Greyhound Friends of New Jersey are celebrating Adopt a Greyhound Month by -- what else? -- finding homes for retired racing greyhounds. You can see their schedule of events at their web site, or look for a greyhound rescue near you to see how they're working to raise awareness.
Fast Track to Love
Young inmates and unwanted Greyhounds team up to help each other adapt to the real world.
What happens when you put together incarcerated young men between the ages of 18 and 26 and retired racing Greyhounds who need socialization and obedience training? If you’re familiar with the power of a dog to soften a heart and win over a soul, then you can guess that the results of such a pairing would be incredibly positive for both the inmates and the dogs.
And, according to the Greyhound Friends of New Jersey (GFNJ) in Cherry Hill, N.J., you’d be right. The organization began working with the New Jersey Department of Corrections to create a foster program at the Mountainview Youth Correctional Facility in Annandale, N.J., about eight years ago. The program provides both rehabilitative benefits for the incarcerated youth and needed socialization and obedience training for rescued Greyhounds.
The program, the only one of its kind in New Jersey, matches greyhounds who are finished racing with inmates at the facility. While it may sound untraditional, the inmate and Greyhound teams seem to be a perfect pairing. Typically, Greyhounds are breed for the sole purpose of racing on a track. Because a retired racer has never known life outside of the track environment, when it is time to retire and be placed in a typical home, the dogs often have difficulty adjusting. Greyhounds do not know how to respond to common household items like sliding glass doors, mirrors or steps. They are also unfamiliar with human companionship. Sadly, the life of a racing Greyhound often parallels that of a prisoner.
Perhaps this understanding of one another is what makes the pairing work so well. According to GFNJ, the relationship that the dogs develop with the inmates is sometimes the first intimate one the Greyhound has ever experienced and the bond is very strong. The inmates, says GFNJ, are very dedicated and committed to the welfare of these Greys and their only reward is a knowing that the dog has been placed with a loving family.
It’s a bittersweet reward for all the hard work required of the participants. Under adult supervision, the inmates serve as fosters to the dogs over a six- to eight-week period. The men and dogs share a cell and spend the first week bonding. Basic command training begins in week two and continues through the program. Part of the training program includes teaching the Greys to go up and down stairs and grooming the dogs. All this is done to help the dogs transition into becoming loving and loyal companions.
The inmates are also expected to keep a journal of their experience, which goes, along with the dog, to the new owner. Many of these contain notations about how much the inmates love the dogs, how they wish they could keep them, and how they hope the new owners will love them as much as the inmate does. Besides providing much needed companionship and socialization for the Greys, the program teaches the inmates respect for both human and animal life and helps them develop self control and a sense of worth.
According to GFNJ, most of the inmates are serving time for drug-related issues and are chosen based on the recommendations of the corrections officers and following interviews by the facility program coordinator and the president of the rescue group. The choice is based on how much time is left in the inmate’s sentence, level of maturity and the reason they are incarcerated. Background checks are done to make sure there is no animal abuse, violent crime or connection to dog fighting rings on their record. For more information about the program or for information about fostering or adopting a retired racing Greyhound, contact the group at 732-356-4370.
Massachusetts’ ban on greyhound racing, which recently went into effect, is both good news and bad news for hundreds of former racing dogs. On the one hand, they’re spared further racing, and the risk of injury that comes with it (not to mention the possibility of a horrible fate if they cease to run profitably). On the other hand, many of these dogs are now rendered homeless, and greyhound rescue groups are finding themselves overwhelmed.
One such group, Greyhound Friends of New Jersey, Inc., has taken in about 135 dogs from two recently closed tracks. Seventeen dogs came in last week alone. The group is now actively seeking foster homes and adopters for these beautiful dogs, which make excellent pets, even for those who don’t have large houses or a lot of land (surprisingly, greyhounds are major couch potatoes and prefer snoozing in a sunny spot to running all day.)
