Homes needed for hundreds of greyhounds when racing ends

Oprah might be the big dog stepping down, but another local institution closing its doors is setting off a panic among suburban dog lovers.

Kenosha's Dairyland Greyhound Park, the last dog racing track in Wisconsin, is closing at the end of the year due to the slumping market for that kind of gambling. That means dozens if not hundreds of dogs will be put out of racing as of Dec. 31 and need to find new homes.

Volunteers at Midwest Greyhound Adoption in Sugar Grove are busy finding solutions for those dogs.

"Yelling from the rooftops that they are all going to die is not one of them," says Director Kari Swanson, who founded the greyhound adoption agency in 1991. "We have answered hundreds of phone calls and e-mails trying to allay people's fears. We're on top of it. We're taking dogs. We're assisting other out-of-state groups taking dogs."

The agency has been through this before when other dog racing tracks have closed in Illinois and Wisconsin. In 18 years of operation, Midwest Greyhound Adoption has found new homes for about 2,000 dogs, Swanson says. When a dog is "graded off," meaning it's no longer racing, greyhound adoption groups sweep into action.

"Eighty percent of the dogs we're taking in were broken-leg dogs," says Swanson, noting that veterinarians are able to patch them up for their new lives as pets. Other racing dogs are past their prime and retire at age 5. Then there are those greyhounds just not cut out for racing.

The Fletcher family of Wheaton adopted "Trouble" (his racing name was "Just Plain Trouble") three years ago after Dairyland put the greyhound up for adoption. The dog brings to mind the fictional "Santa's Little Helper" greyhound adopted by the cartoon Simpsons family.

"He was 18 months old when we got him because he wasn't a very good racer," laughs Josh Fletcher, 26. "He won one race, and we think that's probably because he tripped the other dogs because he's exceedingly clumsy."

The perception that racing greyhounds must be hyperactive and need to run miles every day is wrong.

"No, they're retired. They're more like a cat," Swanson says. "They sleep about 20 to 22 hours a day."

Trouble is a very laid-back dog.

"His biggest energy expenditure is moving from the bed to the couch," Fletcher says. "They're good for people like us who have small backyards. He runs two or three laps and then he's done for the day."

The process to adopt a retired racing dog is not laid back. Swanson says it takes a lot of work to match a dog and new owner. The person who says, "I've got to get a greyhound because they're going to kill it" is not the person they are looking for.

"We want a dog to stay in a home forever," she says.

Originally from Egypt, greyhounds are quiet runners, not barking watch dogs. They weigh between 55 and 85 pounds, and generally are good with other dogs, cats and children, Swanson says.

Her agency takes in 80 to 90 dogs each year, and keeps them in her kennel until they can be sent to foster or permanent homes.

People interested in adopting a former racing dog should visit her Web site at www.midwestgreyhound.org and download the 13-page application form.

Once Dairyland closes, many of those dogs will move to other tracks in other states. But some will need new homes.

"We took in five last week," says Swanson, who picked up a couple of them after taking another dog to a veterinarian's office not far from the track.

Transporting dogs is a big job for her volunteers.

"We've always used minivans and the back of the Yukon," Swanson says, "But now we're looking into getting a transport bus."

<p class=factboxtext12col><b>Greyhounds ...</b></p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• are intuitive and sensitive, a rare mix of stoical strength and fragility.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• are gentle, sweet companions that adapt well to new owners. They will follow you from room to room and bond quickly.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• love to be spoiled; i.e. soft beds, stuffed toys and a radio for when you are gone.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• love to please.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• can live in an apartment and may even act lazy indoors - they can sleep 18-20 hours a day - but need daily exercise.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• are already crate trained.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• have a strong chasing instinct; should not typically be trusted with non-canine animals.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• do well with older, considerate children.</p> <p class="breakhead">Training</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• Racetrack greyhounds will need to be housebroken, but they are quick studies. It should take only a week.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• Harsh training methods will not work. These dogs will not respond to anyone without plenty of love and attention. Then a firm "No!" suffices. Never shout or hit.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• Leash the dog at all times. Look for fenced football fields for the dog to run in; go for frequent walks. Best: Get your yard fenced.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• They rarely bark, unless they learn from other dogs, or are left alone for long periods of time.</p> <p class="breakhead">Greyhound health</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• General life expectancy is 12-15 years.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• With little or no body fat, they are sensitive to extreme cold; should wear a coat outside in the winter.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>• As with other large breeds greyhounds are susceptible to bone cancer later in life.</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>- Eileen O. Daday</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>Sources: Midwest Greyhound Adoption in Sugar Grove, Retired Greyhounds as Pets in Mendota and Illinois Greyhound Rescue in Chicago.</p>