Greyhound Adoptions of Florida

Savannah
A Christmas Miracle

This is the time of year that we celebrate the holidays with our loved ones and are filled with good will to all. This is also the time of year that I reflect on what 2011 has brought us and wonder what 2012 will bring. It's a time of joy and good food and drink and laughter. All shared with the people we love. It's the time that all the greyhounds here at the farm know that they get special treats sent from all over the country and if they are REALLY good, they get a Holiday turkey, made special for them! Well, we don't have the pleasure of watching the children open gifts on Christmas morning, so years ago, Bob would cook a turkey and we would share it with all the dogs and watch the look of anticipation on their faces when they smelled dinner! It's a tradition I continue to this day. 

I want to share my Christmas miracle with you.  Almost 13 years ago, Bob and I took a litter of 7 "oops" pups from a local greyhound farm to raise.  It was an experience I don't care to repeat but they sure did make us laugh in between the tears of frustration!  Two of the little girls were adopted by a woman in North Carolina who was well know in the adoption and lure coursing circles. She was thrilled to be able to start two greyhounds on a coursing career at a young age.  Over the years I lost track of her only to hear that she was accused of hoarding and over 40 dogs were taken from  her home by the authorities.  She and her husband were prosecuted to the degree possible in that state and the dogs were all confiscated.  I frantically called each group, trying to find my girls as they would have been the only dogs not tattooed.  I was told at each call that no dogs without tattoos were found.  I mourned for the puppies that I put in harms way and allowed to suffer a horrible life. 

The call came one day that "my" girls were safe. They had so many ticks in their ears that their caretakers thought they had tattoos.  We brought our Scarlett and Savannah home as soon as they were healthy enough to travel.  Scarlett immediately went into a home with one of her litter-mates in Lakeland and lived a happy life until cancer took her a few years ago.  Savannah went to live with two of her other litter-mates up north.

I thought I had again done the right thing and found out last month that Savannah was again being given up at almost 13 years of age!  Thanks to wonderful volunteers, Savannah hitched a ride from Philly to Grey Haven and is now part of the wonderful mix of misfits that I share my home and my life with.  Full circle for this beautiful, tiny little greyhound. I owe her a joyful life. I owe her for everything she was denied for almost 13 years.  We don't always get a second chance to right a wrong but what better time of year for this to happen?

And, yes, that's her picture at the top of the page!

Thank you all for caring about our greyhounds and for all you have done for so many this past year.  May this holiday be a happy, healthy one for you and may you know that we are blessed to have you as friends.

From Savannah and all the amazing Grey Haven dogs, we wish you the best there is in life....for that is what you have given us.

~Marilyn