(ABILENE, Kan.) — Abilene Greyhound Park is where dogs go to become champions.
"Once you get in the dog business it just stays in your blood, and you want to keep doing it," dog owner Julia Ward says.
This practice track is just down the road from the National Greyhound Association Headquarters which attracts people and their dogs from around the world.
"The meets here in Abilene are great because we get all these people coming to town," executive director Gary Guccione says. "The greyhound breeders get to show their puppies and showcase them and see how well they perform."
Abilene is ground zero for greyhound racing. But the business has seen better days. Kansas' three dog tracks have shut down in recent years. The demise of greyhound racing has coincided with the rise of casino gambling. Those in the racing business says this nationwide trend has seen the number of dog owners in the Association drop from 7,100 to 1,250.
