Greyhound racing is now illegal in 43 states
There are two tracks left in just one state
Forty-seven dog tracks have closed or ended live racing.
To fight effectively for the greyhounds, GREY2K USA uses a battle tested, comprehensive methodology that we have discovered through trial and error. It includes five key components: passing laws, exposing greyhound cruelty, defeating attempts to prop up dog racing, persistent pressure, and giving greyhounds a voice at the ballot box. This methodology was initially used to end dog racing in the United States, and we hope to utilize it for the benefit of greyhounds worldwide.
Passing Laws to Help Greyhounds
Since our formation in 2001 we have passed twenty-four major greyhound protection laws including dog track prohibitions in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Guam, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Rhode Island. Greyhound racing is now illegal in forty-three states.
We are currently working to pass a federal bill to outlaw greyhound racing in the United States that has earned the support of more than 100 Congressional Cosponsors.
Exposing Greyhound Cruelty
Our research has led to the exposure of hundreds of media documented cases of greyhound cruelty and neglect, including dogs testing positive for cocaine, dogs suffering terrible injuries and dogs experiencing severe neglect at racing kennels. GREY2K USA Worldwide has investigated greyhound racing throughout the world and reported on dog racing in Macau, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, the United Kingdom, and Mexico.
GREY2K USA Worldwide maintains an online database of greyhound disciplinary rulings, the largest compilation of such data in the world. We have also published seminal policy reports on greyhound racing in the United States, United Kingdom and Ireland.
Defeating Attempts to Perpetuate Dog Racing
We have defeated dozens of legislative attempts to subsidize dog racing with other forms of gambling, and blocked new tax breaks for dog tracks. We have also helped prevent the expansion of commercial dog racing to countries such as Jamaica, the Philippines and South Africa.
Pressure Leads to Track Closures and Industry Decline
Our persistent pressure has contributed to the closure of dozens of American dog tracks. At its peak there were nearly 70 dog tracks in the United States. Today, there are only two tracks remaining, both in West Virginia. Since our formation in 2001, forty-six US tracks have ended dog racing and most have closed entirely.
We also led an international campaign that successfully shuttered the only legal dog track in China. The Canidrome was forced to close in 2018 and hundreds of dogs were given the second chance they deserved. Until our rescue operation began with ANIMA and Pet Levrieri of Italy, no dog had ever gotten out alive from this terrible place.
Since our formation, gambling on dog racing in the United States has declined by nearly 80% and greyhound breeding has declined by nearly 85%.
Fighting for Greyhounds at the Ballot Box
GREY2K USA championed the first ballot questions in history to outlaw dog racing. Question 3, the Greyhound Protection Act of Massachusetts, passed in 2008 by a margin of 56% to 44%. In 2018, we led a campaign to pass an Amendment to the Florida Constitution that outlawed greyhound racing, shuttering a dozen operational tracks.
Since 2002, we have also endorsed more than a hundred greyhound friendly candidates across the country, with a success rate of more than 80% on election day.
Victory Timeline
2024
In July of 2024, the only dog track in Mexico closed and all 350 surviving greyhounds were released for adoption.
In June, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed a bill to end greyhound gambling in the state.
In May 2024, New Hampshire Governor Christopher T. Sununu signed a bill to outlaw simulcast wagering on greyhounds in the Granite State.
Also in May, Governor Ned Lamont signed our bill making Connecticut the 43rd state to outlaw dog racing!
2023
In June of 2023, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed a measure to outlaw remote wagering on greyhound racing.
2022
On New Year's Eve, Southland held its last race, ending dog racing in Arkansas.
A bill to end simulcast wagering on greyhounds in Massachusetts passed in the legislature in August of 2022.
In May 2022, Iowa Greyhound Park held its last race, ending dog racing in Iowa.
On March 24, 2022, Oregon became the 42nd state to ban the cruelty of dog racing!
