TAMPA DOG TRACK SHUTS DOWN LIVE RACING – LEAVING BOTH GREYHOUNDS AND TRAINERS IN THE LURCH

Aug 11, 2007 -

Tampa, Florida – Tampa Greyhound Track (TGT) management has been busy making preparations for the days ahead, but instead of printing up programs for the August live-racing schedule, they have spent their time printing pick-slips for hundreds of greyhounds and scores of kennel workers. Yesterday’s announcement that TGT intends to shut down live racing came as a shock to everyone involved in the dog racing business, but it was a severe blow to TGT kennel workers and the Florida greyhound adoption community.

TGT greyhounds will run their last race on August 18, and then they will be summarily fired. This unexpected move is tied into a shifting of race dates, state gaming regulations and a preference for the dollars gleaned from card room operations. “No one imagined that management would act so precipitously and leave both the dogs and the kennels with nowhere to go,” said Greyhound Protection League (GPL) President, Susan Netboy. “It has thrown the greyhound adoption world into crisis.

TGT’s seasonal closings have been problematic for years. However, in previous years everyone knew it was coming and there was time to prepare. “This situation is unprecedented even in the world of greyhound racing where bottom-line financial considerations always trump the welfare of the dogs,” said Netboy.

Florida is routinely overrun with greyhounds needing adoption. The situation is even more critical since Melbourne Greyhound Park made a similar move just last month when they also shut out live racing in preference to card rooms - leaving 400 greyhounds in need of homes.

The Greyhound Protection League is a national, non-profit greyhound welfare organization.

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