Soft eyes, warm heart, gentle spirit. Sweet, calm, loving. In a nutshell, that’s a greyhound. So, who could resist that wonderful combination? Certainly not Dan and Barbara Griffin of Fuquay-Varina. They share their home with not one, not two, but five greyhounds; all rescued since retiring from the racetrack.

“We were on a list to adopt a seeing-eye dog that couldn’t pass the training. When several months then a year went by, we couldn’t wait any longer for a new addition to the family. That’s when we discovered greyhounds,” said Dan Griffin, now president of Greyhound Friends of North Carolina. The organization has found homes for more than 4,000 greyhounds since its creation in 1994. Dan and his wife, Barbara are also active in the Triangle Greyhound Society, a local education and awareness group that serves Wake, Durham, and surrounding counties.

Greyhounds are raised to race and are kept in crates up to 20 hours a day. They learn to be quiet, patient, and passive. These sweet, docile dogs are of value to the racetrack only as long as they are profitable. In the past, about half of the retired dogs were simply destroyed when no longer able to win races. Fortunately, an ever-increasing number of racetracks and kennels now work with adoption organizations to find homes for these special, four-legged athletes. Now, an estimated 85-90% of retired greyhounds become long-term companions for people like Dan and Barbara.

“We’re very happy to see more and more people in the dog racing industry become responsible when it comes to the well-being of retired greyhounds,” Dan said. “There are greyhound placement organizations throughout the country, and one of our missions is to let people know about the ongoing need to find homes for these very sweet animals. They are the most loyal, loving pets imaginable.”

On any given day, some 30-40 greyhounds that are in need of homes, wait patiently at the adoption center of Greyhound Friends in Oak Ridge, near Greensboro, North Carolina. Most people who adopt one greyhound eventually adopt more, as they are such easy pets to care for, get along so well together, and offer such loving companionship. Some are cat friendly, as well.

“We started with Hogan and were immediately hooked,” Barbara said. “It wasn’t long before one became two, then three, and now we have five.” The Griffins have adopted older dogs that are more difficult to place. They range in age from eight to 14 years old. The youngest, Venus, is eight. Jazz is 10, Guy is 12, Top Gun is 13, and Dream is 14. Guy has cancer and receives three, human chemotherapy drugs. More than a year ago they did not expect Guy to survive, but Dan found an oncologist at Ohio State University who specializes in greyhounds. Originally, Guy was expected to live just a month or two. That was 14 months ago.

“We get back so much more than we give. They grab you and don’t let go,” Dan says. “These dogs are such wonderful creatures. They give unconditional affection and are a pure delight to have around.” Barbara adds, “We wanted to make a difference, and giving these animals a home makes a huge difference, for them and for us. We believe if more people knew what fantastic pets they are, many more would be adopted. You can’t help but fall in love with them,” she said.

For more information on greyhounds and adoptions, go online to www.trianglegreyhoundsociety.org, www.greyhoundfriends.com, or call Greyhound Friends of North Carolina at 336-643-0233.



*********

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT GREYHOUNDS:

They run from 40-45 mph on average. Size and sex of the dog do not affect speed.

Their blood is the most like humans of any animal, and they are universal donors to all canine breeds.

20,000 to 25,000 greyhounds retire from racing each year

The average lifespan of a greyhound is 10–13 years