Dusty and me

Gotcha, Speedy

2019-02-21T11:26:00.000-05:00

Uncle Jerry and Michelle help load Dusty and Speedy into the Kia Koach. It was a little emotional, as Speedy's might be the last of more than 2,400 adoptions out of Friends of Greyhounds. Retirement beckons.
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Speedy has landed. For the first time in his 8.5 years of life, the former Macau racer has a family he can call his own.

Dusty and I welcomed him into our Northwest Lauderhill townhouse around 5 p.m. Wednesday. We drove over to Friends of Greyhounds HQ mid-afternoon and made the adoption official.

We came home, unloaded from the Kia Koach, and immediately -- before even going into the townhouse -- went on a short walk up the block to visit our friend Inge, who always welcomes Dusty to her door with a handful of treats. Inge didn't disappoint -- but Dusty got most of the treats. Speedy got one or two but was entirely too distracted by all the new sights and sounds and smells to spend much time snacking.

Speedy wasn't the only Macau alum that left FoG recently for Northwest Lauderhill. Victory King, now known as Vic, went home to Jerry B's family last weekend. From left: Slinky, Wendy, Vic and Akira.
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Once we walked back to our home a few minutes later, Speedy's harness came off and the new belly band went on, to protect the furniture from any possible accidents.

Speedy immediately dashed off on a madcap tour of the ground floor of the townhouse, stopping to look and sniff at everything he saw. Dusty ambered over to her bed in the middle of the living room and sat back to watch the show. Speedy took two or three laps around the house -- and to my great relief, never made a leg-lifting move.

Here's one of those laps:

He hasn't shown any inclination to mark anything in the house thus far, which was my biggest concern going into this adventure. Still, he'll wear the belly-band for a few days when he's inside the townhouse but not in his kennel. Once he gets through three days with a dry belly-band, we'll put those into storage.

He spent most of the evening in his kennel. My plan is that he'll stay there for most of the next couple of days, only coming out to eat and for frequent walks outside. He'll be given a few minutes to look around before we do go out for a walk, gradually getting more and more time free of the kennel each day. If I sense that he's feeling secure and I can trust him to follow house rules, I hope to lose the kennel in about a week. So far, he's doing pretty well respecting the house, though he's got some spastic energy and is being extremely curious about everything.

He got through the night much better than I had expected. At bedtime, I was hoping Dusty would stay downstairs with him for the first night. But she followed me up to the bedroom and spent the night up there, leaving Speedy downstairs by himself. He kept me awake for awhile with a high-pitched, stacatto, squeaky whine. But he stopped after about 10 minutes. I woke up hearing that whine a couple of times during the night and again about 6 a.m. today, about an hour before Dusty and I usually start thinking about getting up.

Speedy and Dusty doing what greyhounds do best after a long walk around the neighborhood
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I did get up around 7 and took Speedy outside for a quick potty break, then came back and got Dusty for her turn at a solo walk. All three of us went back out for a long walk a couple of hours later. As of right now, both hounds have been out cold since we got back from the second walk.

So far, so good with the boy. It's still early, obviously, but this process is going much easier so far than I thought it would. Speedy seems to have a pretty good sense of what he needs to do to adjust. He's not causing any trouble at all. Honestly, I'm probably more anxious about the adjustment process than either of the dogs are.

Dusty is being extremely laid-back during this process. She's just going with the flow, though she has caught on that her routine is being disrupted a little bit. She's not letting me out of her sight, following me upstairs and downstairs to keep close tabs on me.

We're a little disrupted right now, obviously. But the way things are looking at the moment, we'll be settled again pretty quickly. We'll keep you posted.

Speedy's had an eventful 15 or so hours.

We have a Speedy plan

2019-02-17T10:27:00.000-05:00

Speedy, Dusty and I pose for a quick family portrait, shot by Uncle Jerry at FoG.
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Just a quick note to let everyone know that we now have a homecoming plan for Speedy. He'll join our household Wednesday of this week, the day after our new furniture arrives from Rooms To Go.

We decided it would be best to get the new living room in place before he got here rather than introducing him to a new environment and then changing it on him a couple of days later.

Speedy's departure from Friends of Greyhounds will leave the garage kennels empty. Victory King went home Saturday with old friend Jerry B., who gave King a new name, Vic. Vic is the fourth greyhounds in Jerry's home in Northwest Lauderhill, just a couple of blocks from Chez Dusty.

I'll try to get with Jerry in the next couple of days to get a family photo and some more details of his new arrangement.

Of course, I'll check back in later this week with some new photos of Speedy.

CHARLIE'S A STAR: Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Capt. Shawn and her hound, Charlie, got a photo shoot last week arranged by Fabulous Female Firefighters. The group is putting together a story about women who have had a positive impact in the fire service. Shawn helped start a therapy-dog program at Miami-Dade over a year ago, and Charlie was the first graduate. Charlie saw action soon after he earned his vest, providing comfort to first responders of the Parkland shooting. The FFF story should appear on its website (triplefrescue.com) soon. Shawn promised to alert us when it does appear.

Speedy's brand new world

2019-02-10T18:27:00.000-05:00

Lily shot this photo of Dusty, Speedy and Luna.
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Speedy officially has been initiated.

The 8-year-old Macau import hasn't yet moved into his permanent home with Dusty and me. But he got a taste this morning of what his new life is going to be.

Dawn and her girls drove up this morning to meet us for a leash-walk outing at Plantation Heritage Park and got a chance to see Speedy take in all kinds of new sights and sounds and smells.

Lily and Rosie chilling with the hounds in a shelter area at the park
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Speedy's having quite an awakening. Dusty and I got him out three times last week for a stroll around the block in Friends of Greyhounds' neighborhood in Sunrise. He remained in constant attention, total focus, during those walks. Dusty and I got quite a workout trying to contain him -- he pulled on that leash with everything he had to get to the next place as soon as he could. He wheezed and coughed practically the entire time -- the the martingale was choking him, he was pulling so hard. I was able to get him to slow down and stop pretty much on command, but he couldn't contain himself when I would give permission for him to go.

He showed some signs that he was learning to slow down on his own a bit as those walks continued. But Sunday at the park was a different story. I turned Dusty's leash over to Rosie as big sis Lily took charge of Luna for our walk at Heritage Park. So I was able to give my full attention to the new guy. It was a workout. Everything -- ducks, trash cans, picnic tables, Frisbee Golf baskets, passing bicycles, trees -- fascinated the hell out of Speedy. I spent most of the walk commanding him: "Slow, Speedy." He's heard that enough now that he's starting to catch on to that command -- he relaxed a couple of times at it to give some slack in the leash and keep pace with me.

