Staff Reports
The Protect Dogs-Yes on 13 campaign Wednesday announced it had received endorsements from more current and former lawmakers, civic organizations, animal welfare organizations, and others.
Among them: state Sen. Dana Young, a Tampa Republican. “It’s time for Florida to move beyond mandated greyhound racing,” Young said.
Usually, pari-mutuels in Florida are required to continue running live dog or horse races to have slots and card games. Attempts at “decoupling,” removing the live racing requirement, has failed in the Legislature in recent years.
The campaign is promoting passage of Amendment 13, put on the November ballot by the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC).
The proposal, which needs at least 60 percent approval to be added to the state constitution, aims at ending commercial dog racing in the state. In Florida, live dog racing is still conducted at 11 tracks.
According to the campaign, Wednesday’s endorsements include:
— CRC member and state Sen. Tom Lee, the Thonotosassa Republican and former Senate President (2004-06) who sponsored the measure that became Amendment 13.
— Other CRC members: former Senate President (2012-14) Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican; former state Sen. Lisa Carlton, a Sarasota Republican; current Sen. Darryl Rouson, a St. Petersburg Democrat; Tallahassee-based political consultant Brecht Heuchan; former Sewall’s Point mayor Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch.
— Two former state senators, Democrats Eleanor Sobel of Hollywood and Maria Sachs of Delray Beach.
— The Greater Tarpon Springs Democratic Club, the OurRev305 progressive group in Miami, First Congregational United Church of Christ in Ocala, Animal Welfare League of Charlotte County, Edgewater Animal Shelter, Southeast Volusia Humane Society, The Animal Legal Defense Fund, Pets Ad Litem, Imagine Our Florida Inc.
8 comments
Aaron
July 18, 2018 at 7:20 am
This is good news, the world excitedly waits to see greyhound racing shut down in Florida.
NFLSouthpaws
July 18, 2018 at 11:05 am
Old news. Oh late breaking..the sponsor endorses it. You must really think readers are stupid. As for the list at the bottom.. totally predictable. Animal Legal Defense Fund? Another group of hard core radical Animal Rightists from California. Notice the similarities in the politics of these two states lately.
Journalists are supposed to figure things like that out.
Perhaps they don’t understand them. Or perhaps they’re trying to hide them. I think both.
Joe T
July 19, 2018 at 12:00 am
If you actually want to believe them, they are known liars and are getting desperate,they tried to have service dogs removed form an event, Tried to have billboards taken down by complaining to the company, anyone that associates with them are just as guilty of fraud as they are. The truth will prevail, PROTECT THE DOGS- VOTE NO ON 13
Francesca
July 19, 2018 at 7:37 am
Just waiting for Animal Liberation Front to endorse, but Dorkchak and Thiel most likely telling them not to, since grey2k is aligned with them. I bet they have from row seating at ALF convention
A. M.
July 19, 2018 at 12:41 pm
I think you have the Committee to Protect Dogs (which wants a “Yes” vote on banning greyhound racing) confused with the opposition that calls itself the Committee to Support Greyhounds (which wants greyhound racing to continue). Those in favor of ending greyhound racing (a vote “Yes” on Amendment 13) to protect dogs from inhumane treatment are in favor of service dogs and believe in the humane treatment of animals. We, as humans, do not need to abuse dogs for our own pleasure. Also, the statistics relating to greyhound deaths are publicly available statistics and the information on their hours of confinement is true– just ask the race tracks themselves and the opposition is not challenging the statistics or the information. No lies are being told; there is no “fake news.” Either you think it is okay to cage a dog for 20 plus hours a day and for 500 dogs to die a year while racing or you do not. How you respond to the foregoing is a determining factor on how you vote on Amendment 13. The fact that people or organizations that I do not like, as well as those that I do like, are supporting the ban on greyhound racing, have nothing to do with my view. We need to vote our conscience on this one, and I will vote “Yes” to ban, over 2-year phaseout period, greyhound racing.
Francesca
July 19, 2018 at 3:25 pm
No lies are being told, right. The dogs are not abused, on the contrary. Your side lied about WW Flicka to the CRC, grey2,k dorchak is a documented liar. You people lie about anything and everything. Greyhounds sleep up to 18 hours a day, they are not confined 23 hours a day, 500 deaths is twisted to make one think they all did racing. It’s not a lie many of your endorsers the humane societies kill healthy animals on a daily basis. It’s not a lie casino interests are behind this, it’s not a lie grey2,k attempted blackmail in W VA, and on and on and on
Francesca
July 19, 2018 at 3:31 pm
First it was a dog dies every 3 days, now you say 500 a year, the math doesn’t add up, but your side doesn’t lie, that’s ludicrous, proof of deceit is right there
Francesca
July 19, 2018 at 3:51 pm
If your side likes service dogs so much why did they try to have them thrown out of hob nob?
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