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GPA Communique The Bulletin of Greyhound Pets of America--Vol 9, No 2, Summer, 2000 |
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National GPA 2000 Convention
San Antonio, Texas
You're Invited to the National GPA 2000 Annual Conference, Friday - Sunday, August 25, 26 & 27, at the Holiday Inn, 318 W. Durango, San Antonio, Texas. Hosted by GPA San Antonio, Central TX & Houston. Why should I attend this meeting? •You'll get usable ideas and information you can
use in your local chapter. If you would like to moderate a discussion or take notes so that all ideas can be shared with others that could not attend please express that as well. Send to: Pat Toman, National GPA President, 4070 32nd Pl. NE, Salem, OR 97303, 503-363-4566 greyhnd@open.org. If it is at all possible, try to stay through Sunday, or longer, as the informal round table discussions are often held then. (See tentative agenda on page 8) Keep this in mind when making your flight schedules. The Holiday Inn is a hotel close to the center of town and accepts big dogs. It is a short trolley ride or a long walk from the beautiful and exciting Riverwalk and the Alamo and only a block from the Market. Both the Riverwalk and the Market have restaurants and shopping.A block of rooms is set aside for this event. The room rate is $94.50 for a double. Attendees will be responsible for making their own reservations which should be made by July 25. The Pet deposit is waived—and let them know if you are bringing your Grey(s). If any of you are planning on coming in a RV, let us know now and we'll send you some locations. The San Antonio Airport has a shuttle you can take from the airport to the hotel. Renting a car should not be necessary. The pre-reservation conference fee is $20.00 per person. Your registration form has been mailed to you, return by July 25. Late registration fees will be $30 per person. A conference package will be mailed to each attendee that will include brochures with things to do in San Antonio, map on how to get to hotel, itinerary of meeting, etc. Saturday night will be a dinner and river barge ride for an additional cost. • Anyone interested in the well being of Greyhounds
after racing is welcome to attend.
Grant Program American Greyhound Council Greyhound Placement Grant Program When the ACG ended its relationship with the ASPCA and discontinued funding for the Greyhound Adoption Fund, the organization announced that it would be administering a replacement grant program directly. Here are the guidelines for the AGC Grant Program which were provided by the NGA. For more information, contact the AGC through either Gary Guccione or Stan Flint at the addresses shown at the end of this article. Greyhound Placement Program Grant Guidelines qualifying non-profit Greyhound pet placement organizations should meet the following criteria and be approved by a majority of the AGC's allocations subcommittee: Must provide evidence of having a tax-exempt number. Must provide a copy of charter and list of officers. Must provide a summary of its screening procedures of potential pet owners Must provide copy of its spaying or neutering policies (sterilization must be mandatory before placement) Must provide a copy of all brochures, forms, documents used in its placement process Must provide a brief summary of the numbers of Greyhounds placed in the previous year Must not make false or negative statements about the Greyhound racing industry (applicant should provide statement on this issue with application) Must provide its fee schedule for placement Must provide a specific explanation regarding how the funds requested would be utilized Must provide a financial accountability report of the funds granted (either receipts or audited reports in lieu of receipts) within 60 days of allocation Funds may be utilized for food, medicines, bedding, collars, leashes, fuel, etc. Funds should not be used for veterinary care for individual dogs, publicity or advertising. Grants have averaged in the $500-$750 range; no organization shall receive funds exceeding $2,000 in any fiscal year. Applicants are limited to capital improvement grants (one or several) total not to exceed $5,000 every five years, and there must be some form of matching grant in either money or materials and labor. In accepting a grant, a group agrees, if possible, to assist in temporarily housing other Greyhounds in an emergency situation and that it is subject to AGC inspection. Send grant requests to: AGC c/o NGA Gary Guccione PO Box 543 Abilene, KS 67410 AGC c/o AGTOA Stan Fline PO Box 100279 Birmingham, AL 35210