2020
In April 2020, the Birmingham Race Course decided close, ending dog racing in the state of Alabama. Catastrophic declines in live wagering and the loss of televised races from Florida led to this historic win for greyhounds.
2019
On October 17, it was announced that greyhound racing at Southland Park would be phased out by 2022, ending greyhound racing in Arkansas.
2018
Greyhound racing was outlawed in Florida with the passage of Amendment 13 by a vote of 69%-31% on November 6, 2018, marking Florida the 41st state to end dog racing!
GREY2K USA Worldwide formed the Committee to Protect Dogs to accomplish this milestone. Twelve tracks phased out dog racing by December 2020.
The Canidrome in Macau held its last race and the closed on July 21, 2020! More than 500 greyhounds were airlifted to waiting adoption groups around the world.
GREY2K USA again helped block a bill to re-open three long-shuttered dog tracks in Kansas. This was the eighth attempt by billionaire Phil Ruffin to bring back dog racing to the state.
2017
China's only legal dog track, The Canidrome, announces it will close in July 2018.
For the seventh time, GREY2K USA worked to successfully block the return of dog racing to the state of Kansas.
2016
Arizona became the 40th state to prohibit greyhound racing forcing the closing of Tucson Greyhound Park on June 25, 2016!
Florida lawmakers voted to require greyhound injury reporting for the first time.
GREY2K USA led the grassroots campaign to pass a Seminole County, Florida ordinance to require greyhound injury reporting, ensure reporting on the fate of greyhounds, and eliminate a loophole that exempted greyhounds from licencing and inspection laws.
GREY2K USA again helped block the re-opening of three long-shuttered dog tracks in Kansas.
2015
GREY2K USA released the first report written on Greyhound Racing in the United States.
GREY2K USA supported a West Virginia bill that reduced racetrack subsidies by $2 million.
GREY2K USA helped defeat a proposal to prop up dog racing in Texas with Instant Racing gambling devices.
2014
GREY2K USA drafted passed a bill to prohibit commercial dog racing in Colorado, making it the 39th state to ban racing!
GREY2K USA partnered with the League Against Cruel Sports and released the first comprehensive report on greyhound racing in the United Kingdom.
After years of debate, the Iowa legislature passed a bill to phase out dog racing in 2014. The new law closed one dog track, and permanently blocked $14 million in annual subsidies for greyhound breeders. GREY2K USA supported this law, and worked for years to educate lawmakers about greyhound cruelty in the state.
GREY2K USA supported a West Virginia bill that permanently reduced dog racing subsidies by 10%.
GREY2K USA drafted and worked to pass a comprehensive greyhound injury reporting law in Arizona.
GREY2K USA led a global campaign to again keep dog racing out of South Africa.
2013
Years of advocacy by GREY2K USA resulted in the implementation of new greyhound welfare regulations in Florida, including a requirement that greyhound deaths be publicly reported for the first time.
GREY2K USA supported the passage of new laws in Arkansas, Arizona and Texas to increase maximum dog track suspensions and fines, including the strongest penalties ever.
GREY2K USA supported the approval of a new Animal Cruelty Policy in West Virginia, which states that cases of greyhound cruelty must now referred to appropriate law enforcement officials.
GREY2K USA helped block the re-opening of dog tracks in Kansas as racetrack casinos. Similarly, bills to award slot machine gambling to Texas dog tracks were also defeated.
2012
A two-year fight by GREY2K USA resulted in passage of a greyhound decoupling bill in Arizona, paving the way for live dog racing to finally end at Tucson Greyhound Park.
GREY2K USA joined with other greyhound protection groups in the United Kingdom, including Greyt Exploitations, to successfully lobby London Mayor Boris Johnson to permanently end greyhound racing at the iconic Walthamstow Stadium.
2011
South Africa announced it would not introduce dog racing, following the recommendation of GREY2K USA and advocates worldwide.
2010
Rhode Island passed a bill making it the 38th state to prohibit dog racing!
