Greyhound Adoptions of Florida - Latest Blog Entries

Long Overdue FL Rules for Greyhounds' Better Treatment

Sat, 11 May 2013 09:23:00 -0400

Although legislative victories were not coming this year, Florida greyhounds will benefit from a new ruling from the FL Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering. Taking effect on 21 May will be the following requirements:

1. Greyhound trainers will be required to notify state regulators every time a dog dies on racetrack or kennel grounds...in writing and within 18 hours of the death.

2. Greyhound haulers must be licensed.

3. Trainers must maintain a "roster" identifying each dog by name, tattoo number, owner's name, trainer's name, dog's date of arrival and departure and the name & license number of the person transporting the dog.

4. Keeping more than one dog per racetrack cage is now prohibited.

5. Track officials will be required to complete a "weekly documented walk-through" of occupied greyhound kennels.

This is progress. This is added transparency which history has proven to be the most effective check on maltreatment. This is proof that the tide is turning and the industry is being forced to listen to people like all of us who care only for the welfare of these dogs that we love.

FL Humane Lobby Day 10 April Tallahasse

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:08:00 -0400

There were about 60 animal welfare activists from all over Florida who gathered today in Tallahassee to lobby for a variety of Animal Rights bills…including those of us concerned with greyhound welfare in general and, ultimately, with the abolition of greyhound racing in this state. And quite frankly, not IF but WHEN greyhound racing dies in Florida it will be essentially GONE in the entire United States. We are Ground Zero for this "sport." This is a high stakes effort and FL is at its crux.

Bad news: in a nutshell, this year nothing will happen. Florida, this year, is undertaking a year-long massive evaluation of gaming/gambling in total…no doubt with an eye to maximizing this State's revenues but also to evaluate the extensive gambling sources and constituencies and to put in place some philosophic overview of what role gambling will play in Florida's revenue future. From a politician's viewpoint, there is so much more than the welfare of the dogs at stake here; greyhound racing is a tiny component in a state that's lobbed on layers and layers of "Let's do this gambling deal and hope for the best" in the attempt to get the most money with the least amount of expended effort into the state's coffers. The fact that dogs here are suffering, injured and dying for "entertainment" value is the last of many concerns. However, there will be a Listening Tour of the two Houses', Senate and House of Representatives, Gaming Committees, in the coming months to hear from FL citizens. To hear from YOU.

Good News: this is where WE, FL residents, come in. As soon as this Listening Tour schedule is published, I will GET THIS SCHEDULE OUT TO YOU. It is vitally important to have a strong show of anti-racing support that these committee members can see, hear and feel for themselves. Next year's efforts will not abolish dog racing, but, with the successful addition of the two bills proposed…the Decoupling Bill AND the Injury Reporting Bill (we are one of, I believe, 3 racing states that do NOT report greyhound racing injuries out of the 7 states that still legally have racing)...which will find a way to be included in the 2014 Massive Gambling Overview Legislation…WE STAND AN EXCELLENT CHANCE to deal a significant blow to this abhorrent industry that literally chews up dogs to provide for human greed and "entertainment." (If you've guessed that I am feeling more than a little combative after today's session, oh yeah, did you guess right.)

So, FL residents PLEASE…when there's a schedule of when these Listening Tour meetings will take place…PLEASE…PLAN ON ATTENDING. And be vocal, and sincere, and insistent. 2014 will be the best chance we have had in decades to make ourselves heard…to make the suffering of these dogs we love actually have a voice that will be heard. And maybe, just maybe, usher in the final act of this abomination called greyhound racing.

Memorial Garden Rededication - 3/24

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:00:00 -0400

The re-dedication of Freedom's garden will take place this Sunday, March 24 at 1:00pm at Grey Haven.

The address for Grey Haven is: 1470 NE 140th St., Citra, Fl. 32113

Directions to Grey Haven. From the south follow US441 into Ocala, after passing the light at nw 10th St, bear right onto 200A/Jacksonville Rd. At the 2nd light bear left staying on 200A/Jacksonville Rd. After approx. 10 miles you will come to a 4 way stop at CR329. Continue straight on 200A and NE 140th St. is about 1/4 mile on the left. 140th St. is a dirt track and Grey Haven is well marked on the left. Once you go through the 4 way stop at CR329, there is a large horse ranch named Gunn Farm on the left with horse fencing running along the road. This fencing ends at 140th St.