Moonstruck again! MOONSTRUCK AGAIN! Nicolas Cage adopts Sweet Pea! In April of this year Nicolas Cage adopted Sweet Pea and she is now living the high life in a Beverly Hills mansion. Sweet Pea was adopted through GPA - OC & GLA by Tom & Joyce McRorie. They also fostered her while she was recovering from a broken leg. Her leg mended well and she is a healthy, happy dark brindle with a high prey drive and a sweet disposition. While at the Las Vegas picnic this little girl went over the exercise pen after a horse, broken leg and all. When last seen, she was tied to Nicolas so he could watch her and successfully transition her potty training. We can only hope that Nicolas will get the Greyhound fever and promote adoption of these wonderful retired racers. Watch for Sweet Pea on the Academy Awards!! President's Message We say goodbye to two of our chapters. Louise Truber of GPA/Northwest Arkansas is "retiring." Well, that is what Louise has said, but she will always be there for the Greys, and for now she will be a placement rep for GPA/Springfield MO. Thanks Louise and Arkansas for your many dedicated years. GPA/CA is now the Greyhound Adoption Center and have made the decision to separate from the national organization. We thank them for their many years and wish them the best in their new endeavors. In March, Jim and Verna Minardo of GPA/MD had a devastating loss when their home burned and they lost their 7 precious Greys and Italian Greyhound (see story on page 8). Our hearts and prayers go out to the Minardo family as they rebuild their lives. We are in the process of reinstating the Financial Committee with the direct benefit going to you, our chapters. There is money available in the national account and we will be setting criteria so you will be able to request grant funding. I look forward to the convention in August and I hope a lot of you can be there. For some of the smaller chapters that perhaps have never been to a convention, please contact me and let's figure a plan of action. I guarantee you will not be disappointed in the camaraderie, support, communication, ideas and fun that will all be presented. Summer is almost upon us and I know if your chapters are like mine, you will be up to your eyeballs in Greyhound events. Fatigue, lack of a personal life, permanently attached Greyhounds at your hip, and discovering the difficulty in holding conversations with non-GH people; we've all been there and are we nuts? Yes, I guess we are nuts about these marvelous hounds that until a person actually is owned by one, they will truly, never understand that magical bond. Have a Greyt and safe summer! Pat Toman
Greater Orlando and ProAir Thanks to Stan Helton, one of our most hard-working volunteers, GPA/Greater Orlando is proud and excited to announce our new partnership with ProAir Airlines, now known as the "Official Airlines of GPA/Greater Orlando." ProAir flies from Orlando to Atlanta (ATL), Detroit City (DET), Baltimore (BWI), New York LaGuardia (LGA), Chicago Midway (MDW), Indianapolis (IND), Philadelphia (PHL) and Seattle-Tacoma (SEA). ProAir will fly Greyhounds at no charge from Orlando to any of these cities—as many as 3 at a time. We are hoping to establish a network of adoption groups in these cities and their surrounding areas that we can work with to help move some of the many Orlando Greyhounds that need our help. ProAir is very dedicated to this cause and hopes to move as many as 25 dogs a month, when the weather permits. These dogs will fly in temperature controlled compartments and get personalized service from the ProAir employees and will be checked on and watered at any stops along the way. We have already sent 3 dogs to Peggy Levin of Personalized Greyhounds in Pennsylvania, via BWI, and Peggy was thrilled with the service she and the dogs received from ProAir. We also sent 3 dogs to Detroit who were picked up by Chris and Lynda Seed of Adopt A Greyhound of Central Canada. Their experience with ProAir was also extremely positive even though they had an 8-hour drive to get to the airport! If any of you are able to help us out, we would like to put you on our E-Mail list so that you will get a weekly list of available dogs, with profiles. If any of these dogs meet the qualifications of your adopters, then we can make immediate plans to fly these dogs to the closest ProAir destination to you. We would also be happy to do vet work in advance of transporting the dogs if that will help you with your placements. For the normal spay/neuter, dental, shots, fecal, heartworm exam, bath, Frontline, etc., the cost is about $100, but there is no cost to you, or us, to transport these dogs. We must have help from other adoption agencies to place the Greyhounds from the two Orlando tracks. As we talked about at the National Convention, the groups in Florida cannot help all of these Greyhounds without your help. If you are in the vicinity of any of these airports, please consider becoming part of this network. If you know of other responsible adoption groups in these areas, please pass along this message. We're anxious to hear from you! Lisa Nolet President GPA/Orlando
