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The Camptown Track Closing
The people contacted were Cheryl Holmberg, GPA-OK, Kate Bressler and Ann Peterson of Greyhound Support in Kansas City, Deb Sanford of GPA-KS, Coral Swanson of the Woodlands in Kansas City, and Cynthia Cash of Baton Rouge, LA. Cynthia has been instrumental in 12 to 15 track closings over the last 5 or 10 years. I knew Cynthia would have some valuable input on what is involved and giving us the most efficient way to handle this. When the closing was official we contacted Bryce Peckham, DVM of Topeka, KS who was a member of the Kansas Racing Commission. He was in control of the track closing. Bryce was very receptive and helped to coordinate the efforts as quickly as possible but also wanted everything done right. He did not expect people to do this overnight. We planned a route that would go up I-44 to St. Louis, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, western New York and Massachusetts. Kate Bressler and Cynthia Cash along with several volunteers are to be commended for the awesome amount of work involved. Six to eight weekends were spent going to Frontenac, profiling the dogs and taking digital pictures. Kate Bressler set up a web site for viewing by adoption groups. Dogs were assigned to groups and Bryce also reviewed each adoption groups' application, return policies, length of time the organization had been operating, etc. He wanted to be sure to do what was best for the greyhounds. Meanwhile the track paid the kennel utility bills, paid employees to feed and care for the dogs, and provide vet care. They also paid for the hauling fee to transport the dogs. The first haul left on Dec. 8th taking 68 to 70 dogs. Then separately 10-12 went to St. Louis and 10 more went to Cher Oliver at REGAP in Kansas City. GPA-Springfield, MO took 26 dogs through this whole closing. This left between 80 and 90 dogs but with the holidays fast approaching we realized we would not have the time to set up another haul before January. This closing also followed the seasonal fall track closings across the country. This means a lot of greyhounds go into the adoption system and many groups are swamped with greyhounds. Thus, the next haul was planned for after the first of the year. Kate Bressler and other volunteers went back down to Camptown and finished profiling and taking pictures of the remaining dogs for the web site and allocation to groups. The second haul went out on Jan. 13th. That left 4 dogs! Springfield, MO GPA took 2 and GPA-OK took 2. The track handled about 50 adoptions in 74 days that they were open. We are also here as a support system for any of these greyhounds that need to be returned. Overall, we were very happy with how well this went. Moving 200 greyhounds out in 2 months is an awesome responsibility and task. This took a lot of HARD WORK, TIME & MONEY. Thanks to all of you who helped. It could not have been accomplished without your dedication, perseverance and commitment. These greyhounds know who you are, appreciate it and love you for it. Helpful Tips 
Letter from the President
This is an editorial I wrote for my own chapters' newsletter. Maybe it will help some of you to use part or all in your own. We can only hope. These past two weeks for Jean, Brigid, and myself have been very discouraging and heartbreaking. We three are part of the Foster Committee, with Jean being the coordinator. It is one thing taking in a greyhound for legitimate reasons, but it is quite another having to listen to idiot reasons why someone is dumping their family member. And that is exactly what he or she is, a family member. When these dogs are placed in homes, we as screeners, make every possible effort to make sure that it will be a "forever" home. We try very hard to match the family with what they are wanting in a dog and also what a particular greyhound needs in a family. We do not have crystal balls and we all make mistakes, but we do the best we can. We also learn from our mistakes. It seems to run in cycles, sometimes we go weeks or months without a bounced grey, but then comes a time we are bombarded and we frantically need to find foster homes. Some families demand we take the dog right now or they will put it down! We take this very seriously; two greys have been euthanized to my knowledge, when the owners would not allow us the opportunity to pick up the dogs. One grey was my placement and I don't think I can ever forgive myself for not getting to her rescue in time. It is very difficult to find a foster family on the spot, so a lot of them seem to end up in our own homes. None of us would ever turn down a needy grey, but being in a home with a lot of other dogs may not necessarily be in their best interests or for our own greys. And you better believe that a grey that has been just dumped out of their home is one confused and messed up little pup that requires a lot of TLC and often medical care. Just ask Katherine, Barley, Dusty, Clayton, Lacy, Jake or Luke who have all come back to us in these two weeks. Want to hear some reasons? How about "tracked mud on my carpet." "We decided we want a different lifestyle and she doesn't fit in." (This from an owner who has had the 8-1/2 year old grey for four years.) "He might bite my kid." (This grey had been in the home for a couple years and never showed any sign of aggression nor had any problems with children.) "He didn't like the kids stuffing him in the crate before they left