Also after turning onto 200A from US441 and traveling about 5 miles you will see a gated community called Jumbolair on the left. If you see a huge white tail of a very large jet aircraft sticking up, then you will know that John Travolta is in residence and I am sure he would be happy to give you a tour.

If you come north on I75 it is best to exit at CR326 and go East approx. 2 miles and turn left onto 200A/Jacksonville Rd. Then follow the above directions.

I also want to remind everyone that we will be introducing Freedom's Chimes during the re-dedication. All are welcome to attach a name or ID tag belonging to a treasured pet to these chimes.

Please plan on attending the re-dedication. Not only is it an opportunity to participate in this worthwhile event, but also an opportunity to interact with other members of the area Greyhound loving community.

This event is for humans only. Sr. Sanctuary folks please RSVP that you are coming so we will have an idea of the amount of food to order.

For more background on this event please read below.

The renovation of Freedom's garden is complete. The purpose was to downsize the garden and make it as maintenance-free as humanly possible, and at the same time preserve the original ambiance and message that the garden conveyed. This special garden was conceived to celebrate the spirit and story of a Greyhound named Freedom and also to remember Bob Varnberg, who was a true hero and Greyhound advocate. Hopefully all of these goals have been achieved in the renovation.

We have scheduled a re-dedication ceremony to honor the people who have worked so hard over the years to originate this Memorial Garden, and to reaffirm our dedication to this cause.

A new feature of the garden is "Freedom's Chimes". All of us who have loved and treasured a pet hang on to the collar and (hopefully old and well worn) ID tag. All are welcome to attach these ID tags to "Freedom's Chimes" and if an old and worn tag is not available, feel free to have one produced. This is a great opportunity to remember our beloved hounds.

The re-dedication is scheduled for March 24, 2013 at 1PM. Please put this date on your calendars and help celebrate the memories the are embodied by Freedom's Garden.

The program will consist of a short service (you are more than welcome to say a few words), a small bonfire ceremony and then food and drink for all! There will be at least one more notice with any changes or just as a reminder before the March 24th date.

Please join us.....Grey Haven has been the starting point for so very many greyhounds as they began their journey to you. It is only fitting that we end that journey here with years of wonderful memories. If you have any thoughts or questions, please feel free to contact Russ Anderson ( scootacius@aol.com ) or me at ( mvarnberg@embarqmail.com )

Results of the on-line auction to benefit the Father Al Dash Memorial Fund

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 19:45:00 -0500

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in the recent on-line auction for the newly created Father Al Dash Memorial Fund. A total of $7,786 was raised to help special needs hounds from the generosity of donors and winners.

You can make a tax-deductible donation to the Father Al Dash Memorial Fund anytime. All donations received will enable us to say yes the next time the phone rings with news of a greyhound who desperately needs help.

Results of the Villages Greyhound Club Pancake Breakfast

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:54:00 -0500

We would like to thank all the people who got up in the middle of the night and came to work at the pancake breakfast this past Saturday. You all did a GREAT job!

We raised a grand total of $974 to help greyhounds with special needs.

Thank you all so much for your dedication to GAF.

Jackie O'Hara
on behalf of The Villages Greyhound Club

GREY2KUSA testifies before FL Senate Committee on Gaming

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:01:00 -0500

Yesterday, February 4, Carey Theil of Grey2KUSA testified before the FL Senate Committee on Gaming as part of this Committee's comprehensive info gathering and evaluation of how gambling impacts FL revenues and lifestyles. For anyone unfamiliar with them, Grey2KUSA is an advocacy organization whose goal is the eventual abolition of greyhound racing worldwide, so Carey's testimony was integral to the lawmakers' understanding of racing dogs' welfare. The greyhound racing part of Florida's gambling industry is a small but highly newsworthy segment thanks to the major efforts of animal welfare activists here for the past 3 years. Ironically, both those of us working for the dogs' welfare and certain dog track interests are on the same side of the "decoupling" issue, which would allow individual tracks the freedom to run (OR NOT RUN) dog racing. This is a vast over-simplification of the issue, but an excellent report is at this link from the Panama City News-Herald. The GOOD NEWS: they are listening in Tallahassee, which they should be, as the points Carey & others made on Monday make perfect sense!