Convention Flight Info For those planning to attend the National Convention in San Antonio American Airlines is offering a 10% discount on all flights booked after June 30 and good until August 30. Use Confirmation code 3380UO (that's three-three-eight-zero-"Unicorn"-"Oscar") when making your reservations. Hotel accomodations: Holiday Inn, San Antonio Downtown, 318 W. Durango, SAT 78204, 800 445-8475, 210-225-1125 Fax. $94.50 rate for a double represents a discount plus they have waived the pet deposit. Tell them you are coming to the Greyhound Pets of America Convention. Reservations must be made by July 25. All info will be posted to the national website this weekend. Kari Morrison Young for Elsy Bless - Greyhound Pets of America, San Antonio Join the Elite - Adopt a Greyhound http://www.gpasa.org http://www.greyhoundpets.org
Dancing Greyhounds do
GPA Central Florida
GPA-Central Florida has been an annual date on the Dancing Greyhounds' calendar since February 1997. Recently they donated our sixth team member. She began training in mid-January 2000. Most of you know her from the photo entitled "Super Ball Doggie." Alexandria Mist is a short, but not little, black silk, October 1997 model. (Wow, that is an interesting coincidence about the year.) Dennis and Claire Tyler were her foster parents. She kept them so "busy and entertained" they still lived on pins and needles for days after she left. She sailed over couches and surfed counters well beyond the usual reach of one her size. (My culinary "skills" ensure I never have counter surfers. They don't want to know what's up there.) Although Mist, aka Ms ME!, Monster Masher, Pocket Rocket, Missile Toes, etc., is almost two and a half, she has always been very mature. When she saw Claire the night before the picnic, she cried like a baby. Ms ME! is of the opinion she is worshipped by all, but I have never seen her cry like that before. It was very touching. (But no, they can't have her back!!!) The day of the Central Florida Picnic was SuPerB! The sky was overcast, there was a good breeze and the temperatures were perfect. The Melbourne Greyhound Park turned the track and the clubhouse over to the GPA and party goers. It was packed! We were to go on at noon:15 or so, but the weather held perfect. As a result, this has got to be one of the most spectacular performances we have ever done. It used to be that when we started getting ready, Chubby and Sweet would start with the mouth. We thought the screaming and yelling was deafening and couldn't get to the squirt bottle(s) fast enough. Well, it is contagious. Pasta was the first to join in the chant, "Hurry Up!, Hurry UP!" Now Chey is in on it. Meanwhile Ms ME! is getting the idea. Earplugs are on the shopping list. Ms. ME!, I decided, would open the show. She would show what bad superstars look like with only two months training. This is the first time she has performed on a track—this was her home track—and last time she was on it, she was in the lead for quite a while. Naturally we worked on a flexi and we thank Sarah Gunther for being our dog holder. Ms ME! made her home chapter proud. Even her (race) trainers, who were sitting in the front row, came up later to express their amazement and pride. She knows all her obedience stuff, sideways, back up, take a bow, spin, tug-of-war, body jumps and leaping in the air at least 5'7" high. (I can tell by looking up at her beautiful little underbelly.) Sarah Jones was our photographer and I already got a preview of some of her breath-taking "sky-flying" digital shots. They should be on our web page soon. THANKS, Sarah! Safire, the GPA-Southeast Coast, Palm Beach Beauty, gave her usual stunning performance with Gil. When I finished doing her and Pasta la Vista's Leap Frog, Safire rewarded me with a hug hug and kisses. It is always impressive when I am on one knee. I may have to take up wearing contact lenses so I don't go through the rest of the show half blind. Pasta la Vista was in her glory. She did her stick jumps at top speed. Her drill teaming was quite fancy with lots of bounces. When those of Pasta's large size bounce, it is something to take note of. She definitely got laughs on her double under for trying to short cut it through the forest of legs. Strange Child Chey was to be the Hit of the Day (among the pro's) this time! (Do you suppose they have a drawing the night before?) Miss Nonchalant of GPA-Greater Orlando really played to the audience. Her improv jumps even made me gasp. Her dog jumps were not only crowd thrilling, but since Ms ME!, was there, we added her to the line. No problem for the Greyhound version of Evel Kneivel. It cost a few hug breaks, but the audience understood Momma's Babies are like that. Chubby came out and tried to tell everyone she was only two. When no one believed her, she went ahead and added the other eight needed barks. Then she got rabies twice. I sure thought we were going to see our first Grade A ten and a half-year-old do a record breaking victory lap sans lure. She just wanted to make sure everyone knew she was still important and when the crowd cheered, she settled down. Ha! Our dog stealing routine was a hilarious disaster. Gil draped the leash over Chubby's back with no slack. Sweet trotted out there, looked Chub's tail up and down as usual, then tried to pick up the leash off Chubby's back. The Chubster thought she was trying to take liberties. (Sweet has been known to grab Chubby by her uniform and drag her in to me.) Chub told Sweet to keep her