Dog racing is cruel and inhumane and causes suffering, injury, and death to thousands of gentle dogs each year. It is outlawed in 43 states, and only remains at two struggling tracks in West Virginia. TwinSpires, a division of Churchill Downs (CDI), is cashing in on cruelty and hoping that you don’t care about greyhounds.
CDI is a large, publicly traded company and claims to have a long tradition of social corporate responsibility. But it has turned a blind eye to greyhounds and its subsidiary continues to allow gamblers to place online bets on American and foreign dog races. TwinSpires’ single-minded pursuit of profit has left it out of touch with mainstream values regarding how we treat dogs.
Today, please send an email to CEO William Carstanjen. Urge him to sever all ties with cruel greyhound racing, and remind him of his company’s pledge to be a good corporate citizen. Competing betting platforms TVG and Premier Turf Club have already stopped carrying dog races! Mr. Carstanjen can also be reached directly at Bill.Carstanjen@kyderby.com.
We flew a 75-foot banner over the 149th Kentucky Derby to inform the public that Churchill Downs and its online betting platform, Twin Spires, are propping up the cruelty of dog racing. It is the last major company to do so.
"If Churchill Downs takes its own corporate social responsibility policy seriously, it will stop supporting an activity that is out of step with mainstream American values," said GREY2K USA President and General Counsel Christine A. Dorchak. "Churchill Downs and its subsidiary, TwinSpires, are propping up the final remnants of an industry that is responsible for the confinement, deaths and abuse of thousands of dogs. Such greed is unacceptable in today's increasingly humane economy."
More than a decade ago, we released this footage of greyhound injuries in West Virginia. Today, dogs are continuing to suffer and die at West Virginia racetracks.
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See our new airplane banner for the greyhounds!
Urge Fidelity to Divest from Churchill Downs Over Dog Racing
Airplane Ad Over Kentucky Derby Urges Churchill Downs to End Ties to Dog Racing, May 5, 2023
Animal Protection Group Urges Churchill Downs to Sever Ties with Greyhound Racing, January 11, 2023