Greyhound Racing in Kansas

There are no operational dog tracks in Kansas. Greyhound racing remains legal in the state, however, as a prohibition has not yet passed into law.

A greyhound bred on a Kansas farm. (Jacobs Racing)

In 1986, Kansas voters decided by referendum to amend the state constitution to allow pari-mutuel wagering at racetracks.¹ The legislature passed the Kansas Parimutuel Racing Act the following year. Greyhound racing began in 1989 with the opening of two dog tracks – Wichita Greyhound Park and The Woodlands. A third track, Camptown Greyhound Park, opened for six months in 1995 before closing. It then reopened in 2000 under new ownership, but closed again due to financial losses at the end of the year.² By 2008, live racing had ceased at all Kansas greyhound tracks following a 95% decline in betting.³ Repeated attempts to revive dog racing with slot machine profits have failed even as dozens of greyhound breeding farms continue to operate.⁴

In July 2020, GREY2K USA Worldwide investigators released video recordings of notorious greyhound breeder Ursula Abbie O’Donnell engaged in live lure training on her Abilene farm, located not two miles from the headquarters of the National Greyhound Associatio Ms. O’Donnell provides dogs for racing in multiple states. "Live lure training" refers to the use of small animals, commonly rabbits, to excite and enhance a chase instinct in young greyhounds. Screaming animals are dangled before greyhounds, dragged in front of them on ropes, or simply set loose to be attacked. These fragile animals often suffer cruel and miserable deaths.

Ursula O'Donnell was caught on tape torturing rabbits.

Ms. O’Donnell has a particularly corrupt history and was arrested in 2002 for felony animal cruelty surrounding a scheme to kill thousands of unwanted Florida greyhounds by gunshot to the head.⁵ In the years since she escaped prosecution, she has been found with drug-positive dogs multiple times.

Read our fact sheet about the decline of dog racing in Kansas