Frostproof Is Going Grey.

When Johnnie and Bill Levin moved from Ft. Lauderdale to Frostproof with their greyhounds Sammie (Isan Som) and Kissie (Kissem Byebye), they fully expected to hook up with the local adoption group and remain as active with them as they were with us. Johnnie & Bill had spent many weekends volunteering at our kennel, delivering dogs and acting as Godparents for new adopters in their area. But there wasn’t really an active group around Polk County. They did meet another couple that had two greyhounds too and together the four hatched a plan to foster two of FoG’s dogs at their homes and offer them for adoption as a branch of Friends of Greyhounds. We thought it was a GREYT idea! After a little false start due to “cat tolerance” problems they were ready to go.
Atascocita Leon (Leo) and WW Oreos (formerly Cookie - now Kelly) rode the three hours up Route 27 to become the first adoption greyhounds for the new FoG satellite. Johnnie did an awesome job of writing an article for the Frostproof News, who published color photos of the dogs and let everyone know that they’d be coming to the city’s July 4th celebration downtown. They hope to find enough interested people in their area as well as nearby Sebring and Lake Wales to be able to put together a real adoption weekend sometime soon were we'll drive up 6 or 8 dogs at one time for a weekend “meet and greet” with potential adopters. There sure are a lot of houses with yards up there!
It’s exciting to have the chance to open up new areas and find new adopters. And they’re already off to a wonderful start. They just faxed in the first application from Frostproof! A local pastor and his wife will be adopting Leo but they agreed to let them show him around at the July 4th party first! Johnnie says she has put an invisible “Sold” sign on Leo. Congratulations to Johnnie & Bill for wanting to help the dogs and for sticking with the idea. I know how good it feels to know you helped get one of these wonderful dogs into a loving home and Jerry and I hope you get as hooked on that feeling as we are!

We’re back! Jerry and I took a 10 day vacation, our first in four years. We had saved every week for four years to go to Alaska and it was just WONDERFUL!! Now we’re refreshed and renewed and ready to make all of you crazy for greyhounds. One of my first goals is to get into the habit of posting something for you on this blog at least five times a week. Our weekends are busy with open house and events but I hope to be able to post daily during the week. If you have ideas of short discussions or news that would suit our blog, please feel free to email me. I’d love to have some other contributors to this and really get it moving.

Nothing Goes to Waste

One of the first subjects I want to cover is that we’re primarily a greyhound rescue but we do know that we are part of a community of animal lovers and we have a secondary duty to help out others when we can. Friends of Greyhounds is an all donation, all volunteer racing greyhound adoption group. Our mission is to provide retired racing greyhounds with a caring environment and loving homes and to educate the public about these noble, loyal dogs. That’s a lot to do with just donations. So we are always scrounging for the strangest things and we find ways to use some even stranger ones. Plus we have a “sister group” at Community Partnership for the Homeless in Homestead. They are one of the first homeless shelters in the country to make allowances for people with pets. They have a dog kennel with six runs and we are so proud of our work with them and of their work with the community. Animal lovers can become homeless, too, you know. We also cooperate with a mixed breed rescue called Sabbath Rescue that has a whole lot of dogs in Hialeah and in Homestead and they always need everything. Basically what I want to tell you is that we do a lot with a little and we truly appreciate anything you donate. If we can’t use it, we have groups that can. Nothing goes to waste with us. Times are tough right now and we know cash is tight but maybe you’ll see something there that you can help us with. We have our regular wish list online and I’m putting a current (kind of temporary) list below. Please also look over your “leftovers”. We can use those opened but still useful doggie vitamins, supplements, supplies, gently used collars and leashes, bowls, the leftover food they didn’t like, remains of medications and shampoos. Thank you so much for all your support and we hope to see you at the kennel soon!

A Temporary Wish List
(July 1, 2009)

Paper Towels
Baby Wipes
Laundry Detergent
Fabric Softener
Fabuloso
Hydrogen Peroxide

Veggies: Carrots, Squash, Spinach, mixed vegs. (Canned or Frozen)
Rice
Pastas (Penne, Elbow, etc.)
Peaches or Pears (Canned, diced if possible)
Sweet Potatoes (Canned or Fresh)
Pumpkin (canned)
Applesauce

Fresh Mangoes
Turkey necks (yes, turkey necks. The grissle is wonderful for cleaning teeth. They're sold frozen at Penn Dutch and probably other places)

Small bite sized dry dog food (for special cases)
Zip top storage bags - all sizes but especially gallon size
6'x8' tarps (for the fences)
Air horns (canned - new or refill- see photo)
Cotton balls

Greyhounds in the News!