mouth to herself and came running back with Sweet following her. Oh well, but it WAS funny!! Of course Sweet was there. The vet had said to let her do what ever she wanted, so I asked her if she would like to dance a bit. We did. Very gently. She kept wanting to put a few of her famous high flyers in there, but I pretended not to "get the message." I was brave and behaved myself admirably, not wanting to take anything from her beautiful form. I think it helped not to let her take me in too deep. So I started listening to our announcer. He is a friend, an honorary team member named OB, and has "spoken" for us at Seminole (GPA-Greater Orlando). His rendition and ad libs were the best ever! He made me laugh so she couldn't make me cry. My only regret is there was no video of this performance. This was one that should have been shared with you all!!! During our No Fear/No Pain Seminar, we asked for a show of hands of those who would be interested in Celebrating Greyhounds. The magazine, got at least eight subscription card takers, and handed out a few "teaser" copies. There were people who wanted to hand us a check right there on the spot. Thanks for a Greyt time GPA-Central Florida! (Their turn out was so large, they think they may have to move it next year.) Thanks for making that hot, black, cutie pie mine!! If any of you suddenly start getting increased orders for black dogs, you can thank Ms ME! She's a walking, or should I say flying, PR machine! Dancing Greyhound Drill Team Ask the Vet Fungal, or Mycotic, disease in the Adoptive Greyhound Fungal, or mycotic diseases should commonly be included in any diagnostic workup performed on an adopted Greyhound. These infectious agents include Aspergillosis, Blastomycosis, Nocardiosis, Histoplasmosis, Coccidiodomycosis, Candiodosis, and Cryptococcosis. They are important because usually they are endemic to certain areas of the country. Thusly, they may not be considered as a causative agent in locations that they are not normally present. The Greyhound, like any canine athlete, does a lot of traveling during its career. At some point, it is more than likely that it has visited a location where a mycotic disease is present. The body usually does a good job of defending against any mycotic infection, but sometimes the disease will override the body's defense mechanisms.The clinical signs can present themselves in various forms that can include: asimple cough, a lameness, or just general malaise. The disease can progress to the point where death occurs or euthanasia is required for the greater good of the Greyhound. The good news, in general, is that once it is diagnosed, it is treatable. This is especially true if the disease is caught at an early stage, before a full-blown case develops. Some cases reoccur, but the key to fighting this disease is recognizing their potential as a causative agent. All mycotic diseases should be include in any diagnostic workup of the adoptive greyhound. Robert L. Gillette, DVM, MSE Director Sports Medicine Program College of Veterinary Medicine Auburn University gillerl@vetmed.auburn.edu
This & That! •Wally's World Report: Wally Shepherd lost his valiant battle with bone cancer and his parents, Judy Shepherd and Tom Wilbur, have compiled a detailed report of his ordeal from diagnosis through amputation until his passing. This covered medical procedures, reactions and what could be expected if an owner were to be faced with the same type of disease. Ask for a copy of this to be sent to you, then make extra copies and have to give out to your adopters facing this same situation. Contact Tom or Judy at twilbur@mindspring.com or 5083 Reedsford Rd., Clinton, NC 28328. •Recently there was a Frontline and Interceptor Price Survey done on the internet. Here are the results and a way to contact the best price. Frontline Interceptor Internet Vets 25.95 CalVet No answer or reply Anicare 29.99 36.80 Omaha Vaccine 21.95 25.69 Agri-Med 19.75 K-V 24.00 Foster Smith 25.99 Sean Gerson 22.00 (incl. shipping) Sean Gerson, DVM, (California) can be reached at: Shaqdog@aol.com no phone available. •Rubber Grooming Mitt: Lisa Nolet of GPA/Orlando said they include these in their adopter's packs. They are about $1 ea. At Lazy K Distributors, 908-782-2293 •GreyCoach Inn. This program provides emergency assistance, directions, food, turn out areas, emergency vet care, etc. to haulers making adoption runs. It is 134 members strong. If you want to join go to: www.geocities.com/greycoach As these transports are occurring the Greycoach Inn is available to contact in case of need. Let the drivers know the following numbers to reach if they have a need. Home: 765-482-2579 Parent's home: 765-482-6229 Work: 317-233-1958 (ONLY DIRE NEED PLEASE) Work email: doland@fssa.state.in.us (ONLY DIRE NEED PLEASE) Home email: jimoland@in-motion.net DH's pager: 888-519-0757 The contact for this is Donna of the Oland Clan, Lebanon, IN •The Care of the Racing Greyhound by Linda Blythe has been reduced from $40 to $25 through the National Greyhound Assn., P.O. Box 543, Abilene, KS 67410, or phone 785-263 4660.