for school." Well, neither would I and why did he need to be crated all day? I took in this wonderful little 3-1/2 year old and that was so traumatized he had to be tranquilized the first night. He was so attention starved and messed up, did not respond to his name (in the home 1-1/2 years) and filthy. He has made remarkable progress, knows he is loved and will not be left alone, and we will eventually find him his forever home. I guess it is not surprising that in today's "disposable" society, pets end up being disposable too. I do not understand this thinking whatsoever. To me, and I know to many of you, when we decide to adopt, it is for the pets' lifetime. A pet becomes part of our family - it is a lifetime commitment. It is difficult to imagine attitudes casual enough to think that when tired of doggy responsibilities or deciding to move to Aruba that there is just no problem in dumping their pets and that is exactly what it is…dumping, with no thought to the effect on the pet. Would you dump your children? Unfortunately, some people do, but personally I have met several kids that should have been dumped instead of the Greyhound! Here is another thought to consider. For every grey that we have to rehome, means there is a grey in the kennel that has to remain there a lot longer than necessary. One more thought then I will get off my soapbox and get down to the business of helping to find these dogs homes. We are always in need of good foster homes. Having two greys is not any harder than one and most greys do so much better with a buddy. Please don't tell us that "We just couldn't take one in then have to give him up." You want to know how often our hearts have been ripped right out of our chests and we have cried until we were empty? You also want to know how often we have failed Foster 101? Rocky was recently adopted. He had lived in my home for one year. Do you think I will ever forget his disbelieving look I witnessed the night he was driven away to his new forever home? But, when I took in Rocky as a foster, he was one messed up little boy that had a lot of problems. When he left, he was a happy, secure grey, and after his initial adaption to his new home, is doing great. He is thriving now with his own special Mom that is spoiling him rotten. I will see him again, and you know what? He WILL remember me, (they never forget) and he will come up to me all smiles and wiggles and giggles and show me how fat and sassy and happy he is. He will thank me for his loving new Mom and my heart will burst with happiness seeing him again. I then know I did my job. And that is what it is all about. Think hard about what I have written. Think hard about finding a place in your heart and home for a foster dog. You won't ever be sorry and what you will benefit will outweigh any misgivings you think you might have.
2000 Sub-Chapters Report
Business has been booming as far as the formation of sub-chapters is concered. Not only do we have 8 new sub-chapters, but someone volunteered to hlep Joyce McRorie, Sub-Chapter Committe Chairperson. Let's hear it for Chris Miller from GPA/FL-Daytona Beach!! The year 2000 saw the following groups become sub-chapters: Those of us who sponsor sub-chapters, invite you to join us. For a small amount of work, there is a great amount of accomplishment. It just makes you feel good, passing on the knowledge and experience you have, to others who will place more and more greyhounds in quality homes.
Nominations Committee Report
Description of Officer Duties by the Current Officers The Nominations Committee is chaired by Lisa Nolet of GPA, Orlando, and committee members are Cheryl Holmberg of GPA, OK and Lee Minardo of GPA, S NV. This group was formed at the national 2000 meeting in San Antonio. They are considering requesting some amendment changes at the 2001 meeting. They want to discuss changing outgoing officers to oversee the entire business meeting and incoming officers shall take office Jan. 1 of the following year. This will allow the current officers to prepare the entire convention and create necessary agendas. They are also thinking of suggesting the 2 year terms for national officers go to 3 or 4 year terms. If you'd like to serve as a national officer or have comments on any of the above mentioned, contact any of the committee members. The current officers have also written what they perceive as their duties. This may or may not include all the information provided in the P & P manual. President Duties, Pat Toman Vice President Duties, Rory Goree Exec. Secretary Duties, Joyce McRorie Corresponding Secretary Duties, Alane Shultz Nat. Treasurer Duties, Lee Edgington
Vacation Time wil soon be here...
What Your Dog Sitter Should Ask You or What You Should Provide for Your Dog Sitter 1) Your address and phone numbers 2) Emergency phone number 3) Vet name and phone number 4) Emergency vet name and phone number 5) Dog Name and Age 6) Any physical problems? Any medications to be given? 7) OK with children? 8) OK with cats? 9) What is normal feeding schedule? 10) Aggressive near food? 11) What is normal potty schedule? 12) How long do they go without being let out? 13) Give signs to go out? 14) Do you crate or gate an area off when you leave the house? 15) Allowed on furniture? 16) Where does the dog sleep? 17) Does dog chew? 18) Does dog bark? 19) Quirks? 20) Reaction to storms? 21) How is dog on a leash? Here are a few tips/precautions you can take before leaving your pups with a petsitter.