http://www.newsherald.com/news/government/senate-gaming-committee-hears-request-for-decoupling-1.89850

Villages Greyhound Club Presents Billie Thatcher - A Concert to Benefit Greyhounds

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 20:20:00 -0500

The Villages Greyhound Club Presents Billie Thatcher, a concert to benefit the Father Al Dash Memorial Fund.

The concert will be held at the Savannah Center at 6:30pm on Saturday, March 16.

Tickets are $10 each. The event is BYOB. Coffee & baked goods will be available for sale. There will be a 50/50.

To purchase tickets please contact Enis at 352-751-4416, Jo Ann at 352-751-6908 or buy on-line now:

Download the event flyer to print or share.

We hope to see you there!

Villages Greyhound Club Pancake Breakfast - 2/23

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 20:07:00 -0500

The Villages Greyhound Club will host a Pancake Breakfast at the Havana Country Club on Sunday, February 23 from 7am-10am.

The cost is $7 per person for All-You-Can Eat Pancakes, Coffee, Juice and Tea plus sausage (1st plate only).

For tickets please contact Carol Bellavia 352-753-6563 (anglia48@aol.com) or Enis Bissonette 352-751-4418 (eabis@thevillages.net). You may also purchase tickets on-line:

Download and print or share the event flyer.

We hope to see you there!

Items for on-line auction needed ASAP!

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 15:42:00 -0500

Our big, important on-line auction is weeks away! We are desperately in need of auction items that will make this event a huge success. With our focus on special needs dogs, we expect the vet bills to be high but this is the only way to be sure each greyhound has a chance to live a healthy, happy life with a loving family.

We hope that each of you will find a special item to donate to this important cause.

Pictures and descriptions can be emailed to both Diane Jackson djackson@snell-levin.com and me mvarnberg@embarqmail.com. The auction is scheduled to start on FEBRUARY 24, so, please....the sooner we can work on your donation, the happier the little auction elves will be. :)

Here's what we need from you:

what the item is
a detailed description
photo(s)
what you want the donated by line to say

Please consider donating the postage within the contiguous US and even Canada!

If you don't have an item to donate, please consider making a cash donation that will help us cover all fees involved with this auction.

All funds netted in this auction go into our Father Al Dash Memorial Fund for special needs dogs.....GAF is hoping to be able to help other groups with vet bills to be sure all greyhounds receive the medical care they deserve.

Questions? Contact me at the above e-mail address!

And thank you all in advance for your continuing support and love for greyhounds everywhere.

Marilyn Varnberg
Greyhound Adoptions of Florida
at the farm....Grey Haven
352-671-5333
mvarnberg@embarqmail.com

Father Al Dash Memorial Fund

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 15:31:00 -0500

INTRODUCING THE FATHER AL DASH MEMORIAL FUND

The year 2012 was a very difficult one for me personally…..after losing my mother early in the year, I lost my good friend Father Al Dash and then was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Needless to say, a good part of the year was a bit of a blur.

I have known for a few years now that the time was coming when I would have to slow down, or at least change the way GAF was operating. It was time to do things “smarter” and “better” which would ease my physical load. Facing kidney surgery, I knew it was well past the time to start making those changes.

After much discussion and soul searching, it dawned on me that Father Al and I had always had long conversations about the special needs dogs that were such a big part of our lives. Every time he saw a new “kid” on the website he would call and ask about the medical issues, the emotional problems and we would talk long and hard about the right approach for that particular dog. Al supported GAF emotionally, spiritually and financially for many, many years. (Oh, how I miss hearing his voice!) What better way to continue the work that meant so much to GAF and Father Al than starting a fund in his memory!