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National GPA 2000 Annual Conference—Tentative Agenda Friday, August 25, 2000 5:00 p.m. Early Registration 7:00 to 9:00 Wine & Cheese 7:30 p.m. Welcome by San Antonio Chapter Saturday, August 26, 2000 7:00 a.m. Registration 7:30 a.m. Breakfast (provided by Sponsors) 8:00 a.m. Welcome by GPA National President 8:15 a.m. Discussion - Pet Therapy or What GPA National Can do for Chapters 9:15 a.m. Break 9:30 a.m. Speaker - Grants 10:30 a.m. Break 10:45 a.m. Discussion - Pet Therapy or What GPA National Can do for Chapters 11:45 a.m. Lunch 1:00 to 5:30 Business Meeting 6:30 p.m. Meet for Dinner 7:00 to 10:00 Dinner and Barge Sunday, August 27, 2000 8:00 a.m. Discussion - Internet or Answer to 10 Hardest Questions 9:00 a.m. Break 9:15 a.m. Speaker - Dr. Bob Rogers - How neces- sary Are Annual Vaccines 10:15 a.m. Break 10:30 a.m. Discussion - Internet or Answer to 10 Hardest Questions 11:30 a.m. Lunch 1:00 p.m. Roundtable - Topic hasn't been decided The fire that destroyed Jim & Verna Minardo's home on March 11 resulted in the loss of their six Greyhound --Scarlet, Chelsea, Gypsy, K.C., Lulu and Magic—their Cocker Spaniel, Butch--and Italian Greyhound, Cooper. It was determined that lightning was the cause. Their insurance has provided housing for them while their house is being rebuilt—on the same property. Any correspondence can be sent to them at that address: 2206 Harford Road, Fallston, MD 21047. A Memorial Fund has been set up: Minardo Pets Memorial Fund, c/o Priscilla Roberts, 6781 Woodley Road, Baltimore, MD 21222 The Minardo's of GPA/MD, hope to be back in their new
home by November. This tragedy has not lessened their commitment to save
Greyhounds. In memory of the Minardo Greyhounds, as well as all the Greyhounds
that have passed on, the following poem, from GPA/Northwest's newsletter,
is appropriate and is dedicated to them. I Am Not There Do not stand at my grave and weep: I am not there. I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glint on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle Autumn's rain. When you awaken in the morning's hush, I am the swift uplifting rush of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft star that shines at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry; I am not there, I did not die.
Last month while we were in England, my wife Mavanee and I had the opportunity to meet with Anne Finche of Greyhounds In Need. We had exchanged E-Mail with Anne before we left home and called her when we got to London. Sunday, April 16th, was the London Marathon and we met Anne and one of her volunteers, Andrew, and Anne's 11-year-old Spanish Greyhound, Sarah, at the Farrier Arms--a pub near Greenwich--to help cheer on Michael Hoban who was running to raise money for GIN. Anne works full time as a nurse, but since 1991 all of her energy and resources go toward rescuing Spanish Greyhounds. I'm sure most of you have heard something about the plight of the Spanish dogs. But to hear Anne tell about the conditions that she has encountered and the red tape and cultural differences she has to overcome every time she gets a dog out of the country, really made us appreciate how easy we have it here. Anne said that her phone bills average $1700 per month. The day before we met she had flown to Belgium to take care of a situation with some foster families. Two weeks after we met she flew to Spain to meet her hauler, pick up a load of Greyhounds and deliver them to adoption groups in several countries.
