GAUGE-in HAPPINESS!
I adopted my best buddy, Gauge, almost a year ago. Absolutely the best thing I’ve ever done. Can’t thank Nancy Q and Russell H enough. And what a match. I can’t leave home without my buddy. We love to walk, and man can he walk. We probaly walk about 2 miles 4 times a day. So we are both getting our exercise. Gauge has really put a smile on my face, and has brought so much enjoyment to our family. Everybody loves Gauge. Again, all my thanks….
Dan Kensek, Ellenton, FL (2010)
FREEDOM REIGNS
A year ago we chose to adopt a Greyhound whose leg had been broken while racing. Thank goodness she came in to our lives after her injury forced her retirement, as she is calm, clean, playful, intelligent and obedient. Most people don’t realize that adoptable racing Greyhounds come pre-trained and immediately able to follow commands.
This is the easiest dog we’ve ever had. Our Greyhound has enriched our lives so much that I cannot imagine ever being without her. I urge anyone thinking of getting a dog to consider a Greyhound and contact Sarasota’s Racing Dog Rescue Project. Greyhounds are spectacular!
Ransom Price, Sarasota, FL (2010)
[Ransom and wife, Suzanne, adopted Freedom, a beautiful dark brindle female. They also have two Italian Greyhounds.]
A HEART OF GOLD-ie……
Goldie came into my life through RDRP in early May of this year. I was asked to foster him as he had two nasty breaks, which he suffered while racing and was left with them for two weeks until his owners relinquished him to our rescue.
I was thrilled as this was a phone call my family and I had been waiting for. I went to the adoption center to meet my new friend and bring him home. Sweet is an understatement. It was clear Goldie did not realize anything was wrong with him. This was truly one of the happiest dogs I have ever met. I gathered his belongings and brought him home to get him settled in, as he would be off to surgery in a couple of days.
Goldie himself came through surgery extremely well and chipper, as his personality always is, however I was told that his breaks were worse than the x-rays showed. We now go one to two times per week to have his leg checked and bandages changed. He requires a lot of one on one attention as his leg must be wrapped in plastic each and every time he goes outside so as not to get the wounds dirty. He is also still a puppy as he just turned two years old and he wants nothing more than to run and play with my other greyhounds yet he knows he just cannot. We are keeping our fingers crossed that he will somehow recover and not need any further surgery.
It has been a very rewarding experience for my family to be involved with rehabilitating Goldie. It is truly eye opening though to see how much time, effort and money goes into rehabilitating just one of these gentle giants. When I think about how many volunteers, veterinarians and their technicians have been involved in Goldie’s life for a broken leg, it is both heartwarming and sad at the same time.
The good news is what even with Goldie’s handicap he is fitting right in at our home. He even enjoys wearing my children’s dress-up wigs. We may just fail at fostering and succeed at adding one more furry friend to our home!
Susan Cavanaugh, Sarasota, FL (2010)
[Susan and her husband, Jim, and their two children have two Greyhounds and a Yorkshire Terrier]
THE SHADOW KNOWS
On April 1, Shadow (racing name “Like My Shadow”) got tangled in the far turn during a race, snapping her right rear leg in several places. The injury ended her racing career, and her life was spared, after running in 63 races in North Florida, Iowa and Sarasota. As it happens in some injury situations like this, her kennel operator contacted Racing Dog Rescue Project, which specializes in rescuing, rehabilitating and finding adoptive homes for retired racing Greyhounds.
As soon as my husband, Merv, and I heard about her through Racing Dog Rescue Project, we decided to foster her at least through her healing process. Shadow, an active 3 year old, now lives with us in our home shared by our 12 year old Greyhound, Winston. Shadow spent a short time with another family before coming to live with us, so it is often a cooperative effort of the part of many until a dog is settled into the healing process. Before that, Shadow had never lived in a home, and had to be taught about stairs, swimming pools, tile floors and sliding glass doors. This is not too tough for this intelligent breed, but with the awkward cast on her leg and having to stay in a crate to stabilize her leg, she had to learn about her strange surroundings in small increments. After her surgery to correct her compound fracture, with pins and implants, and multiple follow-up trips to a local veterinarian orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Kirsch, her leg is healing well.
It takes a tremendous amount of time and money to rehabilitate our wonderful greyhounds after an accident, not to mention the pain and stress they endure in recuperation. While we may occasionally get financial help from the racetrack owner or trainer in this situation, the bulk of the cost lies on the shoulders of Racing Dog Rescue Project. Our group is dedicated to caring for these dogs from the day they arrive until the day they go to their forever home.
In early June, eight weeks after the surgery, her cast was removed. She may always have problems with her fragile leg, but the joy in her expressions was worth the life that was saved. She is now the most precocious, happy, little lady. As in many cases, the foster family often adopts the dog they’ve been caring for and we decided she should be permanent part of our family.
Nancy Faris, Sarasota, FL (2010)
[Nancy and her husband, Merv, long-time Greyhound owners, have Winston and now Shadow]
BABY STEPS
On April 9, 2009, Baby (racing name “Rock and Roll Baby”) was severely injured at the Sarasota Kennel Club. Her trainer was told to “put her down” because her injuries were too severe to bother with. Fortunately that trainer, who had a good heart, called a volunteer from Racing Dog Rescue Project and asked if someone could pick up the dog. Without hesitation the volunteer agreed to pick the dog up. That’s when I got a call…could I take her after she had been treated by the vet? I could not, but another volunteer could. Baby’s injuries were very severe…requiring over 150 staples all over her body plus a wide open wound on her right hind quarter, where the other dog had attacked her that had to be treated several times daily. The vet was not optimistic. He thought if she survived the night, she might have a chance. He stitched up the many bites, but couldn’t do much for the largest wound…other than try to stitch it, which really didn’t work. Baby went into her foster home, where with the TLC of many, many volunteers who watched her 24/7 (at times using a web cam when the primary care giver had to leave the room). I took Baby after about 2 weeks because the person fostering her had to go back north. She still required constant care…the wound took a long time to finally start healing. It was a very difficult time… but she was a survivor and after about 3 months and several surgeries and the best possible care from the RDRP volunteers, she was finally allowed to be out of a crate and run around a bit.
I’m not exactly sure what actually happened at the Sarasota Kennel Club that caused her life threatening injuries… but all I know is if RDRP had not been available to take her and care for her… she would not be the wonderful, full of life, just turned 3 year old beautiful dog that she is. I love her!
Geri Harrison, Sarasota, FL (2010)
[Geri and Baby share a home with two other Greyhounds and a cat, Phoebe]
SIR ELTON AND MINDY
I researched and read about having a Greyhound years before I got Sir Elton in 2004. The books, while informative, didn’t begin to touch how he, and now Mindy, have enriched my life. They each make me smile or laugh every day of my life – what a joy! My heart fills with love when I snuggle with them and watch them at play or at rest. They’ve introduced me to a whole new world filled with care and service to the dogs in RDRP’s care, I’ve had the privilege of fostering 4 and giving them their first taste of home life. I’ve seen them adopted into their forever homes. My own family has gotten very very small and I have had the awesome reward of getting a greyhound family, and best friends, and play dates with my fosters and their parents. I love every phase of being part of this wonderful group and of having my amazing “kids”. Mindy was my 4th foster – I finally failed – and won!
Ginny O’Grady, Lakewood Ranch, FL (2010)
[Ginny and her husband Alan are proud parents of Sir Elton and Mindy]
