Thousands of Greyhounds May Need Homes as Florida Bans Racing

What organizations are working to place these pups? I would love some resources. Anyone know?

If we could only care about one another, the way that we do for pets. Of course, the dog racing associations only care about making money, so maybe it is matter of pure chance that youare loved and not mistreated.

There is a difference between abuse and neglect. What the racing industry does... caging a dog for 20+ hours a day is neglect and it is WRONG. We have had several greyhounds over the years. The change in their personality from when we first get them home to months later speaks for itself. These dogs never knew affection before. Ours greyhounds have been in AWE of a simple things like having a pillow to sleep on, or going for a walk around the neighborhood. It's heartbreaking that these dogs have never enjoyed these things until age 3, 4, even 5, and they are the lucky greyhounds! Thousands of dogs have gone unaccounted for. Despite the fact the racing industry tracks every dog while they are racing with detailed records, NO records are available in their database as to where the dogs are sent afterwards. Spare me the idea that the industry cares about the dogs. If they did, they would track where the dogs end up and make it public... it would only be a few simple computer entries like the ones they already make while people make money off these dogs. And what about the dogs not deemed good enough to race? No one knows how many dogs have been destroyed by breeders. It is a sick industry. Greyhounds were bred for CENTURIES to be working AND companion animals... it is in their genes (look up the studies about dog to human eye contact and the chemical reaction in the brains of dogs). For us to neglect them like this is a betrayal of the worst kind.

Why will the ban go into effect at the end of 2020, instead of the day after the vote? Why allow abuse of the dogs for another two years, one month, and three weeks?

One thing to note is that in Florida the gambling laws required dog racing if there was any other gambling allowed except for the Seminole tribe casinos. The Seminoles fought rescinding this law for decades. Next time you think of patronizing a Seminole casino remember this. They promoted animal cruelty for their own profits. I will never set foot in a establishment owned by the Seminole tribe. I will never forgive them.

Isn't it time for people to wake up and stop exploiting animals for fun, money, and unhealthy food? Humans have barely considered the wickedness of this and dismiss the social life of animals (FYI -- humans are animals!) in some humans' grotesque drives for death and consumption. As a former citizen of Arizona, I recall the absolute cruelty of this so called sport for fun and entertainment of this sick gambling class. It's about time this ends!

Greyhounds are the gift that keep on giving! I have been adopting retired greyhounds since 1989. I do not see myself as the rescuer; I am the rescuee. I have lived in suburban setting with a fence and now live in a rural area with lots of land, but no fence. That's what a leash is for...plain and simple. Greyhounds do well in multiples...I have had as many as three . My current Greyhound retired from Florida (Sanford-Orlando), and she made her way to a Massachusetts Greyhound adoption and placement group ( a two person operation, by the way, run out of their home)through the kindness of strangers, lots of them, starting at the track. I visited U Too Ethel (now known as Fawn) at a meet and greet. The couple running the service visited my home in NH to see what Fawn's arrangements would be like. A lovely dinner followed, and the couple (Gemini's Pampered Greyhounds--Amherst, MA) made their way home with one less greyhound to place. I have brought Fawn to the local dog park many times, and believe me, she is really not interested in running. She walks with me (off leash in the park), but it is clear that she's rather be on her couch, preferably reclining upside down with her legs in the air. s another commentator mentioned, I wish we could upload photos to document our wonderful experiences with retired greyhounds. If you have room in your heart and home, consider contacting a greyhound placement group to learn if you can make another love-connection in your life. 1305h

I have three Greyhounds, all NGA dogs. I love them dearly. For all the bluster and indignation involved in ending the tracks and the letters written here, I am willing to bet that most of those who are so appalled by dog racing, eat animals born and confined in hideous conditions, only to be led to a murderous death. How does that not stir the same indignation? The pot calling the kettle black.

I don't quite get it. If it's okay to race horses, why not dogs? Logic suggests that if an animal is going to race, the owner keeps it in tip-top shape.

I wish there could be a provision that the dogs must be cared for until homes can be found for all the dogs. It would be just disastrous if hundreds of dogs were killed. Some finesse is needed here so as not to sacrifice the lives of greyhounds while supposedly trying to save them. Not enough planning went into this amendment.