After watching the race with Anne, we were on our way to Trafalgar Square for some sightseeing when we came across a group of four Greyhounds and their families from the Northants Greyhound Rescue, part of the Retired Greyhound Trust. We talked with Mandy Hooker and some of the volunteers and exchanged information about finding homes for greyhounds. We now have a source for interpreting English and Irish ear tattoos. We were also able to get our "Greyhound Fix" after being gone from home for 10 days. It was amazing the bond that was there with the people we met because of the love we shared for our dogs. You can contact Anne Finch through E-Mail at: anne@greyhoundsinneed.f9.co.uk You can make a donation to GIN by mailing a check to: Citibank International Place P.O. Box 5350 Hammersmith Grove London, W6 0WT Make check payable to: Anne Finch/Citibank Int'l You must include the Account Number, 0081076391 (written on the check).
Greyt Sites to See
• Any canine subject going: www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/lists/www-list.html
If you're crazy about Greyhound Christmas ornaments, get an early start. Here's where: • Artist & Greyhound owner, Sarah Snavely, makes
cute ones. See: http//dog art.com/hounds/ornaments.html and while there
see her cute frames too. They're at: http://dogart.com/hounds/frames.html
They'd make a Greyt Christmas gift.
Favorite collars, leashes, harnesses & tags I recently asked on the email list for your favorite sources for the above products. Thanks for the feedback. • Locatis Leather Products Mfg. Co. was the favorite
for several groups for collars, leashes and harnesses. His cost is somewhere
around $4 for collars, $5 for a leash, and $7 for harnesses. Pat Toman
says "he's a wonderful guy that has worked very hard making them just
right for our greys. He also does harnesses which are perfect. We evaluated
many prototypes until he got them perfect. He also makes some that are
fleece-lined, snap collars and some very pretty overlays." Chris Brown
added that there are two sizes of harnesses, S for 50-70 lb. and L for
70-100 lb. There are lots of colors. Contact: Locatis Leather Products
Mfg. Co., P.O. Box 780, Washougal, WA 98671, or Telephone 360-834-7602
or www.locatis.com or E-Mail sales@locatis.com
GPA/CA - Orange County & Greater LA October 1, 1995 was a very special day for a very special group of volunteers in Southern California. We became a sub-chapter of GPA/Arizona. All of us had been volunteers for GPA/CA for years, and were somewhat disappointed when they refused to sponsor us. Joanie Headland and Carole Osborne came to the rescue in more ways than one. In addition to their sponsorship, their history and experience with GPA both locally and nationally, proved indispensable. That, combined with the experience we all had volunteering for GPA/CA, started us on the right track and has kept us there. We began with a foster program made up of six wonderful people, almost all of whom kept their foster dogs. As all of you know, who utilize a foster program, that is the major pitfall. That first haul of six Greys included two with broken hocks. With less than $1,000 in the bank, we wondered how we survive this first delivery! We have not only survived, but our foster homes have grown by leaps and bounds and our ability to provide for the sick and injured Greyhounds is never in question. Aside from shelter pick-ups, we get almost all of our Greyhounds from the Agua Caliente Track in Tijuana. Since there is no legalized dog racing in California, the Mexican track is on the American circuit. It is truly a dead end track for the dogs who come there from all over the nation including Florida, Texas, Colorado and Arizona. When we started with this track, it was somewhat difficult to get them to release dogs to us. Usually, a kennel operator would call and we would pick up his/her dogs. Whenever there was some bad press about the track, it would be closed to all rescue groups. Carlos Duran, the track manager, and representatives from our chapter, began talking about having a pet kennel located either on or near the Tijuana track. Approximately two years ago, this mutual dream came to fruition. Carlos provided the building and workers, we supplied the money for building the turnout yards. There is room for 44 dogs in the building and two huge turnout areas in which the Greyhounds spend most of their days playing and romping in kiddy pools. Currently, the track employs two kennel workers to care for the dogs. We supply the food, bleach, etc. There have been some subtle and not so subtle changes in our relationship with this track and the care of the Greyhounds. We have gone from some of the kennel operators boycotting the pet kennel, to many of them sending dogs there with food and messages to the people picking them up. We have gone from having to wait in the parking lot hoping someone would bring out some dogs, to major welcomes onto the property. The mutual trust we have built with Carlos and his staff has grown into a friendship. We have gone from locked gates to open arms. Twenty five vets scattered