Chance Encounter

Pictured above:  Louis, one of the greyhounds recovered in Guam.

More pictures can be found at:www.guamgreyhounds.org/Story.html 

A few weeks ago, I was perusing the Internet, looking for greyhound memorabilia.  Nothing out of the norm, I do this often.  I found a great site selling beautiful jewelry & other hound inspired items, NorthCoast Greyhounds, www.northcoastgreyhounds.net/store/.  What is especially interesting about this group is that they are not an adoption group.  Their focus is on raising money & awareness for groups that place retired greys.  And what really caught my attention, was the note on their homepage about a campaign for collars for greyhounds in Guam.

Guam?  There are greyhounds in Guam?  What are greyhounds doing in Guam?

Turns out that there is greyhound racing in Guam.  Or should I say, "there was" greyhound racing in Guam.  When the track closed suddenly in November of 2008, they started a public, "give away", of the dogs.  These dogs were free to anyone who wanted them, not spayed or neutered, no training was given, no transfer papers were signed.  There were absolutely no adoption policies in place until early December when an agreement was made with Guam Animals in Need (GAIN), the agency responsible for animal welfare on the island.  GAIN has found many of the hounds nearly starved, badly sunburned, dehydrated, injured, & dead.  Many people were not prepared/trained for the care that greys require & elected to turn the dogs lose. 

Once they are well enough, the dogs which are recovered will be placed in qualified homes in Guam, many others are headed to adoption groups on the U.S. West Coast.  The fate of those greyhounds at the track is still undetermined.  

NorthCoast Greyhounds started a collar & squeaky toy campaign in early February to entice anyone with a greyhound in Guam to contact GAIN.  (The collars/toys are shipped from California to Guam. When they reach Guam, the care packages will be given to new adopters.) The adoption group that I am involved with generously donated 20 collars & many more members donated money on-line to help with the rescue efforts.  

For more information & to donate, please visit:  www.guamgreyhounds.org/Story.html .