Thousands of greyhounds at threat after Florida voters pass racing ban

THE Florida greyhound industry will end in 2021 after new legislation was overwhelmingly supported during the state’s mid-term elections on Tuesday.

69% of Florida’s 5.9 million voters supported an amendment to ban greyhound racing, leaving thousands of greyhounds potentially out of a home.

A new, voter-approved amendment banning greyhound racing in Florida leaves the future of thousands of greyhounds up in the air on December 31, 2020.

11 greyhound racing tracks throughout the state will also go out of business, ending an estimated 3000 jobs and 100 years worth of racing history in the state.

The legislation outlined no plan to deal with the estimated 6000 dogs that will need homes.

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Greyhound owners, trainers, track workers and breeders now have a little more than two years to close down their operations and find a new way to make a living.

National Greyhound Association executive director, Jim Gartland, said that the goal will be to re-home every racing greyhound using adoption programs

“We will do everything we can do to make sure that every one of them gets adopted,” Gartland told NBC.

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Florida has 11 of the country’s last 17 greyhound racing tracks, meaning this vote has effectively ended the future of the industry in the USA.

During the lead up to the vote, both sides of the proposed legislation were accused of lies and misleading the public. Official Florida records showed 483 greyhounds had died while racing or in kennels over the last five years.