I would like to introduce to you the Father Al Dash Memorial Fund which will support the medical care for any special needs greyhound, be it in our care or in another adoption group's care. This year our fund raising focus will be to add to this fund…..and to continue to make sure fewer and fewer dogs on farms and tracks fall through the cracks and not make it to an adoption group.

While I can no longer be hands on with a large number of dogs with time consuming medical needs, there are many groups here in Florida and in other parts of the country who have the manpower and desire to help these dogs, but do not have the funds for the initial veterinary care. We hope to raise enough money to help these groups start these very special greyhounds on the road to a long and happy and HEALTHY life.

What we do will totally depend on the amount of money we can raise. I hate saying no to any dog in need…as long as we have the funds, we are willing to work with groups who do not have the financial resources for a particular dog.

How we do this will evolve with experience, but I can tell you this: money raised for any "Father Al" dog will go directly to the veterinarian or veterinary hospital that is delivering the treatment. We have already helped in two cases in 2012; Lolly, a lovely brindle girl who needed a pacemaker and Fuzzy's Fresca, a darling little two year old who needed surgery to repair a broken leg.

Over the years I have watched the broken and the lame and the bruised and the scarred dog heal and walk away to a family who waited patiently for that particular dog. I could never watch that dog leave without shedding a few tears, but believe me, they were tears of joy and satisfaction…..I need to continue to feel that way.

We, all of us at GAF, have done so much to rescue, rehabilitate and place greyhounds. Our mission continues. But our primary focus now will be on seeking out those dogs who, with our help, will have the chance for a good life. The gifts you generously make will be put literally to saving lives that might otherwise be discarded. This honors Father Al's memory in the best way possible and this is a cause we can all be so very proud of.

Please, help us continue a project that was so important to Father Al and to greyhound lovers all over the country. Let’s do what we can, what we've always done, and ensure each dog has a chance and is never denied a healthy start in its journey into adoption.

Please e-mail me with any questions. I am excited about our new focus…and we can all be proud and satisfied that we will be filling a need that's largely gone unrecognized, but one that's existed as long as there have been greyhounds to save. And, a final word, while this project will take up much of our resources, we will still be available for adoption as we always have been. It has always been, and will always be, about the dogs.

Thank you my friends…with my love,

~Marilyn

What's a Dog For?

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 15:59:00 -0500

A New Look on Our Favorite Topic by Joyce Carta

John Homans, an editor with New York Magazine, has just published "What's a Dog For?" which is now getting reviewed and the reviews are largely very good. Mr. Homans looks at his mixed breed Lab, Stella, and thinks about “the strangeness of having this predator in my home, lying on her back, waiting to get her stomach scratched." His book traces the history of the transformation from wild creature to beloved family member, with an emphasis on how canine cognition functions and just what makes them so responsive to us. And conversely, us to THEM. Dog ownership in the United States is up by 45% since 1996 and with this amazing growth, there are scientific, philosophical and even political implications. As the Amazon.com reviewer put it: dogs have one paw in the animal world and one in our world, and as such they have much to teach us about what it means to be human. But, you know, if you're reading this blog, you already knew that(!). "What's a Dog For?" sounds like a good read to me!

Shop LOCAL, Shop BETTER, Shop FRIENDS!

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:17:00 -0500

Shop LOCAL, Shop BETTER, Shop FRIENDS!

A shameless but sincere plug for FastDog Foodies(!), which is a new venture from GAFNE members Kathy Diemer and Christine Stinger, to produce simple, healthy, quality treats for your dog. FastDog Foodies offers 100% natural, 100% American sourced, 100% preservative-free, limited & pure ingredient Dehydrated Pet Treats…made by people you know and trust! None of this "It's from China and we have no idea what's really in it" nonsense. These dehydrated treats include Chicken, Beef, Turkey (seasonally offered!) and Yams…and sometimes there's even VENISON available. Prices are amazingly reasonable ranging from $1.00 or less per oz. for Yams and $2.00 or less per oz. for Chicken and Beef. Full details on pricing and quantities on the Fastdog Foodies Facebook page OR by emailing: FastDogFoodies@gmail.com And yes, they will be happy to ship if you're not so local.