Dusty and Speedy in the Kia Koach after our walk in the park
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We did learn the prey drive is fairly strong when we saw a small dog across the way scampering on a retractable leash. Speedy went into a full-on greyhound twist to try to escape his leash and get after that meat. I shortened my grasp to the leash clasp and knelt down to get him in a bear hug to calm him. That worked, but it's something we'll have to put a special focus on moving forward as he gets acclimated to life in a townhome community with neighborhood dogs and the occasional feral cat.

I had been thinking about it for several days before my gut made the decision last Sunday to tell Michelle and Jerry that I wanted to bring Speedy home. I told them that I didn't want to take him out of the kennel just yet and leave Victory King there by himself. We're going to give it a little more time. A couple of folks are talking with FoG about giving King a home, but there's nothing solid. But I'm thinking at this point that Speedy will come home sometime in the upcoming week. We'll play it by ear for a few days.

Another Lily photo

King, Speedy want a piece of your heart

2019-01-10T14:35:00.001-05:00

King puts on a little attitude for the camera. Don't worry, it's all for show. In reality, he's 100% lover.
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Speedy and Victory King are coming up on a month now since they arrived in South Florida from Macau. All their vet work is done, they've adjusted extremely well to life in the Friends of Greyhounds kennels -- and now they're eager to move on to the next stage of their lives.

These guys are among the sweetest and most eager to please greyhounds I've met since I started volunteering at FoG. No doubt each of these guys will be thrilled to find a permanent home and a family to call their own.

The two girls FoG adopted out last week -- Yukii and Noel -- had the same kind of disposition. Sonia at Elite Greyhound Adoptions has said the greyhounds she's imported from Macau are the same way. I've spent a bit of time with Speedy and King over the past few days and have gotten to know them a bit. So I can say with confidence that these two guys will be fantastic companions for anyone who wants to give them a home.

There are two caveats I should point out straightaway. Both of these guys have exhibited strong prey-drive tendencies, so they probably wouldn't be good with cats and possibly small dogs. And like every other Macau greyhound I have heard of, their teeth are in terrible shape. Dr. Willie at VCA Promenade did a lot of work on their teeth, but dental hygiene will need to be a focus for the rest of their lives.

Speedy absorbs the sights and sounds of the FoG neighborhood.
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Eight-year-old Speedy is the biggest personality of these two. He's curious about everything. He spends most of his time outside his kennel nosing everything -- the box of cookies on the shelf, the bag of laundry, the trash can, that random leaf in the grass, the bird feeder, the fence, the bench, the wall, everything. For a couple of days, he had a raw nose from poking his face through the openings in the chain-link kennel. He thought it was the greatest thing ever to be able to do that.

He can't get enough discovery. But as you can see in this video, he's usually never too distracted to come over for some human interaction.

Seven-year-old King, meanwhile, found a favorite toy in his kennel one day, and he's been attached to the hip of his green fuzzy friend ever since. Walk into the kennel area, and chances are extremely good that King will have Green Fuzzy tucked securely into his mouth. He tries to take his buddy outside into the yard much of the time. I let him take Green Fuzzy out with us the other day to get this video.

Like Speedy, King is affectionate as can be. He's more the leaning type. He can stand motionless against your legs for the longest time enjoying hand rubs on his torso.

Both of these guys are really quick to catch onto commands and eager to obey without resistance. I've found them extremely easy to get into and out of their kennels, to follow me back inside, to get their noses out of whatever I don't want their noses to be in.

Andrea, who adopted Noel, and Shawn, who took in Yukii, both have told me that their dogs are astonishingly fast on the uptake. They have learned new lessons about domestic life very quickly. I'm betting Speedy and King will, too.

That's about everything I can think of to tell you about these two guys. I have absolutely no doubts that King and Speedy would assimilate quickly into their new homes and families. Please go meet them. They'd be thrilled to have visitors. Contact Michelle or Jerry D. at Friends of Greyhounds to arrange a meeting.

King eyes a squirrel atop the fence in the FoG backyard.

A Star is home; Yuki's orientation

2019-01-03T11:44:00.002-05:00

Winning Star is now Noel Star with a new home.

The happy family: Pat, Nico, Star and Andrea
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Star, who turned 8 years old the day after she arrived at the Friends of Greyhounds kennels three weeks ago, landed Wednesday in her family home in Hialeah with her new name. She was adopted by longtime FoG volunteer Andrea and her mom, Pat. She also has a canine sibling, Nico, a senior chihuahua mix who will help Star get adjusted to her new life as a domestic pet.

Star and Andrea met at Miami International Airport as Star was being loaded onto the FoG van shortly after her arrival from Macau. Star was the hound who rode loose in the back of the van with me tucked among the crates of the other four arrivals. I held onto Star's leash to steady her as she snuggled with Andrea, in the front passenger seat. Andrea decided during the ride that she wanted to adopt Star.

Andrea sent this photo of Star enjoying a snack on her new bed in her new home with her new toy close by.
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Star's new brother, Nico, has been with Andrea and Pat since Andrea found him as a stray on New Year's Eve 2010. He was welcomed as a permanent family member after the women were unsuccessful trying to find his owners. They think Nico is about 14 years old.

Andrea has some experience with greyhounds, having volunteered with FoG and other groups and being a part-time pet-sitting pro (wigglewaggletails.com) for several years. But Star is the first greyhound to become part of the family. Andrea was really excited about welcoming Star into her life. The only real hurdle was a question of whether Star would be amenable to sharing a home with a small dog such as Nico. But the two dogs' first meeting Wednesday went exceptionally well and those fears were all but erased. Andrea and Pat will keep a focused eye on the two for a few days to make sure they stay friendly. But most all doubts have been erased.

Star's departure leaves two adoptable boys remaining in the FoG kennels. Speedy and Victory King are enjoying their transitional lives there but they both still would love to become part of a permanent family. Please contact Michelle or Jerry to arrange a visit with those two guys. The hounds would love the opportunity to plead their cases with you. Visit friendsofgreyhounds.org for contact info.

YUKI'S ORIENTATION: Just as I was putting the wraps on this post, Shawn called to give me a great update on how Yuki is adjusting to her new life.

