And poor Flying Berrylook died of a stroke. One-year-old Flying Betty Lou crushed her skull in a practice race. According to state records, innocent hounds suffered torn and twisted muscles, dislocations, seizures, heat stroke, broken tails and puncture wounds – and just since 2021, at least sixteen dogs have died! GT’s Cocobolo had a heart attack at the age of three. In 2022 alone, 666 greyhounds were injured, the highest on record since 2014. Since 2008, over 11,000 dogs have been injured while racing in the state. 1 A population of nearly 600 dogs race at Mardi Gras and 1,000 at Wheeling.
Races are conducted year-round at both facilities, with a total of 513 race meets held in 2019. There are two greyhound tracks in West Virginia, Wheeling Island Casino & Racetrack and Mardi Gras Casino & Resort in Cross Lanes.
