From the Director: It’s Beautiful . . . And I Hate It
There's a new book coming out in the fall about Galgos. By Martin Usborne, “Where Hunting Dogs Rest” will highlight the plight and the beauty of the Galgos of Spain. From the images I've already seen online and in articles like this one in the Washington Post, it is a well-written book full of truly gorgeous photos.
And I hate it.
My reaction was immediate, and I had to give it some thought to work out the root of my emotional response. There are a lot of different factors. For one thing, this isn't the setting in which I like to see "my" dogs. Galgos (and other Sighthounds) belong on couches. Or beds. Or rolling around in green, green grass with big silly grins on their faces. To see them in gray rooms, on bare concrete floors, looking uncomfortable and unhappy just seems wrong.
But it's more than just the inherent sadness of these beautiful pictures. There's a certain perception in the style and quotes like the one below that just don't fit with our SHUG philosophy:
“The photographs aim to show both the classical beauty of these animals but also the ugliness of their modern situation,” the book says. “Their bodies are weakened, the expressions are fearful, their postures uncomfortable, and yet they somehow have an echo of elegance and grace. The landscapes appear romantic and beautiful, and yet, burdened by the abandonment of so many dogs, have an eerie emptiness.”
Listen up. These dogs are winners. They are survivors and there is nothing broken about them. Before starting SHUG, I worked with Greyhound rescue for 10 years. We used to joke that our dogs were the losers. My John, who will be turning 13 in August, only ran 3 races. His last time on the track he came in 8th. Out of 8. I love John. We've been together for over 10 years--which officially makes him my longest and healthiest relationship with a male of any species. He is my heart. But he is not a winner.
The Galgos are winners. They aren't here because they couldn't cut it. They're here because they did. They're here because they did a good enough job for the man who bred them that he let them live. Yeah, that sucks and we don't focus on it a lot here at SHUG. But the reality is that the losers in the Galgo world don't end up on couches.
So don't you dare pity the ones who make it. They are survivors and they are absolutely freaking awesome.
Foster Friday: Copa on Canvas
Copa looks good in oil (courtesy of his foster mom, the painter). He also looks good in person. His foster mom reports the young Podenco from Spain has been blossoming since his arrival and is really coming out of his shell. He’s now a silly, goofy, very playful dog -- when he’s not sitting still long enough to be immortalized on canvas. He loves his toys verrrry much (there might be a Toy De-Stuffer Anonymous meeting in his future) and will entertain himself for hours, rolling around in a toy mountain of his creation!
Foster mom also reports that Copa loves his crate and does well with the other dogs in the household. He’ll even indulge in a gentle tug of war with the resident Italian greyhound.
He gets better on the leash every day and enjoys walking with the pack. Copa also loves to run and leap around, so a back yard to play in or a jogging partner would be ideal.
Copa is fostered in the D.C. area and is available for adoption throughout the US and Canada. His adoption fee is $650, which covers his flight from Spain, neuter, and other veterinary care. If you're interested in adding this lovely man to your pack, fill out an application at https://sighthoundunderground.com.
Wordless Wednesday — Really, There Are No Words
Foster Friday — Handsome Jarno
Jarno, the fawn Galgo, was running wild in the streets of his native Spain and suffering from mange, but he still didn’t get caught easy. He led his would-be rescuers on a long, merry chase that –eventually -- had a happy ending. Now accustomed to two squares a day, soft dog beds and kind hands, Jarno is looking for his forever home.
His foster mom says he’s a quiet boy in the house and hasn’t even tried to get up on furniture. He likes to lay his head in her lap while she sews. He got the “Sighthound memo” and doesn’t bark and he loves people. He is gentle and expected to be good around children. He has no food aggression, doesn’t mind cats and has enough “dog smarts” not to mess with the grumpy resident dog.
Jarno does have the Galgo jumping skills and has gone over a 6-foot-fence – once. He has not done it since. He loves to chase squirrels and walks well on a leash – well, until he sees a squirrel. He is a super sweet boy. He also loves to sun bathe.
Jarno is fostered in the D.C. area and is available for adoption throughout the US and Canada. His adoption fee is $650, which covers his travel expenses to SHUG, neutering and other veterinary care. If you're interested in adding this lovely man to your pack, fill out an application at https://sighthoundunderground.com .
Wordless Wednesday — Stopping to Smell The Roses
Or, in this case, the geraniums. Here, Thomas the galgo, is enjoying the foster hospitality of Mandy Simpson, in Spain. Mandy fosters for Perros Sin Casa, Galgos del Sol and Ibizan Hound Rescue. SHUG dogs have been among those who have benefitted from her kind hand and patient heart. Without her, and others as generous, countless Spanish dogs wouldn’t have the opportunity to be stopping and smelling the roses this Spring in American and Canadian backyards.