Shawn teaches Yuki about selfies
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Yuki, who went home with Shawn on New Year's Eve, got her first leash walk this morning around her neighborhood in Davie after a couple of orientation days in the house and her smallish fenced yard. Shawn said Yuki was fascinated -- Fascinated with a capital F -- with everything she saw out in that wide-open world.

Realize that this might have been the first time this girl from Macau ever was out in such an open space. Shawn says her ears stayed in high-alert mode for most of the walk. Ducks fascinated her. People fascinated her. Passing cars fascinated her. Dogs on leashes across the street fascinated her. Everything was brand new to her, and she was checking out everything.

Shawn said Charlie has been setting a great example for his new sister. Yuki has been watching how Charlie eats and naps and generally goes about his business during the day and is learning to follow his lead, Shawn said.

"Charlie, what's this? How do you float in midair like that?"
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And Charlie was there to give guidance for her first walk. Yuki appeared a little overstimulated by a duck or a passing dog or something a couple of times but calmed down quickly with verbal cues from Shawn and immediately looked to Charlie for guidance. Shawn said Yuki at first saw the familiar concrete on the sidewalk as her toilet. But by the end of the walk, she learned from Charlie that grass is much preferred for that kind of activity.

Shawn said Yuki definitely knew the purpose of her leash -- she was great with it and enjoyed her new adventure immensely. And with Charlie's help, she's quickly figuring out the finer points of enjoying her new domestic life.

A new beginning for the new year

2019-01-01T02:22:00.000-05:00

Yuki and Shawn are all smiles.
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Pearl River, the 6-year-old bundle of personality who arrived from Macau a couple of weeks ago, has a new home in Davie to celebrate the new year. She also has a new name, Yuki, as she begins her new life as a domestic family member.

Shawn, an old friend to Friends of Greyhounds, took Yuki home Monday evening to her new life alongside new greyhound brother Charlie. Yuki fills a void left in the home in early December when senior girl Dee Dee passed away.

Shawn provided this video of Yuki and Charlie enjoying their first meal together:

Her new mom hopes Yuki might follow in her brother's footsteps as an emotional-support dog for first responders at Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, where Shawn is a captain. Charlie, you might recall, earned his vest last year as the first trainee in the department's service-dog program.

Speedy
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Another Macau girl, Winning Star, is scheduled to be delivered Wednesday to former FoG kennel volunteer Andrea.

That leaves two Macau boys, Speedy and Victory King, available for adoption.

Speedy is a feisty 8-year-old with the curiosity of a cat -- a friendly, energetic bundle of joy.

King is a 7-year-old attention hound. This affectionate boy loves to cuddle and lean into a nice body-length petting session.

Both of those guys have all the vet work -- neutering, vaccination shots, dental cleaning. All of the Macau dogs arrived with some dental issues. Dr. Willie at VCA Promenade in Sunrise did extensive work on all of them. He doesn't expect any long-term effects as long as they get regular maintenance.

If you haven't met Speedy and King yet -- or if you have but would like to see them again -- contact Michelle or Jerry at FoG to arrange a visit. Visit friendsofgreyhounds.org for contact information.

Victory King

FoG's Macau dogs making themselves at home

2018-12-13T13:44:00.000-05:00

Andrea welcomes Pearl River (Zhujiang Winds) to the FoG kennels. Pearl is the cutie of the bunch. She's 8 years old. We think she arrived in heat -- to be dealt with in the next week or two.
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They appear happy and healthy. And thrilled to be off those damn airplanes.

Winning Star is celebrating
her 8th birthdaytoday.
Andrea bonded with her
right away and hopes
to adopt her
if she proves cat-tolerant.
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The five Macau imports taking up residence at Friends of Greyhounds enjoyed some quiet, restful sleep Wednesday night, their first on the ground in Florida. Michelle, longtime FoG friend Andrea and I spent more time Wednesday picking them up at Miami International Airport than we had anticipated. Getting all five loaded with their crates into Michelle's van was a bigger challenge than we had hoped.

But we got the job done with little real problems, and the hounds are happily in their spacious kennels devouring their meals like little ponies, as Michelle told me just now.

Michelle told me she plans to detail the process we went through in her next blog post, scheduled for Monday at friendsofgreyhounds.org. Suffice to say here that it wasn't as uncomfortable as you might think sitting in the floor of the cargo area of a moving van in rush hour squeezed into a small space between big plastic crates while holding onto the leash of one loose dog to keep her reasonably secure and safe. I wouldn't recommend making a habit of it, but it can be done without too much residual morning-after pain.

I didn't get much time at all to get to know any of the five dogs. I plan to do that over the next few days. But all seemed sweet and friendly, especially after all the confusion of a 30-hour flight and constant changes in scenery in such a short time.

Speedy is a 9-year-old boy.
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All five are eligible for adoption. Michelle plans to just let them settle for a day or two before they make their public debuts this weekend. She is planning an open house 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday for all previous FoG adopters. All the hounds need to be neutered/spayed as well as some dental work. That's going to be a little bit of a challenge given the timing of the holiday season. But the dogs should be ready to leave the kennels and get into their forever homes around the end of the month.

All the dogs will be tested for cat-tolerance in the meantime. Andrea has put in a claim on Winning Star pending her test. The other four are up for grabs, so come to the open house this weekend and pick one out. As per FoG policy, dogs are adopted out on a first-come, first-served basis. So don't hesitate. If this process goes well, Michelle plans to put in a request for five more. Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later.

Worthy Class is a beautiful
8-year-old lady.

Victory King is the youngster,
a 7-year-old fella.

Dusty has a house guest

2018-12-11T13:23:00.000-05:00

Dusty and Sunny in the Kia Koach on their way to a walk in the park
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Meet Sunny, Dusty's house guest for the next few days. Sunny is staying with Dusty and me while her parents, Hedda and Shep, are traveling.

Sunny stakes her claim to one of Dusty's several beds.
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Sunny originally was set to stay with Michelle and Jerry at the Friends of Greyhounds residence in Sunrise. But with five Macau greyhounds arriving Wednesday and Michelle's previous commitment to take in David, Turtle and Honey for the week while Joy hit the road, I offered to take in Sunny to lighten the load.

Michelle and I picked up Sunny on Monday afternoon from her home in Boca Raton. The 8-year-old girl has adjusted beautifully already. She's found her favorite bed and discovered a great toy, a big squeaky fuzzy hedgehog, in Dusty's toy box. We worked on going up and down the stairway last night and this morning. She seemed to understand the concept, but it might take a little time for her to figure it out completely.

