Dog racing is illegal in 41 states
Active dog racing tracks
No tracks, dog racing still legal
Recent dog racing states, now illegal
Dog racing is illegal
In forty-one U.S. states, commercial dog racing is illegal (Florida effective 1/1/21).
In four states, all dog tracks have closed and ceased live racing, but a prohibitory statute has yet to be enacted. Those states are Oregon, Connecticut, Kansas and Wisconsin.1 There are 13 tracks operating in these states as of the summer of 2019. By law, the seven remaining Florida tracks must wind down operations by December 31, 2020.
In just five states, pari-mutuel dog racing remains legal and operational. These states are West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa and Texas.2
A greyhound dies following a collision at a U.S. track. (Tri-State Greyhound Park)
Puppies are bred for racing at a breeding farm in Kansas. (Blue Too Kennel)
B's Sodbuster died of a heart attack racing in West Virginia. (Greyhound-Data)
Colton was born on a greyhound breeding farm in the U.S. (Jacobs Racing)
Racing greyhounds are caged for 20-23 hours per day in the US. (Pima County Animal Care Center)
A greyhound at a breeding farm in the United States. (Jacobs Racing)
The following are the most recent states to pass legislation prohibiting dog racing: Maine (1993), Virginia (1995), Vermont (1995), Idaho (1996), Washington (1996), Nevada (1997), North Carolina (1998), Pennsylvania (2004), Massachusetts (2010), Rhode Island (2010), New Hampshire (2010), Colorado (2014), Arizona (2016) and Florida (2018, effective 1/1/21). The United States Territory of Guam also outlawed commercial dog racing in 2010.
Since our formation in 2001, the dog racing industry has been diminished by nearly two-thirds. Altogether, thirty 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), Plainfield Greyhound Park (CT), Geneva Lakes Kennel Club (WI), Post Time (CO), Shoreline Star (CT), Cloverleaf Kennel Club (CO), Jacksonville Kennel Club (FL), Tampa Greyhound Park (FL), Wichita Greyhound Park (KS), Corpus Christi (TX), Mile High (CO), The Woodlands (KS), Hinsdale Greyhound Park (NH), The Lodge at Belmont (NH), Seabrook Greyhound Park (NH), Wonderland Greyhound Park (MA), Guam Greyhound Park (Guam), Phoenix Greyhound Park (AZ), Raynham Park (MA), Dairyland Greyhound Park (WI), 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), Pensacola Greyhound Track (FL) and Sarasota Greyhound Track (FL). The remaining 7 Florida dog tracks must phase-out live racing by December 2020.
In addition to live dog racing, greyhound simulcast betting exists in several states including Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming.3 In these states, gamblers are supporting the dog racing industry even though there is no active dog track in their community. Similarly, these simulcast signals depend on the existence of dog tracks in other states.
View the Greyhound Racing in the United States Fact Sheet (PDF)
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See humane issues in dog racing
GREY2K USA Worldwide released the first comprehensive report on the humane and economic aspects of greyhound racing in the United States.
Read our report for an in-depth look inside this cruel industry.
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