That was in 2004, and after Conrad and her daughter grieved over the loss of their family pet, they started looking at adopting another dog.
“We were reading about greyhounds,” Conrad said. “And they seemed like a really great breed.” Conrad and her daughter put in an application to a local rescue organization Team Greyhound Adoption of Ohio, and asked for a female dog.
“We had always had females,” Conrad said. But Don LeVan, a representative from the organization asked the Conrads if they would consider two males that had been turned in together.
What started out six years ago as a new adoption venture, has turned into a full-time passion for Conrad and her daughter. “There are so many misconceptions out there about Greyhounds,” Conrad said.
Though their original dogs have now passed away, the family has adopted two more, a female named Suzy and a male named Band.
“A lot of people think that because greyhounds are racing dogs, they are great to jog with,” Conrad said. “But actually, they are great sprinters. They actually tire out quickly and need to nap frequently. They are good for small spaces.”
Conrad also explained that people need to be cautious with dogs that come directly from tracks since they are taught that open doors mean run. “People lose their dogs quite often because they aren’t careful around open doors,” she said.
Team Greyhound Adoption of Ohio is a non-profit organization placing retired racing greyhounds into adoptive homes in most of Ohio and parts of adjacent states. This year marks the group’s 12th anniversary as a greyhound rescue organization. During that time, more than 1,500 greyhounds have been adopted through their organization. The dogs come mostly from Daytona Beach, Fla., racing kennels.
Conrad used to foster dogs until she had two permanent dogs of her own. “Now I volunteer by helping to do background checks and screenings of potential adoptive homes,” she said.
The adoption process includes not only a background check but information process unique to greyhounds. “We make sure any prospective greyhound owner understands the unique things about them,” Conrad said.
To find out more about greyhound adoption, visit the Team Greyhound website www.team greyhound.com.
Contact this columnist at (937) 475-8212 or banspach@woh.rr.com.
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