In heartfelt memory: Sweetie Pie greyhound 2011/02/21
Posted by greyhoundsrule in Greyhounds Rule/News, In Memory - the Rainbow Bridge.Tags: dogs, Florida greyhound, greyhound, greyhounds, Rainbow Bridge
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Sweetie Pie catches some rays of sun
The following was submitted by Cyndi Rennick:
Here is a little bit about my Sweetie Pie.
What follows is what flowed out… I just wrote… I tried to give you an overview, and it still isn’t even a fraction of who she was. There will never be another quite like her. I loved her so much.
Sweetie Pie passed just after Thanksgiving, November 29, 2010.
She was 12-1/2. I adopted her right off the Miami track during a “clean-out” of the kennel and we picked her up from the hauler truck at a stop on Interstate 275. She was 5. She was a kennel favorite and ran 181 races. I suppose she made someone a lot of money. She was meant to go to a brood farm, but the kennel manager snuck her out, bless her.
Sweetie Pie’s real life began that day when she was 5 years old and we first saw each other’s face. I fell instantly in love with this tiny bundle of energy and joy. She was funny, happy, curious, and had a sense of humor that I have never seen in another dog in all my life. She was my little ray of sunshine, no matter what kind of day I was having, she could make me smile, and most times, even laugh out loud.
She and I grieved our Bandit together when he passed at 8 from osteo. I somehow always knew she would be with me for longer. I feel like she knew I needed her. When she got cancer herself at 12, she was amazing, always upbeat even through surgery and three chemo treatments. She would have continued on even after she relapsed if I had asked her to, but I knew it was time for me to do the right thing for her and let her go.
For the first time ever, I looked at her and knew that she was tired. She had given so much for so long, I just couldn’t ask for more.
She took a huge part of my heart with her when she left and I still miss her every day. But she also left me with the many lessons she taught me, to laugh in the face of adversity, to enjoy the sun on a warm day, and to be love with all your heart. She was all that and so much more.
I know that she is safe with Bandit now. One day after she left he let me know that he had her. That was a huge relief and I cried and cried.
The house felt so empty after my precious girl was gone, even with Joe and Dodd there, and I think they felt the same way. She was a huge presence in a tiny body, and will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Slowly but surely I am starting to smile more than I cry when I think of her.
She was my girl, my little lady, my precious princess, my constant companion and my snuggle bug every single night of our lives together. Life just won’t be the same without her, but we are all better for having known her.
My Sweetie Pie. My girl. My heart. You mattered.
15 1/2 year old greyhound Niles goes to the Rainbow Bridge 2011/01/28
Posted by greyhoundsrule in Greyhounds Rule/News, In Memory - the Rainbow Bridge.Tags: greyhound, greyhounds, Rainbow Bridge
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Niles at 13, what a happy dog
Photos and story submitted and shared by Robert Jenkins
It is with heavy heart that we announce that our beloved Niles crossed the Bridge this past September. This has been a difficult time, and we are only now able to share his story with the List. The local newspaper published a wonderful tribute to Niles, but the article is too lengthy to set forth here, and thus we summarize. I suspect that much we say of Niles is true of all greyhounds, but he was our boy, and to us, he was the best.
Born March 26, 1995, Niles was a dark brindle greyhound who first knew a life of kennels and races before adopting his loving Dads, Randy and Robert, on August 12, 2000. If ever it could be said that a pet did the adopting, this was indeed true. Promising to always care properly for this magnificent creature, Robert and Randy drove from their home in Lexington, Kentucky to North Carolina, where they were privileged with this adoption from Circle of Friends Greyhound Rescue. Such began the great adventure of the loving family of three.
Niles was a member of the family, a child and not a pet. He was never caged, never boarded, and he expressed his appreciation in countless ways. Niles could make the most curmudgeonly person smile with a playful burp or flick of an ear. He lived for his ear scritches, nose kisses, and belly rubs.
