A Woman And Her Greyhounds.

While at work the other day, at Just Dogs! Gourmet, I met a woman that owned a Greyhound kennel at the Tri-state gaming track, in Crosslanes, WV. I was skeptical at first of her, and started to ask her questions about her practices when it came to retiring her hounds. What I found, was a woman that actually loved her dogs, and they weren't just money to her.

They live in the Buffalo area, and I didn't get her name or the name of her kennel, but I was impressed with her. I am not a fan of dog racing due to what usually happens to the dogs that can't race anymore. But, when one of her dogs retires, she has it spayed or neutered, and then goes through a major placement regime.

She has quite a few hounds at her home that are not racing anymore, and she just can't get rid of them to other homes. She is also very, very active in the Greyhound adoption programs, not only in WV, but in several other states as well. She was telling me about a place in one of the Carolina's, I can't remember which one, that is a huge adoption center for retired hounds. She says that she took one of her dogs down their because she just didn't have room at her home for anymore dogs. When she took it down there, she said she was heart-broken at having to leave the dog, but was very satisfied that her dog would live a life of pure luxury.

This place has "Greyhound play-dates." I think that is absolutely cool. People from all over come to this place to let their hounds run and play with other hounds. If you don't know, a Greyhound cannot just be turned loose in an open area. They have to be in an enclosed, fenced area. I guess this adoption center has over 10 acres, fenced just for the dogs to run and play with one another. This is so great. Greyhounds are bred to run, and letting them run in that large of an area is fabulous for their mental and physical well-being. Kudos to the woman in Buffalo who loves her Greyhounds. It is nice to know that there are some that actually do like and love their athletes.

Responsible Greyhound Breeder And Greyhound Adoption.

Today while at work at Just Dogs! Gourmet, I met a lady with her children. As we were talking, I asked her how long she had her Greyhound. She told me that she owned a kennel at the Tri-State Greyhound track in Crosslanes, WV. I cringed! But, as we talked I became very impressed with her.

She told me that, yes, there are many people that treat the racing hounds horribly, but there are just as many that are responsible breeders and when one of their dogs retire, they get them spayed or neutered and then place them in responsible homes. She also works with a couple of adoption/rescue groups in a couple of states.

She said that her dogs have it made. The kennel is air conditioned and heated, concrete floors, fluffy beds and the best vet care. Her home is in Buffalo, WV, where she has quite a few hounds herself as pets.

Greyhounds make fabulous pets. So, if you are looking for a couch potato that needs about 5 min. of exercise and then wants to lounge on your couch, an adoption Greyhound is a perfect dog. Now, these dogs are not for everyone, so research the breed before you decide on one. You have to have a fenced in yard, as a Greyhound cannot be turned loose unless it is in a totally enclosed area. Remember, these dogs are bred to run and it is instinctual to them.

Saving a Greyhound is something you will never regret, if you are a person that can handle them. And, some hounds that come from a track have special needs, so make sure you know how to handle whatever needs that particular dog has. If a hound is not for you, there are other breed specific rescue groups out there or you local animal shelter has numerous dogs that are available. You can go to www.petfinder.com and put in your zip code and find dogs near you.

Also, remember Little Victories. They are full and need to have people for volunteers and as fosters for the dogs that they have. There farm can only hold so many dogs, so they have to have people to foster a lot of them. Have a heart and think about adoption before you go out and buy a dog. And, remember, NEVER buy from a retail store or over the Internet.

Canine Good Citizen Testing.

On July 16, 2009, AKC will be giving the CGC (Canine Good Citizen) test at Club Pet at 6pm. For Further information, contact Sally Hatton, the trainer for the Club at 304-633-6261.

To learn more about the what the test is all about, go to http://www.akc.org/. When more info is available, I will post it.

Judge Orders Class Action Lawsuit To Proceed Against Infamous Florida Puppy Dealers

Permission given by Loraine Miscavage of the HSUS.

BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. (May 26, 2009) – The Broward County Circuit Court has issued a ruling refusing to dismiss several defendants from a major class action lawsuit against a south Florida puppy dealer known as "Wizard of Claws." The suit, filed in 2007, accuses Wizard of Claws, its owners, and its affiliates of defrauding customers by misrepresenting the origin of puppies, and by selling puppy mill dogs who suffer from severe health problems and genetic defects.

The court’s order allows plaintiffs to proceed with their claims against three entities sharing common ownership with Wizard of Claws – Celebrity Kennels, Inc., Dog Breeder Kennel, Inc. and Puppies for Sale, Inc. – and also directs the defendants to turn over records regarding the puppies they have sold to the public. The court also ordered the owners of Wizard of Claws to sit for depositions concerning their business practices.

“After years of reaping huge profits from the sale of sick and dying animals, the owners of this operation are finally going to have to answer for their actions,” said Jonathan R. Lovvorn, vice president & chief counsel for animal protection litigation & research for The Humane Society of the United States. “The sad facts of this case are one more reminder of why consumers should never buy puppies from pet stores or over the Internet.”

The class action lawsuit is the result of years of legal investigation by the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and lawyers of The HSUS. Through extensive investigation, Weil and The HSUS uncovered reports of serious, systematic violations of Florida’s animal and consumer protection laws by Wizard of Claws, its owners and its corporate affiliates. The violations include allegations concerning the sale of sick puppies with life-threatening genetic defects and highly contagious parasitic infections, and the refusal to reimburse customers for either the purchase price of sick puppies or veterinary treatments - that sometimes cost thousands of dollars.

The class action complaint includes numerous examples of Wizard of Claws selling sick or dying puppies including:• A puppy with severe giardia, a contagious parasite. The dog died two days after being brought home. • A puppy with a severe liver defect that resulted in constant seizures up to the point of death only a few weeks after purchase.• A puppy with severe pneumonia and a collapsed lung. The dog only partially recovered after a four-day stay in a veterinarian's oxygen chamber followed by months of intensive follow up treatment.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages for the proposed class members, and injunctive relief against any further sale of puppies by Wizard of Claws, its owners and its corporate affiliates. The plaintiffs – which include members of The HSUS – are being represented on a pro bono basis by the New York, Miami, and Houston offices of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.

Dignity And Love.

On May 15th of 2005, my soul-mate, Kallee, passed away in her sleep. She and I had been together for 13 yrs. She died on a Sunday. Kenny,the man I had been with for close to 15 yrs., was kind enough to let me bury her on his farm. Charles, my husband now, went with me to dig her grave and bury her. As I sat with her body, wrapped in her favorite blanket, I looked around.

She was being buried along with many other animals that had belonged to his family. Like me, his family, and him, loved animals and wanted to bury them with dignity and in a familiar surrounding. When I became a member of his family, we purchased a beautiful Rottweiler named Cratty's Von Maxwell, or Max for short. Max was not my first dog, however.

My parents loved Dalmations and I grew up with 3 of them. The female, my father named Taryton, after the cigarette, because she had a black patch over one eye, died in 1982. Kenny,(my ex), buried her in the backyard of his mother's house. In 1983, we purchased Max. Helen, (my mother-in law), deeded the property where she grew up, on Homestead Rd., across from the Jenkins Plantation, in the Powell Wetlands on Rt. 2, Lesage, WV, to Kenny.

Max was diagnosed with bladder cancer and had to be euthenized in 1992. He became the first member of the cemetery. In this private cemetery, there is a Llama, 2 pygmy goats, a miniature horse, another Rottie, named Ralph, and a mix called Mikey. Kallee was the last to be buried there. Burying an animal on your property, as far as I am concerned, is the ultimate last show of love.

Pet cemeteries that offer burial or cremation services are a fabulous idea. This gives people that don't have the property to bury their beloved pet on, a means of showing that last bit of love and respect to their pets. I know many people feel that animals don't need a funeral. To those people I say, "you obviously have never owned a pet. Because if you had, you would not feel that way."