Now that Florida voters have approved Amendment 13 – which effectively ends greyhound racing statewide by December 31, 2020 – thousands of dogs will need new homes.
But that doesn’t mean Florida dog lovers should be running to the nearest track any time soon in hopes of adopting a greyhound overnight.
For one thing, greyhound groups across the state admit that they don’t have an accurate count of exactly how many dogs will become available during the two-year phase-out of racing mandated by the amendment.
“Best we can determine is that there are approximately 3,700 active racing dogs in Florida now," says Joyce Carta, Vice President of Greyhound Adoptions of Florida. “That does not count the non-racing dogs, the dogs that are in training, or the puppies or the brood moms. There are a number of animals that contribute to the racing population that certainly would be affected by Amendment 13.”
[You can listen to the interview below for more tips on greyhound adoption -- and a discussion about the dogs' special needs.]
Greyhound adoption groups are advising potential adopters to sit tight for a while until the full picture becomes clearer.
But dog lovers who have a forever home to offer a former racing dog can still get information and a head start on the whole process.
Carta recommends visiting www.greyhoundadoptionactionalliance.org to find the closest greyhound adoption group.
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