“These dogs are a joy to live with,” says GFNJ president Linda Lyman. “They’re not only beautiful; they’re calm, gentle, and loving. Some people may think that retired racing greyhounds are over-active and hyper, but the opposite is actually true. While they want a good walk each day, they spend most of their day snoozing.”
Interested? GFNJ is now holding regular adoption events, where you can meet the dogs, spend time with them, and get expert advice on the breed from GFNJ volunteers. Prior to adoption, all the dogs are spayed or neutered, tested for heartworm, and have their teeth cleaned.
'Exorcist' star Linda Blair to help raise funds for animal group in Franklin
By MARY ANN BOURBEAU • GANNETT NEW JERSEY • November 9, 2009
FRANKLIN (SOMERSET) — Academy Award-nominated actress Linda Blair will be the special guest at the Greyhound Friends of New Jersey's 13th Annual Craft Show next week.
The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 21 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 22 at the National Guard Armory, 1060 Hamilton St., Somerset.
Best known for her role in the 1973 movie "The Exorcist," Blair is also an animal rights activist who founded the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation, a California nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating abused, neglected, and abandoned animals from the streets of Los Angeles and its overcrowded shelters.
Vendors will offer pet-oriented items, and there will be a bake sale and raffle. Santa Claus will pose for professional photos with dogs. Elwood, the former World's Ugliest Dog, will sign autographs and posing for pictures starting at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 21.
The event is crucial in the group's effort to rescue, provide health care and find safe, loving homes for retired racing greyhounds, and there will be greyhounds at the show available for adoption. Funds raised will help pay for veterinary care and other expenses for dogs awaiting a new home.
"We rely on donations to save these retired racers since adoption fees don't come close to covering our expenses for each dog we rescue," Greyhound Friends of New Jersey president Linda Lyman said. "Our goal is to surpass last year's total of 325 greyhounds placed in good homes, which would make 2009 our most successful year ever.
"We are so grateful to Linda Blair for her support of our organization. Like us, she is dedicated to saving the lives of dogs in desperate need. Especially, in times like these, we need all the help we can get."
Greyhounds in prison program pay visit to Phillipsburg Mall in search of a new home
Sunday, August 23, 2009
By BILL WICHERT
The Express-Times
LOPATCONG TWP. | A few dogs living behind bars at the Mountainview Youth Correctional Facility in Clinton Township made their way Saturday to the Phillipsburg Mall in search of new homes.
With names such as Bold Maneuver and Highway Tegue, the dogs spend their days receiving training and sometimes sleep beside the inmates in the cramped cells. The canines might even keep the beds to themselves.
"(One prisoner) didn't want to disturb the dog, so he laid on the floor," Rick Itterly, a guard at the facility, recalled.
Following racing careers from New England to Florida, several greyhounds are teamed with inmates at the Hunterdon County facility through a seven-year-old program led by Greyhound Friends of New Jersey.
Four of those greyhounds spent a few hours Saturday afternoon at the Phillipsburg Mall, greeting shoppers as the dogs searched for new lives with adoptive owners.
"They were never bred to be pets, but it's like they've been waiting to be pets all their lives, and they're looking for the connection with the humans," Nancy Barnett, the group's coordinator for the Lehigh Valley and western Warren County, said.
The greyhounds are brought to New Jersey from racetracks across the country as well as from breeding farms, said Bill Brouillard, a member of the group's board of directors. Four months ago, the group also received two dogs from Guam, where a track had closed down, and the dogs were being released into the streets.
The organization does not turn away any greyhounds for health reasons, whether they're blind or have a broken leg, Barnett said.
More than 250 greyhounds find homes through the organization every year. While the adoption fee is $235, putting a dog through the program costs roughly $550 per dog; that means the organization relies on fundraising to continue its mission.
Before adoption, some greyhounds are transferred to a kennel in Burlington County and others go to foster homes. But those in need of additional training are connected to prisoners at Mountainview.
