Laura: Yesterday I interviewed a few people from the Buffalo Greyhound Adoption Association. The purpose of the BGA is to find forever homes for race dogs called greyhounds. People race these dogs for money and it used to be that when the dogs couldn’t race anymore, they would be killed. Organizations like the BGA adopt the dogs and try to find homes for them.
They get dogs from tracks in states like Arizona, Massachusets, West Virgina and less often, Florida. The group dosen’t usually get the dogs from Florida because it’s a really long, hot trip for the dogs.
When the dogs come to our area, a volunteer has the dogs come to their house until someone decides to adopt them. When someone decides that they’d like to adopt a greyhound from the group, a representative does a home visit for about an hour and a half. They come to educate the family about greyhounds and answer questions. Some people change their minds and some proceed.
Michelle Moore, the woman I interviewed, says that the best thing about being a volunteer is that she gets to see racer dogs become pets. Dogs who come from places with just cement and metal get used to things like stairs and grass and glass doors. Many of these dogs are timid at first. Some stay that way.
Some other things that are cool about Grayhounds, is that their nickname is the 40 Mile Per Hour Crunch Potato. Even though it’s fun to watch how the dogs run and build up their speed to about 40 to 42 miles per hour, I think it’s unfair and cruel to race these dogs like this, and I personally wish people would stop.
Yesterday I was thankful for all of the people who help these dogs, and I made a donation to the BGA as a result! Please think about helping this group too.
Nina is thankful for the snow. She likes to play in it every chance she gets! She knows she’s lucky to live in a place with four seasons too.
Filed under: animals, Uncategorized | Tagged: "twenty five days to make a difference" "BGA" "Buffalo |
25 Days to Make a Difference 
The good news is that Massachusetts just made it illegal to race dogs!
Thank you for taking the time to visit with BGA and for helping to spread the word about greyhound adoption. You did a fantastic job! I’d love to read your editorial sometime. On bahalf of BGA and all of our furry friends, I want to thank you for caring and helping these wonderful hounds find forever homes!
Hugs!
Hi Laura
Mabye you could raise money to help the bushfire victoms by doing some stalls with food and toys.
I met you on the 24/02/09 when year 5 from toorak
saw you in our classroom.
How are you ?
From Abbie
That is such a cute dog.
I own two retired greyhounds.
Jazz came to me straight off the track. She walked out of racing kennels one day and into my home the next. The rehoming kennels begged me to take another dog because she was still fresh from racing and a completely unknown quantity. But I knew from the start she was the dog for me. I still remember that first night – she lay on the floor beside me like she’d never been anywhere else and I promised her she’d never live in a kennel again.
My boy is very different. He came here as a nine year old, when the family he was first rehomed to split up. He carried a lot of sadness at first and the stress of losing of his family had made him very ill. But he was willing from the very start to try again with me and gradually he has learned that I will not abandon him and that he is with me for life.
I cannot stress too strongly that these dogs make fantastic pets. Adaptable and flexible, and so loving.