What’s Next After Florida Voted to End Greyhound Racing?
Florida voted overwhelmingly to ban greyhound racing by the end of 2020. Proposition 13 on the state ballot in November after animal advocates took their mission directly to the people.
“A 69-percent vote in Florida — a state with a still-conservative electorate — shows that this is now unstoppable,” Carey Theil, the executive director ofGREY2K USA told The Orlando Sentinel. Grey2K USA is a nonprofit organization that is against greyhound racing and it spearheaded the Yes on 13 campaign to ban greyhound racing.
Theil continued, “It sends a message not only to the remaining dog tracks in the nation but all around the world that dogs are members of our families and we will not tolerate industries that harm them.”
The Yes on 13 campaign won huge support by publicizing Florida reports on the number of dogs that are injured or die on the tracks and the video footage to prove it. According to the Orlando Sentinel, 94 percent of the donations for Yes on 13 went for TV ads of dogs being injured on the track or of greyhounds in the very small wire cages that they are forced to stay in on most days.
The campaign showed the cruelty of the racing industry and tugged at people’s heartstrings, they voted accordingly.
The 11 active dog tracks in Florida have until January 1, 20120 to stop racing dogs but the facilities can be used to race horses or to gamble on simulcast races from tracks in other places where dog racing is legal; five other US states or other countries.
There were 3,700 racing greyhounds in Florida in October according to GREY2K US but the number fluctuates depending on the season and could be as high as 8,000 at the peak of the racing season. Younger dogs will probably be moved to other states where racing is still legal but many of these dogs will be nearing the end of their careers and will need forever homes.
GREY2K US and the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando have offered to help the industry on finding new homes for the retired dogs but it is still too early to ascertain what the needs will be.
Here is a list of where you can adopt Greyhounds in Florida:
Adoptable Greyhounds of Florida
Adoptable Greyhounds is committed to placing retired racers into forever homes. The organization provides foster homes to help the dogs transition to pets and post-adoption assistance if needed. Location: Sarasota
Awesome Greyhound Adoptions
Awesome Greyhound Adoptions finds home for racing greyhounds that no longer qualify to compete. The highly-trainable dogs are given the chance to find placement as pets, as therapy dogs or as fully-trained service dogs for veterans. The organization supports the southeast Florida area, including Palm Beach, Martin, and St. Lucie Counties. Location: Boynton Beach
Bay Area Greyhound Adoptions
Bay Area Greyhound Adoptions, Inc. was founded for the purpose of finding pet homes for greyhounds who fail to qualify or no longer qualify for racing. To date, the organization has found homes for over 1,500 retired racers and it also handles greyhound adoptions on the west coast of Florida. Location: Tampa
Elite Greyhound adoptions
Elite Greyhound Adoptions matches loving homes with retired racing greyhounds in the south Florida area of Palm Beach County. Its mission is to find forever homes for injured dogs, senior dogs, retired breeding dogs, and any greyhound at risk in a local shelter. Location: Palm Beach County
Friends of Greyhounds
Based in South Florida, Friends of Greyhounds’ mission is to provide retired racing greyhounds with a caring environment and loving homes and to educate the public about greyhounds. Its a kennel is in Sunrise and they place dogs across South Florida. Location: Sunrise
God’s Greyts Greyhound Group
God’s Greyts Greyhound Group doesn’t have a kennel, all of the retired racers are fostered before being put up for adoption. The organization has taken more than 1,600 greyhounds from Sanford Kennel Club, other dog tracks, and shelters. About 75 percent of the dogs are transported out of state to new homes. Location: Orlando
G.R.E.A.T. Inc
GREAT is a greyhound rescue and adoption agency in central Florida. GREAT receives its dogs from trainers and owners who want to place their retirees in homes as well as stray greyhounds from shelters. The organization provides foster homes as the dog’s transition from track to home. Location: Tampa Bay
Greyed a Greyhound Assistant and Placement Services
Greyed works directly with the racing industry in Palm Beach County to help place retirees, mostly injured, with adoptive homes across the US after rehabilitation. Location: Wellington
Greyhound Pet Adoption Florida/Southeast, Inc
Greyhound Pet Adoption FL/SE is dedicated to finding forever homes for racing greyhounds who no longer qualify to compete at the racetrack and maintains a kennel for up to 9 greyhounds at a time. Location: West Palm Beach
Greyhound Pet Adoptions of Central Florida
Greyhound Pet Adoptions of Central Florida is dedicated to the placement of greyhounds into qualified homes or transports the dogs to other qualified adoption agencies in non-racing states. GPACF primarily adopts greyhounds in the Brevard and Indian River Counties. Location: Melbourne
Greyhound Pets of America Emerald Coast
Greyhound Pets of America EC, a racing neutral organization, was founded to provide responsible loving homes for ex-racing Greyhounds as pets.Greyhound Pets receives and processes greyhounds from the Pensacola Greyhound Track for adoption. Location: Gonzales
Greyhound Pets of America Greater Orlando
Greyhound Pets of America/Greater Orlando’s purpose is to find homes for ex-racing Greyhounds and to educate the public on the suitability and availability of Greyhounds as pets. The organization has a kennel and never turns away a dog due to injury, illness, or old age. Location: Longwood
Greyhound Ranch Adoptions
Greyhound Ranch Adoptions, Inc’s primary mission is to provide shelter and medical care to greyhounds that have retired from racing activities by providing foster care and rehabilitation programs as they transition from life of a racer to a household pet. Location: Lake Mary
Greyhounds as Pets of Northeast Florida
Greyhound as Pets runs an adoption program that is funded primarily by the Jacksonville Racing circuit and the kennels that race there. The organization has an adoption center where retired greyhounds live until they are adopted. Location: Jacksonville
GST’s Sun State Greyhound Adoption
GST is the official adoption group of the Naples-Fort Meyers Greyhound Racing Track. This is a pro-racing adoption program that finds homes for retired racers. Location: Naples-Fort Myers
Hollydogs Greyhound Adoption
Hollydogs Greyhound Adoption program rescues, treats, rehabilitates, socializes and trains greyhounds for their new life as loving family members in SE and SW Florida. Hollydogs’ greyhounds enjoy a 5-acre fenced greyhound paradise. Location: Bonita Springs
Homeward Bound Greyhounds
Homeward Bound Greyhounds is dedicated to improving the plight of ex-racing dogs through education, rescue, rehabilitation and adoption into forever homes in southwest Florida. Location: Naples
Racing Dog Retirement Project
RDRP provides an outlet for trainers, breeders, and racetracks to help place retired racers. The organization provides care and rehabilitation in its center and adoption into forever homes. RDRP serves the Florida Counties of Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and DeSoto. Location: Myakka City
Running the Rail Greyhound Adoption
Running the Rail works closely with the racing industry from farm to track to select retirees that can be placed into homes in West Central Florida. Dogs available for adoption are fostered. Location: Largo
Senior Greyhound Adoption of Florida
Senior Greyhound Adoption is a foster home-based group that specializes in placing senior greyhounds 7-years plus and special needs greyhounds. Available dogs can be viewed on Petfinder. Location: Casselberry