Niles was elegant and graceful, walking nimbly through rooms of furniture and glassware. His posture perfect, he floated across pavement, his natural gait that of a classically trained principal dancer. His fur smelled like none other, but more like a powder puff. Niles would not bark unless the occasion called for speaking, and yet he could sing the famous roo, his the most beautiful and emotive.
Niles taught others to enjoy the simpler things in life. He would smell flowers for the sake of their wondrous fragrance; he would brush his face across the needles of pine tree limbs, trancing amongst their gentle tickles of his face. Niles longed to walk in the crunchy leaves of fall. He tiptoed through snow and sniffed the first blades of spring’s grass.
Niles taught respect and tolerance. He would greet the homeless with the same enthusiasm as those with mansions; he paid no attention to political or other affiliations. Every person and every creature was interesting. Squirrels would scamper, chipmunks scurry, and rabbits run, all safe under his watchful eye and tilting head that expressed amazement at their activities.
As he aged, Niles never complained about slowing down. He continued to enjoy his treats and short walks. He never cried, never appeared in pain. His eyes glistened until the very end.
Niles at 15-plus, still a happy hound
Niles was in my lap when he left us on September 30 at age 15 ½. We celebrate his life and the lessons he taught, the friends he made, and the reminder of good in the world. We love you, Niles. You were and always will be special. Dream wonderful things and always know you’re loved.
You can read an article in the newspaper about Niles.
Greyhound Lovers Unite: Guam Greyhound and Guam Rescue 2010/09/01
Posted by greyhoundsrule in Greyhounds Rule/News.Tags: greyhound, greyhounds, guam dog rescue, guam greyhounds, petfinder contest
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Greyhound from Guam
UPDATE: GAIN WON!!!
Hi All:
I hope you don’t mind the group email. I’m just elated. Cartier and all his beauty worked another miracle. As you can see below we won the Grand Prize of the World’s Best Pet Parent Contest. Thank you all for your continued support during these months of voting voting and more voting. It warms my heart that Cartier and all his glory is still helping his fellow greyhounds in spirit.
My warmest regards,
Dana and My Angel Boy Cartier – Mommy still misses you sweet thing
Greyhound adopter Dana Provost adopted a Guam greyhound named Cartier (see photo). In a very short time after coming to the U.S., he became a pet therapy dog and took Las Vegas by storm.
Sadly, Cartier after surviving the cruelties of racing in Guam, succumbed to fatal kidney disease. We’re thankful he was fortunate to come to the U.S. and live his life as a beloved pet before he died.
Dana Provost entered the PETFINDER.COM WORLD’S BEST PARENT CONTEST and has designated the prize money to go to Guam Animals in Need (GAIN). Although a U.S. territory, Guam is like a third-world country when it comes to the way it treats its animals. If it wasn’t for the wonderful volunteers at GAIN and the Greyhound Protection League and numerous U.S. adoption groups and friends, hounds like Cartier would be left for dead.
Please help Dana help GAIN by voting in the Petfinder contest.
The prize money is:
Grand Prize: $10,000
Runner Up: $5,000
Honorable Mention (10 winners): $1,000
So vote! And vote often! (photo of Dana & Cartier) – You can register at top right of page
Since this contest is worldwide, please feel free to cross post and link to this blog post to maximize voting potential. Wouldn’t it be grand for the global greyhound community to come together to honor the efforts of GAIN and greyhounds everywhere? (Dana is the only greyhound finalist.)
Voting began on Friday August 27, 2010 and runs through 11:59 PM ET October 6, 2010. It is FREE to vote and a wonderful way to support a fellow greyhound adopter and GAIN.
You will be required to register at Petfinder.com but you have the option NOT to receive any emails from Petfinder.com by unchecking the boxes after your password entry.
Each user will only be permitted to ONE VOTE PER DAY. Voting requires filling out the secure Captcha code to prevent fraud.
Let’s remember Cartier and help GAIN put some money in its coffers to help the island’s dogs.
