Pennsylvania has had a ban on greyhound racing since 2004.
Now a bill moving through the state House is targeting horse racetracks or other betting establishments which might consider running simulcasts of greyhound racing from the 19 surviving dogs tracks in the U.S.
House Bill 67, which unanimously passed the House Gaming Oversight Committee Tuesday, would bar simulcasts or live broadcasts of greyhound racing, a strategy that the shrinking greyhound racing industry is pushing as a way to increase profits at its dwindling number of tracks.
No horse tracks in Pennsylvania currently simulcast greyound racing, nor have any sought to bring in greyhound broadcasts, said bill sponsor Rep. Curt Schroder (R., Chester).
Schroder, chairman of the gaming committee, said simulcasts are a bad idea because they expand gambling and because of the inhumane treatment of racing dogs at tracks and after their careers when most are destroyed.
“There are a lot of problems in the greyhound racing industry,” said Schroder. “The dogs are often abused and live in deplorable conditions. Dozens of greyhounds died recently at a Florida track. My legislation will mean that Pennsylvania will not support this industry or further expansion of gambling in the Commonwealth.”
Sarah Speed, Pennsylvania director for the Humane Society of the United States, testified at a hearing last week that 19,000 greyhounds were destroyed in 2000, including puppies deemed unfit for racing and adults - most only three years old - considered washed up on the track.
There are no known breeding kennels of racing greyhounds in Pennsylvania, according to the Department of Agriculture.
A similar bill sponsored by Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (R., Montgomery) cleared the Senate last session and was approved by Schroder's committee before getting stuck in the House Appropriations Committee for reasons Schroder does not understand. It's not clear if the bill will go back to appropriations or move directly to the House floor this time around.
Under HB 67, anyone found to be in violation of the law could face civil penalties of up to $10,000.
Philadelphia is home to the National Greyhound Adoption Program, one of the largest greyhound adoption centers. Schroder himself just adopted his second retired greyhound in November. Her name: "Hello Kitty."
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Fortunately, as the public has lost interest in this cruel and inhumane sport, tracks have closed and the number of greyhounds bred to race has declined. According to the National Greyhound Association (the sport's breed registry), the number of greyhounds registered to race peaked in 1993 at nearly 40,000 greyhounds. Less than 16,000 greyhounds were registered to race in 2009, and so far the figure is trending to be even less in 2010.
Greyhound racing is cruel and inhumane. Greyhounds endure lives of nearly constant confinement, kept in cages barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around. While racing, many dogs suffer and die from injuries including broken legs, paralysis, and cardiac arrest. And many greyhounds are euthanized every year, as the number retired from racing exceeds the number of adoptive homes.
Dogs play an important role in our lives and deserve to be protected from industries and individuals that do them harm.
GREY2K USA is a national non-profit organization working to pass laws to protect the dogs that are still racing and to close down dog tracks. Dog racing remains operational at 23 tracks in 7 states in the U.S. We will continue to fight to end this cruel sport. Please consider supporting our important work. For more information about dog racing and to support our important work to end dog racing nationwide, please visit www.GREY2KUSA.org. - Val Wolf, Board Member GREY2K USA