A new law went into effect July 1st that means no more summer dog racing for the Melbourne Greyhound Track. As a result, 300-400 dogs will be needing homes. This is a gambling regulatory law, not an animal welfare law.
The sudden and large influx of greyhounds will heavily tax the resources of the Central Florida Chapter of Greyhound Pets of America—the greyhound adoption group that places dogs from the Melbourne Track. If you’re in Florida and were thinking of adopting a greyhound, this would be a great time. (Special thanks to Mike for the tip on this story!)
If you’re interested in greyhound adoption, and aren’t in Florida:
- Greyhound Pets of America has chapters all over the US.
- You can also find a comprehensive directory of greyhound rescue groups in the US, Canada, and Europe at The Greyhound Project, Inc.
- And the National Greyhound Adoption Program is a large rescue and activist group.
If you think a greyhound might be right for you, be sure to check out this very informative manual on adopting a greyhound.(pdf) You can find more links to organizations and advice at Wikipedia.