Resources & Archives Grey2K Needs Our Support (Spring 2000) — In an effort to end the suffering of thousands of greyhounds at the hands of profit-hungry track owners and breeders, Grey2K has launched a statewide initiative to ban greyhound racing in the state of Massachusetts. According to Grey2K coordinator David Vaughn, "We're a bunch of people who put our energy where our mouths are." And that energy is paying off. Grey2K collected more than 100,000 signatures throughout Massachusetts in favor of the first state ballot question in the nation to ban greyhound racing. The coalition needed only 57,000 but wanted a cushion to ensure signature validity. Now the group faces the need to mount another petition drive in May if the Senate and House fail to act on the proposal. "I fully expect that will be the case," Vaughn said. "We are ready to go." If the group can successfully obtain 9,517 additional signatures by July 5th the question will be guaranteed a spot on the November 7th ballot. "This is a major step toward ending cruelty, suffering, and death," said NEAVS President Theodora Capaldo, EdD. "It is not only an issue about the cruelty of racing dogs, but also an important anti-vivisection issue. Many of these 'surplus' dogs are handed over to research labs and end up as body parts on dissection tables. We want to help make sure that this inexpensive supply market for labs is closed and that these animals are not overbred, overexerted, and exploited throughout their brief lives and even in their deaths." Back to UPDATE 2000 Series, Vol. 1, No. 1 Spring mainpage.