ASK THE VET: "Reverse Sneezing"
Kathy Wall of GPA, Central TX shared this information from Dr. Michael Abdella, DVM Q: I own a 5-year-old mixed-breed dog, Taz, who has these attacks. He struggles very hard to breathe, puts his snoot up and seems to get very stiff. If the attack is severe, he seems like he can hardly hold himself up. These attacks last from a couple of minutes to about 10 minutes. Both the dog and I get very scared. I don't know what to do for him but to try and calm him down by gently rubbing his throat. I have already asked my veterinarian about this problem, and she told me it is something called an inverted sneeze. I have never heard of this. I believe my dog has asthma - is this possible? A: I suspect your veterinarian is right on track This condition, also called "reverse sneezing," commonly occurs in dogs, especially smaller breeds. Affected dogs have attacks or spells of apparent breathing difficulty. They sit on their sternum or stand with the head and nose extended forward and the elbows out away from the body. Strong efforts to inhale through the nose with the mouth closed result in loud, raspy, wheezing, snorting nasal noises and heaving of the sides. Though the dog appears to be in great respiratory distress, airflow is usually sufficient to maintain adequate oxygenation of the blood and the spells are not life threatening.Your suspicions of asthma are not completely unfounded. Dogs are susceptible to many allergic conditions, including asthma-like diseases. Airborne allergens, such as those that cause hay fever in humans, and food allergens can irritate the nasal passages and throat. This is one of the more common causes of reverse sneezing, and veterinarians definitely see a seasonal influence. Other conditions that cause irritation, abnormal function or blockage of the nasal passages and throat can also result in reverse sneezing. These include infections, foreign bodies and plant material, growths such as tumors or polyps, and other irritants, such as skunk spray. Excitement and simply drinking or eating can induce episodes in overly sensitive dogs. The exact cause of these episodes is not known but is suspected to relate to spasm of irritated tissues or mechanical interference of parts of the airway. Most dogs do fine without treatment. Several maneuvers can help reduce the severity or duration of an episode. Gently massaging the upper airway and throat can soothe and calm the dog. A gentle but firm thump on both sides of the chest, causing expulsion of air, can abruptly end many episodes. Plugging the nostrils is reported to help. A veterinarian always should check for underlying conditions in new or overly persistent cases of reverse sneezing.
GPA PROFILE: Atlanta/Southeastern
Greyhound Adoption
Our chapter had a somewhat unusual beginning, growing out of a Greyhound club originally started by owners of AKC Greyhounds. The Southeastern Greyhound Club was founded in 1993 by a small group of show Greyhound breeders. After a year or so, it was allowed to languish and became inactive. In 1995, one of the original founding members decided to try to breathe new life into the club by recruiting members from the ranks of adopters of retired racers. This proved to be a capital idea -- the club grew by leaps and bounds, and today boasts a membership of over 200 households and over 350 individual members. 