I hope everyone has had a chance to see and read Michael Mooney's article in NEW TIMES. If you are not familiar with the paper, it is a weekly that is distributed free in boxes where the other newspaper boxes are. It's always interesting and controversial and our article is all of that.
The Broward/Palm Beach edition showed Mike & Tara's new greyhound, Jailamony, on the cover in an Adidas track jacket with the words "Track Star". She looks GREYT! The Dade edition carried the same full story inside with an equally flattering, full color photo of Jailamony. The article is a research piece and he spoke with many people on both sides of the greyhound question. Unlike most of the articles coming out these days, it is not focused solely on the income of racing vs. slots. This is all about the dogs and their history. There's a quote from me (Michelle) in there that's a little more harsh than I usually state things so please excuse us for that one. The story is called Heartbreak at 45 MPH, Scenes from the life of a racing greyhound. I hope you'll get a chance to read it and share it with many others. There are places for comments on both of the website versions, too!

Congratulations, Mike for a marvelous, balanced and fascinating article. And you certainly have sparked some interesting comments, too. Thank you so very much! (Now, let's hope it drives some adopters in the door!)

Spring Festivals - Volunteers Needed

The Spring Season Festivals are underway and once again, we’re looking for some volunteers. I’ve been delinquent with updates on the news blog but I hope you’ll forgive me since I can tell you that our adoption numbers are way ahead of previous years. Even with correction for the higher number of returns, we’ve been working harder to promote chipping (current owners taking another greyhound) and attending lots of events and it seems to be paying off. We have worn out a lot of our regular volunteers with the hectic schedule. But we can’t usually do many events in the summer because it is too hot for the dogs so please come out and make this last hurrah sensational with us - for the dogs. These festivals are so much fun. We know you'll have a great time.

Springs River Festival is held this weekend (April 17 - 19) on the circle at Curtiss Parkway in Miami Springs, not far from our Hialeah kennel. This is our first time at this festival so we don’t know quite how it’s going to work but we do know the hours are long we’ll need some help. Friday the show opens at 6 pm and goes until midnight although I’m sure we’ll cut out before that. Friday night we have enough volunteers. Saturday and Sunday we could use some more help. We’ve broken Saturday into 10:30 am - 4 pm and 4 pm to Midnight (?) And Sunday is 11:30 to 4 and 4 to 9 which is when we’ll need some help closing down, taking apart the tent, etc. We’ll have at least two kennel dogs at the tent for all shifts but will want to supplement the doggie staff with adopted dogs. If you’d like to volunteer with or without your dog, call me (Michelle) on my cell (954-937-9663)

Pompano Beach Seafood Festival is April 24^th thru the 26^th and it is always a wonderful show for us. Friday night and Saturday daytime are filling up (could use one or two more people) but we really need help for Saturday night (5 pm to 10 pm) and Sunday (10:30 - 3pm, 3pm to 8pm/Closedown) This show is always so much fun for the volunteers. Bring a dog and you can leave them with us to work the booth while you go play in the festival before or after your shift. Just let me know what you have in mind so we don’t overload one shift and have no one for another.

Okay, I promise, promise, promise to make the blog a higher priority. If you are good at writing articles like we use on our blog, maybe you’d like to help? We can talk about that when you come to work the events or visit the kennel.

See you soon.
Love, Peace & Greyhounds,
Michelle ( & Jerry & all the wonderful pups!)

It's hard to find a Valentine when your only pickup line is "WOOF!"

Adopt a Greyhound for Valentine's day. The love lasts longer than roses.

Volunteers Needed to work Events!!

We’re knee deep in events this winter and we really need your help. We’ve kept our adoptions moving along pretty well even considering this economy but we really need to get FoG out there in the public eye to keep the momentum going. We’ve committed to a few more events than usual with hopes that you will all pitch in to help the many dogs that are waiting in the kennel get moved into homes. Our waiting list is huge and we have dogs in the kennel now that have been there for a very long time. If each of you could work one shift at one event, we wouldn’t have any kind of problem manning the booths. We have lots of events to choose from in Dade and in Broward. PLEASE, help us tell the world how wonderful these dogs are - spend a few hours at an event with us! It’s easy and fun and could change a dog’s life.