In the meantime, Jerry and Michelle are getting the kennels in the FoG garage ready for their five hounds from Macau. Michelle did learn some details about the dogs she will be picking up at Miami International Airport on Wednesday. All of them are seniors -- a 7-year-old, three 8-year-olds and a 9-year-old. She wrote a blog post a few days ago with details.

Michelle and Jerry are planning an open house for FoG adopters Saturday and Sunday. Come on out to FoG headquarters at 2621 NW 105th Lane in Sunrise between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day to meet the new arrivals. The weather's supposed to be beautiful both days. Bring your hound, and bring a chair to make sure you have a place to sit and relax.

None of the dogs are spoken for yet. Come out and meet them, see if you find a match. The dogs will be there for awhile. FoG will have them neutered and spayed before adopting them out but will need to wait a week or two for them to get settled before putting them on a vet's table.

Check back here in a couple of days. I plan to share some photos and videos of the dogs once they arrive.

No word on Florida greyhounds, but Macau is sending some

2018-11-23T12:56:00.002-05:00

Yahtzee, Dusty, Chumlee and Mitzi (as well as the absent Joy) await the arrival of new friends from Macau.
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A flood of abandoned greyhounds much of the public was expecting after the passage of Amendment 13 earlier this month hasn't happened. We still have very little word from anyone as to what is going to happen and when with all those Florida greyhounds.

I have been talking with Michelle and Jerry over at Friends of Greyhounds about what they might be hearing. Most of the phone calls and contacts they've been getting are from prospective fosters and adopters. We do hear rumors out of the racing kennels every now and then as to what might or might not be going on. As with all rumors, some are unsubstantiated, some are exaggerations and some are yet to be confirmed or denied.

Michelle has written a couple of blog posts to report what she's been hearing. Our best collaborative guess at this point is that racing at most of the Florida tracks is going to continue for another year or so ahead of the Dec. 31, 2020, deadline for abolishment. If that indeed is what happens, it probably means hounds won't be released to adoption kennels in any great numbers for at least another year.

In the meantime, FoG is gearing up to get back into the adoption business, having committed to take in five hounds that will be shipped to Miami next month from Macau, where the only operating dog track in Asia was shut down in July.

An animal-rights group in Macau was given custody of more than 500 hounds after the track was closed and has been sending them to the U.S. in small groups. I know Elite Greyhound Adoptions in Loxahatchee took in a couple or three several weeks ago and will get five more next month. Michelle will drive to Miami International Airport in early or mid-December to pick up five to board in the FoG kennels in Sunrise.

We have no idea of gender, age, health or other specifics about the dogs that will land at FoG. We might not know anything at all until Michelle takes custody of the them. The only thing we do know is that they'll be great dogs deserving of a good home, as all greyhounds are.

I'll keep you posted as things develop. Keep an eye on friendsofgreyhounds.org and elitegreyhounds.org as well as dustyandme.com for updates. Those not in South Florida, get in touch with a nearby greyhound adoption group if you might be interested in taking in one of these lovely animals. The Greyhound Project's website has a search engine to help find a group near you.

CORRECTION: Elite Greyhound Adoptions is not participating in the Macau program. Sonia is taking in greyhounds from Hong Kong in a separate program. Visit Elite's website for further info.

UPDATE: Michelle and I will drive to MIA to pick up five hounds from Macau on Dec. 12. Stay tuned.

Another run at Chapman Field Park

2018-11-04T19:30:00.004-05:00

We had so much fun last week, Dusty and I decided to do it again and drove to Coral Gables this morning to hook up with Dawn and her girls at Chapman Field Park.

Dusty got a little dusty after a couple of runs on a humid day.
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It was a humid day, a bit less comfortable than our outing last week. Dawn, Rosie, Lily, Luna, Dusty and I did have the large enclosed area all to ourselves when we got there. But the two hounds weren't quite as energetic in the dog park as they were last week -- at least in the beginning.

We were joined not too long after we got there by a young local family with one of the cutest puppies ever -- a 4-month-old weimaraner named Shadow. This beautiful, energetic boy was all ears and paws and energy, and he was able to coax Dusty and Luna into a couple of good runs. Catch a glimpse of Shadow at the end of this video.

Dawn got some great photos of the two hounds I really wanted to share:

Rosie got to do all the work on the way to the dog park.

Dusty in mid-stride

Luna takes the lead.

The hounds make the turn.

Another look at Dusty in mid-stride

Dusty taking a breather

A refreshing dip with Lily on the way back to the car
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Another great day with the girls. We skipped our planned return to Panera Bread. We were all too exhausted to extend the day further. Dusty got a quick bath immediately when we got home. Dawn told me in a text a little later that Luna got a bath, too. All of us got a nap.

A walk in the park -- as well as a swim, a couple of runs and some campaigning

2018-10-28T16:15:00.000-04:00

Lily with Dusty and Luna as the hounds cool down from a couple of open runs
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We enjoyed our first taste of gorgeous Florida non-summer today, and Dusty took advantage. She and I drove to Coral Gables this morning to hook up with Dawn and her girls for a romp at Chapman Field Park.

Dusty had a blast. Dawn, Lily and Rosie led Dusty, Luna and I to the off-leash dog park, and found one of the two enclosures unused. The two hounds took advantage of the open space and took off for three or four runs together. It was a beautiful sight watching those two running free.

But that wasn't the highlight for Dusty. On the walk back to the cars, Lily grabbed Luna and Dusty and took them for a wade in the nearby river. Luna owned that little cove. She's been there before, and she loves it. She went for a dip in the cool water with no hesitation. But it was a first for Dusty. She's never been in a body of water, so she was a little hesitant. She dipped her toes in and checked it out, but I'm not too sure if she enjoyed it or not. See for yourself:

Luna and Rosie rest up.
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It was quite the eventful day for my girl, and she was gassed. We got back to the cars, and both hounds jumped into their bed-equipped rides and went down for a long rest. After a cooldown, Dawn and the girls led us over to the nearby Palmetto Bay Panera Bread, where we hung out at one of the outdoor tables and chatted with several passers-by who stopped to admire the hounds. Lily took the opportunity to discuss voting Yes On 13 with everyone who stopped to talk. She got a good response from everyone. Hopefully, she encouraged an extra vote or two on the proposition.

All the girls and I plan to get together again one Sunday morning in the next week or two, probably somewhere in Broward next time. Let me or Dawn know if you and your hound(s) would like to join us.