Most of the members of the re-constituted club had adopted their Greyhounds from one local adoption group, which was run essentially as a one-man operation by the founder. Fearing that he was approaching burn-out, and with his blessing, club members established a structured volunteer program to assist him with adoption efforts. After a few months of working together, however, the volunteers and the adoption group operator realized that they had fundamental philosophical differences, and the group's volunteer program was terminated. A number of Southeastern Greyhound Club members wanted the club to continue to offer a program in which members could do volunteer work in Greyhound adoption, so in June 1998, Southeastern Greyhound Adoption (SEGA) was founded as a project of the club. One of the founding goals of the group was to become a GPA chapter, and in 1999 we became a sub-chapter under the sponsorship of GPA - North Alabama. In 2000, we were granted full chapter status, and the full name of the group is GPA-Atlanta / Southeastern Greyhound Adoption. Our group is governed by an Advisory Board, which consists of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and all the chairmen of the established volunteer committees. Each committee is open to all volunteers. Another founding goal of our group was to establish a free-standing adoption kennel. Since there are no Greyhound tracks in Georgia, the accomplishment of this goal will require substantial fundraising to purchase or lease land and a building. We are still in the fundraising process, and thus have not yet met our goal of building a kennel. For the present, our adoptable Greyhounds are housed in foster homes. The foster home program has been quite successful, but we do struggle from time to time to find enough foster homes for an incoming group of Greyhounds. Many of our adoptable Greyhounds come from GPA groups in Florida, among them GPA/Daytona Beach, GPA/Greater Orlando, GPA/Central Florida, and GPA/Emerald Coast. We also get Greyhounds from a variety of trainers and breeders in Alabama and Georgia. Generally, we try to bring in six Greyhounds at a time and get them adopted before we get in a new group. Our most effective "marketing" tool is our Web site, www.GreyhoundAdoption.org. When we process in new adoptable Greyhounds, we take their photos with a digital camera, then post the photos on an "Adoptable Greyhounds" section. The photos create lots of interest among prospective adopters and help bring them out to our "meets-and-greets" at PetsMarts, book stores, and various town festivals. Visitors to the Web site can also download our adoption manual, submit an application online, get some tips on what to buy for their "Greyhound Starter Kit," and e-mail us with questions. Because the metro Atlanta area is growing rapidly, we get plenty of applications, and our adoptable Greyhounds spend less than two weeks in their foster homes, on average. Our policy is to take in any Greyhound in need whenever possible, regardless of registry, age, or special needs. We charge an adoption fee of $200, which includes neuter/spay, a collar and lead, a muzzle, current shots, heartworm check, and a teeth cleaning. One of our volunteers is active in obedience and offers a beginning obedience class to all our adopters, at a nominal charge. Last but not least, we will be hosting the GPA National Convention in August of this year in Atlanta. We look forward to seeing all our fellow GPA'ers then and exchanging ideas on how to promote and improve Greyhound adoption ! The Annual National GPA Conference
Location: The Westin Atlanta Norht at Perimeter Date: Friday-Sunday, August 10-12, 2001 Time: Starts 10am on Friday Price: $79 per night for a king or double room $100 refundable pet deposit Make your reservation now! 770-395-3900
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I'm Free
Reprinted from Tails from the Northwest, Winter 2000 Author Unknown Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free - I'm following the path God laid for me. I went to Him when I heard Him call - I turned my back and left it all. I could not stay another day - to eat, to run, to work or play. Tasks left undone must stay that way - I simply had to go away. If my parting has left a void, then fill it with remembered joy. A friendship shared, a walk, a kiss - Ah yes, these things I, too, will miss. Be not burdened with times of sorrow - I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow. My life's been full; I savored much - Good friends, good times, my master's touch. Perhaps my time seemed all too brief - Don't lengthen it now with undo grief. Lift up your heart and share with me - God wanted me now, He set me free. All of us in GPA across the country hope this poem and your greyhounds will bring some comfort at this time to John Parker of GPA-Atlanta and his family. John's wife recently passed away after a long and brave battle against cancer. We are also saddened by the recent passing of Roger Caras, retired racing greyhound owner and 14th president of the ASPCA from 1991-1999. He has authored more than 70 books about animals and felt very strongly that educating people was the first step toward improving the lives of animals every- where. GPA expresses their condolences and sympathy to his surviving family.
Animal Blessings
by June Cotner I am writing with a heavy heart at the loss of my retired racing greyhound that I have owned since her birth, Dec. 1986. She was 14 years old, Bahama Playgirl. She died of cancer on Dec. 14, 2000. We still have her litter sister, Prepackaged Patti. Their litter brother Michael J. Fox died in May of 1999. All three were good racers, brood females and stud dog and loving pets. This loss is like losing a member of the family. I had called our vet and was prepared to have Playgirl put to sleep on the 14th of Dec. but God willing, she died peacefully in her sleep. I would like to suggest a good (greyt) book your readers might like to purchase called Animal Blessings by June Cotner. My son, David, got his poem published in this heartwarming book. His poem is called "Last Chance". Also I would urge you to read the poem on P. 87 titled "Time to Say Goodbye". You can purchase this book by at www.barnesandnoble.com and other book sites. Keep up the good work. Sincerely, Gloria Sanders President, GPA-Midwest
WELCOME: New Sub-Chapter
Congratulations to GPA/Carolina Greyhound Adoptions, Inc. on becoming a new sub-chapter! Collectively, this new sub-chapter has many years of experience in placing ex-racing greyhounds into qualified pet homes. GPA-CA, OC & GLA are sponsoring them. Judy Horton is their president. Her contact information is: 213 Meetze Ave., Lexington, SC 29072, 803-957-3866, email: greyheartx3@msn.com WELCOME AND we hope to meet you in Atlanta.
