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Friday, January 28, 2011

Greyhound Gala Volunteer Meeting - this Sunday!

There will be a volunteer meeting at 4:00pm this Sunday for anyone interested in helping with the 2011 Greyhound Gala on March 5th. If you are interested in attending the meeting, or can't come but would like to help, please contact EmilyHummel@GreyhoundPetsOK.org and we will give you all the information you need.

Thank you for being a vital part of our fundraising and education efforts! Long Live Adoption!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Spotlight on Charlie!

Charlie, or KL Cal's Ripken, is a SWEET 1-1/2 year old Red male greyhound. He didn't race so he went straight to retirement! He is cat and small dog friendly and seems to get along with everyone. He has a gorgeous black muzzle and is very inquisitive about all the fun sights, sounds & smells in the house. We have discovered that Charlie loves to look at himself in the mirror or window reflection!

View Charlie's pedigree info here



Watch this video of Charlie playing in the snow with his "brother" in his foster home! They are too cute!

ooooh....ahhhhh... sneak peek of auction item!

We have a big post planned to show you our INCREDIBLE auction items for the upcoming Greyhound Gala, but we had to give you a little sneak peek of something special the Green Envy Girls are donating for the fundraiser. This tote bag is SO cool!

http://greenenvygirls.blogspot.com/


Start filling your piggy banks and completing your 2010 tax returns becuause you are going to LOVE the stuff we have for you all to bid on and win!

We can't wait to share all our sponsors with you and even more information about the Second Annual Greyhound Gala!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

New foster dogs arriving today!

Today we brought 2 new foster dogs in and they are at the vet now getting ready for their foster homes!

Meet Easy E!
Racing Name: Kiowa Easy Estes
White & Brindle Male
6 Years Old
Cat & Small Dog Safe



Meet Charlie!
Racing Name: KL Cal's Ripken
Red Male
1-1/2 Years Old
Cat & Small Dog Safe




Keep checking back for more pictures, Spotlight & personality info about these handsome new guys!

Special thanks to Jim & Angela Flynn for picking these dogs up for us! They are greyt volunteers!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Happy Birthday FRENCHIE!

Today is Frenchie's 4th birthday!!

Happy Birthday Frenchie!!

Frenchie was adopted by the Gonzalez family last year and has since been spoiled rotten by her mommy & daddy and brother Bevo the whippet. We bet this will be her best birthday yet!

Friday, January 21, 2011

Visit us in Norman tomorrow!

We will hold our monthly Show & Tell at the Petsmart in Norman tomorrow from 12:00-2:00pm. We hope you are able to stop by to learn about greyhound adoption and meet some of our greyts!

Come visit us and meet Bessie the beautiful adoptable greyhound! http://houndsoftheheartland.blogspot.com/2011/01/spotlight-on-bessie.html

The Norman Petsmart is located at 660 Ed Noble Pkwy.

See you there!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Registration now open for Greyhound America 2011!

Each year, Race the Wind, Inc. of Wichita, KS holds a gathering in Abilene, KS called Greyhound America. This year it will be held June 2nd - 5th. It's a fun time for greyhound enthusiasts to get together to celebrate the breed and all the hard work put in over the previous year. There are speakers, merchandise for sale, contests, a live auction, a fun run (where your greyhound can run on an actual track!) and the chance to meet people across the US who share a common bond - the love of a greyhound! Yes- you bring your greyhound(s) with you! Abilene, KS is also the home of the National Greyhound Association and Greyhound Hall of Fame, both of which you can tour during the event.

Last year we showed up with around 16 people & their greyhounds representing Hounds of the Heartland and had a blast getting to know each other and share greyt memories with our dogs. We hope you will consider attending Greyhound America with us this year!

If you would like to reserve a room in the Motel we stay at, please contact Sharon at HOHOKC@gmail.com and let her know how many rooms you will need. The motel is a modest establishment but has great access to grassy areas to walk our dogs right outside the door. It's very affordable, too!

To register for the event, visit http://racethewind.org/gha/forms/registration/ and sign up for the Fun Run at the same time.

The Tales of Tigger & Baxter

As a Retired Greyhound Adoption Program... we avoid using the term "rescue" because our dogs usually come from a different, more controlled situation than most adoption programs. Since we work closely with the farms & tracks in the area to obtain retired greyhounds to place up for adoption, it's usually not considered a rescue situation since they are willingly turning over their greyhounds to be placed in loving homes.

That being said, not every greyhound shows up on a charter bus wearing a champion racing silk, trophy in hand and ready to begin their life of luxury. Every now and then we get the chance to pull together for actual rescue scenarios, and that was the case with Tigger the Greyhound.

A nice guy in Guthrie found Tigger roaming the streets, in need of a warm place to stay and a meal (or 7). He took him in and took care of him until we could find a place for him to go. He even took him to his vet and had him treated for tapeworm, vaccinated and had a laceration on his leg attended to, all out of his pocket. Tigger had previously broken his leg and it healed on its own, so he has a bent front leg but walks on it just fine. After being on the streets for who knows how long, Tigger doesn't even have an aggressive bone in his body. He's great with the kids, small dogs and cats alike.

We don't always have open spots for a new greyhound to come in, but with a little help from our volunteers and family looking to eventually adopt, we were able to bring him in, have him neutered, bathed & teeth cleaned and have him to his new home within 3 days.

This speaks so much for the dedication of our volunteers and those in the community who are willing to help out a sweet dog in need. One look at Tigger's pictures and you'll see how easy it was to help with that sweet face and begging eyes! Tigger is now in his new potential forever home and they have named him "Ferghus!"