New season, new gathering spot

2018-10-21T12:15:00.000-04:00

Deb and Kim confirmed what I observed Saturday night, that Reasey really has come out of her shell in the past several months. Savvy, meanwhile, is the same big hunk of fawn lover boy.
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Dusty and I joined several regulars and a couple of new faces and hounds Saturday night for the first Friends of Greyhounds gathering of the new season. Michelle got us a new spot, the Panera Bread patio at the Plantation Promenade shopping center.

I always love seeing Rosie and Luna.
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It was the culmination of an eventful few days for Dusty. Except for a couple of short bathroom breaks, she has been curled up nearly unconscious for about 14 hours now after a few days of visits from grandparents Ma and Pa Sharp, a distressing rescue of a family of ducklings Saturday morning and her meetup with old and new friends Saturday night.

A couple of wounded warriors were among the group in Plantation. It was the first time we saw Mike since he went down several months ago with an injured back. He looked good, said he's getting around pretty well, his pal Andy and a new walking cane helping to support him.

Greek god Hermes arrived with a pronounced limp from a sprained left front. Maurice said Hermes injured himself somehow a couple of weeks ago. X-rays were negative, so it doesn't appear that it's anything serious. The sprain seemed to be healing after an acupuncture treatment a few days ago, but Hermes injured the foot again with an awkward landing jumping out of dad's vehicle.

Much of the conversation Saturday night was about the upcoming vote on Amendment 13, which would constitutionally ban wagering on greyhound racing in the state. FoG as well as other adoption groups in the state and across the country are ready to spring into action to accommodate the dogs that would become available should the measure pass.

Maurice has been especially active with the Protect Dogs Yes On 13 campaign. The measure has encountered a bit more resistance than I thought it would. Opposition arguments are numerous and range from marginally legitimate to complete nonsense.

The industry obviously is terrified of becoming extinct -- supporters want us to believe that the dogs live a good life in racing kennels and are not mistreated and abused. That is hogwash. I've seen a couple of the kennels on a routine work day. There is nothing pleasant about kennel life for a dog. It's heartbreaking to see how they live in close confinement with very little human or canine contact. They are released from their cages only for one meal and a couple of bathroom breaks daily and to run a race every couple of days. The only way they escape that life is by suffering injury or becoming too old to win races and make money. I know. I've seen it. Don't buy that industry nonsense for a second.

Dusty in recovery mode Sunday
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Many people fear that tens of thousands of dogs would suddenly be abandoned and/or euthanized. Some greyhound lovers believe the breed would become endangered or extinct if racing is banned. Not so. Michelle addresses these arguments in a blog post. While you're over at friendsofgreyhounds.org, read this post that illustrates a particularly disgusting example of kennel life.

Some otherwise right-thinking folks oppose the measure because they don't believe it should be part of the state constitution, that it should be a legislative matter. OK. Whatever. Unfortunately, the racing lobby has had its tentacles deep into state legislators' pockets for many years. That's been a dead-end street for a long time.

And I won't expend any energy on the bizarre NRA argument that passing this measure would open a path to banning hunting and fishing in the state. I typed something here that I decided to delete. Let's move on.

Michelle tells me she will ramp up a schedule for some more gatherings in the coming months. We hope to go check out the new setup at the Flamingo Nursery barbecue stand to investigate a possible return there. The Panera Bread spot was a perfect space for us, but our opportunities there might be limited. Watch this blog and Michelle's for notices.

In the meantime, we should know by the next gathering what happens with the vote on Amendment 13. And we should have more answers as to exactly what we might expect if dog racing will indeed be phased out over the next couple of years.

Please turn out to cast a ballot. Yes votes must be 60% of the vote total for it to pass, so it needs all the support it can get. Please don't blow it off. Early-voting polls will be open beginning Monday, so you have a couple of weeks to vote in person. Or make sure to drop two stamps on that absentee ballot and double-check that you've filled out all the details correctly to make your vote count.

Starsky says he loves his new home

2018-07-10T00:03:00.000-04:00

Michelle over at Friends of Greyhounds got an email today from Starsky, the senior she and I delivered recently to Deb in Vero Beach. Deb also sent along a few photos. I've got nothing to add, so I'll just pass on Starsky's message in full:

Starsky goes after the peanut butter.
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My first week with my New Mom and “siblings” has been GREYT!!

Thanks for bringing me to them!

New Mom made me all kinds of soft treats from scratch, and while she was baking them, I got to lick a peanut butter jar totally clean! Yum!!

I finish every meal, which makes me and New Mom happy!

I’ve now got a bounce in my rickety step and even play with toys!!

I have a tag collar and tag just like my siblings.

I love to take very long naps on the shaded porch with the fan going! New Mom says she has to check me often to be sure I’m still breathing when I do this!

I’ve gotten a hang on the schedule around here and can give New Mom the “Look” like my siblings do!

New Mom gave me a gentle bath and dried me real well -- she did all the work, but I was exhausted afterwards!

Heff, Tara and Starsky: "Did Mom say 'cheese'?
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New Mom takes me for a walk with Heff everyday. I’m feeling a bit stronger now and go a bit further than last week!!

I love to hang out in the yard and check everything out!

New Mom says I’m going to see a nice doctor next Saturday. She promised I’ll get extra treats afterwards!

New Mom gives me lots of pets and snuggles -- she tells me she loves me every day.

I think I’ll stay.

It was great to hear from you Starsky. Please keep us posted. We love hearing from you.

Increasing the Handsome factor

2018-06-30T19:08:00.000-04:00

Kristi, Lola, Tony, Handsome and Anthony, soon to follow his father into service with the Navy
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Another longish van trip, another successful FoG adoption.

For the second day in a row, Michelle and I took a long drive in the Friends of Greyhounds van to introduce a hound to a new family. And just like Friday's journey to Vero Beach with Starsky, Saturday's turned into a successfully productive trip.

This time it was Handsome's turn. The 3-year-old brindle boy with the gimpy leg went with us to Fort Myers to audition for a family who found him through a Google search. Lifelong dog owners Kristi, Tony and Anthony were looking for a greyhound to live with their 3-year-old English bulldog, Lola.

Lola checking out Handsome checking out a stuffy toy
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Kristi contacted Michelle a couple of weeks ago to start the process and spent several days asking questions via email and doing some research into the greyhound breed.

It was a little touch and go when Handsome and Lola met for the first time. Lola was ultra-excited to meet the new humans, Michelle and me. But she didn't seem at all interested in Handsome. Handsome, meanwhile, got a little aggressive trying to get Lola's attention. I was holding onto his leash for dear life when he lunged to get right up in her face a couple of times.

