Greyhound Protection Act filed to prohibit dog racing nationwide

BREAKING NEWS!

H.R. 3894, the US Greyhound Protection Act has been filed to outlaw dog racing nationwide. The measure also bars American gamblers from betting on foreign races and blocks the export of American dogs for racing elsewhere. Read more and take action.

Dog racing is illegal in 42 states

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Active dog racing tracks

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No active tracks, dog racing still legal

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Recent dog racing states, now illegal

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Dog racing is illegal



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There are only two operational dog tracks remaining in the United States, both in West Virginia. Commercial greyhound racing is illegal in 42 states. In seven states, all dog tracks have closed and ceased live racing, but a prohibitory statute has yet to be enacted. Those states are Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Kansas, Iowa, Texas, and Wisconsin. 1

A greyhound dies following a collision at a U.S. track


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), Florida (2018) and Oregon (2022). The United States Territory of Guam also outlawed commercial dog racing in 2010.

Since our formation in 2001, the dog racing industry has suffered catastrophic decline. Altogether, forty-six US 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), Valley Race Park (TX), Sarasota Greyhound Track (FL), Ebro Greyhound Park (FL), Daytona Beach Kennel Club (FL), Sanford Orlando Kennel Club (FL), Birmingham Race Course (AL), Naples-Ft. Myers Greyhound Track (FL), Gulf Greyhound Park (TX), Orange Park Kennel Club (FL), Derby Lane (FL), Palm Beach Kennel Club (FL), Iowa Greyhound Park and Southland Park (AR).

In addition to live dog racing, greyhound simulcast betting exists in several states including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.2 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.

High Stakes Report

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.


  1. Eric Mortenson, "70 years of greyhound racing ends abruptly at Oregon’s Multnomah Greyhound Park," The Oregonian, December 2004; William Yardley, “As Racing Ends, What About the Dogs?”, The New York Times, May 5, 2005; ; Rick Alm, “The Woodlands runs its last greyhound race,” The Kansas City Star, August 23, 2008, kansascity.com (accessed November 15, 2017); Chuck Quirmbach, “Dairyland Greyhound Park holds final races,” Wisconsin Public Radio, December 30, 2009, wpr.org (accessed November 15, 2017); John Paepcke, "Greyhound racing is over at Birmingham Race Course," WVTM 13, April 21, 2020, wvtm13.com (accessed April 21, 2020).
  2. "Where to Play: U.S. Locations," Pbkennelclub.com, Palm Beach Kennel Club, Florida, 2017, pbkennelclub.com (accessed November 15, 2017).

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