around the Orange County and Greater Los Angeles areas, help us with discounted services. All of our kibble and canned food is donated. At this point in time, our overhead is very, very low. Our expenses for extraordinary medical services, i.e. broken hocks, fungal diseases, eye problems, etc., run approximately $40,000 to $50,000 each year. If it were not for our foster parents and volunteers who help with everything from picking ticks to fund raisers, we would not be able to keep afloat. We bring in Greyhounds every three weeks or so. The day begins at 4:30 am when the volunteers start their trip to Tijuana and end around 5:00 pm when the last Greyhound leaves with his/her foster parents. The day includes the drawing of blood, giving shots, baths, feeding, cat checking, worming , etc. We find homes for somewhere between 130 and 150 Greyhounds each year that way, and have a few laughs too. This chapter provides Greyhounds for The Greyhound Connection in Reno, and for GPA/Southern Nevada. Our goal is to get all of the retired racers out of Tijuana, always. We get closer to that goal every day. Cheers, Joyce McRorie 1210 North Cypress Street Greyhound Pets of America/California La Habra Heights, CA 90631 Orange County and Greater Los Angeles Voice (562)694-3519 email gpa@pacbell.net FAX (562)694-0719 WEB Page: http://www.fastfriends.org We'd like to welcome GPA/IN, Sue Swinford, sponsored by GPA/Daytona Beach. GPA/MI, Stacey Cooper, sponsored by GPA/Daytona Beach. GPA/Northern VA James Martin, Sponsored by GPA/Wheeling Downs.
Greyhounds behind bars From The Morning Sun, Pittsburg, Kansas- A new program that pairs retired greyhounds with prisoners gives the dogs the training they need and the inmates love they may have never had, a prison warden says. "A lot of these men never knew what it was to be loved when they were younger. These dogs expect nothing from them in return, and so it's a new experience for some of these guys," said Louis Bruce, warden of the Hutchinson Correctional Facility. TLC Greyhound Adoption in Solomon began the exchange with prisons three months ago after Ellsworth Correctional Facility administrators contacted the company. "I was amazed at what they accomplished. The dogs were trained, socialized and ready for homes. They care for the dogs because these men really love them," said TLC Greyhound Adoption co owner Debbie Sanford. Sanford said she normally gets greyhounds when they reach the end of their racing careers. By then, the dogs have little experience as pets because they have been in kennels and trucks their entire lives. They cannot climb stairs, because they haven't had to, and they cannot distinguish a window as a barrier to the outside, sometimes walking into it. It is these skills that inmates try to give the dogs. Each dog is assigned to two inmates. The dogs stay in the same cells as their inmate companions, and even, when possible, stay with them at work. The inmates spend eight weeks training each dog before it is ready to be adopted out. Inmates who temporarily adopt one of the dogs go through a three-hour training session in which they're given a primer on greyhounds. They learn how to clip their toenails, when and how to feed them, and how to tell when they're sick. Dennis Traub, 41, and Robert Givens, 38, care for 5-year-old Onida. Traub said other inmates in the dorm have grown comfortable with Onida's presence, though it took some time. "At first there was some skepticism by some of the inmates. But now, about 90 percent of them have to stop and pet her or say something to her when they walk by. She gets lots of attention." Traub said. Deborah Sanford President, GPA/KS Seniority in Texas among the four GPA Chapters is not this chapter's long suit. What we make up for though is years of experience. A number of us were there for GPA/San Antonio and its infancy. The core of this group has been active in greyhound placement for over nine years. Before we go too far, I think that we need to thank some people that gave us our start. They would be Margo and Tom Gilliland, Kathy and Ron Hall, Rod and Arlene Hammond, and last but by no means least, Ms. Denny Baker, GPA/Dallas. When we started we had to go breeder to breeder looking for dogs and now we get calls from all over from breeders, owners, and trainers that have dogs for us to place. The membership has continued to grow to over 300 people in our organization. Placements, as in most groups, aren't as high as we'd like, but we've placed over 263 dogs. Each and every application is carefully scrutinized to insure that they are the right people for a greyhound and that the right greyhound is placed in the home. All our dogs go through a foster home which helps contribute to a return rate of less than 1%. This helps break them into the home environment right away. We have prospective adopters meet with the Adoption Coordinator. Then they visit the Greyhound in the foster home and if they pass that stage then an in home visit is done by the Adoption Coordinator, the people that fostered the greyhound, and the greyhound. If that visit proves to be