Greyhound Adoptions of Florida - Latest Blog Entries

LUNCHEON

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0600

These are the last few days to make your reservation for our Carrabba's Fundraising luncheon. Reservations close March 16th. Hurry, reserve your space today - the hounds need you to be there! Simply click on "Carrabba's Luncheon" here on our website and your reservation will be entered immediately. Or, contact me @ bpietr283@yahoo.com or call me at 353 307 4505. I'm waiting to hear from you.

Thanks, Barb Pietrangelo - GAF

Greyt News: Spring 2010 edition

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:47:00 -0600

In the latest issue of Greyt News you'll find exclusive articles from Greyhound Adoption of Florida volunteers including:

Carrabba's lunch fundraiser reminder: March 20, 2010!
Remembering Sport: The greyhound that started it all
Greyhounds belong here in this house
Brushing teeth: DIY or see a trained vet?
Recommended reads
Fostering Conley and finding a new home for this special boy

Read the latest Greyt News here.

Greyt News is the official Greyhound Adoptions of Florida newsletter edited by GAF volunteer Barb Pietrangelo. You can e-mail Barb at bpietr283@yahoo.com.

Whitney: Who wants to go in the car?!

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 11:29:00 -0600

Whitney is a very beautiful black greyhound who longs to spend time with and interact with people. Whitney celebrates her third birthday in March, 2010!

She is a smart greyhound and requires a positive, interactive approach to form that bond of trust between dog and human.

Whitney loves to go for a ride in the car and truly enjoys taking in all the scenery. She will keep you in the best of company while you work in the yard planting flowers in the spring or shoveling snow in the winter. She doesn't need to run a lot, although she will proudly show you how fast she can run.

Whitney will do best in a low key home. She gets along with laid back male greyhounds or a female greyhound who will show her the ropes as she transitions into her new life as a companion pet. She is also cat workable.

This beautiful greyhound is in need of a sponsor during her stay here at Grey Haven. Whitney loves attention from her humans; please leave her a message on her wall.

If you're interested in learning more about Whitney and to see if she'd be a good fit for your home, contact e-mail Marilyn Varnberg at mvarnberg@embarqmail.com or call (352) 671-5333.

Dodgem: Is this wonderful greyhound right for you?

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:12:00 -0600

Dodgem is a very, very nice guy! He gets along well with all the dogs and loves when visitors come to the kennel.

He has great manners and really loves his "person." He is going to be a wonderful addition to a special home.

Dodgem would love for you to leave a message on his wall. He also is looking for a sponsor during his stay here at Grey Haven.

Want to learn more about Dodgem or have questions about our adoption process? E-mail Marilyn Varnberg at mvarnberg@embarqmail.com or call (352) 671-5333.

Lady and Mandy: Two sweet sisters

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 14:59:00 -0600

Lady and Mandy are two delightful brindle greyhounds who are sisters! They both raced and are now hoping for a special family that would be interested in adopting two dogs at once.

Both Lady and Mandy are happy girls and have very bouncy and outgoing personalities. No matter who it is, Lady and Mandy warm up to kennel visitors in no time.

This pair of greyhounds enjoy the company of the other dogs here at Grey Haven. Lady and Mandy are looking forward to having a comfy couch of their own and becoming part of a loving family.

They would love to have a sponsor during their stay here at the kennel. For more information about Lady and Mandy or to learn more about our adoption process, please e-mail Marilyn Varnberg at mvarnberg@embarqmail.com or call (352) 671-5333.

Write a message on Lady and Mandy's wall. They love attention from us humans!

Lady:

Mandy:

Carrabba's lunch fundraiser: Sat., March 20, 2010

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 13:02:00 -0600

WHAT: Carrabba’s Italian Grill lunch fundraiser for GAF, Lady Lake, FL.

WHEN: Saturday March 20, 2010 – 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.

COST: $20.00 per person, includes tax and gratuity.
BUY TICKETS NOW

MENU: Chicken Marsala with vegetable, caesar salad, bread, non-alcoholic beverage and Sogno Di Cioccolata "chocolate dream" 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.

Bar will be open on a cash basis.

On behalf of Greyhound Adoptions of Florida's injured, retired and adoptable greyhounds, Carrabba's Italian Grill will host a fundraising luncheon on Saturday, March 20th from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

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.

