I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of our family  - Polar.  He is pictured above resting after a long day at the Chester County Victory Rally.

Polar is a greyhound rescue from NGAP, an organization that works tirelessly to rehome racing greyhounds and to stop the cruel practices of dog racing. A 'sport' glamorized in Matt Damon's breakout movie "Good Will Hunting'.

He is two years old and had come to the end of his racing career.  Without the intervention of NGAP,  Polar would most likely have been hung, electrocuted or left to starve to death.  Bullets and lethal drugs are an expensive option in euthanizing a large numbers of dogs.  Fortunately this will not be the fate of Polar, he will have a livetime of love in his forever home. 

MSPCA wants you to help close the book on Greyhound racing in Massachusetts.  

I realize this is late to posting and I'm not in the geographical area to attend this event. However,  it is important information regarding the plight of Greyhounds and the dog racing industry. Of note, this sport was 'glamorized' in Matt Damon's break out movie - Good Will Hunting - the same movie where Damon's South Boston character speaks highly of Howard Zinn.  

A New Race Begins 

Join greyhounds, the MSPCA, The HSUS, GREY2K USA, and the Committee to Protect Dogs as an initiative petition to protect greyhounds is filed with the Attorney General on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, at 11:00a.m.  Greyhounds will walk from the State House to Ashburton Place in Boston to file the petition. Please join us particularly if you have a greyhound friend you can bring!
If passed, the initiative, which will be voted on in November of 2008, will end greyhound racing in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and GREY2K USA recognize that dogs play an important role in our lives, and deserve to be protected from individuals and industries that would cause them harm. At local racetracks, thousands of dogs endure lives of nearly endless confinement and are kept in small cages barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around for long hours each day. More than 700 dogs have been injured while racing in Massachusetts over the past five years, including dogs that suffered broken legs, cardiac arrest, spinal cord paralysis and a broken neck - cruelty this law will stop.

On this beautiful first day of summer my sister, Diane, her husband and son said their goodbyes to their beloved Greyhound, Isaiah. Earlier this week, he was diagnosed with advanced osteosarcoma. A bone cancer that frequently strikes Greyhounds and when diagnosed, the prognosis is poor.   He is pictured above with his constant side-kick, Peaches.  Isaiah raced into his forever home in April of 2000.  The entire family fell in love with this dog as we all helped him learn to live like a normal dog. Treats and toys were a complete mystery to this dog,  and stairs were a formidable challenge for him to overcome.  Slowly, Isaiah stepped out of his shell as he claimed my sister's couch as his personal space, and discovered that kitchen tables are just the right height for him to help himself to the food. His first public adventure was to attend a Greyhound adoption awareness rally during the 2000 Republican Convention in Philadelphia.  It was at this rally that my sister and Isaiah first met David Wolf, director of NGAP ( National Greyhound Adoption Program).

Since adopting a Greyhound, my sister has worked tirelessly in support of NGAP and in raising awareness of the inhumane nature of Greyhound racing.  Isaiah's lovable nature was an instant conversation starter, Diane credits his behavior as a fantastic way to communicate the message about the plight of racing Greyhounds.   Over the years, my sister has uncovered Isaiah's racing record, his parentage (he is half Irish) and the histories of some of his siblings.  The story she has pieced together is an anthology of the callousness of this so-called 'sport'  of dog racing.

Today Isaiah's family returned with him to NGAP, a place where he is known and loved, to gently release him into eternity.

 However, death is not the end of this tale..... 

After Isaiah had passed, Diane walked outside to the parking lot to clear her head while her husband made arrangements for cremation.  As she was walking , two women walking greyhounds came over and introduced themselves and their dogs to my sister.  She was astonished to discover one of the dogs was  Santa  .  Santa, a rescued greyhound who is up for adoption at NGAP and the same greyhound Diane and her family were considering adopting earlier this year.  

Of all the greyhounds that could have been there in that parking lot TODAY, Diane and Joe meet the one greyhound they were looking into adopting.  She believes someone or someDOG was sending them a message...

Godspeed, Isaiah - you will be missed. 

Don't believe the hype.  A severe 'Lion's Cut' is not a flattering style for a Pomeranian.  This was taken two years ago and her fur has finally grown back to it customary thickness.  I just got off the phone with Tiny's  groomer and we decided go with a modified Lion's cut for her mane and leaving longer fur on the rest of her body.  Blending the mane of Pomeranian into the rest of the dog's coat makes them look like a Chihuahua.

 This is a recent photo of my little princess with her favorite Beanie Baby toy.  I'm picking her up from the groomers in about 15 minutes and will post a photo of her new look.

TINY'S NEW LOOK: SUMMER 2007