Upcoming events: (schedule edited 2/6)
Renaissance Festival - Quiet Waters Park, Powerline Road, Deerfield Beach. This will be a wonderful five weeks from Feb 7 to March 8, Saturdays and Sundays. You’ll want to be sure to come visit us there and work at least a few hours - then you’ll return again and again to see the costumes and the wonderful people. (Www.ren-fest.com) We haven’t done Ren-Fest in a couple years and we just can’t wait. Yes, you can bring your dogs and we’ll have adoption dogs there too. Hours are 10 AM to Sunset and since we’re on the road leading into the festival, no costumes are required. Call (or email) and let me know what weekends you would like to work. It’s the best! (Word to the wise - sit in the back rows at the mud show!)

South Miami Rotary Art Show - This is a new event for us and it will be on February 21st & 22nd on Sunset Drive, South Miami. We’ll have a booth in the Kids Area and the hours are 10 to 6 both days. I figure two shifts (?) 10 to 2 and 2 to 6 but we’ll be flexible for volunteers. Yes, dogs are welcome.

Mardi Gras Adoption Booth - Always a problem to staff, our adoption booth at Mardi Gras racetrack (Hollywood) is a state requirement that we must meet every weekend that there is live dog racing. Friday and Saturdays are covered but we are still scrounging to cover Sunday nights. We're supposed to be there about 7:30 and you really don't need to stay more than a couple hours. Lots of people will pet your dog and ask questions. It couldn't be much easier. Call me if you'd like to help out with this one any weekend.

So we have lots of opportunities for you to help get greyhounds into homes. Sure hope we'll see you at our booths! Remember - if you want to volunteer, call me (Michelle) at 954-937-9663 or email me at fogdogs@comcast.net

Important Reminders & News:

** The Greyhound Calendars are in at the store. These GORGEOUS calendars are $12 for the wall style and $15 for the weekly datebook. We're a little late getting them this year but they are in stock and they make wonderful holiday presents. Think about giving one to you vet or hanging one in your office to show everyone how amazing these gentle creatures are.
** Only TWO WEEKS left in our Home 4 the Holidays project. Please use this opportunity to take a dog out of the kennel and into your heart - at a discount! The project has been a terrific success but we don't want to lose momentum now. We'll be at the kennel every weekend. Don't be shy! Come for a visit.
** Successes: Where's Flydump went to the perfect home after a year of searching. Mom is a true greyhound lady and doesn't mind that he has some vision problems. He'll have his own seeing-eye dogs! Louetta will be moving out the Saturday after Christmas. Flash (I am Brindle) has finally convinced Joan (worn down Joan's husband Stan is more like it) to make him legal. SK Calendar Girl landed on all 4 feet in her third home. None of her returns were her fault and we're glad to see her get another chance. Thanks to all the volunteers and adopters and supporters who helped make these adoptions possible.
** Challenges: We like to celebrate the successes but the reality of this business is that non-cat tolerant dogs just don't move out into homes. So those of you who don't have cats, please step forward and help out one of our deserving pups. Did you know we still have 10 dogs left from the D Kennel project that don't have homes? And did you know that we still have five dogs (Emily, Fella, Rocky, Unruly & Rooster's Ghost) that have been in the kennel over a year? Some are returned dogs or have a little problem or two but they are still very loving and are willing to make the effort to be your perfect dog. What better gift for you and for them - a family of their own.
** The Christmas party was a huge success. What we couldn't tell you in advance on the blog was that it was also a Surprise Birthday Party for Audra Kinney being "thrown" from long distance by her sister who flew in the night before to surprise her. About 40 of Audra's special people and probably another 40 FoG friends came by (including a very cute beagle who stole everyone's heart) and the auction items her sister's friends had donated raised enough money for FoG to cover all the expenses of our Christmas/ Birthday party. Now that's planning!

Holiday Party - Break out your party hats! Hang the garland! (Where is the garland? We gotta get some garland! The dog ate the garland??? Rats!) Our Holiday party is on schedule - sort of. Everyone is invited for a casual, afternoon get together on Saturday, December 13th. The past couple months have been busy and we have busier ones ahead so this is our chance to stop and take stock of what we've accomplished this year. And it has been one heck of a year. We’ll probably leave the morning for decorating, playing with dogs, and working with potential adopters. We’ll fire up the grill and be ready to do some burgers and chicken about 1 pm. But the most important ingredient for the party is you! Please come visit with us for the afternoon. We'll be staying a little later than usual, too. Holidays are about family and this is our chance for this branch of the family to visit. You’re welcome to bring a dish or snack if you like but it’s not required. (Cookies?) It’s a good chance to shop for your dog’s presents, too! Hmmmm, maybe raffles, too. I love a good raffle! And maybe a surprise, too. We’ll see. Please plan on coming! We can't wait to see you!