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

Carrabba's is located on Hwy. 441 in front of the Target Plaza in the Villages, FL. (map)

Tickets are $20.00 including tax and tip and can be purchased on our website. Tickets MUST be purchased in advance, no later than March 16, 2010.

NOTE: Tickets will NOT be mailed to you; they will be held for you at the event.

BUY TICKETS NOW

NON-WEB TICKET SALES: If you do not want to purchase your tickets on-line via PayPal, please email Jackie at jbohara@embarqmail.com or call 352-307-4553. You can also mail your check to Greyhound Adoptions of Florida, P.O. Box 955, Sparr FL 32192-0955. Please make sure checks are to us by the March 16th deadline.

GAF is a registered 501-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 the wonderful folks, especially Mr. Richard Seney, Proprietor; at Carrabba's Italian Grill, Lady Lake FL for their generosity and help in hosting this fund raising event.

BUY TICKETS NOW

Darren: Special needs dog finds forever home!

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:44:00 -0600

Very special news to share with you: Darren has been adopted!

Read the amazing story of this special needs dog and how he worked really hard to get healthy during his stay here at Grey Haven.

Darren is now with his a very special family that is near and dear to our hearts, The Beckers, who live in Memphis, TN. You may remember Bill and Irene; they adopted Dancing_Bug a little over a year ago.

Congrats to Darren and his new family! We are so happy for you all!

Luna: A greyhound who loves to have fun

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:09:00 -0600

Luna is one of those striking black greyhounds who have a stark white chest and no white on her face.

It makes it hard to photograph her, but in person she is so lovely to look at!

Luna is an active, happy girl who loves to meet new people and thinks that life is one big adventure!

She plays hard and will need a fenced yard and lots of toys and play time!

For more information on Luna and our adoption process, please e-mail Marilyn Varnberg at mvarnberg@embarqmail.com.

Say hello: Write a message on Luna's wall.

You can also sponsor Luna during her stay here at Grey Haven.

Get $1.00 donated to Greyhound Adoptions of Florida via iGive.com (Promotion ended)

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:06:00 -0600

UPDATE Jan. 27, 2010: Thanks to everyone who participated in this promotion. You helped us increase our iGive.com supporters by nearly 25% and helped us reach $500.00 in FREE donations. In this economy, every extra dollar helps!

If you haven't registered with iGive.com, please do so today and support our mission with every Web search and online purchase you make!

***

For each person who joins iGive using this special link (PROMOTION HAS ENDED) and does just one qualified web search on our site between now and noon Thursday, January 21, 2010, Greyhound Adoptions of Florida Northeast Chapter will receive one dollar.

No purchase necessary. No gimmicks. Just click, register and you'll be helping greyhounds in need who are waiting for an adoptive home.

Send your friends, family, and colleagues the following link in an e-mail, tweet it, do a Facebook posting, put up posters, shout from mountain tops (you know the drill) and let them know you think Greyhound Adoptions of Florida Northeast Chapter is pretty cool and deserves their support, especially since it's free! You can even just forward this info.

Thanks,
Marilyn Varnberg
Greyhound Adoptions of Florida

Bosley: This greyhound is young at heart

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 14:51:00 -0600

Bosley is a 7 and a 1/2 year old boy who thinks he is 2 and a half 1/2! He can be very playful. loves to run and chase his toys and anyone who will chase him. He is also very gentle and can stand quietly by your side if you pet him. He loves people and he enjoys the company of other dogs.

Bosley came to us from a farm in Texas where he spent his time thinking about having a home of his own. We're still not sure how Bosley feels about cats but he seems fine with the whippets here at Grey Haven.

Bosley is looking for someone to sponsor him during his stay here at Grey Haven. You can write a message to Bosley on his wall.

For more information about Bosley and our adoption process, e-mail Marilyn Varnberg.

Biden: Republicans no problem

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:10:00 -0600

Yes, we call him Biden but he told me he has no problem meeting some nice Republicans!

Biden is almost 5 1/2 and is a delightful greyhound.

This is a gentle boy who likes to play with the others but if the guys get too rough, he prefers to just walk away.

Biden is looking for a loving family to call his own and gets along just fine with other dogs.

