In the most recent elections, there were many different things on the ballot. Florida voters especially had a lot to consider as they cast their votes.
One of these major questions was whether dog racing should be illegal. This was Amendment 13 on Florida’s ballot.
Amendment 13 bans the sport of dog racing. The election was a chance for the amendment to be passed so that dog racing would become illegal.
Dog Racing’s Decline
In recent years, dog racing has greatly declined.
Within the past 30 years, 50 tracks throughout the United States have closed. Those tracks had to be closed due to the lack of an audience. Many people just stopped going to dog racing events. It turns out that some tracks are actually losing money on live racing events.
Jim O’Brien is the president and CEO of Melbourne Greyhound Park. He keeps his track running as a way to show his loyalty to the sport.
O’Brien also talked about how he was losing $250,000 each year because of live racing.
Caring as a Reason
Many people haven’t been in support of dog racing because of unfair treatment of the dogs. There have been plenty of accusations against the owners of the greyhounds. The widely negative opinion of dog racing is what triggered this amendment to be challenged. This is also what led to the results of the election.
On Tuesday, November 6, states across the country held their elections. This was the moment of truth for Amendment 13.
When the results came out, 69 percent of voters were in favor of passing the amendment, while 31 percent were in favor of keeping dog racing legal in the state.
These results are likely due to the lack of interest in the sport and how it is seen as unfair. Many people believe that animals shouldn’t be forced to partake in sporting events. For others, this is a major part of their life. This may even be why some people have their dogs to begin with.
A New Life
Without a track to run on, there will be lots of potentially homeless racing dogs available for adoption in the near future.
Florida currently has 11 dog tracks still in business. They account for about two-thirds of the tracks left throughout the country. It’s likely that these tracks will completely close once dog racing officially becomes illegal in Florida.
There are a few tracks left in other states, like West Virginia, Texas, Arkansas, Iowa, and Alabama. Some racing dog owners will probably move to these other states to continue racing as long as it is legal.
The Fight
Carey Theil is the executive director of Grey2K, a group that fights against dog racing throughout the United States. Theil mentioned that Amendment 13 was supported in areas where racing actually takes place.
Theil was impressed with the results of the election. He shared his passion, saying,
“It’s a powerful endorsement of our humane values and a repudiation of an industry that is cruel and inhumane.”
One thing that Theil is concerned about is the lack of jobs for former trainers and anyone else employed in this area. Theil is hopeful that Florida will assist these people in getting new jobs.
The greyhound is one specific breed that is known for their racing abilities. It’s likely that many of the adoptable former racing dogs will be greyhounds.
The amendment will be put to action on January 1st, 2021. At this point, many of the 8,000 racing dogs in Florida may be put up for adoption.
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