As many as 11 greyhounds can be enrolled in the prison program at any given time, spending between one and three months there, Brouillard said. The dogs develop social skills and become more obedient, while the prisoners, who are between the ages of 18 and 26, learn responsibility and improve their behavior, he said.
When one dog graduated from the program several years ago and was taken away, the inmate went back to his cell in tears, Brouillard said.
"This is the first time they got something they can love that's non-judgmental," Brouillard said. "They're learning how to take care of another being."
While the greyhounds are bred for their speed, group members and dog owners at Saturday's event said the dogs are known as gentle creatures. Over the span of at least an hour, a crowd of about a dozen greyhounds didn't produce a single bark or skirmish.
"When they say a 45-mile-an-hour coach potato, it's true," Barnett said.
Reporter Bill Wichert can be reached at 610-258-7171, ext. 3570, or by e-mail at bwichert@express-times.com.
ACTRESS LINDA BLAIR TO APPEAR AT
GREYHOUND FRIENDS OF NJ GALA
Lynn Heiler • Reader Submitted • August 3, 2009
Academy Award-nominated actress Linda Blair will be a special guest at Greyhound Friends of New Jersey's 2nd Annual Greyhound Gala on August 22. Best known for her memorable role in the movie "The Exorcist," Ms. Blair is also an animal rights activist who founded Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation, a California non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating abused, neglected, and abandoned animals from the harsh streets of Los Angeles as well as overcrowded city and county animal shelters in the area.
Greyhound Friends of New Jersey (GFNJ), the state's oldest greyhound rescue group, has placed thousands of retired greyhounds in happy homes all over New Jersey in the past 22 years. The group's "turn no greyhound away" policy makes it a first call from tracks all over the country when dogs are in desperate need, including those with legs broken on the track and older brood or stud dogs. This year, GFNJ even took in dogs from a race track in Guam that closed suddenly, leaving a hundred dogs in danger.
Linda Lyman, GFNJ president said, "Greyhounds make great pets. Some people might think these ex-racers are hyperactive but the opposite is true. While they love a daily romp in a fenced yard or a good walk, but most of the time they spend their days as couch potatoes. Our group receives greyhounds of all ages regularly. From two year olds to older dogs, and from time to time one with special needs, we're pleased to find homes for these wonderful dogs. The Gala is one of the ways we generate donations to continue saving their lives. And this year, we're thrilled to have Linda Blair lend her hand."
The Gala, an important part of GFNJ's fundraising efforts, will be held on August 22 at the Concordia Club House on Prospect Plains Rd, Monroe Township from 6:00 to 10:00 pm. The event will feature a buffet dinner, musical entertainment by "This Magic Moment" and magician/comedian Mike Spade. An exciting raffle and silent auction will highlight the evening's activities. The public is invited to attend, and tickets can be purchased by contacting Maria Lutz at flutz11331@aol.com or 732-521-8330. For more information on adopting greyhounds, go to www.greyhoundfriendsnj.org.
Pretty Pet Friendly Contest
For many people, pets aren’t purchased or owned so much as they’re adopted and become full-fledged members of the family. The tender pictures of pets lounging around their homes—homes that have frequently been made comfortable just for them—bear this out. Here are our top three picks:
Carry and Chai
Carry and Chai used to be racers, but when their careers ended, they were taken in by Greyhound Friends of New Jersey, where Lynn Heiler found them.
“When I became aware of the plight of retired racing greyhounds years ago, that when their racing careers are over, they are in dire need of homes, I started researching the breed,” says Heiler. “Statuesque, smart, and gentle, a greyhound was a great choice for our family. And saving a life meant a lot to us.”
