Greyhound Adoption

I just learned that a Greyhound Track (Dairyland Greyhound Racetrack) in Kenosha, Wisconsin will be closing on December 31, 2009. Up to 500 Greyhounds need to be adopted out by late December or early January.  There are only 6 weeks to get this task done.

It made me fondly remember my days as a greyhound owner. In my present circumstance, I am not allowed any more pets. Or, I would happily help out with the cause at hand. When it comes time for me to get another dog, it will surely be a greyhound.

The greyhounds and I

I’m posting this in the hopes that some of you may consider helping out in this particular cause – or perhaps to consider adopting a greyhound at some point in the future.  They make great pets! They are very loving.  My three had excellent dispositions. They were full-sized couch potatoes.

I remember the first time I petted a greyhound.  We went to our local Pet Smart in Germantown, MD. They were having a “Meet-N-Greet” event.  As soon as we walked in, there were all these dogs. They looked so skinny and bony and I was expecting something completely different from what I felt when my palms first touched the dog.  The fur was so soft and silky.  Then the dog looked up at me and I saw those warm, deep and loving eyes. I liked what I saw and started out to find out more about this breed of dog.

A couple more Meet-N-Greets and we were filling out adoption forms.  But, before we got our first dog, I got a call from the our local chapter President, Ethel Whitehurst.  She informed us that they had just gotten in a pair of older dogs that were already used to living in a home. But, she said, they were older. However, they had been together for years and they didn’t want to adopt them out alone.  Would we be interested in fostering the TWO dogs for a while until we got ours?  It didn’t take too much discussion for us to agree to it.  In short order, we decided that we’d keep them both. They were just such wonderful animals.  I wasn’t going to let them be split up.  Their names were Heather and Argyle and they are the ones looking straight ahead in the picture above.

About Greyhounds In General

Some folks think that they need to have a lot of room to house a greyhound.  But, that’s not the case. Tthese dogs all settle down in their “retirement.”  They are not hyper-active at all.  They do love a nice comfy couch or extra large doggie pillow to curl up on.  Ours slept as much as the cats.  Yes, most do get along well with cats and small dogs.

Greyhounds are used to chasing a “rabbit” when they race.  So, when it comes time for them to go off the track and into a permanent home, they are “tested” to see their tolerance for smaller animals – especially cats. Most adoption groups will let you know whether your new prospective family member is “cat safe.”

Greyhounds do not require any large area. No more than the average dog.  But, they DO like to run! We used to take ours to a dog park – or other enclosed area -  and let them loose.  I was also fortunate that in both NC and MD I had a fenced in yard. They sure did love to run around and chase each other.  In fact, in North Carolina, they had worn a pretty big rut into the sand.

When walking your greyhound – always keep it on a leash. Greyhounds have incredible eyesight and can spot a small critter moving around upwards of 700 yards away.  Should their “prey instinct” kick in and they take off after it, you have NO CHANCE of running after your greyhound and catching it.  That’s because, once they get going, they can easily reach speeds of 40 MPH.

Fresh From The Track

If you are going to adopt a greyhound that comes straight off the track, you need to familiarize yourself with their typical conditions.  They are constantly kept in cages, except for the ocassional walk and when they are ready to race. They have no concept of stairs or glass.

So, should you have stairs in your home, be prepared to take a little extra time to work with your dog to them acclimated to stairs.  Soon, they will be going up and down like nothing. But at first, they need a little love and patience on your part.

Also, to prevent accidents, I suggest using some painters tape at doggie eye-level on your sliding glass (or full length glass) doors for the first few months.  After a bit they’ll get the hint that there is a barrier there.

Greyhounds Reach The Beach

One of the best times we had with our greyhounds was when we made the trip up to Dewey Beach, DE for the annual gathering of the greyhounds.  This is an annual event held in either late September or early October. Here, you and your fellow greyhound adopters from around the nation, sometimes around the world, will spend a weekend relishing in all the joys that being a greyhound adopter can mean.  The dogs have a blast, too – with all sorts of contests they can participate in.   At the end of it, our dogs were so tired, I had to help them up into the SUV for the ride home.

When night falls upon the city and the hounds have been bedded down, you have a chance to explore the many wonders that Dewey Beach has to offer.  Being right on the ocean, you will find some of the freshest seafood available. Shrimp and Oysters that were brought ashore that very morning are served before you in an endless variety of dishes.  There’s even a “boardwalk” area like you might find in Atlantic City. A nice row of all sorts of restaurants and establishments tempting you with their offerings.

The event wraps up on Sunday and we chose to go to a place that was highly recommended for it’s “Bloody Mary Brunch.”  I ordered up a couple Bloody Mary’s from the bartender and I got nothing more than two large glasses with some ice and vodka in them. Seeing the confusion on my face at the state of affairs, she just said, “Turn Around.”  When I did, my jaw dropped.  There was easily an eight foot buffet of condiments and mixers for finishing your drink to your personal taste. To this day, I have yet to see anything like it.

In Conclusion

My personal experience as a greyhound owner was one of the most rewarding and interesting times of my life.  They are truly unique animals and everywhere you take them you get a chance to meet new people who walk up to you and ask about them.  In the course of my participation in our local greyhound group in Maryland, and also in my time in Myrtle Beach, our respective groups marched in a few parades as well.  I even got to be “Doggie Claus” at the local Pet Smart one year for the annual photos with Santa.  That was an interesting experience.

You’ll just never know all the joys and fun that are waiting for you as a greyhound owner until to “take the plunge” and decide to help the cause of these majestic creatures.  I have met close to one hundred greyhound owners over the years and the positive stories are too numerous to detail here.

In fairness, though, there are those rare cases where an adoption does not work out.  That’s the benefit of associating yourself with a local group – they will gladly arrange for your dog to be placed in a foster home and work on “hooking you up” with a more suitable animal, should you so desire.  This happened with us when we went to adopt our third greyhound. While a truly beautiful dog, it became clear he was not going to work out in a house that had cats.  I called up the leader of our group and he was placed in another home that did not have cats within a week. That’s how we came to get Bennett, the third dog in the picture above.

RESOURCES….

Some wonderful greyhound adoption groups across the USA -

Greyhound Pets of America    – Maryland Chapter National Site

Adopt A Greyhound – click here

Greyhound Rescue, Inc. – (VA, MD, DC, WV, PA, DE) – click here

Greyhounds Unlimited – (Dallas-Ft. Worth Metro) – click here

Buffalo Greyhound Adoption – (Western New York) – click here

Greyhound Friends of North Carolina – click here

If you can help with the immediate need, there are only 6 weeks to get this task done.
Contact Joanne Kehoe, Operations Director, at (312) 559-0887,
or contact the Dairyland Race Track Adoption Center direct at (262) 612-8256