In which our narrator yet again tells you of dogs in need.
I may have mentioned my dog Oracle once or twice before. Once or twice.
This is her. She’s a retired racing greyhound and one of the sweetest living beings I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. She turned seven last Saturday. We celebrated by doing nothing out of the ordinary. She spent the day either sleeping, eating, trotting around the dog park, or having her hair stroked; and this was all just fine with her.
Although–obviously and without room for debate–Oracle is the single most awesome member of her species, I have found greyhounds in general to be wonderful dogs, and I would recommend a greyhound as a pet to almost any loving, responsible human being I know.
I bring this up because very shortly there are about to be a couple hundred of these magnificent beasts in need of a loving, responsible human being to take care of them.
No. Dana did not happen to find a few hundred stray greyhounds near the corner of Irving Park and California. This is a different situation. I received the following missive from one of the myriad dog-owner newsletters I may or may not have consciously signed up to receive:
SPECIAL ALERT: DAIRYLAND GREYHOUND PARK CLOSING
We are writing to solicit your help with the rescue of a large group of dogs. The Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, WI, will be closing its gates forever on December 31, 2009. There will be about 500 Dairyland dogs needing homes, of which, unfortunately, Greyhounds Only will be able to place a small number. In addition to the dogs we will already have as of that date, we hope to bring in at least 75 Dairyland dogs.
Typically, Greyhounds Only boards its rescue dogs at Emerald Kennels in Burlington, WI. Making room at the kennels for the influx of Dairyland dogs will necessitate that the dogs already in our program be moved into foster homes until they are adopted which may take anywhere from two weeks to a couple of months. This plan allows foster families to take in dogs that have already been treated for fleas, been de-wormed, spayed/neutered, and are up to-date on shots.
Why are we telling you this? We need your help with one or more of the following:
- Fostering a dog: Even if you’ve never fostered a dog before, we can give you the necessary information and support to take a dog into your home until it finds its own.
- Temporary boarding facilities: In the event we cannot find enough foster families, we welcome any leads you have on facilities possibly willing to donate boarding.
- Money: The extra dogs we take in will require extra expenditures for medications, vet work, boarding and so on. Any donations are appreciated. Also, please check with your employer to see if they provide matching gifts so your contributions can be doubled or tripled.
- Large bags of Pro Plan dog food are needed for the extra dogs in foster care.
- Unused crates: Any crate you’re not currently using would be appreciated for fostering.
- Getting the word out about adopting a greyhound.
- Fundraising
- Transporting Dogs both local and long distance GURs to move dogs within the Midwest.
- Gently used coats, collars, Frontline, Heartguard or Inteceptor
The timing of this track closure could scarcely be worse, coming, as it does, in the dead of winter and in a challenging economy when so many of us are already extended ourselves. We hope you will find it in your heart (and your pocketbook) to be able to extend yourselves yet again so that innocent animal lives aren’t lost.
Thank you so much for your time and consideration and thank you in advance for the greyhounds that will benefit from your generosity. If you are interested in fostering or donating food or crates, please call Greyhounds Only at either (847) 421-9828 or (773) 297-4739 or Sue Purdom at (815) 501-3533. You may fill out the attached form and fax it back to us at (773) 453-3179, or send it along with your donation to Greyhounds Only, 335 E. Geneva Rd. #173, Carol Stream, IL 60188.
Dana and I first met Oracle at Emerald Kennels; she was born and raised there. Her original racing name was “Emerald Oracle.”
I’m no fan of the practice of greyhound racing, so on one level I’m happy to see one of the arenas forced to shut down. But on the other, more immediate level…these dogs that are no longer of use to their race-masters are either going to be sent to live with people who will care for them or they will end up destroyed.
So I offer you that to consider.
Seriously. Great dogs. You should have one or two.
Creative Control 