Greyhounds are best known as racing dogs, but away from the track and in a domestic setting, they are, by nature, couch potatoes.
This is how Walnut Grove resident Michelle Buchan describes the lean, athletic canines, which are the fastest breed of dog on the planet, with the ability to hit 45 mph in six strides.
Buchan should know 芒鈧�� she has owned her greyhound Karma for eight of the dog芒鈧劉s 10 years. Karma used to race in Arizona before retiring.
On Saturday afternoon, Jan. 11, Buchan and fellow members of Greyhound Pets, Inc. (GPI) brought their greyhounds to Tisol Pet Nutrition and Supply Store on the 91原创 Bypass.
Started in 1985 in the Seattle area, GPI places retired greyhounds to homes while educating the public about having greyhound ownership.
The organization has found homes in Washington, Northern Idaho, and B.C. for more than 5,000 retired racing greyhounds from tracks and farms across the U.S.
It is mandatory that greyhounds retire from racing at five years old but some retire earlier. Upon retirement they go into different adoption groups in the U.S. and Canada.
芒鈧揟hey retire and become couch potatoes,芒鈧� Buchan said.
Buchan said dogs are treated well at the track and when they aren芒鈧劉t running, are furthest thing from hyperactive, a common misconception about the breed.
芒鈧揟hey truly lay around,芒鈧� Buchan said. 芒鈧揟hey are low energy, low maintenance. They don芒鈧劉t shed a lot, don芒鈧劉t smell.芒鈧γ⑩偓聺
There are 47 dogs up for adoption through GPI, and are housed at the GPI kennel in Woodinville, Wash.
For anyone thinking about adopting, Buchan had this to say:
芒鈧揑f they are looking for a dog that needs a daily walk, is very low maintenance, low energy, they are a companion dog, they are not a dog that you can leave home alone for nine hours a day while you go to work, they like to be around people. They make great apartment dogs. If you don芒鈧劉t live in an apartment, you need a house with a fenced yard 芒鈧�� townhouses with common areas don芒鈧劉t qualify.芒鈧�
Greyhounds, which usually range in size from 55 to 75 pounds and 23 to 29 inches tall, are on-leash dogs, and not a dog you can go hiking with, she added.
Anyone inquiring about adopting a greyhound can email GPI regional vice president Steve Waines at adopt-a-grey@shaw.ca, or visitgreyhoundpetsinc.org.