Weren’t all these dogs in need of adoption when their racing careers ended?

Next up...banning horse racing. No animal should ever be forced to participate in such activities.

When people say greyhounds are not 'abused,' they are being coy. It is not profitable to hit or beat racing greyhounds, but it's also not profitable to pet them and show them kindness. I've had three retired racers; they are very sweet, gentle, sensitive dogs. They do love to run--chasing anything is fun for them. They make great pets--all sight hounds do. Sight hounds aka gaze hounds like to look into your eyes until master and dog get a nice dose of oxytocin.

I also want to urge readers looking for a dog to adopt a greyhound. Despite their size, most do very well even in a (small) apartment setting. There's a reason why they're called the 40 mph couch potatoes! Our guy, who lived a long life and is still so missed, was sweet, smart, playful and a slender love bug. There are a number of reputable greyhound adoption groups across the country, and they can help you find the right greyhound for your particular living situation. You won't be sorry.

I wanted to echo the prior commenters’ thoughts about greyhounds as pets. They are intelligent, affectionate, and sensitive companions who are well suited to smaller spaces. A fenced in yard is a plus. We have had retired racer named Abbey for about a year. She’s great with other people and dogs, and loves “her” couch. In fact, that’s where she is as I write this. I hope these dogs will find loving homes. There are great adoption groups all across the country...

If NYT allowed photos in comments you'd see of few of the three grays we've been fortunate to share our house with over the years. They are wonderful. Lazy, but loving. They enjoy a couple of walks a day but other than that curl up and sleep-- they're fine while my wife and I are at work all day. They are simply gorgeous creatures. They're used to humans and make great pets. It may take them a few hours to get used to steps though. May these soon to be retired racers find happy homes.

I'm available to take three dogs.

“I have been in these greyhound kennels, I have seen how they are living and how they are treated.” Dear Ms. Becker: I have a rescue greyhound. As part of the adoption process, I got to see pictures of "how they are living and how they are treated." If this is okay with you, may God have mercy on your soul.

We just lost our beloved Jack Russell, and I was thinking that we would not adopt for a while, but this article has made me reconsider...

Yes and no. Yes, these gentle intelligent animals are a gift ready to change your life. No, you do not need a fenced in back yard. A daily walk is just fine for even a young greyhound and would be just the thing for its human companion. My grey Byron came to me right off the track. No foster. One chicken bit the dust on our farm but Byron was a fast learner. The stories I could tell... let me close by simply saying this was my best dog in my long life. I miss him always. Open your heart. Take two.

Idiots should have criminalized the destruction of these dogs in the same law.

I have had the good fortune to have adopted three greyhounds in the past, two of which were retired racers (both due to injury). My big male lived to be sixteen, and was the calmest, most well behaved dog I have ever had. I loved watching him play with the other dogs at the local pet park, teasing them and then running off in a cloud of dust while they tried (vainly) to catch up. I had two females, one of which was descended from American and Irish Racing Hall of Fame parents, and was fearless, often wanting to chase the coyotes we often encountered on our walks. The other was just goofy, a fun and friendly wanna be lap dog. These animals were like people in their variety of personalities and adapted to home life better than most breeds. I hope these Florida dogs find good homes, Euthanasia should not even be an option.

We have adopted two of these beautiful dogs and fostered many others over the years. Greyhounds are gentle, calm, intelligent and very loving. Very good with kids and surprisingly most are also good with cats, small dogs, etc. I implore you all to contact your nearest greyhound adoption organizations and consider adopting or at least fostering. You will not regret it.

I currently have two rescued whippets with the minds of greyhounds. Too many adoption groups will not allow new owners to practice race their dogs or to compete in club events. To keep greyhounds healthy and in right mind they must move - and fast. Club events are carefully monitored by other club members - dogs are pulled or scratched if a toe is even bumped or the early signs of heat exhaustion. After every race set, there is the call for "Scratches!" - names are given and the next set is calculated as to who will run. No honor is lost. With the end of commercial racing, either the racing line of greyhounds will become extinct and only show-line greyhounds will survive in small numbers, or sanctioned-club events will take them into homes and fun racing on weekends. Nancy L. Fagin Luke (the wonder whippet, deceased) Brit (a real racing guy, deceased) Fence (the lure is mine) Foil (I look cute but...)

