Greyhound Protection Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 5017

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Animals

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-01-13: Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.

Last Updated

2026-05-16T08:07:02Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Greyhound Protection Act of 2025 aims to protect greyhounds from harm by prohibiting commercial greyhound racing, live lure training (using live animals as bait), and open field coursing (releasing dogs to chase and kill bait animals). It amends the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), a federal law that sets standards for animal care in research, transport, and exhibition, to address these specific practices, which Congress finds cause injury, drug use, and poor living conditions for greyhounds.

Key Provisions

• Prohibitions: Makes it illegal to:
• Engage in commercial greyhound racing, live lure training, or open field coursing if greyhounds are moved across state or international borders.
• Conduct racing events or meetings involving betting or wagering on greyhounds' speed or ability.
• Use live bait (any living animal) in training or coursing; only inanimate objects (non-living items) are allowed.
• Facilitate simulcast betting (remote, simultaneous broadcasting of races for gambling) on greyhound races across state or international borders.
• Sell, buy, possess, train, transport, deliver, or receive greyhounds specifically for these prohibited activities.
• Investigations and Enforcement: The Secretary of Agriculture (who oversees the AWA) can investigate violations and seek help from agencies like the FBI or local law enforcement.
• Penalties: Violators face fines under the AWA, up to 7 years in prison, or both; each incident counts as a separate violation.
• Definitions:
• Commercial greyhound racing: Any event with greyhounds where people bet on their performance.
• Simulcast: Live audio or video transmission of races from one location to another for gambling.
• Expanded Animal Definition: Adds "hare" to the AWA's list of covered animals (alongside rabbits and others), recognizing hares and jackrabbits as protected from use as live bait.
• Effective Date: Applies to conduct after October 1, 2027.
• Limitations: Does not override state laws on gambling or animal welfare; preserves existing federal rules on horse racing.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Adds a new Section 30 to the AWA, creating federal bans on these greyhound-specific activities where none existed before, focusing on interstate commerce (movement across state lines).
• Expands the AWA's definition of "animal" to explicitly include hares, which were not previously listed, to protect them from bait use.
• Introduces criminal penalties (fines and imprisonment) tailored to these practices, building on the AWA's existing civil penalties for animal welfare violations.
• Shifts from state-level regulations (where racing is already banned in 42 states) to a uniform federal prohibition, closing gaps in interstate activities like transport and online betting.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will gain enforcement responsibilities, potentially increasing workload for inspections and investigations; states may see reduced regulatory costs as the industry declines further (only two tracks remain operational as of 2022).
• On Citizens: Ends legal participation in greyhound racing and related betting nationwide, affecting gamblers and spectators; promotes animal welfare by reducing greyhound injuries (e.g., over 10,000 reported since 2008 in remaining tracks) and poor confinement conditions; could redirect state subsidies (e.g., $20 million annually in West Virginia) to other uses.
• On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, but prohibits cross-border transport of greyhounds for these activities, aligning U.S. policy with bans in places like the UK and Scotland; may influence global animal welfare standards through online promotion restrictions.
• Broader Effects: Accelerates the decline of a shrinking industry (from 60 tracks 25 years ago to 2 today), potentially leading to job losses in racing but benefits for greyhound adoption and retirement programs.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Greyhounds and Other Animals: Primary beneficiaries, protected from racing injuries, drugging, confinement, and bait-related harm.
• Racing Industry Participants: Breeders, trainers, track owners, and bettors face bans on operations and wagering, impacting the few remaining tracks in West Virginia and interstate activities.
• Animal Welfare Organizations: Groups like the Humane Society gain stronger federal tools to advocate against these practices, which are already illegal in many states.
• States and Local Governments: Affects the 1-2 states still allowing racing (e.g., West Virginia), reducing tax revenue but eliminating subsidies and regulatory burdens; supports states that have already banned these activities.
• Gamblers and Event Organizers: Online and simulcast bettors lose access to greyhound events; coursing clubs (e.g., National Field Coursing Association) must shift to non-live bait methods or cease operations.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens the AWA's focus on animal welfare in commerce without creating new agencies; penalties align with federal animal cruelty laws but add specificity for greyhounds. The delayed effective date (2027) allows transition time, potentially reducing legal challenges.
• Constitutional: Relies on Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce (e.g., transport and online betting), similar to other AWA provisions upheld by courts; avoids First Amendment issues by targeting conduct, not speech, though online promotion may face scrutiny.
• Political: Reflects bipartisan support (introduced by members from both parties) and public trends toward animal rights, building on state bans and industry decline due to low attendance and losses (e.g., Florida's $30 million annual shortfall). Could spark debates on federal vs. state authority over gambling and sports, but the non-preemption clause preserves state flexibility. No major international treaty implications, though it harmonizes with global anti-blood sport movements.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]

Cosponsors (30)

Rep. Fine, Randy [R-FL-6], Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1], Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3], Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40], Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13], Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2], Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Nehls, Troy E. [R-TX-22], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27], Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11], Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1], Rep. Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1], Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11], Rep. Luna, Anna Paulina [R-FL-13], Rep. Garbarino, Andrew R. [R-NY-2], Rep. Rivas, Luz M. [D-CA-29], Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5], Rep. Patronis, Jimmy [R-FL-1]

Recent Actions

• 2026-01-13: Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.
• 2025-08-22: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
• 2025-08-22: Introduced in House
• 2025-08-22: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Greyhound Protection Act of 2025 — issued 2025-08-22 — PDF (8 pages)