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"He didn't want to be retired"



For those of you who continue to hear about the abuse and neglect on the track, please take a minute to think and educate yourselves. I have zero stake in the industry. I am simply an adopter who is absolutely in LOVE with these dogs BECAUSE of how they come from the track. They're well socialized, snuggly, happy, noodlewhipping critters (trust me, your legs will have bruises from the wagging noodlewhips). Sure, they're a bit unsure of a new home, ANY dog would be! You've taken it from the only home it's ever known and all of the people it loves (handlers, trainers, etc).

I'll start with Ollie's story. See the video of Ollie the night I got him home (right off the hauler) playing with my brother. Ollie was a relatively successful racer who racked up around 130 starts. You know how the antis keep telling you how they fall and die? Almost always, no. Ollie fell or nearly fell on a few occasions and up and running he went...and generally he raced a few days later as well! I'm sure all of his massages and whirlpool sessions had him feeling just fine (if only I could get that treatment!). He did take a tumble in his last ever race but came to me in perfectly fine health, and I picked him up straight off the hauler. A little light from the haul, maybe, but nothing that you'd ever really notice without being picky!

That dog loved and SO desperately missed his "job" and kennel life when he retired. We tried to give him as much as we possibly could and let him romp around (he would run and run and run) on the few acres we had fenced, and that was easily the highlight of his day....well, that and going out to meet everyone he could possibly meet. He missed his former life enough so that we ended up having to work with his adoption group a year later to try and find him a home that was in to amateur racing/lure coursing/some other intense job he could do. He hated not having a high-intensity formal job and you could tell he was becoming frustrated with typical pet life. We tried obedience, trick training, some little in-home scentwork, but nothing replaced the one thing he loved: racing. I swear that was a dog that would have been happiest living out his days running the big oval and staying in a busy kennel with all the hustle and bustle. That was his niche. That's what he loved. He didn't want to be retired. We reached out to his former owner/trainer who was so happy to hear from us. He told us that he loved Ollie and he was always one of his favorites and remembered how huge he was (he was absolutely massive, referred to in his race replays as "the big 'ol boy") and how he loved to jump up for kisses and pets. It made sense why he missed that life. He was loved beyond belief, got the best of the best in care, and got to do what he loved more than anything in the whole entire world.

Jerry....Jerry is another story. Jerry was a terrible racer: one real recorded race and was dead last by a mile. But did his owner beat, kill, or toss him out like some may lead you to believe? Heck no. He ended up with a group in NJ where I found him. He does enjoy a light run around the field but really prefers just lounging around. I don't think his heart was ever really in i,t and his connections recognized that and retired him and 2.5 years old, didn't run him in to the ground, didn't abuse him for losing, they sent him off to a reputable group and he was adopted (also perfectly healthy, by the way!). I even reached out to the TX farm where he was born and raised, and they were more than happy to send me his puppy pictures and a copy of their training brochure that his picture proudly remains in. Do you think these dogs make wonderful pets because they were abused? I don't think so. They loved their former lives and have been loved their ENTIRE life. Start thinking with your brains and not your bleeding hearts. Please...for the dogs' sake.


*All puppy pictures courtesy of C&C Greyhound Farm

One of Ollie's wins: http://www.trackinfo.com/video-box.jsp?raceid=gPB%2420150111A10

Jerry's only video: http://www.trackinfo.com/video-box.jsp?raceid=gDB%2420170705E12


Jen Preston


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