New Hampshire became the 37th state to prohibit dog racing!
GREY2K USA helped draft a prohibition of dog racing which became law in the U.S. Territory of Guam.
2009
GREY2K USA passed a greyhound decoupling law in New Hampshire.
Dangerous bills to legalize commercial dog racing in Jamaica and the Philippines were defeated!
2008
GREY2K USA made history by ending dog racing through the citizens initiative process. Voter Question 3 passed overwhelmingly in our home state of Massachusetts making it the 36th state to end greyhound racing!
Two of the original US dog tracks in Massachusetts, Wonderland Greyhound Park in Revere and Raynham Park, were forced to close.
Upon finding that greyhounds were excluded from protection under the anti-cruelty statute in New Hampshire, GREY2K USA presented and passed legislation to restore greyhounds to full legal protection.
2007
GREY2K USA repealed an annual subsidy for the drug testing of racing greyhounds in New Hampshire.
2006
GREY2K USA repealed a longstanding $325,000 annual subsidy for dog racing in New Hampshire.
2004
GREY2K USA passed a greyhound injury and disposition reporting law in New Hampshire.
2001
GREY2K USA passed the only state-funded greyhound adoption trust fund into law in Massachusetts.
GREY2K USA passed a requirement in Massachusetts that all greyhound injuries be reported to the public. The measure also mandated reporting on the final disposition of all racing dogs.
47 U.S. tracks have ended dog racing and most have closed entirely
St. Croix Meadows (WI)
Pueblo Greyhound Park (CO)
Apache Greyhound Park (AZ)
Multnomah Greyhound Park (OR)
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Dilapidated Multonmah Greyhound Park Sign Plainfield Greyhound Park (CT)
Geneva Lakes Kennel Club (WI)
Geneva Lakes Kennel Club being destroyed Post Time (CO)
Shoreline Star (CT)
Cloverleaf Kennel Club (CO)
Overgrown Cloverleaf Kennel Club Jacksonville Kennel Club (FL)
Tampa Greyhound Park (FL)
Protest at Tampa Greyhound Park Wichita Greyhound Park (KS)
Corpus Christi (TX)
Mile High (CO)
The Woodlands (KS)
Hinsdale Greyhound Park (NH)
Broken down Hinsdale Greyhound Park The Lodge at Belmont (NH)
Seabrook Greyhound Park (NH)
Wonderland Greyhound Park (MA)
Wonderland Greyhound Park sign being destroyed Guam Greyhound Park (Guam)
Phoenix Greyhound Park (AZ)
Demolished Phonenix Greyhound Park Art Reyes Raynham Park (MA)
Broken down Raynham Park Dairyland Greyhound Park (WI)
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Dairyland Greyhound Park in July 2020 Muriel Wilder Twin River (RI)
VictoryLand (AL)
Jefferson County Kennel Club (FL)
Bluffs Run (IA)
Tucson Greyhound Park (AZ)
Mobile Greyhound Park (AL)
Melbourne Greyhound Park (FL)
Hollywood Greyhound Park (FL)
Flagler Greyhound Track (FL)
No Slots protest signs at Flager Greyhound Track Pensacola Greyhound Track (FL)
Valley Race Park (TX)
Sarasota Greyhound Track (FL)
Overgrown Sarasota Greyhound Track Ebro Greyhound Park (FL)
Daytona Beach Kennel Club (FL)
Daytona Beach Kennel Club protest Sanford Orlando Kennel Club (FL)
Birmingham Race Course (AL)
Naples-Ft. Myers Greyhound Track (FL)
Protest at Naples-Ft. Myers Greyhound Track Gulf Greyhound Park (TX)
Orange Park Kennel Club (FL)
Derby Lane (FL)
Palm Beach Kennel Club (FL)
Iowa Greyhound Park
Southland Park (AR)
Agua Caliente (Baja California, Mexico)
350 surviving dogs were rescued from Tijuana and sent to waiting rescue groups!
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