Heiler and her family have never regretted their decision. Greyhounds are not only beautiful and gentle, they’re surprisingly low-maintenance (although they like a good walk or some playtime in the yard, they’re actually couch potatoes, according to Heiler. As a bonus, they also don't shed much.). Carry and Chai are best friends, and since the picture was taken, they have been joined by a new brother—another former racer named Hank. Hank started out being fostered by the Heiler family, but the two girls took to him so well he was adopted and now spends his days happily snoozing in the sun with his sisters.
If you’re interested in learning more about former racing greyhounds, adopting, or fostering, Greyhound Friends hosts meet and greets every weekend throughout New Jersey. Visit greyhoundfriendsnj.org for more information.
Lynn Heiler • Reader Submitted • April 27, 2009
Greyhound Friends Of NJ Celebrate The Breed At Picnic May 17
GREYHOUND RESCUE GROUP CELEBRATES THE BREED AT SPRING PICNIC
Dogs Include Greyhounds from Guam
Greyhound Friends of New Jersey (GFNJ), the state's oldest organization devoted to the rescue of retired racing greyhounds, will celebrate the breed at its annual Spring Picnic on Sunday, May 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Open to the public, this fundraiser gives newcomers to the world of greyhounds a chance to spend time with these wonderful dogs, share in the activities, pick up a gift for a "best friend" from the vendors and have a delicious bite to eat...all to support this valuable organization. To be held at Duke Island Park on Old York Road in Bridgewater, the picnic attracts hundreds of greyhound lovers with their dogs from all over New Jersey and the tri-state area.
GFNJ "Turn No Greyhound Away" Policy
The current economic environment is affecting dog tracks, causing them to make more unsuccessful racers available for adoption. Known for successfully placing thousands of ex-racers, GFNJ receives dogs regularly from tracks all over the country, and recently took in several from a track in Guam that closed suddenly, leaving 100 dogs in danger. With its "turn no greyhound away" policy, GFNJ even takes in dogs with legs broken on the track, older brood females, and those with special needs. This means more greyhounds, mostly between two and five years old, come to the group in need of homes.
Linda Lyman, president of GFNJ said, "Saving an ex-racing greyhound can be a less expensive, very rewarding alternative to a traditional pet purchase. And, greyhounds make wonderful pets. They're very intelligent, affectionate and easy to live with. Some people may think retired greyhounds are very active, but actually the opposite is true...they love a good walk or exercise in a fenced-in yard every day, but will spend the rest of the day as couch potatoes. Finding homes for these beauties warms our hearts as we give them the chance to be loved as they deserve. And, we're so proud of our "turn no dog away" policy, it keeps us very busy but there's no dog like a greyhound."
The picnic is a good place to view available greyhounds and an excellent opportunity for potential adopters to learn more about the breed. While adoptions are done by application only, pre-approved applicants can actually take a dog home from the picnic. Volunteers and owners will be on hand to answer questions about the many advantages and joys of owning an ex-racing greyhound. In addition to seeing greyhounds of all colors and sizes, attendees can enjoy the Spring weather with their greyhound loving friends. There will be sumptuous food to taste and share, games, and contests. Dog Stress Diffusion therapy readings will be done by Terri Hyatt. And, since greyhounds can make excellent therapy dogs, therapy dog certification testing will be done, go to www.tdi-dog.org/tdtesting.html for requirements. Everyone can support Greyhound Friends of New Jersey by purchasing raffle tickets and goodies for people and pets from a number of vendors.
Rescuing greyhounds has become more popular because of the dedicated work of GFNJ whose volunteers hold regular events all over New Jersey, in New York and Pennsylvania to build awareness of the breed. For more information on the picnic or how to adopt a greyhound, go to www.greyhoundfriendsnj.org, call us at 732-356-4370, or contact Patty Comerford at pac173@aol.com
HOUNDED BY THE LAW
Piscataway dog owners fight new restriction on number of pooches allowed
Thursday, April 02, 2009
BY KAREN KELLER
Star-Ledger Staff
Bill Brouillard rescues greyhounds that are too old to run at racetracks or that simply don't win.
