Rainbow Bridge - Iruska Leo (Leo)

July 21, 2004 - December 14, 2010

We are heartbroken to report that yet another FFGR, Inc. greyhound has been sent to the Rainbow Bridge. We got the following email yesterday from Leo's adopter, Mary Anne Golling:

It’s with a heavy heart that I must inform you that Leo is now waiting for me this side of the rainbow bridge.

We do not know exactly what happened – but Leo ended up with fractures in his neck and back after taking a tumble running his “track” in the yard. He was unable to stand or move his back legs.

After several days in the emergency veterinarian hospital, he was unable to eat or drink, stand or move anything beyond his neck/head.

After a long night, he was failing rapidly. I made the decision to let him go as I could not bear to see him in pain and so heavily medicated; he went to the Rainbow Bridge with dignity and peace.

When the foot prints on my heart are not so heavy, I may find room in my heart for another grey.

Mary Anne

We placed Leo with Mary Anne and her husband back in June of 2006. Leo was a little guy - only 58 pounds - and very shy! This was in the early days when we took applications, processed them and then we ordered the greyhound and people waited for "their" greyhound to come in. They came and met "their" greyhound and after a week in foster care, they took them home.

When Leo arrived for the Gollings, we saw a very small and frightened greyhound! What a sweet boy! I immediately took to Leo, this shy and tiny black boy. I worried that Mary Anne might not like him or not want a dog that was so shy. At the time I decided that we would keep him if he didn't work for Mary Anne. But she walked in, took one look at Leo, and was thrilled at meeting her new greyhound! Mary Anne saw what we saw in him. She took him home and loved loved loved him. They live near the railroad tracks at Point of Rocks and Leo was so afraid of the trains! It took a very long time to get him used to those awful scarey noises. But there were never any complaints from Mary Anne. She worked with him and eventually he got used to his surroundings and became a very outgoing and friendly dog. I got to see Mary Anne and Leo many times over the years and each time Mary Anne remarked about what a great boy he was. And Leo always looked like one very happy boy!

Leo was six years old last July. We know that he got the very best home possible and, although his time with Mary Anne and her family was way too short, Leo had people who truly loved and appreciated him for what he was. That's all the we hope for when we place a greyhound in a home.

Rest in peace sweet Leo.

It's Not to Late to Help!!!

Now that the holidays are winding down, it's not too late to get those last of the year tax breaks! There is still time to donate to Fast Friends Greyhound Rescue, Inc.!! Our organization depends on donations to help us get retired racing greyhounds into their forever homes. Since the adoption fees we charge do not come close to covering the cost of each greyhound coming into our program (and the market does not support our increasing our adoption fees), we depend on generous people to help us meet our goals.

Just go to our web site home page and you will see the "donate" button at the bottom of the page. You can make your donation via Paypal or credit card. Also, if you check out our Support Us page, there are a number of other ways that you can help. Our address is on our web site if you would like to send a check. We appreciate every donation, no matter how small; it all adds up in the end!

We ALWAYS send out donation receipts immediately and can even email them if you need the receipt before the end of the year.

Help us help the hounds! We appreciate the support!!

On Christmas Morning

I wish

For every dog
searching trash cans for breakfast,
a filled bowl with his name printed in bright letters.

For every dog
who slept fitfully last night, chained to a frozen yard,
a person snoring gently nearby.

For every shelter dog,
spending Christmas morning in a soiled run,
a forever home,
filled with sounds and smells of family.

For every "Christmas" puppy
given today,
a tolerant, caring owner
who will lovingly stay with you
as you grow into a real dog.

For every ailing pet,
enough money for your owner
to pay the bills to make you well.

For every lost dog,
a clear, safe road, and well marked path,
to lead you home.

For every dog at the Bridge,
a moment when you know that you
are remembered today,
missed again,
and loved forever.


Author Unknown

Merry Christmas to Our FFGR Family and Friends

We wish all of our FFGR, Inc. family, our friends and supporters a blessed Christmas. We thank you for all the work you have done to support our hounds. It's really all about the greyhounds! When we put their well being first, we will never go wrong. May all the good that you've done for them come back to you ten fold.

Focus on Fosters - Jewel

Dear Santa:

I thought it might be a good idea to write to you because perhaps you can give me the very best Christmas present ever! I’ve been in my foster home for six months now and am waiting for that special person to take me home forever. Don’t get me wrong; it’s very nice here and mom and dad love me very much. But I know that there is some special person out there who will love me in a special way. Maybe someone will notice me (who has been looking for a dog like me) and the two of us will be brought together. I don’t expect to celebrate Christmas in my new home; I just want someone to know I’m here and available.

My name is Fuzzy’s Jewel and mom says that “Jewel” is a perfect name as that is what I am (I think that’s good?)! I am eight years old (will be nine years old in February). I was a good racer at one time (until I broke my leg) and then I was a brood mom. Some of my pups are still racing!