Tony and I decided to take the two dogs on a walk together in some nearby green space, and Handsome settled down instantly. They walked together happily and peacefully, everybody was satisfied that it would be OK to see how they reacted to each other in Lola's house. Lola immediately seemed to welcome Handsome eagerly, engaging in a little affectionate play and following him around as he inspected the new surroundings.

At one point, Anthony took them over to Lola's toybox, and both dogs gave each other some space to sniff, chew, shake and chase a couple of tossed stuffies. Watch Anthony toss a toy for the two dogs in a subtle attempt to give his mother a heart attack:

Lola was happy to let Handsome check out her beds, her water bowl and everything else in the house. The two dogs got along great after that initial rough spot.

And Michelle and I drove away fully confident that we successfully boosted the Handsome factor in that Fort Myers family.

Starsky meets his new family

2018-06-29T19:28:00.000-04:00

Starsky meets his new family -- mom Debbie, brother Heff and sister Tara
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Dusty got to spend the day Friday with her buddies in Sunrise while I made the drive with Michelle to Vero Beach to deliver Starsky to his new family.

Starsky is the 13-year-old white greyhound who landed at Friends of Greyhounds a couple of weeks ago via a Palm Beach County vet and animal shelter. He put a couple of pounds on his skinny frame while in Sunrise and got a clean bill of health from Dr. Ansara a couple of days ago.

Dusty, Luna and the FoG dogs: 'Can we go to Vero with you?'
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His new mom, Debbie, is a retired nurse who adopted a greyhound from FoG several years ago. She loves taking in special-needs greys and is dedicated to providing them a great home and the day-to-day care they need.

Debbie's friend Laurie, another greyhound lover, helped greet Starsky, Michelle and I when we arrived at Debbie's home in early afternoon. And all of us got to meet Starsky's new brother, 7-year-old Heff, and sister, 12-year-old Tara. Debbie later told us that Saturday will be Heff's first anniversary in the home.

Michelle and I got quite a bonus after all introductions were made and the adoption paperwork was completed -- Debbie and Laurie treated us to a selection of deli salads and cheese. It made for an excellent lunch and some freat greyhound-related conversation.

Starsky has been a champ through all the bouncing around in the past couple of weeks. But it looks like he's found a heck of a new home where he can settle in.

Next up, Michelle and I will drive over to Fort Myers on Saturday to introduce Handsome to a couple who want to adopt him assuming he gets along with the resident bulldog. I'll let you know how that goes.

A visit with Luna and her girls

2018-06-24T13:03:00.000-04:00

Dusty and Rosie taking a breather
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A stroll in the park with greyhounds and girls to start a summer Sunday -- that's as good as life gets.

Luna resting with Dawn and Lily
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Dawn reached out to me on Facebook and told me she would love to give 5-year-old Luna some social time with Dusty at one of the parks I have raved about here in western Broward County. So I invited Dawn and the family for a morning stroll at Plantation Heritage Park, which has plenty of acreage and shade. Dawn loaded Luna and the two human girls, Lily and Rosie, into her SUV this morning and made the trip up from South Miami-Dade County.

And we had a fabulous time. Dusty and Luna spent a few seconds checking each other out, they both approved of each other, and the bunch of us started on a short walk under the not-unpleasant morning sun. Lily had Luna's leash in her left hand, I gave her Dusty's leash to fill her right hand, and a great stroll was had by all. At some point soon, Rosie ended up with Luna, and the two girls and the dogs had a great time taking a few short trots (something Dusty never gets to do with her old geezer of a dad).

The six of us humans and dogs landed in one of the covered picnic areas after awhile, where the dogs were able to lounge on their beds and the humans sat around on the picnic tables telling each other tales about our greyhounds (what else?). It was a fantastic morning. We were at the park for about 90 minutes before Dusty started getting insistent about moving on.

Starsky
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Everyone agreed that we want to do that again in a couple or three weeks. If any of you would like to join us next time, drop Dawn or I a note and we'll keep you in the loop.

STARSKY HAS A HOME: Starsky, the senior white hound who landed at Friends of Greyhounds a few days ago, is heading to his new home Friday. He's being adopted by an experienced FoG adopter up the coast in Vero Beach who loves senior greyhounds. Starsky got a clean bill of health from Dr. Ansara last week. The 13-year-old boy will have a 12-year-old hound brother to hang with.

And Michelle told me this morning that a couple from over on the Gulf Coast has shown interest in Handsome. Nothing definite is going on -- it's only a phone conversation at this point. We'll keep you posted if anything serious develops on that front.

FoG welcomes another guest

2018-06-14T10:11:00.000-04:00

Starsky shortly after his arrival at Friends of Greyhounds
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The kennel population at Friends of Greyhounds has doubled with the arrival of 13-year-old Starsky, who arrived Wednesday by way of Delray Beach.

Handsome (right) with FoG residents Yahtzee (left) and Mitzi
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The way I understand the story, Starsky was given up by his adoptive mom to a vet's office in Palm Beach County. The vet sent the boy to a nearby animal shelter, which then contacted FoG. Michelle agreed to take in Starsky, who was driven to Sunrise by a representative of the Delray shelter.

Starsky is pretty skinny and has some dental issues. His back legs are shaky, and he's slow in standing up and walking. But he appears to be in good spirits, happy to interact with his kennel mate, Handsome, and his human friends. Michelle gave him a standard FoG meal of kibble, rice and canned food, and he happily ate it up. He tried to eat a Milk Bone biscuit but couldn't break it up. So Michelle broke it into tiny pieces for him, and he ate that eagerly.

The plan is to allow Starsky to get used to his new surroundings for a couple of days and see if he can put on a couple or three pounds and build up some strength. Eventually, he'll get to meet Dr. Ansara for a checkup and to see if anything can be done to help his teeth. Mostly, Starsky is in a play-it-by-ear situation -- just going day-by-day for awhile to figure out what might be the best thing to do for him.

Handsome is ready to find a home

2018-06-12T19:38:00.000-04:00

Handsome after his Monday visit with Dr. Ansara
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Our new buddy Handsome has had his vet workup -- he's been neutered, he has all his shots and bloodwork is done. And he's hanging out at the Friends of Greyhounds kennels waiting for someone to take him home.