The retired cabinetmaker from Piscataway has six of the dogs -- three he's adopted and three he's caring for temporarily. Diego, a tiger-striped shy hound, came Saturday from Florida.
But under a new township law, Diego's arrival makes Brouillard's charitable operation illegal.
In the fall, the township council adopted a law limiting the number of dogs per household to three. The law was passed after neighbors complained about noise coming from two locations in town where multiple dogs lived. One was later labeled an illegal puppy mill.
Residents protested the new law and the council recently relented, agreeing to allow owners of four or five dogs to keep their companions, as long as the dogs were registered last year or before.
Piscataway's ordinance is one of many so-called "dog limit laws," passed in towns across the nation, that dog-owner advocates say are unethical and don't work.
"A law like this is an infringement of our civil rights," said Sheila Gross, a Piscataway resident since 1982, who spoke out publicly against the law at a council meeting last week.
She said the law will encourage people to simply avoid licensing their dogs. "No one would know if you had three or 30 (dogs)," she said.
Township officials say the ordinance was passed to prevent more illegal puppy mills from popping up.
The law will be enforced by animal control officers on a complaint basis, said James Clarkin, township attorney. Penalties for law-breakers will be determined by a municipal judge, Clarkin said.
Last year, the township had 43 residences listed as having four dogs or more, Mayor Brian Wahler said.
In New Jersey, the first dog-limit laws were passed decades ago, said Bill Dressel, director of the League of Municipalities.
"It's a tool the town has to maintain for some semblance of quality of life," Dressel said.
In 1973, Somerdale, in Camden County, passed a law setting a limit of six animals per residence. Only two animals of each "type" -- two dogs per house, for example -- are permitted, said Victor Cantillo, borough administrator.
No one has complained about the law, Cantillo said, and the only animal-related calls these days are for a single noisy rooster, he said.
In Brooklawn, also in Camden County, officials passed a law about six years ago limiting the number of cats or dogs to three, said Barbara Lewis, the borough clerk. A woman wanting to open a cat rescue operation has applied to the borough for an exemption, she said.
Critics say the dog limit laws encourage owners to abandon animals at already-crowded animal shelters.
"Do you kill it? Do you dump it in a shelter? Do you abandon it?" asked Barbara Wicklund, a member of the legislative committee for the New Jersey Federation of Dog Clubs. Instead, Wicklund said, municipalities should use existing laws to target isolated complaints.
"I'm sure Piscataway has appropriate ordinances already on the books to deal with noise, odor and leashes," she said.
Clarkin, the township attorney, said even though there is a noise ordinance in place, it's hard to prove just how loud a dog barks.
"It's subjective. It's very difficult to get a sound meter out there," Clarkin said.
Dog-limit laws can invite lawsuits, Wicklund said. In 2001, a Georgia judge struck down a local dog-limit ordinance, calling it unconstitutional, according to the American Kennel Club website.
A separate Piscataway township ordinance says ownership of five dogs or more is defined as a "kennel" and a license must be obtained through the local board of adjustment. For residents living on properties of two acres, the dog-limit is four, and residents living on three acres or more are allowed five dogs.
There are currently 903 dogs registered in Piscataway.
After hearing a plea from Brouillard last week, the Piscataway council said it would consider amending the law again to exempt dog rescue groups.
"I've had 15 broken-legged dogs taken off the track," Brouillard said. Over the past decade, he said, he has housed 111 former racing greyhounds.
In the meantime, he doesn't plan to stop giving love and shelter to needy hounds.
"If I got a phone call tonight, I'd take in six more," he said.
Greyhounds and Great Danes look for love at Phillipsburg Mall
by Express-Times staff
Saturday February 14, 2009, 5:25 PM
Express-Times Photo | KELBY ANDERKORick Itteroy of Nazareth sits with his greyhounds Moon (left) and Winston (right) at Phillipsburg Mall.