I was on the farm when my owner decided to go out of business and then I moved into my foster home. When I first got here I was scared! It took a long time for me to understand that I was in a good place. But here I am, at home in the routine and bustle that I’ve learned to enjoy.

I’m a really beautiful dark brindle girl (or at least my foster mom and dad kept telling me) and they also use the words “good girl” a lot around me! I am very healthy and really no trouble at all. I am very low key and sleep a lot. I also know the inside/outside routine and have that down pat.

I like the other greyhounds here but I really would not mind being the only dog. And I’m so good and confident now that I could be left alone in my home while someone works. Unfortunately, I don’t like the kitties and small dogs. I just never got used to thinking of them as anything but dinner! Mom and dad think that it’s taken so long for my forever home to come along because of that, but I just can’t seem to change.

I LOVE routine! Dad takes me for walks all the time and the neighbors like me a lot! I like visiting with them too. One day contractors left a part of the fence open and I got out. I took myself for a walk down the street on my regular route and said hi to all the neighbors. Then I turned around and came back to the gate for mom to let me in! Boy, was she glad to see me; she even cried! That was when she used the words “good girl” a lot!

Mom said that I am on Craiger’s List and if someone adopts me, my adoption fee will go to help cancer research. Mom also says that the nicest people adopt the Craiger’s List dogs. I’m not sure what all that means but I think it’s a good thing.

Thanks for reading my request Santa. I hope that this will help me find my forever home. Whoever adopts me will really get a JEWEL of a dog.

Thanks Santa!

Jewel

Rainbow Bridge - Craigie Jet (Jet)

Craigie Jet - January 9, 2004 - November 23, 2010

We got a call from Brenda Morrison yesterday. She finally was able to talk about losing her precious Jetty. Brenda adopted Jet from our group in early 2008. He had a wonderful home with Brenda and her mother. But Jet got sick last month and Brenda took him back and forth to the vet to try to find out what was making him feel so badly. The bottom line is that he went in for the last time on November 23 and was diagnosed with an autoimmune mediated deficiency. Brenda went to see him for the last time and let him go to the Rainbow Bridge in her arms.

Brenda was not expecting this. Jet was only six years old. We have to say it again but we loved this dog! He was a wonderful, good natured and happy black boy that was the biggest smiler of all the greyhounds we've ever seen! He showed every tooth in his mouth when you talked to him! We've known Brenda for a very long time. She has adopted six dogs from our group over the years and had greyhounds before when we were working for another group back in 2000. We know that Brenda is one of the "good" adopters who loves her animals and takes such good care of them that we'd leave every one of our dogs with her if we had to leave them with somebody.

She lives right down the road from us and we get to visit her often and spend some time with her four other greyhounds. We always looked forward to Jetty's wonderful smile. We'd be sitting at the table talking to Brenda and glance over at Jetty and he'd give me this big smile! He died way too young but we do know that Brenda took care of him and loved him like no other human could.

Brenda was so heartbroken that she could not talk about this and finally decided to call and let us know. We surely shared some tears together.

Rest in peace dear Jetty; we will miss you so much. But we know that you were in the best hands and are now in a good place. Watch out for all of the other FFGR hounds that have gone before you. Too many and way too young.

Rainbow Bridge - Oceana Boy (Silver)

July 7, 2004 - December 6, 2010

Another wonderful greyhound has left for the bridge too soon. We got a call from Lynda Kundrat telling us that they lost Silver. No one could have expected such a piece of news. Lynda sent us the following email:

We lost Silver too quick. Joe is absolutely heart broken. He loved Silver so much. Silver was his dog from the time he first laid eyes on him. We want you to know we did everything we could for him. He and Angel had just been to the vet the Wednesday before Thanksgiving for a check-up, shots and their teeth cleaned. There was no sign of any thing wrong with Silver. There was a growth on his intestines, sometime Sunday it tore open and waste began to leak into his body. He was great Sunday morning, Joe had taken both of them to the dog park and Silver was fine. Sunday afternoon he started throwing up. He was panting and you could tell he was in pain. We took him to the Emergency Vet about 8:00 PM. They took X-rays and they could see the tumor but not all the leakage. They kept him over night to monitor him, give him pain meds and fluids. This morning we took Silver to our vet, they have a sonogram machine. Dr. Rupert couldn't see too much more than a lot of fluid and the growth. He drew some fluid from Silver's belly. He told us there was a lot of infection and he suggested we do surgery to see what was going on. When they opened him he was too full fluid and infection and he couldn't save him. He sewed him back up and we decided to just let him go rather than come out of the anesthesia. Joe and I held him, released him to the Lord, and he went peacefully. We are still in shock.

