Adding Insult to Injury for Florida Greyhounds

Embarrassingly, Florida operates more greyhound race tracks (16) than any other state. This is a huge business for the state, yet the state doesn’t require injuries to be reported.

As yesterday’s article in Florida’s Sun-Sentinel  states ("Activists want racetracks to report injuries to animals," by Linda Kleindienst):

"In the nine states where reporting of greyhound injuries is mandatory, the information has opened a window into a side of dog racing the public doesn’t usually see." For all the grisly facts about the greyhound racing industry, go to Grey2K USA.

As the proud mommy of two adopted retired racers (see adorable photos below), I’m acutely aware of the trauma caused by training and racing, and I’m not even referring to career-ending injuries.

Regardless of how anyone feels about cruelty to animals or whether forcing dogs to race can even be called a "sport," there is a fundamental issue of business ethics, here. Transparency and accountability are parts of every ethical business. If the industry has nothing to hide, it shouldn’t be worried about disclosing injuries. The industry has a responsibility to the people who keep it alive with their dollars, to reveal the consequences of that investment.