Both human and canine members of the group spent six hours shining a spotlight on dog adoption, particularly greyhound and Great Dane adoption.
Express-Times Photo | KELBY ANDERKOAlyce Horsch of Bloomsbury and 3-year-old Jordan Rinaldi of Alpha get a closer look at Jasmin, a greyhound owned by Shirley Shannon of Alpha.
Express-Times Photo | KELBY ANDERKOFrom left, Biscuit, 9, Star, 8, and Emerald, 8, are owned by Kathymarie Sidie of Bethlehem.
Therapy dogs return to help young readers
By RACHEL MISENKO • Courier-Post Staff • January 11, 2009
VOORHEES — Both animal lovers and young bookworms will find something that interests them this month during the M. Allan Vogelson Regional Branch Library's Read to a Dog event.
From 7 to 8 p.m. Monday, the library will bring in three therapy dogs for a special reading session. Children in first through sixth grades are invited to come spend time with the animals and read them a story, said Kathy Mahony, a library associate.
"The kids really enjoy the aspect of being able to interact with the dog," Mahony said. "They get to know the dogs' names and they really become attached to them."
The Read to a Dog program was first started at the library more than four years ago, Mahony said, and has continued to be popular with children ever since.
The event, which is held once a month, is usually limited to 20 kids.
Visitors include Brownie, a small dog owned by Samantha Camino, Dink, a greyhound owned by Linda Zangari, and Dr. Seuss, a schnoodle owned by Claudia Buderman.
Buderman said her 6-year-old schnauzer and poodle mix was specially trained to be a therapy dog. Like Brownie and Dink, Dr. Seuss went through a long course of training and passed a certification and temperament test to be allowed to work with children.
"The purpose behind this is that dogs are nonjudgmental," Buderman said. "I joke with the kids that even though Dr. Seuss is a reading dog, she doesn't really know how to read. So it doesn't matter if they mess up a word."
During the program, Mahony said kids will take turns reading different books to the dogs. The stories are chosen by the children themselves, and each child has the opportunity to read to all three dogs.
Mahony said the dogs are all friendly with the children, and each one has a unique personality that shines through during the program.
Dink, the biggest of the therapy dogs, is a favorite among children because of the dog's large size and soft fur, Buderman said. Brownie is also a hit with the group because of her ability to do tricks.
"She does tricks, she dances, she rolls over," Buderman said. "We have this tradition where the kids count how many times she rolls over. She's up to 22 times in a row now."
Buderman said that the dogs enjoy being around children as much as the children enjoy being around the dogs. She stressed, though, that if the dogs ever feel uncomfortable they aren't forced to stay.
The dogs are always patient and attentive with the kids, who are divided into two groups. The first group reads to the dogs while the second does a craft. The groups then switch.
In the past, Mahony said they've made picture frames for photos with dogs, dog-treat bags and dog-shaped door hangers. Though the crafts are usually related to dogs, this month the kids will be making a snowman for the winter season.
A retired Osage Elementary School teacher, Buderman said dogs have the unique ability to bring joy to children and help them feel confident.
"When these three therapy dogs walk in the library, it changes the atmosphere," Buderman said. "That's one of the most rewarding things. It's like Christmas, everyone is happy."
Caption: Julie Schmidt, Assistant Manager of the new PetSmart at Concordville Town Center in Concordville, welcomes Nancy Simons and Michele Siegel from the Chester County chapter of Greyhound Friends at their first Meet-and-Greet where they introduced customers to retired racing greyhounds.
RESCUED GREYHOUNDS MAKE WONDERFUL PETS Concordville PetSmart to Host Greyhound Friends Every Month
For the first time, shoppers at PetSmart at Concordville Town Center had a chance to hear about the joys of owning a greyhound. Local members of the Greyhound Friends rescue group brought about 15 adopted retired racers on Saturday from 11 to 2 and will return on the third Saturday every month.
