"...I saw nothing but happy, well-conditioned dogs."

I guess it's time to explain my journey to racing proud. I adopted my first greyhound in 2000. I was basically a cat person, but my mom had terriers (or terrors, as I called them.) I wanted a cat-like dogs and someone at work suggested a greyhound. Hal was my first and my best greyhound. Even if he wanted a second career in law enforcement. At that time I didn't know much about racing and believed all I was told. Much of it I later learned was incorrect. But I loved my dog, and within months was fostering with intent to find him a buddy. And even after his buddy Ranger came along, I kept fostering. Over the years I got to meet trainers and see the "back-end" of racing. My feelings toward it started to change.

When the Geneva Lakes track closed I was up there for Octoberfest and went to the races every day. The final day I saw a littermate to the female I had, and of course I had to have her. I did end up adopting her and picking her up at the track. I remember being in the adoption room with this crazy dog trying to jump out a window. They were schooling and she could see the track. And she was 5½ years young.

Over the years I have adopted many dogs, and fostered many, many more. I worked with greyhound adoption for many years too. During that time I visited a couple tracks, met several trainers and realized just how much these dogs were loved at the track. A few years ago I got the chance to visit some breeding farms and watch the pups being changed. You can tell when dogs are happy, and I saw nothing but happy, well-conditioned dogs.

Yes, I am very pro racing and can't imagine what would happen if racing was halting. The racing greyhound is so very different looks-wise and in their personality from show dogs. Would I want a show greyhound? No. I feel there are other like me who love these racers for who they are. It's would definitely be a shame to see racing halted.

Debbie Dombrowski
Oswego, IL

Comments

"As a person who helps connect humans and Greyhounds..."

As the President and Founder of Forever Home Greyhound Adoptions, as well as having 13 of my own Greys, I feel like it's important to weigh in with my views as not only a Grey mom, but as a person who helps connect humans and Greyhounds, every day for over 20 years now. With all the allegations and controversy surrounding the Greyhound racing industry lately, I feel like it's high time that more of us on the adoption side of the road make our thoughts and feelings known. Having been in the adoption world for well over 20 years now, I think I have seen and heard just about everything, and I am here to tell the world that all the anti-racing slandering of the industry is shameful, hurtful, and untrue. Most of the AR mouthpieces that spout toxic lies the loudest, have probably never ever seen the inside of a racing kennel, and maybe never even witnessed a Greyhound race. Well, I HAVE, and I can truthfully say, that most kennels are cleaner than some people's homes, a

"She was not 'culled' like a puppy farm inmate"

It's about the dogs! It's been not quite four years since I became a "Crazy Greyhound Lady," retired racers have that effect on a large number of their adopters. NGA greyhounds have amazing careers as athletes and then are fortunate to have an adoption rate of over 95% when those careers are over. Now it's time for all of us who appreciate all that goes into the breeding, training, and care to stand up and defend racing against the endless lies put out by profit-driven extremists. My husband and I have adopted two retired racers and volunteer extensively with our adoption group, including traveling to the track to pick up new retirees and doing home visits to help match prospective adopters with dogs. We had the oh-so-common experience of mutual love at first sight when we met each of our hounds. Coming up with a testimonial should have been an very easy task. Instead I struggled with draft after draft, they all fell short. One day I realized that it was not

"And one year later we visit the first time a racetrack."

My Story: so sorry my English is not perfect I hope you understand me?! I am from Germany and in 2002 I met my first greyhound. He was from the last closed racetrack in Italy and was in a shelter in Germany. His name was Teseo (Teseo della Capitale). The beginning of a very deep love to greyhounds. But Teseo was so sad an scared and unlucky ... now we know he was unlucky with us. He was the first time alone ....He missed other greyhounds. But eight weeks later we adopted Zama (Teresas Hope). A female from the same track. And Teseo was so happy! He changed in a lucky and wonderful boy. At first we hate everything about racetracks. We heard from rescue groups so terrible things about this. This was a very bad area and all people are bad. But we met other greyhound owners in our town and we talked about everything ... and about the racetrack too. They told us so much other stories about the dogs and the people and we changed our opinion. And one year later we visit the f

OUR TESTIMONIALS

Search This Blog