Foster Friday – Alicia, the VERY Good Girl
This little fawn Galga is barely 2 years old, totally housebroken – and cat safe. Her foster mom says, and we’re quoting here “She’s a VERY good girl. I would totally love to trade her for my (resident dog, name removed to protect the innocent).”
Foster mom also uses the phrases “love bucket” and “gets along great with everyone.”
Alicia was rescued in Spain by our friends at Galgos del Sol. She is blossoming from the scared little girl she once was, and learning to leave her past far behind her.
She is currently fostered in Portland, Oregon, but available to homes throughout the U.S. and Canada. Her adoption fee is $650, which covers her travel expenses to SHUG, spaying and other veterinary care.
If you're interested in adding this beautiful girl to your family, the first step is to fill out an application.
A Diamond in the Rough
Jasmine the lurcher didn't look like a diamond when she first arrived at her foster home. As we wrote earlier, she limped, she had a dangling tooth and scars on her face, she was underweight and her coat was faded and dull.
Bonnie Mayo, a SHUG foster mom and volunteer with the American Lurcher Project, says despite all that, Jasmine was friendly and eager to be part of the family. In the 10 weeks Bonnie fostered her, Jasmine had some much-needed vet care and her new fur grew in shiny and black. She bonded with the two resident Galgas in the house, who taught her all about stairs and the joys of the couch. She learned to play with toys and how to signal when she needed to go potty.
Bonnie is one of SHUG’s most experienced foster moms. She’s had many dogs join her pack temporarily and then move on. It always hurts a little. But Jasmine, for whatever reason, hurt more than usual.
Bonnie picks up the story –
During her time at our house, Jasmine went from being a dog willing to trust but also a little cautious to a dog that was openly friendly to everyone. She learned how to play with abandon, throwing her toy in the air or wiggling it in front of another dog's face to entice them to play. She also developed her own little diva personality to the point that she would not go outside if it meant getting her feet wet. Jasmine loved lying on the couch either alone or with her buddies, Pepita and Chocolata.
Much of the change happened because Jasmine’s willingness to be loved and because our dogs welcomed her and taught her how to be loved. Jasmine was an easy dog to love and a hard one to let go. I am happy that she will have her own home with people that will give her every bit of the love she deserves, but I’m also a bit melancholy because she won't be here.
I have loved every single dog that went through my home in the past year, even those that spent only one night. Every dog takes a piece of my heart with them and they leave memories behind (and sometimes smells). I wish all of them happy lives and hope that I hear a little about their lives once they get adopted. I know that Jasmine will be missed not only by me but by Pepita and Chocolata, and yet I am also happy for her. This time, for this girl, I’m really feeling the meaning of "parting is such sweet sorrow."
Jasmine is thriving in her new forever home thanks to the transition she underwent in her foster home. Without fosters like Bonnie, SHUG can’t do what it does. If you're interested in fostering, fill out our online application.
Remembering Your Dogs In Special Ways
Oh, how we wish they would stay with us a little longer. How we wish the bridge was just a bit farther away. Anyone who has ever loved a dog, has lost a dog. And it never gets easier, no matter how many times you’ve loved and lost and loved again.
But maybe, just maybe, the loss can be softened a bit with special ways of remembering our beloved pups. Here are some suggestions. We hope they help, when you need them.
Plant a Tree
Kim and Sue of Iowa planted dogwood tree with the ashes of – so far – three of their dogs, and will sprinkle future ashes around the base as well. Robin plants fruit trees with her dog’s ashes (when she lives where fruit trees aren’t eaten by moose!) The ashes of Susan’s Tango and Dancer are under twin maple trees, while Toshii’s ashes are under a gingko tree. “I go out and sit with them, and talk to them and it really comforts me,” she said.
Special Containers
Jan makes hand-painted and personalized urns for the ashes of her pups. Emily puts the ashes in decorative glass bottles and adds “tree of life” charms with each pet’s birth stone. Kelly commissioned a custom urn. She sent photos of 
each dog to the artist, who made tiny sculptures of each dog. Various memory boxes are also available to buy. Sarah Regan Snavely makes amazing boxes for ashes that feature graceful greyhound figures and other carvings. The boxes are also special places for tags and collars (depending on the size of the dogs, the boxes may not be large enough for all the ashes.)
Artwork
There are other ways to display our beloved pup’s ashes. You can commission an artwork 
through Remains to Be Seen, where artists make paintings incorporating the ashes of loved ones. Memorial beads are another beautiful option, where a pet’s ashes are blended into stunning glass beads. Old World Stones makes made-to-order engraved river rocks with names, images and dates of departed pets.
