California Congressman Tony Cárdenas (D-CA-29) is introducing a bill that would ban gambling on greyhound racing and the prohibit the sport, entirely. If passed into law, the Greyhound Protection Act would phase out the industry over the course of time.
In order to achieve its goals, House Resolution 7826 would amend the Wire Act to ban wagering on greyhound racing in the United States. It would also prohibit what are known as “live lures”, that is to say, live animals used to entice dogs into running at top speed.
The bill would not, however, have a big impact on the gambling industry as a whole. According to a recent report on CalvinAyre.com, only four greyhound racing tracks are left in the US and two of them are in West Virginia.
Congressman Cardenas is known for his animal protection legislation and is a vigorous animal rights activist. On a recent press release he condemned the greyhound racing industry saying, “Greyhound racing is cruel and must end,” said Congressman Tony Cárdenas. “These docile animals are kept in stacked cages for 20 hours or more a day and are subjected to brutal training practices and races, facing the risk of injury and death at every turn. My bill allows for a sensible wind-down of an already-declining industry that will ultimately outlaw greyhound racing. As a longtime animal welfare advocate, I am committed to always speaking up for the voiceless.”
He went on to say that the bill was inspired by a recent report exposing the live lure industry in Oklahoma where dogs tear apart live animals during training.