What better gift for your best friend than treats he will love and be so good for him, too? Christmas is definitely on its way…hint/hint… Good luck with "FastDog Foodies," Kathy & Christine! And congrats on that pretty cool company name, too!

Save the date for Carrabba's Fundraiser Luncheon on 1/18

Sun, 25 Nov 2012 15:10:00 -0500

WHAT: Carrabba’s Italian Grill fundraiser luncheon

WHEN: Friday, January 18, 2011 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: 650 Hwy. 441-Rolling Hills Plaza, The Villages, FL (map)

WHY: Eat delicious food, visit with friends and help Greyhound Adoptions of Florida’s injured, retired and adoptable greyhounds.

MENU: Chicken Marsala, Caesar salad, bread, non-alcoholic beverage and dessert.

VEGETARIAN OPTION: For vegetarians, an alternate vegetarian entrée, Tagliarini Picchi Pacchiu (pasta in a sauce of crushed tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and basil) is available on request.

COST: $20 per person, tax & tip included. Bar will be open on a cash basis.

Table service will begin at 11:00 a.m., one seating only, and will end at 1:00 p.m., as dinner service at the restaurant begins at 3:00 p.m. This will give guests arriving later to complete their meals at leisure.

Join us for a delicious meal (at a great price - purchased off the menu it would cost approx. $30.00!) that will benefit the greyhounds in GAF's care.

Representatives of the Villages Greyhound Club will take your reservations and check or you may contact Jackie O'Hara at jbohara@embarqmail.com or call her at 352 307 4553. Checks must be in our hands no later then 1/15/13.

There will be some greyhounds outside to meet with you on your way out and in. Our volunteers will be happy to answer any questions about greyhounds as pets.

Tickets will be at the door the day of the luncheon so that they will not be lost in the mail. Please make your reservations early. We have only 150 spaces so get your seat now!

GAF is a 5O1-C (3) foundation and your donation is tax deductible. A receipt stub will be on your ticket.

All of us at Greyhound Adoptions of Florida wish to thank Carrabba’s Italian Grill, and the staff of the Lady Lake FL location, for their generosity and help in hosting this fund raising event.

Tickets will be ready by Dec. 1st.

IDEA--- THESE TICKETS CAN BE USED FOR Christmas GIFTS TOO! REMEMBER NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS & GRAB BAG GIFTS.

See Enis, Carol or Jackie for tickets.

TIME Online on What Your Dog is Thinking

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 17:00:00 -0400

In a fascinating article online (here's the link: http://ideas.time.com/2012/10/11/what-your-dog-is-thinking/ ) TIME Magazine reviews some of the recent research on just how and to what extent man's best friend got to be as smart as he/she is. AND the photo, to me, looks a little greyhound-like...but of course we all know that our preferred breed is in a class by itself...!! Happy reading!

Pawbrokers Jewelry Event in Charlotte, NC on 9/13

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 13:01:00 -0400

Attention all GAFSE members!!!

Mark your calendars for this fantastic opportunity to raise money for the dogs and fill up your jewelry box at deeply discounted prices!

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:

Shop and buy the beautiful jewelry
100% of the money raised from the sale of jewelry will go to Greyhound Adoptions of Florida-Southeast Chapter
Pay-it-Forward…Clean out your jewelry boxes of the jewelry you no longer wear
Bring it with you the night of the party ~ if you don’t have any to donate please come anyway
It’s a Pay-It-Forward concept. The jewelry received that night will be available for purchase at future parties, therefore providing endless opportunities to raise money for the animals.

http://www.pawbrokers.org/

Please also share this flyer with your friends, family and co-workers. It is a great event! Folks can come by just to shop, or they can have dinner and/or cocktails at All American Pub who is hosting us. They have great food!

Save the date for GAF Northeast's 3rd Annual Fundraiser Luncheon at Carrabba's - 9/8

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 09:19:00 -0400

WHAT: Carrabba’s Italian Grill Fundraiser Luncheon organized by GAF Northeast to benefit Greyhound Adoptions of Florida

WHEN: Saturday, September 8, 2012 – 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: 102 Painters Crossing, West Chester PA 19382 (map)

WHY: Eat delicious food, visit with friends and help GAF’s retired and adoptable greyhounds.

