

Flak lives with his adopted family in Texas

This week, the Association of Racing Commissioners International released its 2013 Statistical Summary, which reports the amount gambled on greyhound races nationwide from all sources. ARCI is the only reference for this valuable information.

In 2013, a total of $633.3 million was bet on dog races in the United States. Most of this money is returned to gamblers in winnings, with the rest split between track owners and greyhound breeders. Dog track gambling fell by 4.8% over the previous year, and has now declined by 82% since 1991, when the industry economically peaked.

This is the lowest amount bet on greyhound racing in at least thirty years, and further proof that this cruel industry is dying.

It's also clear that GREY2K USA is having a powerful impact on the dog racing industry. In the twelve years since we formed, the rate of industry decline has more than doubled (8.8% annually) compared to the previous dozen years. In fact, gambling on dog racing has dropped by 68%, and nearly thirty tracks have closed or ended live racing, since our formation in 2001.

We are winning the fight to end greyhound racing, against a cruel industry that refuses to change. Now is the time to double down on our advocacy efforts, and continue moving toward the day when dog racing ends completely.

Dog Race Revenue at Macau Track Drops by a Staggering 31%

In Macau, the Canidrome racetrack is losing the debate over greyhound racing.

According to new statistics from the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordinator Bureau (DICJ), in 2012 dog race revenues at the Canidrome declined by a staggering 31%. This revenue drop shows that public opinion is turning against the track, and it is starting to pay a heavy price for its stubbornness.

Over the past year, GREY2K USA has fought for changes in Macau, working with Animals Asia, Animals Australia and ANIMA. The Canidrome has no adoption program, and every greyhound that competes at the facility is eventually killed. More recently, we have reached out to the global animal welfare community to ask for its help, and the response has been overwhelming. Today, there is a global chorus of voices speaking up for the Macau greyhounds.

So far, the Canidrome's owners have tried to simply ignore this wave of criticism. They have pretended as if nothing has happened, and are continuing to kill dogs. This callousness goes against our global humane values, and as a result the track is now in great danger of a total loss. The Canidrome's land lease expires in 2015, and it is quickly running out of second chances.

The Canidrome's owners must now make a choice: they can stop killing greyhounds or be prepared to face future losses and eventually see the track close. Either way, change is on the way for the greyhounds in Macau.

Dog Racing Declines for Nineteen Years in a Row

Voters outlawed greyhound racing at Raynham Park in 2008

It's a well established fact that greyhound racing is a dying industry. It's worth noting, however, just how long and steep the decline has been. According to new data we have received, gambling on dog racing has now declined for nineteen consecutive years.

The last year that betting on dog races increased was 1991. That is the same year that the number of computers on the internet hit one million for the first time, the average price of gasoline was only $1.12, Nirvana released their landmark album Nevermind, and moviegoers went to see Thelma and Louise. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union broke up and world leaders included George H.W. Bush and Boris Yeltsin. Since 1991, the amount gambled on greyhound races has declined by a staggering 80%.

Commercial dog racing is an anachronism, an industry that the world has passed by. Similarly, industry participants hold views on animal welfare that are outdated. For example, greyhound breeders see nothing wrong with standard practices like the system of confined housing that is used at commercial tracks. Dog race proponents simply don't understand that these cruel practices are throwbacks to a previous time, and go against our mainstream values about the humane treatment of animals.

Change is never easy, but greyhounds deserve better. With each passing year, commercial dog racing is becoming less relevant as an economic and cultural activity. If greyhound advocates continue to work hard and keep the faith, I know that eventually we can end commercial dog racing completely.

Dog Track Pioneer: Golden Days of Greyhound Racing are Gone Forever

Raynham Park in Massachusetts is overgrown with weeds

It's not often that I agree with one of the pioneers of the commercial greyhound racing industry. That happens to be the case today, however. In the current edition of Greyhound Review magazine, industry Hall of Fame member Paul C. Hartwell acknowledges the collapse of the dog race industry in a column titled "Those old-time Crowds."

Hartwell, who has been involved with the greyhound racing industry since the 1930's, starts his column by pointing out that the crowds are gone, and regular dog track customers have vanished:

"For most of my racing life there was a hard-core of racetrack customers that were just as regular at the track as were the employees or dogmen. They showed up every night just as if they were on a payroll. Some were touts, some were gamblers, and for some it was just the right place to be. For whatever reason they were there, they never missed a night or a race and they knew as much about the overall racing operation as anyone that was working at the track. You just don't see that anymore."

Hartwell then quotes National Greyhound Association Secretary-Treasurer Gary Guccione, who says that because voters ended greyhound racing in Massachusetts, track patrons now have to return to their "assisted living facilities" to "stare at the TV." This is certainly not a vote of confidence in dog racing.

Finally, Hartwell ends his essay by stating that even though he believes commercial greyhound racing will survive in some form, its golden days are over:

"It looks like greyhound racing came along when the country needed it, but now the attitude of the public has changed and its attention is aimed elsewhere. For this reason, even though I believe that greyhound racing, in one form or another, will be around for many years to come, I don't think any amount of  high-powered advertising is going to bring back the golden years many of us were fortunate to have experienced."