Story about Guam Greyhounds rescue
Thank you
Greyhound – Small Dog Friendly with MimZy 2010/02/26
Posted by beamergreyhound in Beamers Couch.Tags: greyhound, small dog friend MimZy
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MimZy the guard dog
Ssh – don’t tell Beamer that I’m using his blog. You know how territorial he is.
I’m MimZy. I’m a cute, smart terrier mix and my Mom and Dad are adopters: Beading Diva Cynthia and Daddy Wade.
Mom and Dad had to go out of town on business last Monday, so I went to Aunt Diva Roja’s crib for a small vacation. I’ve been there before so I knew the routine and was familiar with the fur inmates: Beamer the greyhound and Ice the American Eskimo.
But then I heard that Aunt Roja was visiting her friend, Connie, in Phoenix and I was invited. WOO HOO – I’m always ready for an adventure. So on Thursday morning we set off for Phoenix.
Upon arrival I’m met by four pooches: two are siblings of Ice, one is a a long-haired dachsund and the other a black Pomeranian. We performed the usual greeting ritual and all was well. Connie has a lawn in her back yard and I had loads of fun sniffing, peeing, and kicking up my back legs after I’d made several deposits. I think you get my drift.
Connie and Aunt Roja went out for dinner and the lead female Alpha, Jasmine, subtly asserted her dominance, and I fell in line. What the heck, I’m just visiting. Connie and Aunt Roja returned and we all settled in to watch the Olympics. I was snuggled next to Aunt Roja on the couch with Ice when suddenly the front door opened and in came this guy. WOW.
Who is he and what is he doing here? I think it’s time that this interloper knows that, while small, I can be pretty ferocious, so I growled incessantly. Kept him away from the couch, but couldn’t vanquish him from the crib.
But I kept growling. Aunt Roja was trying to calm me down. She just didn’t get it. My job is to look out for my caretakers, and this interloper was infringing on my territory with Aunt Roja and my new Aunt Connie. Aunt Roja told me that Don was not an interloper but the person that paid the bills for this crib and he lived here. Oh yea. So why wasn’t he here when I arrived? Why did he sneak in at 7:00 p.m. when the rest of us were comfy and cosy watching the Olympics? There was some jabber about him working – yea, yea, yea. My doggie brain could not wrap my paws around this, but the guy stayed in the background, eat his dinner and then withdrew to the master bedroom to watch T.V.
Just as well because I was ready to rip his pants a new one. I still think he was a burglar casing the joint and he had Aunt Connie wrapped around his pinky. But what do I know, I’m a dog.
Hey, who said you could post a message on my blog?
Hi Beams – your Mama!
P.S. MimZy was adopted through Cold Wet Noses.
Twas the Night Before Christmas, Greyhound Version 2009/12/24
Posted by greyhoundsrule in Greyhounds Rule/News.Tags: greyhound, greyhounds, holiday greyhounds, Tucson greyhounds, twas night before Christmas
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Buddy, the Greyhound Service Dog is Festive
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the town
Not a creature was stirring, not even a greyhoun;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be there.
The pups were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of meaty marrow bones danced in their heads;
And me in my sequined fleece jammies, and my human in her sweats,
Had just settled in for some cozy evening pets.
When out on the street there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Paws up to the window I flew like a flash,
Nudged open the blinds and threw up the stash.
The moon on the needles of the cacti did glow,
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my Cleopatra-lined eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and 17 tiny sight hound reindeer.
With a little old driver, so nimble and quick,
I knew in a nano-second it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than coursers the sight hounds they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
Now Harmony, Opa, Misty, Gordon, Quinn Jose, Buddy, and Ride-ER
On Saffron, Opal, Riley, Laila, Candy, Rosie, Donut, Franklin, and — Beam-ER
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! GO POTTY! Dash away all!
As dry leaves that before the wild winds fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the sight hounds they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, just for good dogs like you.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I wiggled my velvet ears, and admired this old hound
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all covered with dog hairs and soot;
A bundle of Zany toys he had flung on his back,
And I wondered if he had any Screaming Monkeys in his sack?