MENU:

Fried Zucchini appetizer
Mama Mandola's Sicilian Chicken Soup or Caesar Salad
Choice of: Chicken Marsala, Mezzaluna ravioli (with chicken, ricotta and spinach in tomato cream sauce ) or Tag Pic Pac (Vegetarian pasta dish with crushed tomatoes, garlic & basil)
Assorted mini desserts
Non-alcoholic beverages

COST: $25 per person

Door prizes, raffle prizes & live auction.

If you purchased tickets on-line by the deadline please note physical tickets will NOT be mailed to you; they will be held for you at the event.

For more information about the location please visit: http://www.carrabbas.com/restaurant/locations/pa/west-chester/west-chester-chadds-ford and be sure to "like" them on Facebook too! http://www.facebook.com/Carrabbas All of us at Greyhound Adoptions of Florida wish to thank the wonderful folks, especially Vince Amoroso, Proprietor; at Carrabba's Italian Grill, Chadds Ford, PA for their generosity and help in welcoming us back for a third time!

And so we begin again...

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 07:54:00 -0400

Hello FL Greyhound Lovers! We are about 6 months away from the start of the new Legislative Session in Tallahassee, and the battle is underway. It has now taken the form of very generous campaign contributions prior to next month's Primary Elections by the industry and its supporters to candidates IN FAVOR OF propping up this inhumane activity. What can we do? We, concerned citizens and voters, can support those candidates who believe as we do, that the days of greyhound racing in Florida must end and end quickly.

Grey2KUSA has published an alert to this effect. We must work hard to counter this infusion of campaign cash, and to that end, Grey2KUSA has announced their endorsement of 26 candidates who have earned all of our support on these issues.

To quote directly from Carey Theil's Alert: "Please support these candidates. If you live in one of the districts where one of these endorsed candidates is running, please vote for him or her. Also please consider voluntering for these campaigns, and making direct campaign contributions to the candidates. Finally, if you are able to support these candidates please let them know that you are helping their campaign because of their leadership on greyhound protection issues."

GREY2K USA Endorsements for the Florida State Senate and State House

•In Brevard County we are endorsing John Tobia for State House (District 53).

•In Broward County we are endorsing Eleanor Sobel for State Senate (District 33),Jared Moskovitz for State House (District 97), and Louis Reinstein for State House (District 98).

•In Duval County we are endorsing Audrey Gibson for State Senate (District 9).

•In Hillsborough County we are endorsing Joe Wicker for State House (District 59) and Betty Reed for State House (District 61).

•In Miami-Dade County we are endorsing Gwen Margolis for State Senate (District 35) and Kionne McGhee for State House (District 117).

•In Orange County we are endorsing Tom Goodson for State House (District 50).

•In Osceola County we are endorsing Mike Horner for State House (District 42).

•In Palm Beach County we are endorsing Joseph Abruzzo for State Senate (District 25), Mark Pafford for State House (District 86), and Dave Kerner for State House (District 87).

•In Polk County we are endorsing John Wood for State House (District 41).

•In Sarasota County we are endorsing Ray Pilon for State House (District 72).

•In Seminole County we are endorsing Scott Plakon for State House (District 30).

•In Volusia County we are endorsing Frank Bruno Jr. for State Senate (District 8).

We are also endorsing candidates in several districts that span multiple counties:

•In State Senate District 1 (Washington, Walton, Bay, Jackson, Holmes, andOkaloosa Counties) we are endorsing Don Gaetz.

•In State Senate District 3 (Hamilton, Madison, Taylor, Jefferson, Leon, Wakulla, Gadsen, Liberty, Franklin, Calhoun, and Gulf Counties) we are endorsing Bill Montford.

•In State Senate District 14 (Orange and Osceola Counties) we are endorsingDarren Soto.

•In State Senate District 34 (Palm Beach and Broward Counties) there are two greyhound friendly candidates running for the same seat. For now, we are supporting both Ellyn Bogdanoff and Maria Sachs in their respective primaries.

