It’s been a long slide for greyhound racing, which reached its peak in the 1980s.
DUBUQUE, Iowa — Vera Rasnake laughed as she led a trio of barking, jostling dogs into the Iowa Greyhound Park, but her smile faded when she acknowledged that after 41 years of being around the sleek animals, her sport was teetering on extinction.
“Do I think the industry is dying? Yes,” said Gwyneth Anne Thayer, who has written a history of greyhound racing. But “it’s happening way faster than I thought it would.”The Dubuque track closure and the end of racing in West Memphis, Arkansas, this December will leave racing only in West Virginia, where tracks in Wheeling and near Charleston operate with subsidies from casino revenue.
Peggy Janiszewski and her friend Robin Hannan have for years been driving about three hours from the Chicago area to Dubuque to watch the racing. They typically bet only a few dollars on each race but are more interested in watching the dogs than counting their winnings.Bruce Krueger said he has been making the 170-mile drive from Milwaukee to Dubuque. He doesn’t believe the dogs are mistreated.
At times, the sport drew more spectators than its more prominent rival horse racing. While considered seedy by some, it was mainstream entertainment for decades, Thayer said.“People don’t realize how normalized it was in American culture for a long time,” she said.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Greyhound racing nearing its end in the US after long slideThe greyhounds are racing again in Dubuque, Iowa, but after a shortened season ends in May, there will be only three tracks left in the country
Read more »
Greyhound racing nearing its end in the US after long slideThe greyhounds are racing again in Dubuque, Iowa, but after a shortened season ends in May, there will be only three tracks left in the country.
Read more »
Greyhound racing nearing its end in the US after long slideIncreased concerns about how the dogs are treated along with an explosion of gambling options has nearly killed a sport that once had widespread appeal.
Read more »
Greyhound racing nearing its end in the US after long slideIncreased concerns about how the dogs are treated along with an explosion of gambling options has nearly killed a sport that once had widespread appeal.
Read more »
Golden Kamuy Finale Gets a Big Icy Tribute in JapanGolden Kamuy's manga has ended its long and popular run with its final chapter, and Shueisha's [...]
Read more »
Is the Madeleine McCann kidnapping saga finally near the end?Tuesday marks the 15th anniversary of toddler Maddie McCanns shocking disappearance from a resort in Portugal never to be seen again.
Read more »