Adopted by a Greyhound--Part I

The day we were adopted by Angie's Foxy Lady (Angie to us)

That is what I am/we are--adopted by a Greyhound.

If you have patience and are open-minded without a particular "must have" color, your Greyhound will find and adopt you.  You will know when it happens.  It is a powerful and mysterious event.

Our first experience of being adopted by a Greyhound came after much research.  My husband, 3-year-old daughter, and I went to visit the ex-racers available for adoption through GAP of N.E. Florida.  We wanted a female, and that was really the only thing we wanted.  We saw several dogs fresh off the track; they were all beautiful and friendly.  Then we were told about a white and blue Greyhound that was a bounce-back and had been there less than 24 hours.  Bounce-backs are returned for various reasons, and it is part of your adoption contract to return them if you are unable to keep them for any reason.

She was 5 1/2-years-old and ready to go since she had previously been in a family for a few years.  She was only returned because she had been digging in the backyard (not that unusual, especially when there is no shade for the Greyhound).  The wife, evidently, had had enough.  The Greyhound had basically been the husband's dog.  They had three children and a cat, so she was used to family life.  Evidently, bringing her back was very emotional for the husband.

When the Greyhound was let out of the cage, she came right over to us, looked up at us with her tail wagging, and seemed to say, "Ok.  I am ready to go home now."  It was a match.  Her name was Angie's Foxy Lady (Angie).  This was an unexpected but welcomed surprise.  We don't understand how this happened, but we fell in love with her immediately.  There was no question that she had chosen us and was meant to join our family.  Call it Divine intervention or animal intuition, whatever it was, it was real and true.  We believed we were going to be choosing a Greyhound, but quickly learned that they choose you.

She was a wonderful addition to our family.  There was no adjustment period (as is usually the case when you adopt an ex-racer).  She was our only pet for a few years before we were contacted about adopting a brood bitch directly from a breeder who was getting out of the business.
Naturally, we took her.

Her story will be Part II.

We have had this experience three times now, and we still can't explain it.
More stories and lessons learned to come.

Dawn