West Virginia Governor Jim Justice vetoed SB 437, a bill that would have eliminated million in state funds for the greyhound racing industry. Opponents of the measure said it would have meant the end of the sport in the state and the loss of 1,700 jobs.
Justice said, “If we get rid of greyhound racing it will mean job losses and fewer people coming to West Virginia. Eliminating support for the greyhounds is a job killer and I can’t sign it. The last thing we need to do is drive more people out of West Virginia. We can’t turn our back on communities like Wheeling that benefit from dog racing. Greyhounds are born runners, and I hope to keep them running in West Virginia for a very long time.” Greyhound racetracks are located in Wheeling and Nitro.
The measure approved by the state House and Senate would have ended $15 million in annual support for greyhound racing but would have left $1 million for dog shelters and adoption. Lawmakers who voted for the bill said the state should not have a role in promoting greyhound racing. They added the bill would allow the transfer of about $14 million from greyhound racing to the general fund to help balance the state budget.
