At about a year and a half, they graduate to longer, oval tracks, starting boxes and competition. The Council administers a range of programs to ensure humane treatment from the farm to the track. Greyhound farms must adhere to strict guidelines and pass inspections by AGC authorities. At the track, contracts and licensing procedures require that proper animal care practices must be followed. Those who fail to treat animals properly on the farm or at the track may be denied racing privileges on a temporary basis or permanently expelled from the industry.
State laws prohibit the use of live lures.
Industry members who violate this practice may be expelled from the sport for life. Greyhounds live in climate-controlled kennels, usually on or near the tracks where they race. They are turned out several times daily for mild exercise and play, exercised on sprint paths and taken for walks. Those that are unsuitable for adoption or breeding program are humanely euthanized by licensed veterinarians or approved animal shelters. While local humane societies and animal shelters euthanize nearly 15 million unwanted pets annually, fewer than 9,500 Greyhounds were euthanized in 1996.