GPA CHAPTER: Online Newsletters
http://www.fastfriends.org/update.html http://www.greyhoundpetsfl.org/ http://www.open.org/~greyhnd/newsletters.html http://www.gpaec.com/content/ http://www.gpacentraltexas.org/newsletter.htm http://www.gpa.mn.org/ http://www.gpawisconsin.org/news.html
ANNOUNCEMENT: GPA Web Master Intranet
Attention All Web Masters: If you are a GPA chapter Web Master you are welcome to join in the GPA Web Master Intranet. The web masters are able to share tips, tricks of the trade, information, and ask questions, all of which will be stored for new web masters. Whether you are new to web development or an old pro, come and join. For more information contact, Diane Schiesser at greyhoundpets@greyhoundpets.org
FUNDRAISER: Pizza Hut Money Maker
For those of you that want to help but cannot foster, here is a greyt way to help and all you have to do is eat! It's an easy way to raise a little money. Contact your local Pizza Hut. Set up a date. Invite dog lovers, co-workers, neighbors, family, greyhound adopters. Have a FLYER available for each person when they pay their bill. Your group gets 20% of all profits. They mail your check after the event.
RESOURCES: Miscellaneous Information
If you need a copy ready GPA logo, email Ethel Whitehurst and offer to pay her for this, ethelwhitehurst@home.com You can buy a 1000 minute A T & T phone card at Sam's for $41.60. You can also buy the generic Benedryl at Sam's 100 tabs that are 25 mg. for $2.67. The England Crufts Dog Show is suppose to be shown Fri., May 25 to Mon., May 28 and somewhere in there on Animal Planet, the Greyhound Breed All About It would be shown. Be sure your group sends Alane your chapter's newsletter so we can share many things of interest with all GPA! Mail to return address on Communique. Thanks.
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to GPA/CA-OC & GLA, GPA/S NV and GPA/Springfield, MO for participating in Feather Gems' Greyhound List Contest last Dec. They won a new sterling silver Caelestis winged greyhound brooch to be used for fundraising! This is a $75 value and thank you Feathered Gems for your support. These pins can be seen at www.feathergems.com
UPDATE: National Website Change
Diane Schiesser, WebMistress for GPA Orlando, will now be responsible for maintenance on the National GPA Website for chapter information such as: addresses, phone numbers, and any change concerning the contact information for chapters. Her email address is greyhoundpets@greyhoundpets.org. Diane will also be the layout editor for the Communique. Thanks to Carla Myers for doing the last two! Diane has just begun to get involved in her local chapter, GPA/Central Texas. She has been announced as the Community Liasion for Central Texas. Her main goal is to bring greyhound awareness to Central Texas. Diane got her first greyhound from her aunt (Lisa Nolet) in Orlando almost 4 years ago. She has recently gotten her second grey in 2000. After receiving her second grey she and her family soon became a foster family for Central Texas. They are enjoying every minute of being foster parents/family. Thanks Diane for stepping in for this job. And THANKS to Kari Morrison Young for her past help in this position. Due to other time commitment, Kari need to give this duty up.
