H.R. 5017

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5017 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5017

To amend the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit commercial greyhound 
racing, live lure training, and open field coursing, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

August 22, 2025

Mr. Carbajal (for himself, Mr. Fine, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, and 
Mr. Nunn of Iowa) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit commercial greyhound 
racing, live lure training, and open field coursing, and for other 
purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Greyhound Protection Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS AND POLICY.

The Congress finds the following:
(1) Greyhounds have existed for thousands of years and are 
the only canines mentioned by name in the Bible.
(2) Commercial greyhound racing was first legalized in 
Florida in 1931.
(3) Modern racetracks require internet-based wire 
communications to process bets and wagers, calculate odds, 
broadcast races, announce results, and pay winnings to 
gamblers. The majority of gambling on dog racing now occurs via 
simulcast and online.
(4) Public records reveal that some greyhounds used for 
live commercial racing suffer serious injuries including broken 
backs, broken necks, head trauma, paralysis, seizures, and 
electrocution.
(5) Regulatory records show that some racing greyhounds 
test positive for drugs including cocaine, amphetamines, 
barbituates, opiods, and steroids.
(6) State investigatory files document that racing 
greyhounds are kept confined for 20 to 23 hours a day in 
stacked, metal cages, typically with little opportunity to 
socialize with other dogs.
(7) Many small animals, including jack rabbits and hares, 
are bought, sold, delivered, transported, and received in 
interstate and foreign commerce for use as live bait in the 
training of racing greyhounds and in open field coursing.
(8) Typically, animals used in live lure training of 
greyhounds may be dragged on ropes, hung from a horizontal pole 
which rotates around a training track, or simply set loose to 
be chased and mauled. Alive or dead, helpless bait animals may 
be used repeatedly until they are torn apart.
(9) Live lure training is prohibited in more than a dozen 
States, but there is no Federal statute prohibiting such 
practice. In the late 1970s, the National Greyhound 
Association, a membership organization representing breeders, 
trainers, and other industry participants, announced a policy 
against live lure training in order to convince the late 
Senators Birch Bayh and Robert Dole to withdraw their proposed 
legislation.
(10) Open field coursing preceded commercial dog racing and 
is an activity in which greyhounds or other sighthounds are 
released to pursue and kill bait animals, including jack 
rabbits and hares, often in a fenced area. Greyhounds may 
collide and suffer injuries in the chase.
(11) Dog owners travel from multiple States and countries 
to compete and win prizes and sometimes gamble on open field 
coursing events.
(12) As with commercial greyhound racing, internet sites 
are used to promote coursing tournaments and post results to a 
worldwide audience.
(13) The National Field Coursing Association is the 
umbrella group for coursing clubs nationwide and maintained 12 
clubs in California as of 2006.
(14) Open field coursing is illegal in as many as 12 
States.
(15) Open field coursing was prohibited as a blood sport in 
Scotland in 2002, and in the United Kingdom in 2004.
(16) 25 years ago, there were 60 greyhound tracks in the 
United States. With the voter-mandated closure of 12 dog tracks 
in Florida and the voluntary shut down of Southland Park in 
Arkansas and Iowa Greyhound Park in 2022, only 2 tracks, both 
in West Virginia, will remain nationwide.
(17) According to the State of Florida, track owners had 
been collectively losing more than $30,000,000 annually because 
of sagging attendance and decreased wagering. According to a 
State-commissioned report, the State spent more money 
regulating the industry in its national hub than it generated 
in tax revenue. Similarly, nearly $20,000,000 is diverted 
annually to subsidize the 2 West Virginia tracks.
(18) According to State records, more than 10,000 greyhound 
injuries have been reported at West Virginia racetracks since 
2008. More than 3,500 dogs suffered broken bones during this 
period, and at least 437 dogs died after suffering serious 
injuries.
(19) Live commercial dog racing is illegal in 42 States. As 
of December 2022, this dying industry will remain legal and 
operational in no more than 1 State.

SEC. 3. PROTECTION OF GREYHOUNDS.

(a) In General.--The Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 30. PROTECTION OF GREYHOUNDS.

``(a) In General.--It shall be unlawful--
``(1) for any person to knowingly engage in commercial 
greyhound racing, live lure training, or open field coursing 
events in which any greyhound is moved in interstate or foreign 
commerce;
``(2) to conduct commercial greyhound racing or racing 
meeting where any form of betting or wagering on the speed or 
ability of greyhounds occurs;
``(3) to conduct open field coursing or live lure training 
with the use of any bait that is not an inanimate object;
``(4) to engage in or facilitate simulcast betting or 
wagering on greyhound races in interstate or foreign commerce; 
and
``(5) for any person to knowingly sell, buy, possess, 
train, transport, deliver, or receive any greyhound for 
purposes of having the greyhound participate in commercial 
greyhound racing, live lure training, or open field coursing 
events.
``(b) Investigations.--The Secretary, or any other person 
authorized by the Secretary, shall make such investigations as the 
Secretary determines necessary to determine whether any person has 
violated or is violating any provision of this section. The Secretary 
may obtain the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the 
Department of the Treasury, or other law enforcement agencies of the 
United States, and State and local governmental agencies, in the 
conduct of such investigations, under cooperative agreements with such 
agencies.
``(c) Penalties.--Any person who violates any of paragraphs (1) 
through (5) of subsection (a) shall be fined under this Act, imprisoned 
for not more than 7 years, or both, for each such violation. Each 
instance of a violation of any such paragraph shall be considered a 
single violation.
``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Commercial greyhound racing.--The term `commercial 
greyhound racing' means any event involving the participation 
of greyhounds in which betting or wagering on the speed or 
ability of such greyhounds occurs.
``(2) Simulcast.--The term `simulcast' means the 
simultaneous audio or visual transmission from one location of 
foreign or domestic greyhound races taking place at a different 
location and gambling on the results of such races.''.
(b) Definition of Animal.--Section 2(g) of the Animal Welfare Act 
(7 U.S.C. 2132(g)) is amended by inserting ``hare,'' after ``rabbit,''.
(c) Applicability.--The amendments made by this section shall apply 
with respect to conduct occurring on or after October 1, 2027.
(d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section, or the 
amendments made by this section, shall be construed--
(1) to preempt any State law prohibiting gambling or 
protecting the welfare of animals, including greyhounds, 
jackrabbits, and hares; or
(2) to alter, limit, or extend the relationship between the 
Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 (15 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.) as 
it relates to horse racing and other Federal laws in effect on 
the date of enactment of this Act.
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