His eyes — how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like apples, his nose like a cherry!
I sniffed his leg and wondered where he had been?
Did he visit Beagles, Labs, Terriers, and kit-tens?
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke encircled his head like a pukey wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly elf,
And I ROOED when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
My tail wagged and I wondered if I was getting fed?
He spoke not a word, nor did I dare bark,
He filled all the stockings; Gee, it was a real lark,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving me a nod, then up the chimney he rose.
He sprang to his sleigh, and gave his hounds a whistle,
Away they all flew, like the crack of a thistle.
But I heard him yell, as he drove out of sight,
“HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL CREATURES BIG AND SMALL, LET’S CLOSE MORE DOG TRACKS IN 2010. AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!”
Roo! Roo! (the end)
<hugs>,
Lily – a.k.a. Drama Queen – still a wild & crazy 12-year-old brindle bombshell
(photo: Diana Hansen)
Tucson:Greyhound Mix Rescued-Buy a Bracelet 2009/09/02
Posted by greyhoundsrule in Beading Divas to the Rescue, Fundraising.Tags: bracelets for greyhounds, greyhound, greyhound mix, Tucson greyhounds
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I saw there was a greyhound mix sitting on death row at the Pima Animal Care Center (PACC). I contacted Arizona Greyhound Rescue (AGR) and asked if they would take this dog. My promise was that the Beading Divas would sell 25 bracelets ($500) and donate the money to AGR for the care of this petite greyhound mix.
Charm: greyhound mix rescued from PACC
AGR complied.
I dubbed the dog “Charm” because our one-of-a-kind beaded bracelets come with either a sterling silver greyhound charm or a paw print charm.
Charm has the greyhound physique and face but is smaller than a greyhound. She was confiscated from her previous residence because of abuse. Charm was literally three hours away from being euthanized. Maybe her nickname should be “Lucky Charm.”
Charm is in foster care with my sister and she will be fattened up because now she is a bag of bones. She seems tolerant of all kinds of animals and is not a cat-chaser. She loves stuffies and is already playing with toys and with the other dogs. Charm really likes children and is an all around great girl.
Charm is saved. She is one lucky dog.
~~~~Written by Diva Lizzie~~~~
Save Tucson Greyhounds: Bracelets on Etsy 2009/08/18
Posted by greyhoundsrule in Beading Divas to the Rescue, Fundraising.Tags: etsy greyhound bracelet, greyhound, greyhounds, Tucson greyhound bracelets, tucson greyhound fundraising
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We finally have a new batch of bracelets on Etsy.
We are donating $1,500 to Greyhounds2Go
Buy a bracelet on Etsy. Save a greyhound.
to help pay for two badly injured dogs rescued from Tucson dog park.
Buy a bracelet. Help a greyhound. Everybody wins, especially the dogs.
We are Beading Divas to the Rescue
Angy, Cynthia, Glenda, Lizzie, Loren, Michelle, and Karyn
Greyhound Humor: Tucson Foster Failure 2009/08/10
Posted by greyhoundsrule in Greyhounds Rule/News.Tags: foster a greyhound, fostur failure, greyhound, greyhound humor, greyhounds, Tucson greyhounds
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How sweet Donut is
Written by Judith Weiser
Dear Friends and family,
I am a FAILURE!
A foster failure, that is. In the dog rescuing world, someone who agrees to foster an animal and then cannot bear to part with it is a “foster failure”. In my case, Arizona Greyhound Rescue (AGR) put out a plea for temporary fosters for a couple of dogs that had spay surgery coming up. (Everyone likes a little TLC after surgery!) One was described as “petite female”, and that description caught my interest for reasons explained below. (I had already promised Slim that I would honor him by lavishing my love on another deserving hound when the time was right.)
