Greyhound Racing's Days Could be Numbered in State

The days of dog track racing could be numbered in West Virginia.

At the state’s two tracks, there are usually more dogs than there are spectators. The tracks are among the last remaining greyhound racing facilities in the U.S. The races could soon end if the governor signs a bill doing away with state subsidies that benefit breeders and handlers at racetracks.

Lawmakers say the $14 million used to pay the breeders and handlers who do well in races could instead address a state budget shortfall expected to reach as much as $500 million next fiscal year.

West Virginia started the subsidies for the racing industry when slot machines and table games arrived in the 1990s.