"That was the moment our opinion of track treatment changed."

For us it started in 2004. We lost our two dogs within a month of each other leaving us and our 3-year-old daughter with a hole in our hearts. My husband and I had been to tracks in different parts of the country and always watched when the dogs were brought out. We always commented on how beautiful the dogs are and how we'd like to have one someday. Neither of us felt any particular way about their treatment; we had heard old stories but it didn't match what we saw at the tracks. We thought the dogs were just there. Not mistreated, but not treated great, if that makes sense. We just knew we wanted one eventually.

We met a few at a meet and greet, went home and picked our perfect greyhound from the adoption group's website only to be told "NO! That one!!" by our daughter. Being the suckers we are, we let Emily pick (because, get real...what parent won't let the kid who lost both her dogs pick). Best decision ever. Our first boy, Pat C Postman, came from SOKC. He was an amazing ambassador for the breed. We came to SOKC after adopting him and we're fortunate enough to meet his trainer, Chris Tanaka (not sure if that's actually correct, or how to spell it) and he remembered Posty, and told us what a great dog we had. That was the moment our opinion of track treatment changed. We saw exactly how much the dogs are loved and cared for in the way Chris spoke about Postman. It was such an honor to meet him and thank him for loving our boy before we did. Posty loved us as much as we loved him. He was with us for almost 7 years when he passed away from kidney failure. He was a joy and I am so grateful to a 3 year old for insisting on "that one".

Ashlie Johnston

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

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