•In State House District 20 (Alachua and Marion Counties) we are endorsingMarihelen Wheeler.

•In State House District 55 (Highlands, Glades and Okeechobee Counties) we are endorsing Randy Johnson.

•In State House District 100 (Broward and Miami-Dade Counties) we are endorsing Joseph Gibbons.

An Amazingly Special Auction - Now until 10pm on 7/23

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 07:19:00 -0400

Father Al Dash had a heart bigger than the distance along the East Coast and it undoubtedly contained a few greyhound hairs from the hundreds of dogs he gently caressed.

A fixture at the Dewey Beach blessing of the greyhounds, Father Al touched many people and the greyhounds loved by them.

This remarkable, humble man continues to give his love, support and blessing to the greyhound community.

Father Al's collection of greyhound memorabilia has been donated to an auction to benefit both Greyhound Adoptions of Florida and Greyhound Friends of North Carolina.

The auction will run until Monday, July 23, at 10PM ET.

Please help Father Al Dash in "paying it forward" to help care for and place even more greyhounds into loving homes.

Father Al Dash, in loving memory 1937-2012, in our hearts forever.

9th Annual GAF Northeast Picnic - The results are in!

Sun, 10 Jun 2012 12:00:00 -0400

A Day of Fun in the Sun at The 9th Annual GAF Northeast Picnic!

WHEN: Sunday, June 3 from 12-4pm

WHERE: Bellevue State Park in Wilmington

WHY: Good times with GAF friends for a GREYT cause - GAF greyhounds in need!

THE RESULTS: A total of $5,200 was raised at the picnic to help our greyhound in need!!!

THE FUN: Beautiful weather, funny bathing suits, hounds inhaling whipped cream shots, yummy food and cake for both hounds and humans, wonderful auction items, great shopping, a smooth auctioneer/auction and spending time with our favorite greyhound friends and their dogs.

6/10/12 - A week later...This time last week many GAF adopters and their greys were at the 9th Annual GAF Northeast Picnic. If you haven't seen them already, check out the 200+ photos from the event. As expected, the mobile whipped cream shot station was a HUGE hit with the hounds :)

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who worked so hard for months to ensure the day would be successful AND fun for everyone who attended, both our guests with two legs and those with four (and in some cases three) paws! A total of $5,200 was raised to help our greyhounds in need!!! We'd also like to extend special thanks to Gale & Tony Tereszcuk who donated their winnings from the 50/50 back to Greyhound Adoptions of Florida for a total of $1,395 raised from the 50/50 raffle alone. And last but definitely not least, a big THANK YOU to EVERYONE who donated items for the raffle and live auction including DOGSWELL, Furry-Baby Fashions & ShopMollyd!

Some of the funds raised at this event will go to help Diandra, a 4 ½-year old greyhound who came to GAF at the end of April. She has received the medical care she needed and is now ready to find her forever home.

Say hello to Diandra! Read her story, and yes, she is now ready to find her forever home!

Now check out more than 200 photos from the event

June issue of Greyt News

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:05:00 -0400

The June issue of Greyt News is fresh off the virtual press! It's brimming with wonderful, heartwarming stories, complete with lots of photos. Here are the highlights of this issue:

Quinn goes to 3rd Grade
by Nancy Roberts

Meet Krystal, the dog who gives poignant meaning to "Triumph Over Adversity" with her indomitable will power and with the 100% dedication of the people in her life who wanted to make sure she had every chance to succeed

by Kathy Diemer

My Recent Dog Track Experience

by Christine Anderson

Tigger's Rescue

by Valerie DeLisle

Chandler & Josie

by Kate Wilson

Marilyn's Thoughts where she remembers some very special friends who were a very important part of GAF

Mike Schmidt	Tim Archibald
Father Al Dash

and looking ahead to special events in the near future. If you didn't receive a copy in your inbox or find the link in your Facebook news feed you can get a copy here now!

All comments, suggestions, ideas are "greyt"fully welcomed. Thanks to our many contributors, this issue and for future issues! If If you