Find Your Perfect Companion By Adopting A Greyhound
The month of April in North America is dedicated as Greyhound Adoption Month.
The iconic image of the 4,000 year-old classic canine, in full stride, emblazoned on the side of Greyhound buses, is a reminder of how majestic this animal is. It was bred to hunt and born to run.
Greyhounds are the best tempered, healthiest and fastest breed of dog in existence. They can reach speeds of up to 43 miles per hour over a short distance.
Throughout history they have occupied the upper tier of canine royalty. Drawings of them have been discovered on the interior walls of Egyptian pyramids. Proverbs 30:31 of the Old Testament identifies them by name. In 1014 AD, the English Forest Laws stipulated that only noblemen could own and hunt with greyhounds and to kill a greyhound was punishable by death. Both Queen Victoria and King Henry VIII kept greyhounds.
In 1919, in Emeryville, California, Owen Patrick Smith invented a mechanical lure for dogs to chase around an oval track. Thus, greyhound racing in the USA was born. In its heyday greyhound racing took place in 19 states and was the sixth most popular spectator sport in the U.S., often eclipsing annual attendance at NBA games.With the growth of lotteries and other forms of gambling over the past number of decades, greyhound racing has declined significantly. There are now only six states that race the dogs at 18 tracks, 12 of which are in Florida (see photo in digital edition). The decline in this industry is also attributed to animal rights‘ organizations lobbying state governments against their existence.
Since the 1990s, well over 280,000 “retired” greyhounds have been adopted out into homes. Both in Canada and the U.S., there are numerous not for profit and charitable organizations dedicated to the dogs in finding their forever homes.
Erika Gowanlock, Owner of K9 To 5 Paws And Play 6703 County Road 46, RR#3 in Oldcastle (K9to5PawsAndPlay.net), provides dog daycare, walking and boarding.
A registered veterinarian technician from the Ridgetown Campus of the University of Guelph, Gowanlock was first smitten with greyhound affection in 2003.
Feature photo: Rocky Thompson, Head Coach of the Windsor Spitfires at the WFCU Centre with Tip and Hank. Photo by Clinton Randall.
