Animal Protection Groups Urge Gov. Bush to Veto Racetrack Gambling Bill; Bush to Decide Fate of High-Stakes Poker Bill on Monday
7/31/03 3:01:00 PM
To: State Desk
Contact: Carey M. Theil, 866-247-3925, or Lisa Weisberg, 212-876-7700, ext. 4552, both for GREY2K USA Web site: http://www.grey2kusa.org
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., July 31 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Three national animal protection groups, with more than 300,000 Florida members and constituents, today asked Gov. Jeb Bush to veto House Bill 1059, which would legalize high-stakes poker at Florida dog tracks.
"This bill would prop up the cruelty of dog racing by legalizing high-stakes poker at the tracks," said Lisa Weisberg, senior vice president of Government Affairs for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Each year, thousands of greyhounds are killed when they are no longer profitable at the track."
Gov. Bush has until Monday to sign, veto, or allow HB 1059 to pass into law. He vetoed a bill last year that was nearly identical to this measure. The Humane Society of the United States, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and GREY2K USA sent a joint letter to Gov. Bush today urging him to veto HB 1059.
"Florida dog tracks have received massive subsidies and other special favors from the legislature for years," said GREY2K USA President Carey Theil. "Gov. Bush should send a message to the tracks that it is time for them to play by the same rules as everyone else."
The cruelty that is often associated with greyhound racing was highlighted in May 2002 when an Alabama man admitted shooting thousands of greyhounds for $10 each. The dogs, which came from racetracks across Florida, were shipped to his farm to be killed when they were no longer fast enough to be profitable as racers.
GREY2K USA is a national, non-profit greyhound protection organization based in Somerville, Massachusetts. For more information, contact Carey M. Theil at 866-247-392.
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