My sons family adopted a greyhound 3 years ago. Trixie is the sweetest dog I have ever encountered. Loves my grandchildren, adores my son. I have met greyhound adoption people who were against the racetracks closing, and I concede they made a couple of salient points. However, the past is relevant in that past abuses were so heinous that I wouldn’t trust these racing groups to not try to return to the bad practices if given a green light to continue racing to save a few dollars. The vast majority of dogs are not winners, and even the winners are retired to breed more pups than necessary. Greyhounds bred for pets is practically non existent; it’s either the track or dog shows. Hopefully this will allow this breed to find a new niche as loving family pets. St. Bernard’s aren’t bred for rescue any more, many breeds have adapted to quiet Home lives, I’m certain this magnificent, ancient breed can do the same.

Any person or family thinking about adopting a dog, please consider a greyhound. We adopted ours a little over five years ago. He ran in one race and was retired - must not have gone too well - and he was placed in a greyhound rescue facility at age two. Honestly, he is such a sweet, soulful animal. This breed's general personality is mellow and gentle. Our estimation is that ours sleeps 20 plus hours a day; greyhounds really know how to get comfortable They also have an elegant and ancient look to them. They like going for walks and running inside a fenced area (backyard or dog park). They want so badly to be part of a family. Again, if you're looking for a dog, consider rescuing one of these magical creatures. If not, consider making a donation to a local greyhound rescue organization.

I probably get hammered for this on these pages but .. I think this is a another ridiculous decision. Instead of the watchdog groups concentrating on bad owners, racetracks, handlers, which are most likely in very small minority, the whole sport gets banned. I would bet most of these dogs have a great life and are treated very well by people that love them. Dogs love to run, esp. the racing breeds. I went to the dog races a couple times with my Grandmother who used to really like it. I found it to be exciting & fun. In every aspect of life, sports, there will always be mistreatment and people that put profit over well being. It's like every thing else in today's society. There are some abuses by the few, then every one has to suffer because of the over reaction. Prescription drugs come to mind. Yes there should a vigilant watchful eye on all aspects of dog racing. And abusers should be punished severely. But to ban the sport is way over the top.

An ex-boyfriend rented a room from a house with rescued greyhounds. They were incredibly affectionate and sweet as honey. Their faces, when they turn their eyes up at you, just melt your heart. Absolutely fantastic dogs.

Animals should not be used for human entertainment. All are abused or mistreated in someway.

A big thanks to the Floridians who voted to end greyhound racing, to the Humane Society and others for working on the dogs' behalf, and to the NYT for highlighting the issue. To readers concerned that dogs will be euthanized rather than adopted: don't underestimate America's compassion. There are rescue and adoption networks that span the country, and they will dive in on this situation with great gusto. In response, I am sure there will be plenty of people offering safe havens for the dogs.

the businesses that profited from those dogs should be required as part of the shutdown of the industry to fund shelters for them, much as chimps used in research are retired to sanctuaries

The racetrack owners should step in and help / fund some of the rescue and rehoming efforts, but will they? I somehow doubt it. People who run animal exploitation businesses always make a big point of how they "love" and "care for" their animals, but the minute those animals become unprofitable, they dump them without a second thought.

This racing ban is wonderful, and long overdue. Our retired racing greyhound is a wonderful pet. He's quiet, sweet, funny and affectionate. Greyhounds sleep a lot during the day and do not need a large yard, so they are good pets for working apartment dwellers, as long as you can walk them a couple of times a day. Ours gets along well with our cats, although not all do.

Most of these dogs will likely be euthanized. Talk about unintended consequences -- the forces who argued successfully that dog racing is cruel will now be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of these lovely dogs.

I know there will be many dogs put down because they could not find homes for all of them, but it is certainly a step in the right direction and reading that over half the racing parks are now voted out is a great step.Now let’s move to stop hunting sand hill cranes.

