Virginia Greyhound Adoption

June Bugs

2011-06-11T16:30:00.007-04:00

Five more greys joined the VAGA family today.
Welcome aboard Backwood Billie, CI Constant Boy,
Kiowa Iwoatrail, Our EZ Trip, and Tango Power.

Happy tails to all.

The Second Coming

2011-05-17T15:38:00.008-04:00

If April Showers bring May flowers what due May showers bring? Apparently more greyhounds.

The second group of greys this month arrives Saturday May 21.

Once again Gary and Wilberta will be making the round trip to Manning S.C..

You two might want to put in a request for night vision goggles. Thanks for making this journey.

The new four are: Bl's Daria, Bogardus, Fisch By Kato, and Wishful Wit. Have a safe trip.

May Flowers

2011-05-06T11:30:00.011-04:00

Coming up May 7th are the latest Four Members to join the VAGA family.

They are: Boc's Kibbles, Nitro Bob, PTL Jane Doe, and RJ's Ozzie.

All are arriving on a non stop journey to Fredericksburg.

They will be join by six more companions heading north to Canada.

Weather seems to be cooperating for a comfortable trip up the I95.

Band of Brindles

2011-04-03T13:32:00.006-04:00

These four are coming up on April 9th. All are brindles!!! They are: Boc's See My Dust, Boc's Lil Beauty, Katys Walkin and Kebo Klever Kat. Gary & Wilberta are making the trip to Manning S.C. and will be meeting John, Joan's hubby. Boc's C My Dust will get off in Richmond. Michelle Ridlon will be meeting them to get her. Thanks to all involved on this haul for making the trip. Have a safe journey.

2011 Pet Expo

2011-04-02T09:02:00.007-04:00

Chemar Summerice and owner Cindy McConnell participated for the second year in a pet fashion show aimed at increasing awareness of dog rescue organizations such as VAGA. Sponsored by Chemar's dog walking service, All Friends Pet Care, the event was part of the Super Pet Expo held March 18 - 20, 2011, in Chantilly, VA." .Both Chemar and Cindy look beautiful!!!

Greyhounds and Cats?

2011-03-25T19:08:00.008-04:00

As a greyhound owner you've probably come across "What great dogs, but how are they with cats." We've all heard it or some variation. It's heard at Meet & Greets, special functions and events or just a walk around the neighborhood. I will be the first to tell you, all greys are not good around cats or small creatures. Is there a percentage who are? Certainly, what that percentage is I'm not sure. I think it's fair to say that more are cat friendly than not. If I were to put a number on it I'd say 80% plus. It's not a scientific number just a guesstimate.

To try and help everyone out, especially the M & G volunteers, we asked to have you send in photos of your cats and greys together. The following video is a collection of those photos. The next time somebody brings up the question, send them over to the blog to have a look for themselves.

A big thanks to all those who sent in their photos.

March Madness?

2011-03-03T14:50:00.011-05:00

Two words that send College Basketball fanatics into delirium and the rest of the world wishing it were April already.
I'm not writing about my picks for the Final Four but I will tell you the names of the newest four joining the VAGA family.
They are: Boc's Gib It All, El Kan Missy, Langfuhr, and Tango Missy.
They will be arriving Saturday March 5th thanks to Gary and Jon who will be their escorts up I95.
Thanks for making that trip you two, have a safe journey.

Special Gals.... Sunshine and Sadie and their mom, Jody!

2011-02-26T13:00:00.010-05:00

VAGA is very proud of Sunshine and Sadie. They are both retired racers ( half sisters too) that are bringing so much happiness to many people. Their mommy, Jody, is a nursing home administrator. Many days Jody is able to take Sunshine & Sadie to work with her. The greyhound gals are making new friends all the time. They are favorites with the residents and the staff too. Sunshine and Sadie are very loving and gentle girls who have tons of love to share with all their new friends. We thank Jody for giving these two sweet greyhounds a forever home and for sharing with us all these beautiful pictures.

Abby Coble Working Hard

2011-02-04T12:34:00.004-05:00

Abby is working hard as a Therapy Dog. We are so proud of her!

A Few More

2011-01-31T14:39:00.003-05:00

Here are some additional pics sent in from the January 14th haul.

This Year's First

2011-01-14T12:03:00.009-05:00

Coming up tomorrow Jan. 15, 2011 are the four newest additions to the VAGA family.

The crew is leaving today to bring them up.