Promoting Greyhound Adoption
from the Greyhound-L Advertising ideas for promoting greyhound adoption in your area. These are posts from the Greyhound-L email list. 1. Contact Local Parade Officials to walk in the parades. During the parade pass out cards or brochures 2. Contact the Festivals to set up a table. 3. Set up a Car Wash in areas of town that you don't reach with the meet n' greets. If you think you wouldn't get a lot of volunteers contact a local youth group for some help, you may need to offer something to them in return. Bring dogs and make it a meet n' greet. 4. Make a flyer and post in pet stores, book stores, grocery stores, restaurants, veterinarian offices, grooming stores, etc. Also place a flyer in your meet n greet stores announcing when you will be showing the greyhounds. 5. If you have a website, develop a web banner and contact local web sites, send them the banner along with information about the group to see if they would reciprocate links. 6. Make some racing silks, but instead of the racing silk have ADOPT ME on the sides. Greyt for bringing attention to the dogs who are available for adoption. 7. Contact the local library and see if they have cases for displaying items. If they do set up a time you could bring some greyhound items for display. Have brochures for people to pick up. When display is over donate a greyhound book to the library with your group contact information inside. 8. Volunteer to "man the phones" for our local PBS station. 9. Sponsor a t-ball team or see about getting a banner in the outfield. 10. Offer to speak about greyhounds as pets at your local organizations (i.e. Rotary, Jaycees, Lion's Club) meeting. 11. Charge can of food for event. Then donate the food to a food pantry/homeless shelter/etc. Let your newspaper know about it and you might get an interesting article about Greyhound adoption-- homeless dogs helping hungry people... 12. Do some fundraising (www.fundraising.com), and donate "Dasher Gets Adopted" by Julie Hatley to the elementary schools in your area. Stage a little ceremony during the school's open house. 13. Make a press packet. Include a one page information sheet about the group and the adoption process along with contact information. Include in the packet a couple of brochures, business cards and your schedule of events. 14. Place ad in the classifieds of the local newspaper. Also contact the Community Editor and send press releases for your events. 15. Send PSA/Press Release - Ring every contact that sounds interesting and ask for the fax number for sending press releases. For example of press release and information about submitting one , go to www.pressflash.com. (links on right hand side) a. Try calling the Community Affairs department at a TV station and find out from them what is involved and what format is used for a PSA. Most media have some space for public service ads - this includes TV, radio and print. b. Timing is important. Develop a PSA is in various installments - 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute - this way they can slot it into a variety of places. The biggest problem with PSAs is that the stations are mandated by the FCC to give some time to free community advertising but it doesn't say what time - 3 a.m. seems to be a favorite for freebies. c. It makes sense to write up a radio PSA - read it over and see how long it takes. 15 seconds is probably optimal. It seems to work best to catch people's attention with a question. Something like "Did you know that greyhounds are great pets?"..............and then go into a short description of the breed and how to find out more info. d. Newspapers will run nice looking, interesting ads for free if they need filler - especially community newspapers. Or just keep sending pictures to them with captions - they love that - dogs at ball games with kids, eating ice creams cones, playing in the mud or snow....etc. e. Some TV stations do pet shows during their news hour, see if you can get a segment on the greyhounds, if they do not have a program like it suggest one. f. Contact the local informational website. Citysearch.com is an example. Get your events on their calendar. Find the person that accepts pictures for the site. See if there is a pet of the week program. Or Pet message board. g. Invite your local weather man to join you and do his weather forecast at a popular meet n greet.
Top Ten Things to Know About "GUR"
Runs
1. Understand that everyone is a volunteer! No one is
getting paid and everyone is spending their own gas and toll money to
help these dogs. Greyhound Underground Railroad 2. Stay put! Don't leave your designated meeting spot! If the run is running behind you may become very familiar with your spot. :o) 3. Bring phone numbers! Bring a cell phone if you have one! Keep in touch with the people bringing dogs to you and the people you are bringing dogs to. 4. Don't wait until the last minute to introduce yourself to your pickup or drop-off person! Email each other, confirm, confirm, confirm! 5. Understand that times are estimated. Expect the run to run late; be pleased when you leave on time! 6. Understand that the coordinator might have their hands full, might not be available, and might be driving a portion of the run themselves. They might not be able to do much from 500 miles away. We are all only human. 7. Arrive at your pickup point early, and be willing to wait around longer than you want or think is necessary when someone is late. Life is full of inconveniences. Live with it! 8. Bring leashes, water, poop bags, etc. You never know when you might need them! Always leave your pickup point the way it was before you got there. Pick up dog poop! 9. Look into those dogs eyes and remember who we all do this for, THE DOGS! Not your ego, her agenda, his needs, THE DOGS! 10. Most importantly, have fun, be polite, drive carefully, and remember, everyone is watching you when you have that many greyhounds! :o)
Flea Facts