Check out this beautiful boy:

Biden would love to hear from you. Write a message on his wall.

Or perhaps you can sponsor Biden?

Greyt News: December 2009 edition

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:56:00 -0600

In the latest issue of Greyt News you'll find exclusive articles from Greyhound Adoption of Florida volunteers including:

-Message from Marilyn's desk
-Meet Whisper, a sweet girl battling cancer
-Roo! It's a greyhound filled summer
-Recap of GAF's 2009 holiday picnic
-Follow-UP on PCI Gaming and the Pensacola Greyhound Track
-Exclusive contributions from GAF volunteers

... and more. Read it all here.

Greyt News is the official Greyhound Adoptions of Florida newsletter edited by GAF volunteer Barb Pietrangelo. You can e-mail Barb at bpietr283@yahoo.com.

Ivan: Broken leg greyhound on the mend

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:30:00 -0600

Ivan is a two and a half year-old greyhound suffering from a badly broken leg. He had surgery to fix a severely broken and dislocated hock in mid-December.

He will be recuperating here at Grey Haven for the next two to three months before he is ready to be adopted.

Ivan is a very, very sweet young boy who attaches himself immediately to his human.

He has been through a lot with his injury and is coming through like a champ.

Ivan would love to have some sponsors to help him through his recovery period!!!

Please consider sponsoring Ivan during his stay at Grey Haven.

Ivan would love to hear from you. Write a message on Ivan's wall.

Whisper: Hoping for remission, healing

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:31:00 -0600

Whisper will be 8 years old New Years Day, 2010. She recently came from a local farm a few weeks ago.

When I picked her up I noticed multiple growths on her head, face and body, all in various stages of development. We decided to spay her quickly and remove a few of the growths and have then sent out for biopsy. We recently got the final diagnosis: T Cell Cutaneous Lymphoma.

There is a chance we can put this fatal disease in remission with a course of chemotherapy and give Whisper some good quality time as a pet in a home with a loving family. We will be doing some xrays and ultrasounds, hoping that this has not metastasized anywhere else in her body.

Whisper is a loving, happy, beautiful little girl. My hope is that we still have time to give her the gift of a home of her own. Please say a prayer for this lovely little girl.

Consider sponsoring Whisper during her medical treatment and stay here at Grey Haven. You can also write a message of encouragement to Whisper on her wall.

UPDATE: Dec. 24, 2009: Whisper can really feel the love and encouragement. She now has four sponsors! Thanks to Phyliss Nunn, Christina Newsome, Audrey Lochansky and Suzanne Mooney.

Vote by 12/11 for GAF to win $25,000 with Chase Community Giving

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 11:49:00 -0600

Please support Greyhound Adoptions of Florida through Chase Community Giving on Facebook. Chase is giving away $5 million dollars to various charities and needs your help to pick which ones. Log in to to your Facebook account now and vote for Greyhound Adoptions of Florida before December 11, 2009 and then get your greyhound loving friends to do the same. Your votes will give GAF the recognition it deserves and a chance to win $25,000.

Karla and Sammy: Like an old married couple

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:12:00 -0600

After losing our first greyhound (sweet Spiderman) in April of this year, our family felt incomplete without the clicking of canine toenails around the house. I knew I wanted another sweet greyhound to be a part of our family, but my sons were more cautious to open their hearts again. Spiderman's sudden death was very hard on all of them.

However, this summer our family decided to foster some greyhounds for a project that my oldest son worked on for school (please see the upcoming December GAF newsletter for his perspective on his project). When Karla and Sammy came to visit, not only did we fall in love with them, but they fell in love with each other! The boysand I were unanimous - they were meant to become a part of our family.

Now that Sammy and Karla are settled in, they act like an old married couple. She steals the toys and he grunts and rolls his eyes. She tries to eat his food and he rambles off, giving her what she wants. What one sniffs in the yard, the other has to sniff too. And then at night, they snuggle in, like they've been together forever.

It is such a joy to come home at the end of a long day and see Sammy's toothy smile. He greets us each day with love and excitement that is so unique to greyhounds. And not far behind him will be Karla, waiting patiently for her love. We feel like our family is whole again, with the addition of these two beautiful greyhounds. Thank you Marilyn and everyone at Greyhound Adoptions of Florida.