Paw Prints
Many of the SHUG supporters told us they kept collars and made paw print casts of their beloved pups. Amelia is considering making a stamp from the cast so she can stamp paw prints in the new garden path where her girl Alexi used to bask in the sun.
Tattoos
Many of us have had permanent reminders of our lost loved ones added to our own bodies. We ran a post last year featuring some of our adopters' ink. SHUG's director, Michael Owens, recently lost her beloved Greyhound Heidi just a week shy of her 13th birthday. Heidi lives on wrapped around Michael's finger. After spending nearly a decade wrapped around Heidi's finger, Michael says it was time to return the favor.
Other Ideas
Elizabeth keeps a stuffed animal that her first greyhound loved, and she doesn’t let the 
others play with it. Susan hangs the dog’s tag collars on a pretty jewelry tree. Teri hangs each of their dogs’ Christmas collars on the Christmas tree. Cheryl spun some fur from her beloved Fisher and knitted it into a scarf. Elise created a little altar with framed photos, collars, urns, paw prints, and special mementos. During the time of year for honoring the dead (Day of the Dead or All Souls Day) she puts the altar in her living room and add flowers and remembrances.
We hope these ideas may bring you consolation someday, when the bridge beckons for your four-legged loved ones. Leave your suggestions in the comments.
Is It Still Monday?
Bailey would like to respectfully reserve the right to stay right here until Tuesday or maybe Wednesday.
Spring Brings May Flowers . . . and Tornadoes
Spring is in the air and, as usual, severe weather came with it. Tornadoes have recently turned deadly in the Midwest and destroyed homes, lives and communities. Do you know what to do if tornadoes are forecast in your area? Here are some specific tips from our friends at the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (who are in a position to know a thing or two about tornadoes).
The National Weather Service can help you decide where to go for safety in a tornado. If the safest place is a community shelter, check its pet policies in advance. Once you know where to go, practice getting there with your pets. Many pets fear wind and thunder, making obstacles such as steep stairs or confined spaces even more challenging. Practice will make you and your pet more confident so that everyone can get to safety as quickly as possible under pressure.
Download a weather app to your mobile devices that will alert you to weather warnings for your area. Review your “lights out” emergency equipment and consider including an emergency mobile phone charger. Keep in mind that, if you need food and water, so will your pets. Stock up on kibble and bottled water such that you have enough to last several days. Spring is the wrong time to procrastinate grocery shopping. The last thing you want is to run out of Toto’s favorite chicken stew the night an F5 tornado visits the grocery store.
If your pet requires a special diet or medications, have plenty on hand by refilling pet prescriptions sooner. Insurance companies control when humans can refill. But usually they are not in the loop on pet prescriptions, so you have more flexibility. If your pet has complicated medical needs, consider talking with your vet about a disaster preparation plan.
Make sure your “bunker” will be sufficiently comfortable and support all biological functions for several hours, even overnight. Keep a spare pet bed, some puppy pads and some poop bags handy. And before letting your pup enjoy the long awaited relief of the back yard, pause a moment to make sure that the fence hasn’t blown down and that broken glass and live electric wires aren’t littering your lawn. Better a little pee on the floor than a loose, scared dog.
If you have a pet that is fearful in bad weather, consider stocking your bunker with a Thunder Shirt or (with your vet’s guidance) herbal remedies such as Rescue Remedy. Some dogs need to be leashed so that you can keep them within your safe area (and your safe area might lose a wall). A hidey hole like a crate can be comforting and can keep your pet from getting away from your safe spot. If you have extra space under your stairs, Toto might really appreciate a built in dog house that he can turn to for quiet safety, even if you’re not home.
Severe weather despises convenience and will almost certainly strike one day when you’re at work. Give some thought to whether a responsible adult can return home to care for the pets. If that isn’t possible, talk to a neighbor who is retired or works from home about whether they can help get your pets to safety. Make sure you know the forecast before leaving for work so that you can make any possible arrangements. Kitties can often spend a day in an interior bathroom or perhaps you can plan to make it a short day and bring work home.
Talk with your family about a meet up location in case your neighborhood is evacuated and the family isn’t together. Mobile phones might not be working, so everyone needs to know the plan in advance. Hotels will sometimes bend pet rules temporarily. But keep a short list of friends with fenced yards that might be in a position to help, even if only for a day or a few hours. Know what you need to take with so you can move quickly - pet meds, beds, food, bowls, etc. Consider whether all your pets will be ok in the car together. These might be circumstances where you need a muzzle to keep the cats and bunnies safe. And if any of your pets have issues getting into a car quickly under pressure, address them now with training.
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL: Make sure your pets have current identification tags and that your microchip contact info is current so that you can be reunited if separated in the chaos. Stay safe everyone!
You can see the original GALT blog post here.