Every time I place a Greyhound in a wonderful “forever home”, I’m reminded how important it is for me to be an advocate for these Greys. But we all know that life can sometimes be unpredictable and that things can change unexpectedly. Life deals us cards we may have never anticipated and we are forced to adapt. And in that vein, the story of Forrest and Flora exemplifies REGAPCT’s long term devotion to all Greyhounds, whether or not we placed those Greyhounds.
One day in early 2013, I received an e-mail from Forrest and Flora’s owner. The owner’s father had just had surgery which left him unable to walk. The surgery required this owner to move in with her father and to make the home handicap accessible. The changes came at great expense and great personal sacrifice to the owner who had already completely extended herself to provide for her family. The owner felt overwhelmed by the events.
Despite Forrest and Flora being her loves, the owner felt unable to continue to provide a home for them and was distraught at having to give them up. But she knew that it was best for them to be returned to REGAPCT so that a new home could be found for them. At the time of their return, they were healthy and full of excitement. The time spent in the home made them well adjusted to being with a family.
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If you learn only one thing from these Greyhound stories I have written the past few days, it should be that this breed is unique. Those who adopt them need to be familiar with the breed and need to be aware that changes will be necessary to accommodate for their unique characteristics. This is why one of the most important parts of the REGAPCT mission is to educate the public about Greyhounds. Not every person is a good fit to be a Greyhound owner and not every living situation can accommodate for Greyhound adoption. Because of this, anyone who has ever worked with REGAPCT knows that we consider a lot more than just a desire to own a Greyhound when we work with potential adopters.
And once a Greyhound has been placed, it is our policy that, if for any reason or at any time, the adopter can no longer provide for the dog, the dog must be returned to REGAPCT. In all the years I have been working with Greys, I have seen them returned for many different reasons. And, regardless of the reasons; regardless of the dog’s age or condition; we work tirelessly to find another home. Our love and devotion for the Greyhounds we place extends beyond adoption. We want adopters to know that REGAPCT continues to provide support whenever we are needed.
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Because Forrest and Flora had become so close in their time together, the ideal home for the both of them would be one where they could stay together. Upon being returned, they were taken into a home to be fostered. They both quickly settled into a routine with the other Greyhounds in the home and started to learn to coexist with a few feline companions.
Even though their lives had been turned upside down, they were always happy and looking for attention. Flora was especially well-adjusted, outgoing and always had her tail wagging. The two attended Meet and Greets, as well as other events held by REGAPCT, to meet the public and hopefully find a new home. Both Forrest and Flora were quite popular with the people they met, but it was a struggle to fin interested adopters who were able to keep the two Greys together. And after a few months in the foster home, it became clear that these two Greyhounds were indeed inseparable.
Finally the two Greys met their new owner. An adopter who understood how important it was to keep them together was excited to provide them a new home. Forrest and Flora now had three other greyhound friends (and even some cats) they could call their new family. They are both now enjoying the next chapter of their lives and were excited to have recently spent Christmas with their new owners and their new family.