I concur with Hartwell that the attitude of the public has changed, and the glory days of greyhound racing are gone forever. I would go a step further, however, and point out that commercial greyhound racing is not only a dying industry, it is a cultural dinosaur.

The dog race industry can no longer effectively compete with other forms of entertainment, and is out of touch with mainstream values on the humane treatment of animals. It is an antiquated relic from a previous generation, and will eventually end.

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.

The End of the Cruel Greyhound Racing Industry is in Sight

Today, the New York Times reported on the collapse of greyhound racing in the United States. In just a few years the industry has been cut in half, and even racetrack owners are now working to reduce or eliminate dog races.

The reality is that most racetracks are now losing money on greyhound races, but are legally required to subsidize dog racing in order to offer other, more profitable forms of gambling. This dog racing mandate is indefensible and should end.

At some level, even diehard greyhound breeders know that dog racing will soon end. Their angry rhetoric and personal attacks are meant to distract attention from the facts at hand. They would rather attack greyhound protection advocates than debate the merits of dog racing, or acknowledge the economic failure of their cruel activity.

Over the past few years, the public has learned more information about greyhound racing than ever before. For the first time they have been able to see inside the Tucson Greyhound Park kennel compound, and read about the thousands of dogs that are suffering serious injuries at tracks across the country.

As members of the public learn these cruel facts, public opinion is changing. A good friend once told me that the greyhound racing industry contains within itself the seeds of its own destruction. Today, I think I know what he meant. The standard practices in dog racing go against mainstream values about the humane treatment of animals. As greyhound advocates our job is simply to make these facts available to voters and ask them to make a humane choice.

It's also important to remember that social change takes time. Even though public support for dog racing has collapsed, it could take many years for dog racing to completely end. Greyhound advocates must win multiple legislative victories in order to end this cruelty, and each of those victories will be difficult.

The legislative process can be both complicated and convoluted, and in some cases good public policy can be thwarted by special interests who invest in high powered lobbyists and campaign contributions. This is certainly the case in Iowa, where a handful of greyhound breeders have so far prevented full consideration of a measure to end dog racing. Greyhound racing is a losing proposition in Iowa, but these greyhound breeders are using millions of dollars they receiving in state subsidies to perpetuate this bad policy.

Similarly, I am disappointed that we were unable to pass greyhound decoupling this year in Florida. While I write this post I am watching the final hours of the Florida legislative session, and am frustrated that we were unable to help Florida's greyhounds despite having overwhelming support in both the House and Senate.

My disappointment, however, is tempered by my belief that in the end good public policy will triumph. There is no question that dog racing will end in both Florida and Iowa, along with every other state. If is not a question of if, but when. We are really fighting over how long this humane change will take, and how many dogs will suffer along the way.

Finally, I can assure you that GREY2K USA will not stop fighting until the greyhounds receive the freedom they deserve. It's the right thing to do, and I know in my heart that our best days are ahead of us.

Decline of Dog Racing Industry Continues

GREY2K USA has received updated data on the number of dogs registered to race, and the statistics are good news for greyhound advocates.

In 2011, a total of 11,759 greyhounds were registered to compete in the United States. This is the lowest total in decades, and represents an 8% decrease from 2010. In short, fewer greyhounds are being bred to race.

This is wonderful news, and will directly benefit dogs. As a result of this registration decrease, it is very likely that fewer greyhounds will be killed than ever before. This reduction also means that fewer greyhounds will endure lives of confinement and suffer serious injuries.

Of course, this decline also provides more evidence that dog racing is a dying industry. In fact, as of December 2011 the National Greyhound Association (NGA) had only 1,460 members nationwide, and their membership has declined by 12% over the last year.

Greyhound breeders often make outrageous claims about the effect dog racing has on local economies. The fact is, however, that greyhound racing is no longer economically relevant. Dog racing is a thing of the past, and this reality is reflected by the NGA's low membership.

For greyhound advocates, these new statistics are encouragement that dog racing's days are numbered. For the greyhounds themselves, the end of this cruel industry couldn't come fast enough.

Economic Study: Greyhound Racing Has a Negative Impact on State Revenues

As greyhound racing is debated across the country, dog track proponents are increasingly turning to economic arguments in an attempt to save their cruel industry. According to a recent study, however, the economic impact of greyhound racing is at least partly negative.

In a 2010 article, Economic Professors from Auburn University and the College of Charleston reported that greyhound racing tends to have a negative impact on state revenues in the jurisdictions in which it exists. Specifically, the authors found that:

"Each additional dollar of greyhound handle is estimated to reduce net state revenue by a whopping and statistically significant $7.61."

In other words, for every dollar gambled on dog racing host states lost nearly eight dollars in revenue. According to the authors, this reduction is likely due to the fact that greyhound racing cannibalizes other parts of the economy:

"The casino and greyhound racing results indicate substitution away from other, revenue productive forms of spending which, ultimately, leads to a reduction in state revenues."

The study was published in Contemporary Economic Policy, a Journal of the Western Economic Association International. WEAI is a non-profit educational organization of economists, and past Presidents include eight Nobel Laureates.

This study should send a clear message to policymakers. Greyhound racing is not only cruel and inhumane, it is also an economic drain on the states in which it still exists.