- A flea's main diet is blood.Reprinted with permission. PETsMART All Rights Reserved - Fleas are generally less than 3/16" long. - A female flea consumes 15 times her body weight in blood daily. - Fleas are attracted to animals by body heat, movement and the carbon dioxide the host exhales. - Fleas accelerate the equivalent of 50 times faster than a space shuttle does after liftoff. - Fleas can jump up to 150 times the length of their bodies, about 7" vertically and 14" horizontally. An equivalent human jump would be 250' vertically and 450' horizontally. - There are 250 species of fleas in North America. - A temperate, subtropical climate presents the most favorable conditions for fleas to exist. - The five most common encountered flea species are: Cat Flea Dog Flea Northern Rat Flea Oriental Rat Flea Rabbit Flea - Oriental Rat Fleas can transmit murine typhus fever among rats and from rats to humans. - Fleas may transmit bubonic plague from rodent to rodent and from rodent to humans. - Hot, dry periods give maximum adult flea production. - The greatest adult flea populations are produced in August through September. Cat and dog fleas may be intermediate hosts for the dog tapeworm. If ingested, tapeworms that normally in- fest dogs and cats may appear in children. - It is estimated that pet owners alone spend over $1 billion each year controlling fleas. - Typical flea population consists of 50% eggs, 35% larvae, 10% pupae and 5% adult. - Typical life cycle from egg to adult varies from two weeks to 8 months, depending on the temperature, humidity, food & species. - Female fleas lay their tiny white eggs loose on hairs, feathers or in the habitat of the host. - The eggs fall off the host onto the ground, floors, bedding or furniture. - After a blood meal, a female flea normally lays about 15-20 eggs per day, up to 600 in a lifetime. - Sand and gravel are very suitable for larval development, which is the reason fleas are erroneously called "sand fleas". - Adult fleas cannot survive or lay eggs without a blood meal, but may live from two months to one year without feeding. - In 30 days, 10 female fleas under ideal conditions can multiply to over a quarter of a million different life stages. - One can monitor flea populations by placing a shallow pan of water with a little dish detergent (which helps break the water surface tension) and a gooseneck lamp positioned 5-6 inches over the surface of the water.
Custom Feeding for the Large Family
or Pet Kennel
If you have four or more greyhounds as pets, fosters,
both or a pet kennel, there will come a time when custom feeding is
necessary. by K. Gilley, with Mary Pat Stanhope The skinny, fat, supplemented, bony, or the medicated are all candidates for customized feeding. But if all your food bowls look a like, how do you keep track of which is whose? First of all, hike yourself off to the nearest store with a plant department. You will find bags of white, plastic markers that look suspiciously like large-headed "swizzle sticks." They are very inexpensive. If you were a gardener, you would plant a seed and then write the name of what you buried on the large white head. The pointed stalk, you would stick into the soil. If you are custom feeding greyhounds, you will write the name of each dog, with an indelible marker, on the head of the plant identifier, I mark both sides. Because the sticks are about eight inches long, you can lay the m in a bowl, with the head on the lip and they won't disappear into the bottom. Line all your food bowls up on the counter or roller tray. In the bowls that have custom feeding instructions, place the swizzle sticks with the dogs name on them. You do not need to mark the average dog that will be fed according to the maintenance plan. In the last kennel I managed, all the girls were automatically marked because they did not get the same amount as the boys. Then any boy with medications, extra rations or fat boys, also got marked. The food was measured into each marked dish per posted instructions. The water or medications can be added and stirred by holding the plastic marker under the thumb. As each dog is handed his bowl of food, the plastic marker is withdrawn and placed in the sink or on the food cart for washing. And one without special needs get the unmarked bowls with maintenance rations. I wrote the name of each dog that entered the kennel on a stick. Two jars sat on the kitchen window. One was active and the other inactive. If a dog got adopted, his stick was retired. As the troops reached their ideal weights, their sticks were moved into the inactive jars since they would no longer need extras. As some boys got fat, their sticks were moved back to the active jar, since their rations would be reduced to less than the average male. Since the swizzle sticks are white plastic, they are easy to wash and keep clean. They do not discolor with the various food additives or supplements. You always know who has been fed and that they have gotten what was supposed to go intotheir food. You know that the plump ones are on a reductions plan. They will receive a half-cup less per feeding, and will soon belooking fit again. The boney ones will get a half cup extra per feeding and will be looking better in three weeks or so. The ones on temporary or permanent medications or supplements will have had their needs met. Maybe you even have guests who are eating a different type of food altogether. Which dog gets the KD and who gets the ID, who is eating Pro-Plan and whose Eukanuba is this? Trying to tell the difference between one and one-half cups and two cups, after the water is added, is no longer a problem either with the use of the swizzle sticks. Food, water, fresh air, sunshine and some exercise are what every greyhound is entitled to. No w you can concentrate on the most important thing of all: LOVE! Note: if you are blessed with a preponderance of females, you would only mark males and special needs females. The idea is to flag your minority population and add special need dogs.