Dr. Ansara's crew at Animal Hospital of University Drive also took an X-ray of Handsome's injured right hind leg while he was there Monday. FoG matriarch Michelle has sent the picture to an orthopedic surgeon to have a look. But she thinks the injury happened several months ago and there's probably nothing to do to fix it at this point.

Handsome's a tall 3-year-old brindle boy who landed at FoG last week through a back door. Michelle will tell you his story if you ask her. He's really friendly and loves hanging out in the FoG backyard with the resident dogs and humans. He gets around pretty well on that gimp leg. He'll walk a couple of steps on it now and then, but for the most part, it's a dangler. He seems to have adjusted well to it, and he doesn't appear to be in any pain.

Pharoah, Crystal and Bailey
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Maybe the orthopedist will provide some surprising news, but I wouldn't count on it. We had a dog several months ago named Taylor (renamed Pharoah by his adoptive family) who was in a similar situation. Pharoah is now happy and healthy in a Coconut Creek townhouse where he has to climb a long, steep internal stairwell to get in and out of his home. His mom, Crystal, has told me Taylor owns that stairwell and that it didn't take him long at all to figure it out.

That experience gives me confidence that Handsome will be just fine with his bad leg, assuming it can't be fixed.

Give Michelle a call at 954-937-9663 or drop her an email to meet this beautiful boy.

DUSTY AND HER PLANTATION FRIENDS: Dusty and I are still regular visitors to Joy's house in Plantation Acres. For about a year now, we've been going there several times a week to give David, Turtle and Honey some outside time while their mom is on her long work shifts. Dusty loves hanging out with those guys. Here's video to prove it:

Yes on 13 gearing up

2018-06-09T12:07:00.000-04:00

Dusty making a call to action for Yes on 13
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Michelle and I drove into Fort Lauderdale a couple of nights ago to hear from Grey2K USA, spearheading the drive to end greyhound racing in Florida.

As you probably know, November's ballot will include a proposal to add an amendment to the state constitution that would make greyhound racing illegal. If it passes, track owners in the state would be required to shut down racing operations by the end of 2020.

Sonia of Elite Greyhound Adoptions and two Grey2K leaders gave the presentation at the Humane Society of Broward County -- one stop on a state tour over the next few weeks. Basically, it was a rally to fire up grassroots support and explain their strategy for reaching voters. They hope to raise funds to air as many TV ads as possible over the next several months and focus on their basic message that racing is barbaric and cruel to the dogs.

Opposition to the measure, obviously, is coming from dog owners, trainers and others in the industry who are in danger of being put out of business. Track owners won't put up any fight, as racing has become a financial drain on their lucrative poker-room and casino businesses.

It is not my plan to follow this campaign on this blog. I fully expect the measure to pass. My interest will be in what will happen to the dogs once this measure passes. That's the information I will pass along as this campaign develops. As far as I know now, local shelters such as Elite, Hollydogs and Friends of Greyhounds as well as others across the country will be ready to accommodate any sudden wave of abandoned greyhounds if and when it happens.

Stay tuned here and keep an eye on those websites I've linked to stay posted. If you think you might be interested in adopting or fostering a dog or two as they start becoming available, contact one of those shelters and find out what you can do to get ready.

We're back!

2018-06-03T12:32:00.000-04:00

Hi, all. Dusty and I are back. Let the blogging resume.

We went radio silent three months ago after delivering Sly to her foster family. Dusty and I looked up at that point and realized that our buddies at Friends of Greyhounds had decided to close their kennels to new dogs and our favorite gathering haunts would no longer be available to us.

Dusty hasn't gotten the hang of doing a proper selfie.
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So we decided to take a blogging break, at least for awhile. We did make the mistake of letting our domain expire, which is why you could no longer find the website if you went looking for it. But the domain was still ours to claim, which we did yesterday, about three days before it expired completely.

As many of you know, an amendment to the Florida Constitution to ban greyhound racing will be on the ballot in November. Most everyone fully expects it to pass, and racing kennels are starting to move out of the state in anticipation of the shutdown. If it does happen, tracks and trainers will have a little more than a year to wind down the industry, so we probably won't be flooded with abandoned greyhounds in December or anything like that.

Handsome
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But Michelle and Jerry D. over at FoG assure us that they will be ready to ramp back up to full steam when it's time. In the meantime, I'm going to keep my eyes and ears open as to what exactly we might expect to happen when the time comes. And I'll keep everyone posted as I learn.In the meantime, Dusty and will be taking it easy over the next three or four months as the ungodly tropical summer weather hits us. We plan to drop in here and catch you up at least once a week as we ride it out, and we'll keep you posted on any news that does happen.

In fact, there is one piece of news we can pass along. FoG did take in a new dog Saturday. I need to be particularly vague on the details, but 3-year-old Handsome turned up in Sunrise with a racing injury to his hind right leg.

He's not available for adoption at the moment -- he'll spend some time visiting veterinarians over the next couple weeks for evaluations and standard workups. Once we know what's up with the injury, we'll know more about his adoption availability. Stay tuned.

One more thing for now: In case you don't know, Sly didn't stay in her new home for long after her delivery in early March. Her health deteriorated rapidly within the next few days, and she crossed the bridge just a couple of weeks later.

Sorry to drop that here now, but I did feel like I needed to get that down and not leave it hanging.

Senior girl Sly finds a great family

2018-03-04T09:59:00.000-05:00

Sky, right, and Noel in their first photo as sisters
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That photogenic old girl Sly didn't stay too long in the Friends of Greyhounds kennels. She moved into her new home Saturday, less than three weeks after arriving in Sunrise.

The family on their first walk together
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The skinny 11-year-old landed in Deerfield Beach with Alan and Joan and 5-year-old brindle girl Noel. Michelle and I took Sly to meet the family Thursday. Sly went back to Sunrise for a Friday visit with Dr. Ansara's staff before returning to her new home for good.

Alan and Joan gave her a new name, Sky. She's officially a foster instead of an adoption, as Michelle recommended, so that FoG can more easily help with medical issues that could arise. The staff at Animal Hospital of University Drive did give her a clean bill of health. She is taking a couple of meds to fight off some hookworms and to boost her appetite and put on a few pounds.

Sky is at least the third greyhound FoG has placed with the family. They had just lost one when Michelle and I delivered Noel, then named Goldie, on Christmas Day 2016. That was the first time I went with Michelle on a delivery.

Sky and her sister have a pretty good extended family for all their attention needs. Heather and her husband -- Alan and Joan's daughter and son-in-law -- live just a few blocks away.