Some people are surprised to hear that, in spite of their ability to run 45 mph,
greyhounds make wonderful pets and are actually couch potatoes at home. These graceful dogs are calm, don't bark, and walk well on a leash. Loyal and intelligent, greyhounds are well-suited for apartments and houses as long as they get a daily walk or a romp in a fenced yard. Easily housebroken, they quickly adapt to life with their adoptive families and just want love, a pat on the head and a soft spot for a nap.
This local chapter is part of Greyhound Friends of New Jersey, an organization dedicated to rescuing retired racing greyhounds. Taking in dogs from tracks all over the country, they've found homes for thousands of these wonderful dogs in their 20+ years in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.
Concerning Animals: Hound gets a happy home
by Joan Lowell Smith/For The Star-Ledger
Monday January 12, 2009, 1:11 PM
CATHY MARTINSON
Luke Tobin, a rescued greyhound, enjoys his retirement.
Sometimes it pays to be a stowaway.
A racetrack reject just found that out when he was "accidentally" included in a shipment of retired greyhounds from Florida tracks.
"There were supposed to be 20 greys in the haul," said Cathy Martinson of Leonia, who has been adopting retired greyhounds for several years with her partner Susan Tobin. Ten of the sleek dogs were slated for Greyhound Friends of New Jersey (greyhoundfriendsnj.org) and the other ten were going to a greyhound friends organization in Connecticut.
Lucky 21 There was an extra dog. Ten of the dogs came with birth dates, racing records, health data and tattoos in their ears. The unlisted extra had the tattoos and an old piece of adhesive tape attached with the name Winky. "We couldn't find any racing records on the database," she said. Why? Because he had only one eye. Providentially, Martinson and Tobin were waiting at the end of the ride since the word was out that they had adopted Breakaway, a one-eyed wonder who lost a hind leg and, inevitably, his life to cancer.
"He handled it all beautifully," Tobin said. "Treatment gave him nine more months."
One-eyed Luke "Winky had been in a kennel for almost a year. Our hearts went out to him," said Martinson of the newcomer, quickly renamed Luke. He settled in instantly with Simon, who had been with the women for almost eight years. Simon had been lonely for another companion since Breakaway's death. At tracks, dogs are surrounded by other racers, one reason many people wind up adopting two greyhounds.
Breakaway's passing set the stage for Luke's entry as Simon's new pal. "Luke has a heck of a personality so he must have had a guardian angel because he was in good shape," said Martinson. Yesterday was Simon's eleventh birthday and Luke turned six on November 23. "They're two peas in a pod," said Tobin who, along with Martinson, would like to see greyhound racing cease entirely.
They're getting their wish in Massachusetts, which has two tracks. "In 2007, legislation passed banning dog racing, effective in 2010. That's one less state where it's allowed," Tobin reported. "Nationally, sixteen tracks have closed, 35 tracks are still in operation in 14 or 15 states and over 300 greyhound rescue groups save as many retired dogs as possible."
Great pets Extolling the merits of greyhound adoption, Martinson said, "They're about 95 percent housebroken. At the track, the dogs are in kennels all the time unless they're training or racing and dogs don't soil their own kennels. When you bring them home, they're like puppies because everything is new to them. They've never seen stairs." Tobin piped in: "... or swimming pools," which generated mutual fits of laughter as they recalled the day Simon blithely walked into a swimming pool. Tobin jumped in to lead Simon to safety. "He had no idea what water was unless it was in a bowl."
Greyhounds are very graceful and curl up like cats. "They don't take up much space," said Martinson. "All you need is half a couch per grey." Tobin summed up: "Having a greyhound is a simple love affair."
Concerning Animals appears every other week in Abode.Contact Joan Lowell Smith at P.O. Box 302, Garwood,N.J 07027 or e-mail her at jsmith@starledger.com.
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