MORE RESOURCES
Patricia Bates, CPA GPA Card Holder
This heavy black metal card holder is great for your desk. Show off your love for your grey in just one more way. Each card holder is $16.00 plus $2.00 s&h. To order one send check or money order to: GPA/California 1210 N. Cypress Street La Habra Heights, CA 90631 or call 562-694-3519 800-298-5743 562-694-0719 (fax)
RESOURCES: Greyt Web Sites
http://www.petsavers.org has some cooperative buying programs for animal shelter groups. http://www.kamascave.com has New David French Posters and new greyhound magazine. http://northcoastgreyhounds.com/support has new items. Remember they sell to groups at a reasonable price. http://www.geocities.com/ohiogreyhounds/seniors is the Senior Greyhound Adoption Site. Be sure you take advantage of using this site and DON'T FORGET, May is National Sr. Greyhound Adoption Month. http://www.sitstay.com is a greyt site to visit http://www.sandicast.com has the new life size greyhounds in bronze and verdigris finishes for indoor or outdoor use. http://home.earthlink.net/~iglover/pottypage.htm has some interesting and useful information on cleaning up pee/poop/puke spots, scroll down about 10 pages. http://www.gardensalive.com is an organic gardening catalog company that sells pet safe fertilizers called Wow or Wow Plus. http://www.greatpets.com is Brian Kilcommon's Behavior & Training Site. They have a newsletter to sign up for also that you can have emailed to you. http://www.petsessories.com makes fancy collars and give discounts to adoption groups. http://www.newserum.com has greyhound roller ball pens for $2.30 ea. for an order of 12 or more. They have a large assortment of house stuff. Lots of Dog Gates here too. Also can call 1-800-637-3786. http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu is Washington St. Univ. of Vet. Medicine Site. http://www.petsupplyhouse.com has lots of grooming and pet care products http://www.unc.edu/~nbeach is the Greyhound Yellow Pages http://jack.onofrio.com is a greyt dog training and behavior tip site 1-800-262-5606 to call for 2001 East-West Screen Printing & Embroidery Greyhound Adoption Collection. http://www.wonderpuppy.net offers problem solving tips on behavior. http://www.puttinonthedog.com has lots of greyhound wear and other greyt stuff. See "specific breed", scroll down and click on greyhound. http://www.fundraiser.com offers a wide variety of products and services for fundraising. http://www.vetmedcenter.com/ is a comprehensive site for personal pet assessments, nutritional guides, training tips and more. http://www.vetinfo.com/doginfo.html the owners of this site has compile veterinary information pertaining to dogs in alphabetical order. http://www.animalsink.com/ is a small retailer offering a wide selection of animal-shaped ballpoint pens. They have a greyhound pen. They do not offer a non-profit discount but contact them and they will ship free. http://shell.idt.net/~smoser19/roopage.html is a colective site of hounds rooing. Do you want to get a rise out of your couch potatoes? http://members.nbci.com/_XMCM/doberdawn/ dremel.html Want to dremel instead of clip? Check this out... Very good detailed directions with photos!
RESOURCES: Dancing Greyhounds
The Dancing Greyhound Drill Team (2000) wishes to announce the availability of their video for the price of $10.00. Please order from and make checks payable to: We have made this very affordable in order to pay tribute to the six beautiful Girls who made it possible. It is dedicated to Chubby, who exists now only in our hearts and memories. We thank Greyhound Pets of America-Orange County/Greater Los Angles and Vier Video Productions for bringing this from a dream to reality. We would especially appreciate any chapter that would reprint this ordering information in their local newsletter. Kathleen & Gil Gilley, Honorary Life Members
RESOURCES: Unique Fundraiser
GPA, SE FL is holding a unique raffle to help finance their new acquisition of kennel facilities in the Palm Beach area. GRAND PRIZE: Two Year Lease of Jaguar S Type Auto Second Prize: Adoption Fee of a Retired Racing Greyhound Third Prize: Dinner for Two at The Paddock Restaurant Donation of $50 per chance to win. Drawing Will be held April 14, 2001 (you must have $ to them prior to drawing) Alternate Grand Prize: $15,000.Alternate 2nd prize: If not approved for adoption, $200. Alternate Third Prize: $100. * Presence not required to win * Maximum Tickets Sold are 1000 * Minimum Tickets Sold are 400 For further information call 561-478-3006 Send checks to: GPA 7047 Belvedere Rd. W. Palm Beach, FL 33409 A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Div. of Consumer Services by calling 1-800-435-7352. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by the state.
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