Florida greyhound owners sue state over anti-dog racing ballot measure

TALLAHASSEE — The association that represents greyhound owners and breeders filed suit against the state Thursday, hoping to block a ballot measure that would ban dog racing across the state.

The Florida Greyhound Association filed the lawsuit in Leon County. The suit contends the constitutional amendment on November's ballot is misleading and fails to inform voters of its true consequences on the industry if passed.

“If passed, proposed Amendment 13 would not ‘end dog racing’; it would only prohibit gaming and pari-mutuel facilities from racing dogs in Florida when done in connection with a wager for money or other thing of value,” the lawsuit states.

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The greyhound racing association argues in its lawsuit the amendment would not bar gaming operations from broadcasting out-of-state dog races and therefore it is misleading to say dog racing would end in Florida.

“Voters who believe they are voting to end all live greyhound racing and to end all wagering in Florida on greyhound races will be misled.”

The lawsuit is the latest barrage in a years-long fight between supporters and opponents of dog racing in Florida, which has a dozen race tracks. It also comes a month after the Florida Constitution Revision Commission proposed the amendment to abolish the state’s 90-year-old greyhound racing industry.

The commission, which meets every 20 years to consider revisions to the state constitution, approved Amendment 13 along with seven others, including banning offshore drilling, prohibiting indoor vaping and creating term limits for school board members. The amendments will appear on November's ballot and require 60 percent voter approval to pass. 

Those who support the anti-dog racing amendment called the lawsuit “dead on arrival” and a “desperate attempt” by the racing group. Kate MacFall, co-chair of the Protect Dogs – Yes on 13 Campaign, said the amendment's language accurately represents what it's going to do if passed.

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“While it is understandable that an association that breeds and races dogs for profit would not care for the title and summary of a proposal to end the cruelty of dog racing … asking voters to approve a question entitled ‘Ends Greyhound Racing’ says what it does and does what it says,” MacFall said in a statement.

The lawsuit was filed by the racing association and its president, James Blanchard, who owns greyhound dogs that race.

The lawsuit contends approval of the amendment will prompt race tracks to shutter, which will lead to the loss of about 13,000 jobs by the time commercial dog racing is phased out by 2020.

Izzy Havenick, vice president of governmental relations for the Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track, which is owned by the Havenick family, said he continues to assess the possible effects of the ballot measure to determine whether he will support it.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, an animal-rights advocate who often parades rescue dogs clad with bows in Cabinet meetings, was among those who pushed for the ballot measure as a member of the constitution commission. She called greyhound racing and the treatment of those dogs a “black eye on our state.”

Greyhounds have been tied to gambling in the state for decades. Since 2013, when the state began to require greyhound race-dog trainers to report when dogs die at race tracks and on kennel grounds, 458 deaths have been reported, according to data collected by GREY2K, an animal-rights nonprofit organization.

“As the text of Amendment 13 reads, 'The humane treatment of animals is a fundamental value of the people of Florida.' If the members of the Florida Greyhound Association disagree with this premise, they are free to vote no in November,” MacFall said.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified the owner of the Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track in Bonita Springs.