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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels February 18, 2004 Racing-dog adoption gets a nod By Steve Zimmerman Ashland Daily Tidings When Andrea and Brian Moreau of Central Point heard racing greyhounds were being destroyed after they finished their racing days, they decided to adopt one of their own. While the killing of greyhounds has been outlawed in Oregon and most of the other 49 states, that leaves a bigger problem: How to place racers not bred in qualified adoptive homes. Satsuki Doi | Ashland Daily Tidings Retired racer Ty, who is almost four years old, still has his moments of activity. Here he plays tug with a new friend in his backyard. Ty also will fetch, sleep and eat on commmand. Thanks to the efforts of Rayetta Holder and her team of dedicated Hounds for Homes volunteers throughout Oregon, that problem is being rectified. Holder places as many as 50 greyhounds per year in homes around the state. Hers is one of several organizations that do greyhound adoptions in Oregon, Washington and California. "I have been involved in greyhound adoption for almost 15 years," Holder said while doing an adoption day at Pet Country in Medford. "I had just moved to Oregon and was going to school to brush up my skills for court reporting. I came home one night and my mother and sister had watched a show about greyhounds and how if they weren't placed in homes they were destroyed." Holder got so tired of listening to them talk about the greyhounds that she adopted one in the spring of 1988. She then became involved with a couple of adoption organizations before starting Hounds for Homes in 1992. Andrea Moreau was pregnant at the time she and Brian adopted a big retiree Ty. When Regan was born about eight months ago, she and Ty quickly became fast friends. "When she hears other dogs bark on TV, she says Ty," Moreau laughed. "And he gladly takes Regan's food when she isn't looking. And when he does, she doesn't get upset at all." Andrea and Brian went to Pet Country and saw Ty there with several other greyhounds. They had a chance to walk Ty and discovered he was good on a leash and was a perfect fit for them. "And he is a great advertisement for adoption," local Hounds for Homes representative MaryAnne Peterson, better known as Granny, said while at Moreau's home. "A neighbor of theirs just adopted a greyhound also." Granny said she was surprised to see Moreau when she came in to see about adopting. "I was amazed she was as pregnant as she was and still wanted to adopt," she said. "But I had no reservations about giving them a greyhound with her being pregnant. Greyhounds are very good with children." Bob Bridge and his wife Linda have two retired racers. They brought Mo and Toby to Pet Country during last Saturday's greyhound adoption day to say hello and to shop. "We wanted a loving dog and we heard they were couch potatoes," Bob Bridge said. "We have had Mo for seven months and we got our second, Toby, four months ago. They say you never have just one greyhound and we found out that was true." The Bridges own a video store in Grants Pass and the dogs go to work with them nearly every day. "They are the official greeters," Bridge laughed. "People come to see the greyhounds and then they decide while they are there to rent a video." Holder said if an adoptive family comes to see them at Pet Country, and they pick out a retiree to bring home, most times the adoption takes place the same day. "If we can, we follow them home and check out their home. Once the papers are signed and the fee is paid, the greyhound is theirs," she said. "The cost of the adoption ($165) covers the cost of spaying and neutering and vaccinations for the greyhound, all of which are done as soon as we take them from the track." Hounds for Homes is at Pet Country every two or three months. Call the store for the next scheduled adoption day. To adopt a greyhound or for more information, Holder can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 541-563-3467. Granny can be reached by phone at 541-899-3959. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams