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Before Maryland Tolliver, Maryann Tolliver would have gone to the polls from St. Petersburg's Derby Lane.
But who is the worst victim in Florida?
Despite the looming deadline, it has not been enough to place a mark on the market just yet.
Derby Lane, like many of the 11 tracks in the state, has committed to continue racing 26 months from now. In the meantime, a nationwide coalition of 100 adoption groups, foster volunteers and transport drivers can not help it. .
"We're not in a panic," said Tolliver, president of the Greyhound Pets of America Tampa Bay, the adoption arm of Derby Lane. "We're not just going to be handing dogs out."
href = "https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/Derby-Lane-has-to-figure-out-what-s-next-now-that-voters-have-approved-greyhound-racing-ban_173368640 "target =" _ blank ">PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Derby Lane has gotten out of the limelight
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Throughout the debate on Amendment 13, which passed with a decisive 69 percent of the vote, a massive flood of dogs in need.
The Florida Greyhound Association estimates there are 8,000 racing dogs in Florida and 7,000 puppies at breeding farms in the United States. But because the state does not matter the number of greyhounds in the sport it regulates, independent estimates do not exist.
And data from within the industry indicate actual populations could be far lower. The National Greyhound Association had 9,488 total dogs registered in all six racing states in 2016, down from 25 percent in 2009. Last month, there were only 3,700 greyhounds in Florida, as a result of an analysis by Grey2K USA , the architect behind Amendment 13 and initiatives.
"It's a changing number," said Grey2k executive director Carey Theil. "The dog population at Florida tracks today is different from the population
At Derby Lane, which opened in 1925 and is owned by the great grandson, there are between 900 to 1,000 dogs that live in the year-round kennels, Tolliver said.
She said her organization adopted between 200 and 250 greyhounds per year as they withdraw because of age or injury.
Although exact figures are not known, the number of greyhounds has decreased as much as ever. Since 1990 the amount wagered on greyhound racing in Florida has declined by 74 percent, according to state figures.
The total amount wagered at Derby Lane alone was more than $ 21 million, down from $ 80 million in 2006.
As trainers and owners prepare for the deadline, Tolliver said fewer dogs will be introduced to the state, setting up for a natural phase out.
"They know the end in 2020 so they're not going to continue to be fully staffed," said Tolliver, who has led Derby Lane's adoptions for 20 years.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Amendment 13 passage means end of dog racing at Derby Lane, across Florida, by 2020
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When the 100 private greyhound adoption groups and volunteers formed the Greyhound Adopters for Racing earlier this year, it was to oppose the effort to end up racing in Florida. With Amendment 13's passage, Vice President John Parker's coalition said the group's mission is to assist trainers, owners and tracks in adopting every last dog leaving the industry.
"I'm very confident about adoption, not just any greyhound be left behind," said Parker, a lawyer in Atlanta. "We do not want them going into general animal shelters, we do not want them with groups with no experience with greyhounds.
Parker said this mass relocation will be done gradually, mostly through coordination via Facebook networking, where hundreds of volunteers are coordinating information.
A long-term festering rift in the adoption community is also complicating some of the efforts.
Kelly Faircloth, president of Greyhound Rescue and Adoptions of Tampa Bay, said, "Who do you think you're going to be?"
Since its founding in 1993, the Faircloth said that it has been done with such seriousness that they can barely open their mouths, dogs with broken bones, that do not heal correctly, tumors or lymphoma gone untreated.
As in the past few years, Faircloth said these groups were not outwardly pro-racing, or neutral on the sport, were banished.
At the same time, abuses were continued to be brought to public consciousness. The state of the art in the United States. There have been no more than 20 months of high blood pressure.
"I firmly believe in racing and that's why we did what we did," Faircloth said. "When we spoke out against it, they immediately labeled us as extremist ruining livelihoods and wanting to destroy the breed, which we actually wanted to breed to be nonexistent, which is completely ridiculous."
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For renowned Derby Lane trainer Cal Holland Sr., the passage of Amendment 13 marks a heartbreaking end to his family's five generations in the sport.
He points to his 50 years of dedication to his claims to counter allegations from the other side that is inherently inhumane. Holland, 74, said reports that greyhounds typically spend up to 23 hours a day in their cravings are exaggerated, but he admits his kennel's 64 dogs get out "to a few hours a day" between their four to six turn outs, schooling sprints, and twice a week breeds that last about 30 seconds.
"They absolutely love racing," Holland said.
By Jan. 1, 2021, Holland said he is coming to Hernando Beach, where his boat is waiting for him at his dock. The handful of customers who owns the dogs under their care, will decide to gradually adopt their greyhounds and those who move to other states.
Even with the end in sight, he said he's going to hold on for as long as he can.
"As long as they keep going and working," Holland said.
Contact Tracey McManus at [email protected] gold (727) 445-4151. Follow @TroMcManus.
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