Last week, at the Worcester Public Library, a group of concerned citizens gathered to talk about how to end greyhound racing. Hosted by Grey2K USA, this group of approximately 15 is just a small segment of the many across the state fighting to end the cruel practice in our state.

It is one of the most tangible issues that animal advocates are – and can – latching onto this year (perhaps following close behind is horse racing, fueled of course by the recent tragedy at the Kentucky Derby).  Losing by a heartbreaking margin in election of 2000 (51% to 49%), animal advocates haven’t given up. Grey2K erected the Committee to Project Dogs specifically for the initiative, and this year join The Humane Society of the US and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) to gather signatures to get a question on the 2008 election ballot in November to phase out greyhound racing by 2010, calling it the Greyhound Protection Act.

“The citizen initiative process was created in 1918,” says Christine A. Dorchak, Esq.
co-chairperson of the Committee to Protect Dogs as well as the president of Grey2K. “The process allows citizens to ‘stand in the shoes’ of legislators on Election Day and pass a bill into law. The Greyhound Protection Act is one such citizen’s bill.” 

Dorchak, who often travels with her own adopted greyhound, Zoe, drapes her with a wrap that says “vote for the dogs,” which was inspired by a candid moment in which Senator Ted Kennedy was asked how he would vote on the question in 2000.

Massachusetts law requires petitioners to gather signatures over two time periods. Initially, in a 90-day period this past Fall, 2,000 volunteers statewide submitted more than 100,000 signatures. Approximately 3,000 volunteers are poised to gather 30,000 more in the second, and final, round of petitioning. They’ll be outside of bookstores, pet stores, supermarkets and any other high traffic areas.

Submitted initially to town clerks, these are all sent to the Massachusetts Secretary of State, when the Greyhound Protection Act will hopefully be awarded a ballot number.  Presently, there are two active dog tracks in the state: Wonderland Greyhound Park in Revere and Raynham Greyhound Park in Raynham. Actual injury records of greyhounds at both tracks, signed under the pains and penalties of perjury by track representatives, will be used to demonstrate and document the cruelty to dog racing.

“This is no longer a he-said-she said campaign,” says Dorchak, “but rather a ‘they said’ campaign. “When not racing, greyhounds are kept confined in tiny cages barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around, and for long hours each day. These cages are often stacked and newspaper is the only bedding afforded. This is no way to treat a dog.” A slideshow of photos from the Lynn Kennel Compound, which holds the Wonderland’s dogs, can be viewed on www.protectdogs.org.  

This, stresses Dorchak, is new information that voters didn’t have in 2000. She’s confident it will succeed this time around. The Greyhound Protection Act would phase out dog racing by January 1 of 2010, allowing not only the few hundred workers to seek alternate employment, but for shelters and humane societies to place the available dogs.

“The Committee has offered a thoughtful proposal that phases out live dog racing over time,” she adds. “They Greyhound Protection Act is not a ‘light switch’ measure that takes immediate effect. Rather, the tracks will be required to wind down operations by 2010. That said, we are committed to working with legislature to pass and fund a job retraining program after the November election. But the availability of a few hundred jobs does not excuse organized cruelty to dogs. Clearly, our economy should not be built on cruelty to greyhounds.”  Twenty-two lawmakers have endorsed the Greyhound Protection Act so far, and volunteers are actively soliciting more endorsements, both from lawmakers and business owners.  If the Act does not pass, more than 3,000 dogs will continue to suffer in tiny cages and race the risk of injury or death each year. Reported injuries at both Massachusetts parks include cardiac, paralysis and seizures. Nearly 80 percent of the reported injuries involve broken bones.  

Eight states have banned commercial dog racing, including Vermont and Pennsylvania. All the Connecticut tracks have recently closed, and 34 states presently ban greyhound racing. “Eleven tracks have closed or ended dog racing since Christmas Eve 2004,” says Dorchak, “so the trend is definitely with the dogs.”

Though Dorchak, who says the groups are still fighting opposition from the tracks, is confident about the question hitting the ballot, she says the real challenge will be getting people out to the polls in November to put their pen where their heart is.

Read more at www.protectdogs.org.