They are: DC Dashing Dora, Ratchet Up, Kiowa Reanna, and Lady Sadie Sue.

As always we wish them a safe and uneventful journey to their new homes.

Christmas in Middleburg

2010-12-19T19:24:00.006-05:00

VAGA had the pleasure of marching in the Middleburg Parade on Dec 4th. We had a blast! The weather was cold but sunny and the greyhounds were definitely a crowd pleaser. Many people asked us about the breed and we were very happy to share with them how special the greyhounds can be. Here are just a few pictures taken by photographer, Jeff Mauritzen. Jeff is a professional photographer with inPhotograph. He and his wife are owned by Sasha( a pretty female greyhound).

There are plenty more awesome pictures available to see on Jeff's website. Please click HERE and enjoy the pictures. They are beautiful and are a testament to the fun time we all had!

Christmas Gifts

2010-12-12T13:45:00.009-05:00

I'm a little late with this one. Here are five December presents that arrived yesterday safe and sound.
A big thanks to Lynda and Joel for the one day round trip saving Santa some room on his sled.
The early presents are: AMF Casino Cruze, El Kan Drake, Goodbye Zest, Kenbob Naomi, and Nina's Kango.
Welcome to your first Christmas.

Christmas Parade Fredericksburg, Va. Dec. 4, 2010

2010-12-12T13:08:00.020-05:00

About 40 greyhounds and their respective owners came out for this years Annual Fredericksburg Christmas Parade. While still a cold one, the weather was better than the last few years. If you wonder why we subject ourselves and our greys to these elements, take them somewhere with you and be surprised how many people say "were you the ones in the parade?" We may not top those Clydesdale's as number one but were working on it. Here are a few photos that were taken.If anyone who was there has more please send them to us. We'll be happy to put them up.

Eleven by Eight

2010-11-04T21:28:00.009-04:00

Coming up on Saturday are eleven hounds, arriving around 8am, heading for their new homes.

A hauler will be dropping off 6 in Fredericksburg. The remaining 5 will continue their journey to our neighbors

up north in Canada. Four in the Fredericksburg group have homes with two going into foster. Their names are:

Boc's Luckycharm, Bubby Suzy, Tango Two Step, Ricos Haley, Dublin Byrne, and Catys Buggy.

Welcome to VAGA and a safe journey to all.

I need a Forever Home!

2010-11-04T21:17:00.010-04:00

Hello,

My name is Electra. I am a retired racing greyhound. I ran as fast as I could for almost three years. Once my racing career was completed, I became a blood donor dog for four long years. I lived 24/7 in a kennel at the vet's office.
My life has changed again as I am being loved and cared for in a nice adoption kennel in Orlando Florida. The people here are very nice and they keep telling me one day soon I may live in a "house". I do not know what a house is. I'm guessing it is a very special place.

I have always gotten along with other dogs and just the other day a furry thing named a cat came to visit me. I did not pay much attention to the cat. The cat seemed friendly. I hope I'll be able to live with one in the future. That would make me happy!

I don't like to brag but I am a very pretty female. Look at my beautiful eyes! I will only be turning seven years old in February. I played with toys today for the first time, boy was it fun! I promise I will love you forever if you will take me home.

E-mail the nice ladies at Virginia Greyhound Adoption ( staff@virginiagreyhounds.org) if you want to know more about me. Trust me, I am a caring gal who will love you forever!
Thank you!
Electra

Falls First Four

2010-10-07T11:44:00.007-04:00

Well, here are the next four greyhounds to come up to Virginia. Gary and Wilberta will be driving to South Carolina (in the middle of the night around 4am) to meet John. They will be dropping off Atascocita Loyal & Hays Genie Magic to Michelle & Mitch in Richmond where they will host the adoption. Boc's Hang Tight and Win N to Zip will come up to Fredericksburg and will be going to their forever home together. Looks like they will have good weather for the trip. Wish them all a safe journey.

AAA Storage, Shirlington Va.

2010-09-20T10:06:00.006-04:00

If you subscribe to VAGA Yahoo Group you would have read that AAA Storage is sponsoring a different rescue group each quarter and VAGA was the first. Below is a report from Judy Smith who organized this event.

"Wanted to let you know we had quite the turnout of humans and greys for the M&G at AAA storage facility. We had 8 greys show up and about 10 folks stop by who wanted information on the greys.

I know you will love my homemade sign for VAGA. We had Judy and Ed with Indy, Michael with Beatrice and Ashley, Cheryl and Jim with Stella, and Winnie with her human Zach. Quite the turnout if I do say so myself."

