| Blood-donating dog rescued in turn |
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By: Lisa Marchesoni
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Posted: Sunday, December 27, 2009 7:52 am
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When Bob the greyhound slipped into shock in August 2007, veterinarians prepared owner Britt Phillips for the worst.
“I started crying,” remembered Phillips, a Smyrna resident and dog lover. “I started shaking and panicked. He’s going to die and I can’t handle that. Bob is my heart dog. We have a connection.”
But a transfusion from another greyhound named Dove saved his life. Greyhounds serve as universal blood donors for dogs.
Ironically, Phillips was instrumental in perhaps giving Dove a home this Christmas.
A vet tech from the office that housed Dove sent Phillips an email asking if the greyhound rescue group in Rutherford County would consider finding a home for her since the veterinarian now used bagged blood for transfusions and didn’t have a need to keep Dove.
Phillips, a rescue group board member, contacted president Holly Ramsey of the All About Hound rescue chapter, the greyhound rescue group in Rutherford County.
Ramsey picked Dove up for fostering and showed her that same day to friend, Tammy Fleming of Scottsville, Ky. When Fleming saw Dove, “It was love at first sight.”
Fleming saw a dog with her head down, indicating she was unsure of herself and apprehensive about where she was going.
“That white face just got me,” Fleming said. “She’s just gorgeous.”
Dove is a blue fawn greyhound with a light brown color.
Group secretary Jennifer Cross described Dove as “stunning.”
Fleming fosters Dove with intent to adopt her.
“As long as she fits with my pack, she’s going to be adopted by me,” Fleming said.
Fleming adopted three retired greyhound racing dogs from Florida and owned as many as eight greyhounds at one time.
“It’s like another scoop of ice cream,” Fleming said in caring for the pets. It just takes longer to fill food dishes and rotate them for bathroom duties outside. “I’d take eight of these rather than two dogs of any other breed.”
She likes the calm behavior of the greyhounds.
“When they look at you, it’s like, ‘I probably don’t deserve this but if you have time would you pet me?’” Fleming said. “They’re very grateful for everything you do for them.”
Ramsey said greyhounds usually race from 18 months to four years when they retire. It’s frustrating because there are not enough homes to adopt the dogs.
Fleming said the dogs are considered livestock in Florida so they can be euthanized at will.
Ramsey said retired greyhounds are good pets because they are housebroken and low maintenance. They must be kept inside.
“Our goal is we like to help educate people on how to be a good greyhound owner,” Ramsey explained. “It’s a eight to 10-year commitment when you bring them home.”
Phillips said once the rescue group prepares a potential donor, the dog is less likely to be returned.
Because the dogs raced and didn’t live in a home, Fleming said the adopted dogs must be introduced to televisions, ceiling fans and glass doors. They must be kept on leads outdoors or they may run at speeds up to 40 mph.
“When they run, they hear only the beat of their hearts and the wind in their ears,” Fleming said, explaining they can only be caught when they choose to stop.
Ramsey said people mistakenly believe the dogs must run every day and they are high energy. In fact, the dogs only need a 20-minute walk in the morning and generally sleep 16 hours a day. Greyhounds are excellent pets for apartment dwellers.
Greyhounds are the only dog listed by breed in the Bible in Proverbs 30:31, she noted.
People interested in adopting a greyhound may contact the rescue group at its Web site at allabouthounds.org.
Phillips said the dogs even like to dress up in dog clothes.
“They like bling,” she added with a laugh.
Lisa Marchesoni may be reached at 869-0814 or at lmarchesoni @murfreesboropost.com.
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