Greyhound Friends,

Today, lawmakers statewide will receive our report on greyhound racing in Arizona. This new whitepaper sets out both the humane and economic reasons for passing HB 2536 and for ending dog racing in the state.

Click here to download GREY2K USA's report.

Click here to read the latest story by Tim Vanerpool of Tucson Weekly.

All data was obtained from state records and published news reports and includes commentary from track officials, trainers and vets. Based on this information, the record shows that greyhound racing is cruel and inhumane and should be phased out.

• At Tucson Greyhound Park, hundreds and hundreds of greyhound dogs are kept in warehouse-style kennels inside small, stacked cages which are barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around. They are in these cages for up to 23 hours a day. Cages measure 32” high by 31” wide by 42” deep.
  
  
• When the dogs leave their warehouses and are let out of their cages to race, they face the risk of serious injury. From 2007 to 2009, nearly 1,000 injuries were reported. 67 greyhound injuries were fatal. 37% of reported injuries involved broken or sprained legs and other injuries included a cracked skull, broken backs, dislocations, heat stroke, puncture wounds, and paralysis.
  
  
• In the last decade, state records show that gambling on live greyhound racing has declined by 75%. As the owners of Tucson Greyhound Park stated in a 2000 news report, buying the track “the worst investment” they’d ever made. Their current lobbyist Michael Racy has admitted that the financial problems at the track “continue to get more challenging.”
  
  
• They are fed a diet based on raw, 4-D meat. “4-D” is the USDA classification for the meat of dying, diseased, disabled and dead livestock.
  
  
• Phoenix Greyhound Park was the last facility to stop racing dogs, this in 2009, following Yuma, Black Canyon City and Apache Greyhound Parks.
  
  
• The state collects no taxes on pari-mutuel wagering, yet must assume the cost of regulating this dying industry. In 2009, the Arizona Dept. of Racing paid salaries for kennel inspectors, judges and veterinarians to tune of $266,000 while the track continued to benefit by a “hardship tax exemption” instituted in 1994.

We believe the facts speak for themselves and that lawmakers will agree that dog racing should end.

HB 2536 has already passed the House of Representatives, and must now pass in the Senate. Please contact your state senator now to ask for a YES Vote on HB 2536. If you need help identifying your state senator, click here.

Go team!

Christine & Carey

P.S. If you would like a hard copy of our report mailed to you, please send $10 plus $3.50 shipping and handling to GREY2K USA P.O. Box 442117. Somerville, MA 02144 or make a donation here.