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Friends,

We need your help to fight greyhound cruelty!

Even though Bay State citizens overwhelmingly voted to prohibit dog racing in 2008, local citizens are still supporting the commercial greyhound racing industry.

The Greyhound Protection Act, our ballot question that passed in 2008, outlawed all forms of gambling on dog races. That includes simulcast gambling, in which local gamblers bet on greyhound races from other states.

Shortly after the question passed, however, Beacon Hill lawmakers cut a backroom deal that extended greyhound simulcast gambling. This deal was part of the law that legalized casino gambling.

Now, a group of citizens is collecting signatures for a ballot question to repeal this bad Beacon Hill deal. If the measure passes, the Greyhound Protection Act will be restored and greyhound simulcast gambling will again be outlawed.

Last year, Massachusetts gamblers bet more than $30 million on greyhound races through simulcasting. Many of these bets were made on races at low end dog tracks, like Sanford Orlando Kennel Club. At these low end dog tracks, thousands of greyhounds endure lives of terrible confinement and die after suffering serious injuries. For example:

• On April 23, 2011 a three-year-old brindle greyhound named Rumblin Reba was euthanized when she collided with other dogs during a race at Sanford Orlando Kennel Club and broke two bones in her left hind leg.
  
  
• On January 5, 2011 a three-year-old red brindle greyhound named Crystal B Disco died after she collided with another dog during a race at Sanford Orlando Kennel Club, struck the rail with her forehead, and suffered an open skull fracture.


• Four greyhounds at Sarasota Kennel Club suffered broken legs on the same day on March 20, 2010. Three of the greyhounds were euthanized.

Massachusetts gamblers were allowed to bet on all of these greyhound races at Sanford Orlando Kennel Club, despite the fact that we all worked so hard to get our state out of the dog racing business.

It's time to finally end greyhound simulcasting in Massachusetts. After years of pushing for change in the state legislature, it's clear that the politicians on Beacon Hill will not respect the will of the voters. It is now up to us to take this issue back to the ballot, and end our state support for this greyhound cruelty.

If you can collect signatures for this important campaign, please contact the campaign right away by calling 617-701-7823. Signature collection tools, including signature gathering tips, can be found on the Repeal the Casino Deal website. Also, you can download a copy of the petition itself at:

Initiative Petition to Repeal the Casino Deal and End Greyhound Simulcasting

Please note that if you decide to print your own signature pages, they must be double sided and on regular white letter paper. If signature page are not absolutely pristine, they will not count.

You can also obtain petition sheets by contacting Signature Campaign Director Brian Ashmankas at brianashmankas@repealthecasinodeal.org or by calling 617-701-7823.

Please take the time to sign this petition, and ask everyone you know to do the same. Greyhound simulcasting needs to end in our state.

For the greyhounds,

Christine A. Dorchak, Esq. President, GREY2K USA

Carey M. Theil Executive Director, GREY2K USA

GREY2K USA Worldwide is a non-profit 501(c)4 advocacy organization located at 7 Central Street, Arlington, Massachusetts 02476.  100% of donations support our mission to end dog racing, pass greyhound protection laws and promote greyhound adoption. We are grateful for personal and corporate contributions. 
Because GREY2K USA lobbies for greyhound protection, contributions are not tax deductible. 

Privacy Notice: It is against our policy to share, rent, sell or make our supporters' or volunteers' names or other information available to third parties. Unless disclosure is required by law, we can assure you that your personal information will be kept confidentially by this organization.