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Greyhound's Circle of Friends


- ABOUT OUR GROUP -

Joanne & Rodney Hopkins have been involved in greyhound adoption in the Hamilton/Toronto area since first acquiring a greyhound in 1989 from the Toronto Humane Society. They became interested in greyhound rescue after researching information provided by a nearby adoption group. Greyhounds To Canada is the group that provided them with their first retired racers, being Caleb and Clancy after their first greyhound (Minka) passed away in 1994. Both Caleb and Clancy were certified Therapy dog volunteers with St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs in Hamilton. Joanne had helped place other breeds and mixed breeds prior to them adopting their greyhounds.

After the group they were helping disbanded, they continued to offer support and assistance to a few groups in the Eastern Ontario area. In 1998 they acquired a smooth collie named Ripley who was in need of a home. Joanne & Rodney have also been in affiliation with a few groups in the states and are in contact with greyhound tracks in the states to help with the rescue effort there as well.

They have been given greyhounds (retired racers) that are no longer required by the breeders that live here in Ontario. Because of potential adopters inquiring about other breeds, Joanne & Rodney decided to begin fostering other breeds as the need arose. You are welcome to inquire about other breeds but please keep in mind that they do differ from ex-racing greyhounds. For more info on this, please read the section "How Greyhounds Differ From Other Breeds" on our About Greyhounds page.

Joanne & Rodney do so much work to rescue and find homes for dogs that they decided they may as well form their own group with help from many volunteers. This is how our current group "Greyhound's Circle of Friends" came about. The volunteers are mostly people whom Joanne & Rodney have adopted dogs to. In addition to Joanne & Rodney's home, the volunteers often provided temporary foster homes for greyhounds until they are adopted. Another thing Joanne does is offer assistance to people who have adopted from other groups and are having problems with their dog. She assesses the problem so that the people can overcome the issue by following her suggestions. Carrie Ann Timm & Jamie Dufour, who reside in the Sarnia/London area, agreed to volunteer shortly after rescuing their greyhound, Sneaker (from Greyhound Adoption of Ohio) in 1998. They later adopted a whippet named Ruby through Joanne & Rodney. Carrie Ann & Jamie have enabled the group to "branch out" and be able to serve the southwestern part of Ontario in addition to southeastern Ontario. In 2001, Josephine and Jennifer in Ajax, Ontario and Fred and Judy of Tonawanda, NY joined the group as contact people in their areas.

Our group gets the dogs ready to go into homes by doing basic training, as far as house breaking and fixing other possible problems like counter surfing, jumping up on people, chewing, chasing cats, etc. We offer also further training for a fee that would be much less than most instructors charge. This fee, as well as any other donations we receive goes to help any dogs needing major medical assistance prior to adoption.

The "Greyhound's Circle of Friends" refers to the dogs that all come together at one time or another while in Joanne & Rodneys' home and during the time when the fostering is done by their helpers and volunteers, without whom the running of a group would be very difficult. Although most of the volunteers are not mentioned here by name, (to respect their privacy) their efforts are very important to the group. It is our hope that our "Circle" will continue to grow with many more helpers in the future so that one day, no greyhound will ever have to go without a home.


Friends, you and me...
You brought another friend, and then there were 3.
We started our group, our circle of friends,
And like that circle, there is no beginning or end.


If you have not already done so, please go on to the information page(s) and if you have any questions after reading this info, please refer to our contact page to have your concerns and questions dealt with.


 

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