The Tracks Are Shutting Down for Good — 1,500 Retired Greyhounds Desperately Need Homes

Rescue crews scramble as Greyhounds freed from Florida's racing tracks require immediate placement

Florida's dog tracks are racing toward a permanent shutdown at year's end after a 2018 ballot measure to end dog racing cruised to victory with overwhelming support, nearly 70 percent of voters calling it a day on the practice. The Greyhound tracks had until the end of 2020 to wind down racing—but COVID-19 has ruthlessly fast-forwarded that timeline.

With most non-essential businesses shuttered during the pandemic to slow the virus, racetracks were forced to close shop. Many are expected never to reopen. That leaves Florida's Greyhound rescues in crisis mode, suddenly holding 1,500 Greyhounds in urgent need of permanent adoptive homes. Until forever families surface, groups are also hunting for volunteer foster families willing to take dogs in short-term. Volunteer-run nonprofit Awesome Greyhound Adoptions is leading the charge. (Learn more and see adoptable dogs at awesomegreyhoundadoptions.org.)

Alamo is just one of the former racing Greyhounds searching for his forever home through the rescue organization Awesome Greyhound Adoptions.

Animal advocates have campaigned for years to ban commercial Greyhound racing. Racing dogs lead shockingly limited lives on the tracks, and among the loudest voices for ending the sport was the Humane Society of The United States, which has logged thousands of injuries among racing Greyhounds. Investigative reporting shows racing Greyhounds spend 20 to 23 hours a day cramped in crates with only carpet scraps and shredded paper for bedding—let out solely to train or race.

While some tracks have already announced permanent closure because of COVID-19, others across Florida anticipate reopening for dog racing as soon as it's safe and plan to stay open until the lawful end-of-year deadline.

"All of the tracks are closed right now," Jack Cory with Public Affairs Consultants, a group representing the Florida Greyhound Association, told local Florida news in late March. "Daytona has announced it will close permanently. As for the other tracks, we believe they'll try to reopen."

Local rescues always knew dogs would enter the system once tracks closed—they just expected that at year's end. Instead, COVID-19 forced them to place animals far sooner. Estimates suggest that by the time racing legally ends, as many as 5,000 Greyhounds could be searching for adoptive homes and families.

Awesome Greyhound Adoptions, whose work has gone viral since COVID-19 began, is actively recruiting adoptive and foster homes for the retired racers. Their site, awesomegreyhoundadoptions.org, also offers options to sponsor a dog or chip in with supply donations.

Former racing Greyhounds make surprisingly wonderful family pets and are lovingly nicknamed 45 MPH couch potatoes. These dogs are elite athletes, sure—but they're every bit as famous for being affectionate, cuddly companions. There isn't much good to say about COVID-19 and its global fallout, but here's one sliver of light: these Greyhounds are getting an early retirement. Thanks to hardworking rescue crews, a racing greyhound's retirement means the shot at the first loving home they've ever known.

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