Greyhound racing nearing its extremity inside the US following lengthy slide

Greyhound racing nearing its extremity inside the US following lengthy slide

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Vera Rasnake laughed while she led a trio of barking, jostling dogs into the Iowa Greyhound Park, nevertheless her smile faded when she acknowledged that following 41 years of actuality around the sleek animals, her (competitive) game(s) was teetering on extinction.

After the extremity of a truncated time inside Dubuque inside May, the track here will close. By the extremity of the year there will only exist set of two tracks left-hand inside the country.

"It's extremely firm for me to see this," Rasnake said.

It's been a lengthy glide for greyhound racing, which reached its summit inside the 1980s when there were additional than 50 tracks across 19 states. Since then, increased concerns concerning how the dogs are treated down accompanied by an detonation of gambling options has almost killed a (competitive) game(s) that gained widespread appeal concerning a century ago.

Sports

Warriors rally following Green ejected, hit Grizzlies inside Game 1

Giannis triple-double helps Bucks hit Celtics 101-89

She's up! Whitmore 1st woman to begin Atlantic League game

Angels' Ohtani expects to amuse oneself Monday, day following early exit

A racing association found that betting on greyhounds plunged from $3.5 billion inside 1991 to concerning $500 million inside 2014. Since then, numerous additional tracks have closed.

In some states exist fond of the dog-racing mecca of Florida inside 2021, it was voter initiatives that ended the (competitive) game(s) at the state's dozen tracks. In others exist fond of Iowa, condition officials allowed casinos to extremity subsidies that had kept greyhound racing living while attentiveness declined.

"Do I believe the manufacturing is dying? Yes," said Gwyneth Anne Thayer, who has written a history of greyhound racing. But "it's happening way faster than I idea it would."

The Dubuque track closure with every one other accompanied by the extremity of racing inside West Memphis, Arkansas, this December will depart from racing only inside West Virginia, where tracks inside Wheeling with every one other accompanied by near Charleston operate accompanied by subsidies from casino revenue.

For some creature welfare groups, the industry's collapse is the culmination of decades of labour to publicize allegations of greyhound mistreatment. The category GREY2K was formed inside 2001 with every one other accompanied by Carey Theil, the organization's administrative director, said he feels a sensory power of accomplishment now that the sport's extremity seems within reach.

"This has become one of the signature creature welfare debates of our time," Theil said.

GREY2K, the Humane Society with every one other accompanied by other groups have lengthy argued that greyhound racing was cruel, including its longtime practice of killing dogs that weren't deemed top racers, using drugs to grow their performance, confining them for lengthy periods with every one other accompanied by subjecting animals to the chance of wound on the racetrack.

Industry supporters note there now is a enormous request to adopt former racers with every one other accompanied by deny that the other problems are widespread. They too contend that some don't comprehend the deep affection greyhounds have for running.

On opening day at the Iowa Greyhound Park inside Dubuque, spectators packed into a spacious space that overlooked the track, sipping beers with every one other accompanied by mixed drinks while they pored over racing statistics earlier to placing bets at kiosks or accompanied by attendants. They expressed disappointment that the track would close, lamenting the mislaying of an entertainment option inside Dubuque, a city of concerning 60,000 known for its stately chunk buildings with every one other accompanied by house of God steeples built on hills overlooking the Mississippi River.

Peggy Janiszewski with every one other accompanied by her friend Robin Hannan have for years been driving concerning trio hours from the Chicago area to Dubuque to watch the racing. They typically bet only a few dollars on every one contest nevertheless are additional attentive inside watching the dogs than counting their winnings.

"They're beautiful. Like works of art," Janiszewski said.

Bruce Krueger said he has been making the 170-mile (274-kilometer) operate from Milwaukee to Dubuque. He doesn't exist convinced by the dogs are mistreated.

"I know some trainers, with every one other accompanied by they behave towards them exist fond of kings with every one other accompanied by queens," Krueger said.

General Manager Brian Carpenter was 16 when he started employed at the track inside its following year with every one other accompanied by has remained 36 seasons until this, its final year.

He recalls the excitement when the track opened inside 1985, a hour dated when Iowa was mired inside farm bankruptcies with every one other accompanied by a a large amount of of Dubuque was struggling. Back then, thousands of people would attend the races, accompanied by buses of gamblers arriving every one weekend from Chicago with every one other accompanied by Milwaukee.

"It was an thrilling hour dated with every one other accompanied by the track offered good jobs," he said.

Opening day this year drew at least 1,000 people nevertheless smaller crowds are typical, mainly on weeknights.

The Dubuque track was helped down by city with every one other accompanied by condition funding, with every one other accompanied by following Iowa with every one other accompanied by other states began allowing casinos, the Dubuque operation was expanded to include its own casino.

Thayer's book, "Going to the Dogs," describes a (competitive) game(s) accompanied by a colorful with every one other accompanied by regularly tumultuous history. From its beginning inside the 1920s following evolution of the mechanical lure, the manufacturing was continually pushing to permit for legalized betting state-by-state with every one other accompanied by to attract attention, accompanied by assist from Hollywood celebrities, athletes with every one other accompanied by beauty pageant competitors.

At times, the (competitive) game(s) drew additional spectators than its additional prominent competitor horse racing. While considered seedy by some, it was mainstream entertainment for decades, Thayer said.

"People don't register how normalized it was inside American the arts for a lengthy time," she said.

Greyhound racing too is held inside other countries, including Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, Mexico with every one other accompanied by Vietnam, nevertheless it is facing some of the same problems evident inside the U.S.

Although greyhound racing inside the U.S. will exist confined only to West Virginia, that condition seems intent on retaining the sport, said Steve Sarras, president of the West Virginia Kennel Owners Association. The state's set of two tracks sprint races five-days a week year-round.

Sarras said West Virginia legislators made repeated visits to his kennel with every one other accompanied by others to inspect conditions, with every one other accompanied by ultimately were optimistic the dogs are well treated.

"When you see it firsthand, you cannot fake how contented a canine is," he said.

___

Follow Scott McFetridge on Twitter: https://twitter.com/smcfetridge

Greyhound racing nearing its extremity inside the US following lengthy slide