As Promised

Since I do not know all the details prior to my Homecoming, here is the story by my Momma.

About 4 years ago I was in college and had to write a speech (loads of fun) I was having a hard time figuring out a topic for this speech…. Finally I turned to something I needed to research for my personal life if I was going to be serious about it- Greyhound Adoption! After a few weeks of pestering several organizations to speak with them about their organization and getting no replies, I got a hold of a gentlemen in Team Greyhound of Ohio who was more than happy to speak with me about the organization and the dogs in general. Not only was he willing and able to speak with me, he WORKS at the school I was attending- Talk about convenient!

Fast Forward-two and a half years later-I’m married and settled into my life after school- as much as can be as a newly wed anyway-Jeff and I have been talking for a year about adding a dog to the household. It took a lot of convincing to turn him to the “Grey Side”! No matter how much I talked and raved about a greyhound, he said no, I want a Great Dane. No matter what I could show him with my years of research always, NO. One day he was out working in the field. A neighbor in the area let her Greys out in the yard for a romp. Jeff was impressed. Three days later hes taking me over there and knocking on a complete strangers door to talk about their greyhounds. Not long after they realized we weren’t a threat, we were in the backyard with the greys, and low and behold, hubby fell in love.

Fast forward 2 weeks later- Sitting on the porch with Jeff enjoying the mild summer we were having, he asks me what I want for my birthday. My reply, “Honestly?” He nods. “A greyhound.”

Within 20 minutes of that conversation I was pulling up TGAO, Inc’s website and filling out the application, looking up their next meet and greet and getting the ball rolling. We show up at the meet and greet (which is also scheduled on my birthday) and low and behold I run into the same gentleman that I interviewed for my speech. (I got an A btw) Through our conversation that afternoon, I found out he is the VP of TGAO and he REMEMBERS me and the interview!

Here we are now a month past my birthday, and we are off to Prison to meet some potential home bound pups. All of the pups we met were great dogs. I could have taken them all home with me if I could have. Hubby and I decided to sleep on it before we talked about any of the dogs we saw. We were pretty much won over by one grey in particular. A little brindle female. Every time we talked about a prospective new addition, we kept returning to Dunk. Dunk, ever so slight, yet full of personality and presence…. Dunk.. Dunk.. Dunk was the dog we fell in love with, felt the most connected to. Even still, we made the decision to meet a couple of the dogs that TGAO picked out for us that were out of prison and in foster homes. So we waited some more and I went out to another meet n greet and met a couple other hounds, making sure we chose the grey that’s best suited to our home, and who we connected with. As sweet, laid back, beautiful, and happy as the greys I met that day were, not one of them held a candle to sweet little Dunk. After coming home from the meet and greet. Jeff came home and asked how it went. Within the hour I was emailing the VP of TGAO and asking him when we could schedule a time to Parole sweet little Dunk. Dunk was paroled and in her forever home on August 24, 2008. After three days home, Jeff and I renamed Dunk to Nike. Dunk is part of Nike’s Racing name. Here is a copy of her pedigree: Nike’s Pedigree.

Nike, Momma, and the VP of Team Greyhound

We hope you enjoyed the story of how Nike came to her forever home and that our readers will be inspired to look into adopting a retired racer as a future pet. Greyhounds are the fastest couch potatoes you’ll ever meet!

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