So, I picked up “Bella Wetnwild” at the kennel and dropped her off to be spayed. When I went back to get her afterwards, she was still VERY dopey, and I understood why AGR did not want these dogs to just go back to their cage at the kennel post surgery. She was able to stagger to the car, but the vet tech had to pick her up and put her behind the front seats. She stood up for a few minutes, leaning against the back wall of the cab. The next thing I knew, she was down for the count.
Bella Wetnwild, quickly renamed Donut, was barely 2 years old and had just started her racing career when she experienced a minor but career-ending crack in a bone in one of her rear legs during a race. Lucky Dog! (And lucky me, I didn’t have to deal with yucky teeth from years of eating that soft hi protein racing goo!)
We spent four days together before I had to go back to work. Each of us had things to learn. She learned that even if you go behind the closet door, you’re NOT gonna find that dog from the mirror on the other side.
I had to learn that Donut was just like me when I was a kid: if you told me not to do something, it made it that much more attractive.
When I put up baby gates blocking the kitchen & the stairs, she figurered out a way to get over, under, thru or around them. (I actually think she FLEW into the loft and back down while I was at work one day. The barriers were totally undisturbed, but she definitely had been up there.) So the barriers came down, I pulled the knobs off the stove and I taught her how to climb up & down the stairs. (Something Slim never learned, even tho he REALLY wanted to hang out with me up there.) Donut has claimed the loft as her hangout when I’m at work. She sits on the couch looking out the window until she is tired, then sacks out until I get home.
Donut has become more comfortable here every day. She is less leery and more playful. Through it all she has been nothing but sweet and loving. A woman at the dog park this morning told me “Inside that great big chest Greyhounds have is nothin’ but heart!” I think she summed it up.
Oh yeah, and I found Donut upstairs the other day lookin’ out the window and she was nothin’ but SMILES.
The name Donut is in honor of AGR’s Daphne, who never made it to her forever home. I got very attached to her after meeting her at the kennel almost 4 years ago, and always referred to her as “Lil Donut”. (I used to say she was Slim’s “mini me”, since she looked just like him, but weighed about half as much!) After we lost her, I told myself if I ever had a petite female, I would call her Donut and give her the kind of home that I wished Daphne could have had.
Judith Weiser
Tucson: Bracelet Making Class for Broken Greyhounds 2009/07/14
Posted by greyhoundsrule in Fundraising, Greyhounds Rule/News.Tags: bracelet making class for greyhounds, greyhound, greyhound rescue, Silver Sea Jewelry, Tucson greyhound bracelets, Tucson greyhounds
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Do you feel like making a fashionable fun bracelet for a great cause?
Silver Sea Jewelry & Gifts is hosting a bracelet making class where five lucky participants can each make a one-of-a-kind bracelet to take home. All supplies are provided — memory wire, you-pick-the-beads, and a charm of your choice.
The cost for the class and bracelet is $25 which includes two hours of instruction, a one-of-a-kind bracelet, and fun and good cheer for all the participants.
All the money will be donated to Greyhounds 2 Go to help pay for two badly injured greyhounds who have raced and retired from the Tucson dog track.
The next class is Tuesday, July 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. at 330 N. 4th Avenue (look for the mermaid in the window), next to Bison Witches cafe. Call 624-9954 to reserve your spot. This would be a nice activity for mother/daughter or two friends or co-workers.
If you love jewelry, choosing from lots and lots of beads, and helping greyhounds — go for it!
Buddy, Tucson Greyhound Service Dog 2009/07/02
Posted by greyhoundsrule in Greyhounds Rule/News.Tags: Buddy the greyhound, greyhound, greyhound rescue, greyhound service dog, Tucson greyhounds
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Here’s beautiful Buddy who recently received his “Assistance Dog” status.
You can meet Buddy at the Grapehounds for Greyhounds wine tasting event on Sunday, July 26, from 4 to 6 p.m. at CataVinos Wine Shoppe. The event is a fundraiser for Arizona Greyhound Rescue.
Buddy is a prime example of how greyhounds are more than couch potatoes!
Beading Divas Bracelets 