Brandon Twp.- In the United States, 20,000-30,000 greyhounds are bred per year for racing.
Approximately that number retire every year.
About one-third of those dogs, still healthy, are euthanized for lack of a home.
Dave Campbell cites these facts and works to find greyhounds homes as vice-president of Greythounds of Eastern Michigan (G.E.M.). The group is one of about a dozen greyhound adoption agencies in Michigan.
Campbell and other greyhound rescue league representatives will talk about the history of the breed, their life as race dogs, as well as adoption and foster care opportunities for retired greyhounds during the presentation ‘Great Dogs!: GEM, Greythounds of Eastern Michigan,? at the Brandon Township Library.
Campbell notes that over the past 25 years the adoption of racing greyhounds has expanded greatly and there is now at least one greyhound adoption organization in every state. While he doesn’t have exact figures, he estimates two-thirds of greyhounds now find homes when their career is over and can expect to live until the age of about 14.
‘A lot of good volunteers are doing this kind of work,? he said. ‘Greyhounds make wonderful pets. They’re a great companion animal.?
Greyhounds are one of the most ancient dog breeds, dating back 5,000 years and originating in the Middle East, Campbell notes.
‘The pharoahs of Egypt had them,? he said. ‘They were very popular with the ancient Greeks and Romans. They are a breed that was kept by royalty during the middle ages and the only breed of dog mentioned in the Bible.?
The sport of greyhound racing began in the early 1900s. One of the world’s fastest land animals, greyhounds can reach speeds of up to 45 mph in three strides, Campbell says. Greyhound race tracks are present in 15 states. Michigan is not one of them.
G.E.M. has officially taken a neutral stance on the sport.
‘It’s a strict policy we have,? says Campbell. ‘Some members in our organization are anti-racing, some are pro-racing and some are in between. We are neutral because we want to be able to provide an organization for everyone with different viewpoints. We also recognize that we need to work with the owners and trainers so they will work with us and be willing to cooperate in giving us the dogs when they are through racing so we can find adoptive homes.?
Campbell adopted his first greyhound, Cody, just over five years ago. A year later, he adopted Evie from G.E.M. and soon after got involved in the organization, wanting to help find homes for the greyhounds that are retired when they are no longer winning, usually at about age 3. Campbell calls racing a sport that is very physically demanding on greyhounds, but says the owners and trainers typically treat the dogs well while they are training.
To rescue retired greyhounds, G.E.M. uses what they call the Greyhound Underground Railroad. Volunteers drive a van to several different racetracks around the country to pick up dogs, typically eight greyhounds in one trip. They are brought back to Michigan, where they are taken to a veterinarian for shots, sterilization, teeth cleaning and heartworm checks. They are then assigned a foster home and put up for adoption.
Greyhounds adapt very well to their new homes and make great pets.
‘The problem with the greyhound is if they see a rabbit or squirrel they will run across a busy road and never see the car that hits them,? Campbell said.
Although they are fast, a greyhound compared to a labrador or golden retriever has much less energy and spend a great deal of their time sleeping.
‘They’re like a cheetah… Even though they are fast, they are low-energy and work well in an apartment,? Campbell said. ‘Their nickname is the 45-mph couch potato.?