"Canada's Greyhound Air Service"

CANADA’S GREYHOUND AIR SERVICE

...AND FOR THE LOVE OF GREYHOUNDS

In 1996 an Airbus service of seven Boeing 727s out of British Columbia was born, called Canada’s GREYHOUND AIR (see photo) with a connection to Greyhound Bus Lines. Unfortunately the air service collapsed 14 months later as Laidlaw Inc. bought out Greyhound Bus Lines with no interest in keeping the air service alive.

But let me tell you ... it was the best experience I've ever had on a plane. The mascot for the air service was a retired racing greyhound. The promotional advertisement was this greyhound lifting his leg on the 727's tire (see photo, may have to enlarge). The flight attendants handed out t-shirts with the mascot's photo on the front, greyhound drink containers, greyhound key fobs, a table-size standing mascot with greyhound puppy (see photo), a life-size standing greyhound AND sterling silver greyhound tie tacs and cuff links. In addition to that, a few of the flight attendants were quite familiar with greyhounds and racing in a positive way.

This was so exciting because back in the 90s I couldn’t find any greyhound paraphernalia in Canada, there was no internet nor contacts to any of the racing facilities, no books or Greyhound Data. Thanks to the Greyhound Air Service and their flight staff for sharing their greyhound stories and providing me with a “race track address” in Wheeling, WV. My two retired racers that I had adopted in 1992 were beautiful and healthy with excellent behavior skills and outstanding personalities and after visiting various racing facilities, meeting the trainers and kennel staff all provided me with the answers I suspected all along …. that my boys had been loved and were very well cared for. The greyhound is an exceptional breed. Having been involved with dogs most of my life in various capacities, I have never had the companionship, the love, the laughs and the bonds that I have had with all of my greyhounds. Yes genetics plays an important role in every living being but the environment these greyhounds are raised in highly contributes to these beautiful souls that literally thousands of us have adopted and continue to love and care for. Aside from the birth of my two amazing daughters, my 11 adopted greyhounds (including a puppy) and all that goes with the greyhound industry (people and dogs alike) has given me the most wonderful memories, joy and amazing experiences in my life. I have been truly blessed 11 x over and more.

Shari Obrien

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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