GREYHOUND ADOPTER URGES “NO” VOTE ON 13

St. Petersburg Times correspondent and greyhound adopter Danielle Hauser says that Floridians should vote NO on Question 13 because it is based on misconceptions about how greyhounds are treated.

In her September 28 commentary, Hauser noted that she knew very little about racing greyhounds before she adopted one, so she bought into some of the misconceptions about them and their treatment. “Like most people, I was wrong,” she said.

Hauser pointed out that several local greyhound adoption groups, including Bay Area Greyhound Adoptions and Greyhound Pets of America-Tampa Bay, have joined a group of 83 adoption organizations statewide that have gone on record in opposition to Question 13.

“These are non-profit, volunteer-based groups that work lovingly and diligently to foster and find retired greyhounds their forever homes. These groups also aim to educate the public about the lives of greyhounds on and off the track,” she wrote.

Greyhounds are the professional athletes of the canine world, Hauser said, so kennel owners and trainers ensure that their dogs are well taken care of. “They are fed high quality food, have plenty of play time, exercise and human interaction,” she said. “They also are under constant medical supervision.”

In her commentary, Hauser also expressed concern that Question 13 fails to provide funding for re-homing of more than 8,000 greyhounds that would be displaced from Florida greyhound tracks if the measure passes.

She concluded by urging voters to go visit a greyhound at a “Meet and Greet” event or take a greyhound kennel tour. “See for yourself what greyhounds are really like,” she said. “Dogs don’t lie.”