2009 fresh holiday wreath sale has begun

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:21:00 -0600

Greyhound Adoptions of Florida is proud to announce our seasonal Holiday Wreath Fundraiser is back again for 2009!

Wreaths start at just $33 postage-paid. A portion of the proceeds from each sale will benefit GAF!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR WREATH TODAY!

These wreaths come in four different styles and are made with fresh cut Pennsylvania grown Frasier Fir and measure 24".

Each wreath is hand-made by artisans, packaged in sturdy gift carton & shipped promptly via UPS.

You can place your order now: Shipping Novermber 30 - December 16, 2009!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR WREATH TODAY!

You're invited: Greyhound Adoptions of Florida Annual Holiday Picnic, December 6, 2009

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:41:00 -0600

What: Greyhound Adoptions of Florida Annual Holiday Picnic

When: Sunday, December 6, 2009. 12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m.

Where: Grey Haven, 1470 N.E. 140 St., Citra, FL 32113 (map)

Why: Celebrate the holidays with our hounds (and yours too!)

Please join us for our annual picnic here at Grey Haven on Sunday, December 6. Please bring your greyhound and feel free to invite your friends and neighbors too. We do ask that this be a greyhound only event. All other breeds should stay at home.

Our play field will be available for your dog to enjoy. We ask that dogs be muzzled in the field … if you do not have a muzzle, there will be some available here. Please be courteous and accompany your dog into the field so we have no injuries!

This year we are going to supply hot dogs, hamburgers and veggie burgers and will provide hot trays. We'll also be providing drinks, ice, cups and utensils. We do, however, ask for your help with side dishes.

-If your last name begins with A-H, please bring a dessert.
-If your name begins with I-P, please bring a salad – potato, green, vegetable, etc.
-If your name begins with Q-Z, please bring a hot dish to share (vegetable, casserole, pasta, etc.)

A wine tasting hosted by PRP Wine merchants will be a new feature this year. We appreciate PRP’s support and hope you enjoy this new part of our event. Their fine wines will be available for purchase and will be shipped directly to your home. PRP has also donated an eight bottle wine tasting for our raffle.

If you have a chair or two, please bring it along as we never seem to have enough chairs to go around and we want you to be comfortable.

We expect to have some extraordinary raffle and auctions items; a great way to help us raise funds and stock up on holiday gifts for all your greyhound friends.

Donation items needed: Every year so many of you bring an auction or raffle donation and each one is so appreciated. The funds raised at the picnic usually allow us to take another broken leg dog … or maybe two, so your donations mean a lot to us. This year we are hoping that you can get your donation item to us by Thanksgiving weekend rather than the day of the picnic. This will allow us to be better organized on picnic day. Please contact Barb Pietrangelo at 352-307-3938 or e-mail Barb for more information.

As always, we look forward to seeing each and every one of you here at Grey Haven. E-mail me for directions or with questions you may have.

Jackie Oh!

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:35:00 -0600

Jackie is a 4 year-old brindle girl who is through racing and ready for a couch! She can be a strong-willed woman and will need a family who will be able to explain the rules to her.

She is very smart ... just used to getting her own way! She is very active and will do best with a fenced yard. No small dogs or cats please!!

Jackie would wag her tail furiously if someone would sponsor her while she waits for her adoptive home. Or write Jackie a message on her wall.

For more information about Jackie or to inquire if adopting a greyhound is right for you, e-mail Marilyn Varnberg.

Eclipse: Three year-old learning the ropes

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:51:00 -0600

This lovely red brindle girl, Eclipse, is just three years old and will be happy to have a family of her own. She is friendly and all of the kennel dogs here at Grey Haven are her friends!

Eclipse likes all the humans she meets but she can be a bit timid at first. She needs a gentle family that will understand her and not expect too much of her at the very beginning.

Eclipse may be cat friendly. (She gets along with the small dogs so we are hoping she feels the same way about cats!!)

This sweet girl would love to have someone sponsor her during her stay at Grey Haven, while she waits for her forever home.

For more information about Eclipse and our adoption process, e-mail Marilyn Varnberg or call (352) 671-5333.

Write a message to Eclipse on her wall!