The title of this article should be "Florida Voters Save Thousands of Dogs from Horrific Abuse." Instead, the NYTimes has once again taken a condescending and dismissive tone in discussing animal rights issues. Phrases like, "In their view, the greyhounds were mistreated" make the abuse sound like conjecture. It's not. The facts are that professional dog racing involves overworking animals, often to the point of injury or death, and that many Florida racing dogs have tested positive for cocaine in the past. The dog abusers' opinions should not be given equal weight here. You don't write an article about domestic abuse and spend half of it reiterating the violent spouse's excuses. These dogs have two years to find homes, and breed-specific rescues will be lining up to rehome them. But regardless, the people who bred the dogs to profit from their exploitation are at fault for this predicament- not the people who worked and voted to end their abuse.

I just want to let it be known that if someone is thinking of adopting a Greyhound that I don’t think they could make a better choice. I always assumed that they are hyper, nervous dogs but when I spent some time with a couple of greyhounds, I was delighted to find that they are actually very mellow, affectionate and sweet.

We had a wonderful greyhound from the Tucson track. I so wish we could adopt again but we work long hours with no one home. Did you know that NGA National Greyhound Association RULES are that if a dog does not come in first, second or third place in its first 6 races, it cannot run in an NGA race again. The dog is destroyed (bullets are cheaper than veterinarians) or sent to Mexico tracks. A lucky few are adopted. The waste in this industry is inexcusable. I heard so many awful abuse stories when I was involved. A trainer said they are bred for only two traits: speed and handleability by humans. The adoption stories are wonderful though. Learn about the breed. They are sweet, gentle, loving, quiet couch potatoes. And must never be let off leash in an unfenced area. I miss that dog every day.

Dogs love to run and chase things. Making Apollo, my Shepard/Husky watch TV rather than letting him run and fetch is cruel. I don't see the act of dog racing as cruel. I am sure Apollo would LOVE to give a race a go. Conversely, puppy mills are cruel, and many dogs kept as pets have poor lives. The Shepard that lives a few houses down from me is stuck in a tiny backyard, has never been taken for a walk, and is always muddy. The owner says she has a bad temper, and she can't walk her, but the bad behavior is because dogs aren't meant to lay around a house. Cesar Millan's books prescribe Exercise, Discipline, and Affection, IN THAT ORDER. It works, as Apollo sleeps on my leg as I type this after our 7am walk (Apollo gets 3 walks a day, chases the laser, and plays fetch everyday, and if we don't, he makes us pay). We should regulate breeding (and end the puppy mills), regulate kennels, require a minimum amount of time each day working dogs are socialized and exercised, require track improvements to prevent injuries, and limit the number of dogs kept for racing. I believe that most track owners do love their dogs, and a happy and health dog runs a better race. I have seen dogs kept as pets that would be better cared for in a well-regulated and managed kennel. Good intentions don't always lead to good outcomes.

We have a 12 year old retired racing greyhound who fractured her leg racing and was then used for breeding. She is absolutely the sweetest girl and a wonderful companion. Greyhounds are very easy to care for and live with. I hope anyone considering adding a dog to their home will consider adopting one of these retired racers.

we have adopted two greyhounds in the past ( not at the same time ). they were wonderful dogs! read about them ahead of time so you'll know what to expect if you adopt. they got along well with our other dogs, though they did chase our cat. they are large dogs and will try to sneak into bed with you at night! you'll need a fenced yard! if they get away from you, you will not be able to run and catch them: THEY ARE FAST!

As a person who's adopted greyhounds since 1985, I can attest to what great dogs they are. All of mine have been wonderful pets, great turbo spuds, and good with kids. They come already trained by professionals, and are used to long hours alone, so don't get separation anxiety, and for the most part, aren't barky. They respond very well to positive reinforcement; I have click-trained all of mine, using dog treats, with ease. And, you can tell everyone you have a professional athlete in the family! Save a life, get a loyal friend.

I'll need to fence my back yard …….

As much as I applaud this decision, how is dog racing ethically different from horse racing or rodeo (other than having a relatively tiny fan base)? Both horse racing and rodeo are deeply embedded in American culture, but the horses and cattle used in both are used with arguably greater “cruelty” than the greyhounds now looking for homes.

Thank you NYT for running this important story. At least two of the bright spots in the recent election were in Florida, the re=enfranchisement measure and this one.

Who to contact? We have plenty of space and an extra bowl.