All of us in our group know Silver well. It took a very long time to find him his forever home. We don't know why so many people met him and then decided to adopt a different greyhound. We loved Silver and thought he might just be staying at our house. But fate would have it that Silver was waiting for his family to come along.

Joe and Lynda loved and cherished Silver more than anyone. They knew what a treasure he was. Silver and Joe traveled everywhere together. Anyone meeting them could see the connection between Joe and Silver!

As heartbreaking as this for so many of us, we take comfort in knowing that Silver could not have had a better home.

Rest in peace sweet Silver; we will all be together at the bridge one day.

Rainbow Bridge - WV's Midkiff (Mikey)

February 1, 2004 - September 1, 2010

We are sad to report that another sweet greyhound has gone to the bridge. Mikey was adopted by Jeff and Nancy Bowman after he was returned to our group several years ago. We thought that Mikey was an exceptionally sweet and gentle greyhound; he was returned through no fault of his own. At the same time, Nancy and Jeff were looking for a second greyhound and met Mikey.

Thanks to Jeff and Nancy, Mikey landed in his real forever home. Mikey got very sick suddenly and Nancy took him to the vet. The vet found out that he had a birth defect and his kidneys were extremely small. It was surprising that he was able to race and to live as long as he did. Because of the extent of his illness, Mikey could not be saved.

We are sad to see a fairly young dog go, but we do know for sure that he had the very best home any greyhound could have. He was loved and cherished by the Bowman's and that is what we hope to find for all of our adopted dogs.

Rest in peace sweet Mikey and know that you were greatly loved.

Rally to Rescue

Recently, our group has been chosen to be a Rally to Rescue ambassador. We are one of 500 organizations chosen by the Purina Pro Plan Rally to Rescue program.

The Rally to Rescue® program is a partnership with Purina® Pro Plan® brand pet food and pet rescue organizations across the country to help give rescued pets the nutrition and care they need and the loving homes they deserve.

The Purina® Pro Plan® Rally to Rescue® program is committed to Doing More™ to support smaller pet rescue organizations that often may have been overlooked by donors or adopters due to limited fundraising and marketing efforts.

We have received items to sell to help us earn money as well as many items that will help us make our events more noticable. We have received a tent, banners, curb signs to use, and professional quality signs that will save our group a lot of money.

We are thrilled at the help and support this program will offer us. For more information on the Rally to Rescue ambassador program, click on the title of this post.

Help FFGR, Inc. for Christmas!

Would you like to help our greyhound adoption group but have limited funds? There are a lot of ways that you can help our group without spending a penny!!!

If you get gifts that you never use or have new items stored in closets that are taking up space, you might want to try selling them on Ebay! If you do, you can donate any percentage of the money you make to FFGR, Inc. if you sell through Mission Fish! It's a program on Ebay that allows you to sell the item and designate the money you make to go directly into our bank account. Mission Fish facilitates the donation as well as taking care of most of the fees. We are already registered as a charity; all you have to do is look for the Mission Fish ribbon and click on it. You can sell as many items as you want as well!

If you buy a lot on line, then you can shop through IGive.com and earn money for FFGR, Inc.! It is free; you do not pay anything. This wonderful program has loads of stores that participate in the program. All you have to do is go to IGive.com, register, and then start shopping! We are registered as a charity and you can designate the money that each store sets aside for a donation to go to FFGR, Inc. The prices are still the same for all merchandise that you buy on line through this program. Each store gives a percentage of your purchase on their own. This is very easy to do. We have lots of IGive shoppers who constantly purchase on line and designate the donation from the store to go go FFGR, Inc.

Do you use Purina pet food? If you do, Purina dog food bags contain a weight circle that has points on it. If you cut these weight circles out and save them, they can add up to lots of help for our group because we collect them for money! If we save 50,000 points (which is a LOT of weight circles!), we can get a check sent to our vet to help us with medical bills for our fosters. We have been collecting these weight circles for years and have received a number of checks during that time. All you have to do is send them in the mail, drop them off at a meet and greet or to one of our volunteers. If you have friends or family members who use Purina products, get them to save the weight circles too! Please note: These weight circles are different than the UPC symbols that some companies require for refunds, etc.

The following products contain the weight circles:

Pro Plan Selects
Pro Plan Performance
Purina Veterinary Diets
ALL OTHER Pro Plan and Purina One foods (including puppy foods); this is an extensive list and the best approach would be to look for a weight circle on the bags

The points also vary by the weight of the bags.

Other participating Purina Brands include Beef Complete, Bonz, Butcher's Burger, Chezy Chews, Chew Morsels, Chuck Wagon, Lucky Dog, Moist and Chunky, Kibbles and Chunks, Nature's Course, Praise, Prime and Ribz brands

Don't forget, it takes a lot of points to get rewards, but with lots of people donating the weight circles, it adds up very fast!