For the months leading up to the November 4, 2008 election day, The Committee to Protect Dogs urged Massachusetts voters to "vote for the dogs" by voting "yes" on The Greyhound Protection Act, also known as Ballot Question 3.
It seems that voters listened - Question 3 passed by a margin of 56 percent in favor and 44 percent opposed.
Since a majority of Massachusetts voters voted in favor of implementing the Greyhound Protection Act by voting "yes" on Question 3, greyhound racing at dog tracks will be abolished in the state by 2010. If the majority of Baystate voters had voted "no" on Ballot Question 3, commercial greyhound racing would have remained legal.
What was The Greyhound Protection Act (Question 3) All About?
Question 3 - the question on The Greyhound Protection Act - sought to ban greyhound racing at dog racing tracks throughout Massachusetts, based on the argument that the greyhounds that are used for racing are subjected to inhumane treatment.
The Committee to Protect Dogs was a primary supporter behind The Greyhound Protection Act. The "pro dog" organization claimed "this humane law is supported dozens of community leaders, including the MSPCA, The Humane Society of the United States, GREY2K USA, the Springfield Republican, every major animal shelter, dozens of lawmakers and nearly sixty Massachusetts veterinarians."
Arguments to Ban Greyhound Racing at Massachusetts Dog Tracks
The Committee to Protect Dogs made four basic claims that they felt justified a ban on dog tracks and dog racing in Massachusetts:
- Racing dogs endure lives of inhumane confinement. "At local racetracks, thousands of greyhounds endure lives of confinement, kept for 20 or more hours each day in cages barely large enough to stand up or turn around in. By contrast, the runs used for large dogs at the MSPCA are five times larger than racetrack cages."
- Greyhounds are seriously injured as a result of dog racing. "According to state records more than 800 racing greyhounds have been injured since 2002, including dogs who suffered broken legs, paralysis, head trauma and even death from cardiac arrest. A greyhound is injured every three to four days in Massachusetts. Nearly 80% of all reported injuries were broken legs. Most injuries are serious."
- Greyhound racing is a dying industry, so banning dog racing will simply speed up the inevitable, saving many dogs in the process. "Dog racing is a dying industry in Massachusetts. Between 2002 and 2007, the total amount gambled at Wonderland Greyhound Park and Raynham Park declined by 65% and 37%, respectively. Even dog track owners acknowledge their businesses are failing."
- Racing dogs are subjected to cruel and inhumane treatment on a daily basis. "In one month in 2005 nineteen dogs at Wonderland Greyhound Park died from a mysterious illness. In late 2003 and early 2004, a greyhound at Wonderland Greyhound Park tested positive twice for cocaine, an illegal stimulant. To reduce costs, dogs are fed meat from dying, diseased or downed livestock that has been deemed unfit for human consumption. This meat contains denatured charcoal to discourage human use."
In short, the argument in favor of Question 3 wasn't based on views only held by extreme animal rights advocates; it was based on the belief that dogs should not be subjected to substandard care, injury and other inhumane treatment and exploitation for the sake of entertainment.
How to Learn More About The Greyhound Protection Act (Question 3)
The Committee to Protect Dogs established an informational website with a host of valuable information on anyone who is seeking to learn more about why group feels that commercial dog track racing should be banned. ProtectDogs.org features facts about greyhound racing, information about supporters of The Greyhound Protection Act, and photographs of inhumane dog race track kennels. Dog lovers can also obtain information on other ways to help greyhounds in need.
In addition, The Committee to Protect Dogs also established a website - Question3Facts.org - that was designed to address common misconceptions about greyhound racing and commercial dog tracks.
What Happens Now?
The approval of Question 3 in Massachusetts means that commercial dog tracks will be required to close by January 1, 2010.
The deadline was apparently set more than a year down the road to allow dog tracks to be gradually "phased out" in the Baystate.
In addition, Massachusetts voters also approved Ballot Question 2 at the polls on November 4, 2008. A majority vote of "yes" on Question 2 means that it will no longer be a crime to be in possession of less than one ounce of marijuana. The new $100 fines for marijuana possession will got into effect in Massachusetts on December 4, 2008.
Mia Carter - Mia Carter - Journalist, Producer/Editor & Web Writer. Carter's work has appeared on CBS and CNN.com.
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