Iowa Greyhound Park to close following shortened 2022 season

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — The last remaining dog-racing park in Iowa is closing amid a shortage of available greyhounds and the overall collapse of the racing industry. 

The Telegraph Herald reports that the Iowa Greyhound Park in Dubuque is hoping for one last season in 2022. Plans call for it to be shortened, lasting just a month or two, compared to 112 days of racing this year, but the park’s general manager, Brian Carpenter, conceded that even that may not be feasible. 

Dogs that raced in Dubuque frequently split their time between Iowa Greyhound Park and tracks in Florida, allowing the dogs to race year-round, but Florida got rid of greyhound racing. Carpenter said he doesn’t know if the park will get enough dogs.