Report on Greyhound Racing in Texas (February 2013) - Grey2K USA

SECTION 2
Greyhounds Endure Lives of Confinement
Hundreds of greyhounds endure lives of confinement at Texas
racetracks, with between 600-700 dogs currently being housed
at Gulf Greyhound Park. 7
The Gulf kennel compound is comprised of several buildings
with attached “turn-out” pens: fenced in dirt and sand runs
where the dogs are “turned out” to relieve themselves. 8
Greyhounds are kept in warehouse-style kennels in rows
of stacked cages. Shredded paper or carpet remnants are
commonly used as bedding. This system of confined housing
is used because commercial greyhound racetracks require a
large number of dogs in order to operate.
Aerial View of the Gulf Greyhound Park kennel
compound. Image from Google Maps, 2012.
Greyhounds are perpetually confined at Texas dog tracks
Greyhounds are confined perpetually in their cages
with two exceptions:
1. A few times per month, greyhounds are
removed from their cages and taken to the racetrack
to compete, where they are similarly confined before
racing.
2. A few times per day, greyhounds are “turned
out” in a large group and allowed to relieve
themselves.
The inside of a Texas greyhound breeding farm. Photograph by
C & C Greyhound Farm, 2012.
The Texas Racing Commission does not have any
regulations mandating the length of time and
frequency of turn outs for greyhounds. 9
Large greyhounds cannot stand fully erect in their cages
The Texas Racing Commission regulations require that kennel cages be three feet wide, four feet
deep, and three feet high. 10 This is consistent with cage sizes throughout the industry.
According to the American Greyhound Council, most greyhounds stand between 23 inches and 30
inches tall at the shoulder, and weigh between 50 and 85 pounds. 11 Large greyhounds cannot stand
fully erect in the cages used at Texas dog tracks.
7 Katherine Whaley, Gulf Greyhound Park back in business after canine influenza, KHOU 11 News, April 16, 2012; T.J Aulds,
Illness making rounds at greyhound park, The Daily News, April 10, 2012.
8 Photograph of Gulf Greyhound Park, Google Maps, online at http://maps.google.com (last visited September 20, 2012).
9 Jean Cook, Texas Racing Commission, Letter to GREY2K USA dated November 5, 2012 (on file with author).
10 16 Tex. Admin. Code § 309.313 (c).
11 American Greyhound Council, Frequently asked questions about greyhound pets, online at http://www.agcouncil.com/
node/17 (last visited September 28, 2012).
Greyhound Racing in Texas 3