fruitful then the placement is made several days later. The wait is to insure that all parties are still in agreement. Then the greyhound is taken to the home along with a collar, lead, muzzle and a copy of Adopting the Racing Greyhound. The Greyhound's shots are good for a year and the first month of Heartguard is given as well. The group is very busy with Meet & Greets every weekend. We have participated in the Chuys Children Giving to Children Christmas Parade for the last six years. We've taken part in The DEUTSCHENFEST Parade and have received first place award money for the last three years straight. The Old Pecan Street Festival and Cavalier Days were two of the festivals that were very entertaining and informative outings by the group. Probably the best one of those types of event was the Austin Renaissance Festival that we did for a number of years. One of the things that we do that might be a little different is that we do a Meet & Greet at several of the Wal-Marts in the area. We get a lot of exposure because their people traffic is so high and they are also open 24 hours. We can also do the Meet & Greets at night during the heat of the summer. Several of our members visit nursing homes on a regular basis. We've done the schools, libraries, and store openings as most of you have. Probably the craziest thing that we were ever involved in was a fashion show for charity. One of the members of the group is a fashion model and she convinced them to have the greys participate. So, about six of them were on stage with various models while they did their thing. Unfortunately, I had to stay in the dressing area with all the models. Just like all the other volunteer organizations we've experienced highs, lows, and burn out. Our chapter has been fortunate enough to have membership that have been national officers and could bring that experience back to the local level. What we've maintained throughout all of this is to keep the goal in mind of finding loving homes for one of God's greatest creations. That is what has kept us going. Bob Trapp President GPA/Central Texas
May was Adopt a Sr. Month This is 9-year-old Kato I adopted by JoAnne Raef of Lebanon, Missouri. May was Adopt a Sr. Greyhound Month on the Greyhound-L list. Several members on the list made special giveaway offers to adopters of senior Greyhounds this month—age 7 and up. Sarah Regan Snavely offered note cards, The Greyhound Project Inc. offered a free issue of the Celebrating Greyhounds Magazine, Kari Swanson, of Midwest Greyhound Adoption, offered a free 2" collar, Nancy Beach and M. Roper offered a new soft dog blanket. Kato has a special story as I'm sure many Greys in other adoption programs do. One of our area reps that is involved in other breed rescues was notified by a contact she knew that there was a nine-year-old male Greyhound in the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter. She asked me about taking him. I told her if someone wanted to bring him to Springfield, Missouri, (5 hours away) we'd take him into our adoption program. A concerned Greyhound citizen bailed him out for $57, which paid for his neuter. Being nine years old and not neutered is scary in itself. She transported him to Neosho, Missouri, and then he was sent on to us. We could make out his ear tatoo age but the other tatoo was not legible. He was very rough looking and half his teeth are missing, but he was a dear sweet boy. He was fostered here about a month. One of our current adopters, JoAnne Raef of Lebanon, Missouri, called and expressed interest in adopting Kato—which she did on May 6—and the rest is history. He resides with Pywaket, a six-year old male Greyhound, two small dogs and a cat. Congratulations to all that have adopted a senior greyhound in May or any month. And may you all have many quality years left together. Tom Wilbur 5083 Reedsford Road Clinton, North Carolina (910) 592-3779
Use caution when using Ace I've thought of this myself in the past and recently Kathleen Gilley brought to my attention that people can never be reminded of some things too often. If you already know this be sure you share this information with your adopters. The tranquilizer, Acepromiazine, commonly known as Ace, is commonly prescribed by vets. It is a barbituate that can be overused and abused in Greyhounds. Greyhounds are very sensitive to small amounts of this drug. The dose most vets give for a cat, about 10 milligrams, will easily keep most Greyhounds woozy for up to 12 hours. In fact, you should start out with 3 to 6 milligrams to see what effect it has on your Greyhound before ever using more. A German Shepherd who may weigh the same as a Greyhound might be given 25 to 50 milligrams. That amount could overdose your Greyhound and he could be in danger from that much. Ace is prescribed routinely for thunderphobia, fireworks and travel anxiety. Be sure to try other treatment alternatives before using Ace, which also may have other serious side effects. Alane Shultz Tom Wilbur 5083 Reedsford Road Clinton, North Carolina (910) 592-3779
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