Sky makes herself comfortable shortly after her arrival
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Sky's departure leaves two adoptable hounds in the FoG kennels -- old friend Fella and new girl Molly. Contact Michelle or Jerry D at FoG to arrange a meeting with those two.

Molly joins the gang as BJ finds a home

2018-02-27T11:21:00.000-05:00

Molly on her first full day at Friends of Greyhounds
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One fawn comes in as another one is on its way out at Friends of Greyhounds.

Molly, racing name Molly Ringwald, came into the FoG kennels Sunday by way of the Florida Kennels compound in Hialeah. She's another 2-year-old who joins the gang after a short racing career.

Molly is a friendly little girl. I met her for the first time Monday at the Sunrise kennels. She seemed happy to greet me and was thrilled when I walked out into the yard with her. But her first reaction seemed to be to retreat whenever I would move toward her with my phone as I tried to get a photo.

After a couple of minutes, however, she decided to take a seat on the ground. Once she did that, she did let me approach for a photo, though she still wasn't quite sure what was happening.

BJ
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It might have been more confusion than fear or timidity that was causing her to back away. In any case, she was happy to have my company and appeared to be a laid-back, sweet little beauty.

Molly will go see Dr. Ansara sometime in the next few days to get her routine vet workup. You should go to FoG to meet her soon. I suspect she won't be there for too long.

BJ, the 2-year-old fawn boy with the bright eyes and curly tail, is scheduled to go to his new home in Miami-Dade County on Wednesday. A first-time greyhound family came to Sunrise on Monday afternoon to meet the hounds and put in a claim.

The turnaround leaves FoG with three adoptables -- Molly, Fella and Sly. Call or text Michelle at 954-937-9663 to set up a meeting. You can also reach her at fogdogs@comcast.net.

Einstein gets a nice view in his new home

2018-02-24T11:07:00.000-05:00

Einstein marveling at the view from his new home
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A couple of quick turnarounds in the Friends of Greyhounds kennels: Einstein has found his way into a beachside condo in Pompano Beach, and Gabby is on her way to Coral Gables to take up residence with our old friend Kal.

Einstein, the 2-year-old white and brindle boy who retired earlier this month, landed in his first home yesterday. Cathleen claimed him about a week after he arrived at Friends of Greyhounds, but Einstein hung out in Sunrise for awhile waiting for his new mom to return home from a business trip.

Gabby on her last full day at FoG
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Michelle and I delivered him to Cathleen on Friday afternoon. Einstein now has a breathtaking view from his condo on the 18th floor.

Michelle was scheduled to deliver Gabby to Rhonda and Eddie on Saturday afternoon. The compact dark-brindle girl was in Sunrise for less than a week. Chris the Kennel Guy handed her over to FoG on Monday afternoon. Rhonda met her in Sunrise on Tuesday and immediately put in a claim on her.

Gabby only turned 2 years old last month. She's a great personality with ears that stay permanently at attention. Eddie and Rhonda adopted Kal in early December. They lost their collie a few days ago. They had been looking for a second greyhound to pair with Kal shortly after adopting him. Rhonda was interested in Cheyenne last month, but that girl found another home before Rhonda pulled the trigger.

Those departures leaves three adoptables in the Sunrise kennels:

BJ is a 2-year-old fawn beauty who arrived earlier this month with Einstein.
Fella is the current veteran at FoG who just turned 5 years old. He arrived in August. Fella is an affectionate boy who loves human attention. But he's excitable. He goes on a barking tear when a human enters the kennel, which has cost him a couple of auditions. He quiets down immediately when he feels he has your attention. But that first impression has left him with runner-up status a few times.
Sly is an 11-year-old white girl looking for a new home. Michelle just received her medical records from her former vet in Miami. Dr. Ansara will evaluate Sly and her medical history next week. Michelle said she will work with any prospective adopter once she knows exactly what the girl will need going forward.

CHARLIE IN ACTION: Shawn dropped an email to tell us that Charlie was a big help with first responders to the Parkland shooting.

Charlie and Shawn with a couple of first responders
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"Our CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management) team, including our new therapy-dog team, was deployed to Parkland over the weekend to defuse the first responders who worked the scene," wrote Shawn, a captain at Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. "It was an intense and sad assignment, but Charlie did fantastic as always.

"He's been seen by other departments now. and we are giving another presentation to a few departments for their own program."

A new adoptable senior at FoG

2018-02-16T12:45:00.001-05:00

Chumlee flirts with the new girl, Sly, as Yahtzee waits his turn.
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We have a new friend in the Friends of Greyhounds kennels.

Sly, an 11-year-old girl from Pennsylvania, is now in Sunrise and ready to start over with a new family. FoG Veep Michelle drove to Miami on Tuesday evening to pick up Sly.

This white and brindle girl is a beauty. Her longtime mom is moving out of the country because of family circumstances and did not want to put Sly through the trauma of such a drastic move. Sly had a short racing career and was adopted in the Northeast but has been in South Florida for several years.

She has been spending a lot of time in a boarding kennel recently because of mom's frequent travels. Sly seems to have taken very well to her temporary move into the FoG kennels, where she's surrounded by other hounds and humans 24 hours a day.

BJ
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Michelle is awaiting medical records to arrive in the mail. Soon as she gets those, she plans to get Sly to Dr. Ansara for a checkup and to find out what if any meds or special treatment she will need.

I spent some time out in the FoG backyard Thursday with Sly and Dusty and the FoG permanent residents. She seemed happy and healthy, bouncing around between playing with Dusty and the other hounds and coming to me for some human attention.

Sly will have her 12th birthday in June. She's really skinny, but there's a lot of love and life in that small frame.

Call FoG at 954-578-0072 or email Michelle at fogdogs@comcast.net to arrange a meeting with Sly. You can also send Michelle a text at 954-937-9663. While you're there, say hello to Fella and BJ, who also are looking for homes. Einstein will be there, too, for a few days -- he's waiting for his new family to return home from an out-of-town trip.

Charlie rocks his CISM presentation

2018-02-12T11:18:00.000-05:00

Charlie and Shawn give a talk about his role in the department.
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Charlie knocked it out of the park in his first official task with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

Shawn dropped an email and a few photos to tell us that Charlie was a big hit in a presentation to the department's Critical Incident Stress Management team. Team leader Mario designated Charlie as the group's official therapy dog and told Shawn that he will be featured on the cover of its new brochure.

Charlie is kicking off a department pilot program for therapy dogs. Shawn promised to keep the updates coming.

The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue CISM team