In the same week as Tigger was found, we also were blessed with a little greyhound pup found roaming on the streets of OKC! Baxter was taken in by a nice lady who took him straight to her vet to be bathed and boarded for the night to keep him out of the frigid weather we were experiencing. The next morning one of our volunteers went to pick him up and take a look at him- that's when we learned he was just a puppy! At 7 months old, Baxter is a sweet, carefree guy who just wants to please.

We sent out an SOS looking for someone who was willing to take on challenge of fostering a young guy and the response was amazing from people willing to help out. We are so lucky to have such greyt volunteers! Baxter has been fully vetted and is now in foster care, waiting on that perfect family to adopt him and love him forever! If you are interested in meeting Baxter, visit Our Adoptables Page to learn more about him or fill out an Adoption Application today!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Spotlight on Maralin!

Maralin is a 3-1/2 year old petite female greyhound. She is very sweet and gets along with other dogs very well. She loves chew toys and snuggling under warm blankets! We have not yet tested her with cats or small dogs but we hope to soon. Please contact us if you are interested in meeting Maralin!

View Maralin's pedigree info here

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Spotlight on Baxter... a greyhound pup!

This sweet little guy was found as a stray and we HAD to take him in! He is currently 10 months old and weighs a little over 50 lbs. He is SUCH a sweet boy! As you can see from the video, he LOVES to play with other dogs and is cat safe as well. Baxter has never met a stranger, and charms everyone he meets! If you are looking for a dog with a little more energy, Baxter is your boy!



Spotlight on Bessie!

Bessie, or "U'll Gettoknowme," is a sweet little dark brindle girl who gets along well with cats, small dogs, and other dogs her size. She has 31 races registered. She will do best in a home with older children. Bessie is new to HOH so stay tuned for more personality information and pictures of Bessie!

Bessie's Pedigree Info

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Greyhound Show & Tell- this Saturday!

Stop by Petsmart on 63rd & May Ave. in OKC this Saturday between 11:00am - 2:00pm to meet some retired racing greyhounds, or bring your own greyhound for a fun social outing!

You'll have the chance to meet Emma, one of our adoptable greyhounds as well as many others to see a variety of personalities and colors!

See you there!

Meet Emma this Saturday at Petsmart!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

How much do YOU love your greyhounds?

We all have our own little ways of showing off our favorite breed of dog. What's yours? What lengths have you gone to for your greyhounds? Send us your pics! EmilyHummel@GreyhoundPetsOk.org

This is true dedication to safety!
Spreadin' the love...

Click to see a bigger image- each sticker is greyt!

Buying a new house with a new, bigger yard- all for the greyhounds!

Making sure everyone knows to keep these cuties INSIDE the fence!

Calvin models for Candee's car advertisement



Sunday, January 9, 2011

Spotlight on Roda!

Roda is an adorable little greyhound who never raced. She is 1-1/2 years old and very sweet. Roda is cat safe and seems to get along with other dogs and people very well! Stay tuned for more personality info on sweet little Roda!



*Note: muzzles are not a sign of aggression in greyhounds, only a safety precaution when transporting!

Spotlight on Season!

Season is a 2-1/2 year old male greyhound looking for his forever home! He is cat safe but likes to chase when outdoors, so a home with inside cats would be best. He seems to do very well with other dogs and is loving his new retired life!

View Open All Season's Pedigree Info



Check back for more information about Season!

*Note: muzzles are not a sign of aggression in greyhounds, only a safety precaution when transporting!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Prez Says - January 2011

2010 was an amazing year for Hounds of the Heartland. Not only did we adopt out 45 dogs (which by the way is the 2nd best year we have ever had). We also elected a new President, and added a new Board Member Emily Williams as Secretary with Candee Scott moving over to be our Correspondence Secretary. We also began participating in many new events, for example: Live on the Plaza, Paws Around Town, and the State Fair. And the best part, is the volunteers! For 2010 we have had more volunteers than ever before. People like Janet Riggan writing Grant Applications, Jim and Angela Flynn picking up dogs for our group in Tulsa, Jane Pace and The Forcina’s running Show and Tell events for us; this is just to name a few, there were several people that took time out of their schedules to help HOH accomplish great things!!!

However, with all the good of 2010, there was a lot of sadness as well. In 2010, we had a record number of greyhounds pass away. I knew many of the greyhounds personally and I have a heavy heart for each of them and their families. Each greyhound is special in their own personal way, which makes losing just one very difficult because they are each so unique. So for me, personally, I enter into 2011 with a sad heart; but I’m also very excited for what the future brings.

With the New Year, it is time for New Year’s Resolutions, and this year our group should follow along. So, for 2011, I challenge this group of wonderful friends to assist us in setting the record for adopted dogs (current record is 50 set back in 2001). The only way we can accomplish this is for us to have several adoptable dogs available at all times. Right now, we currently only have 2 active foster families, which means we will only ever have 3 adoptable dogs in our group. I know a couple of people are taking much needed breaks, but we need new people to raise their hand and begin fostering. It is not an easy assignment and there is hard work involved, but in the end seeing your foster dog go to a great home is extremely rewarding. In the famous words of Jimmy Dugan: “It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it so great.” If you are interested in fostering, please contact me or any of the other Board Members. We will supply everything you need: food, beds, medical supplies, etc… All you have to supply is love, guidance, and be willing to part with the occasional chewed up shoe. ;-)

So here is to a great 2011! I wish everyone a Happy and Successful New Year!

-Brad Whitley
President, Hounds of the Heartland