Many thanks to Judy and her crew for representing VAGA and helping to spread the word.

Wake Me Up When September Ends

2010-09-13T09:14:00.010-04:00

"Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
wake me up when September ends"

Greenday's Billie Joe Armstrong makes this statement with his opening lyrics to "Wake Me Up When September Ends". It seems fitting in many ways as I introduce the next four VAGA members coming up September 18th. They are: Berganza, Lotta Choices, RJ's Gentle Boy, and Rossmore Pat. Berganza is a seven year old going to her forever home. Their transportation will be handled by Lynda and Joel, who will be making the round trip haul to and from Mannning S.C. non stop. Hopefully they will get some sleep before September ends. Wish them all a safe journey on the I-Train up 95 next Saturday.

Dog Days of August

2010-08-19T16:01:00.005-04:00

Not sure if we'll beat the record of 67 days over 90 degrees set in 1982 for our area, but it looks like we'll make a run at it. Speaking of running, let me introduce the four newest greys heading north this weekend. They are: Drama Girl, Fearless Frito, KB's Hot N Ready, and No Humor. Kristen and Lynda will be heading down to Manning SC to pick up these 3 gals and yes, one lonesome guy.
Wish them a safe journey and we'll see you all on Saturday.

30 Days Into.....

2010-07-12T17:50:00.010-04:00

Summer! It seems like a lot more but that's all it's been. With that said, here comes our first group of July greyhounds. The newest members are: AHK Lovin It All, AMF Bone Spur, Cals Cayenne, and Nahtazu. This group will be heading up from Florida with Gary & Wilberta all the way to Virginia. No transfer tickets issued for this gang. It's a one way, one vehicle trip. Wish them all a safe journey on the way up July 17th and 18th.

The Dogs of Summer

2010-06-20T11:38:00.008-04:00

Here's the first group of the summer. Coming in next Saturday the 26th are: Kiowa Talkmystic, Flirtatious, Tulip Sunshine, and Jimbo Great. It may be hot for their trip but they will be riding in air conditioned comfort. Let's welcome them to VAGA. Wish them and their human counterparts a safe and uneventful journey up the I95.

A Round for the Hounds 2010

2010-06-12T15:30:00.010-04:00

Each year it becomes more difficult to come up with new material for this event. Each year I am continually surprised as to the number of people who continue to support us both financially and with almost countless donations. Each year brings different challenges as well as rewards. Each year this event helps us maintain our commitment. That commitment is what drives us all. The benefactors may be in your home right now, laying on a sofa enjoying the good life. They may still be in a kennel somewhere in Florida, or as I am writing this, on there way up I95 to a home near you. Wherever they are, if they could speak, they would certainly be thanking you. However they cannot, but one just has to look into their eyes, to peer into their souls to know how much they appreciate what is done for them. So we continue to have this event. We put up with all it entails, the good, the bad, and the ugly because the need is so great. We also do it because the reward is so satisfying.

Once again I must thank everyone who helped make this event so successful. Our sponsors, the numerous business in our community whose donations fuel the raffle, our volunteers (Greyhound people just ROCK) and the golfers. These guys and gals come out every year, regardless of weather, and continue to support us. We greatly appreciate your commitment and generosity.

Now to the Golfing winners.

First Place, with a score of 57: Furtado, Gordon, Kidd, Montemayor

Second Place with a score of 59: Blue, Blue, Flemming, Foley

Third Place with a score of 63: Ford, Hardy, Hicks, Rabe

Longest Drive: Brenda Blue

Closest to the pin: Harold Ford

Congratulations to you all.

As always, there is another group of winners who would like to extend their thanks:

It is that group of greyhounds whose lives you just changed.

Father's Day Haul

2010-06-09T12:42:00.008-04:00

Well it's still a week early, but this Saturday June 12th it's a gentleman's majority. We have four dogs coming up and three are males. I don't recall a haul where the guys have outnumbered the gals. So let's hear it for the boys: BBR Trojan, KT Brady, and Nitowalkthisway. Kebo Kupcake is our lone gal. She and Trojan will be getting off in the Richmond area while Brady and Nitro will be coming into Fredericksburg. Wish them all a safe journey to their new homes.

Just in Time......

2010-05-05T20:22:00.017-04:00

........for Mother's Day. This group is arriving on Saturday May 8.
Introducing Boc's Decked Out, Cocoa Kisses, and Kebo Kash.
Now two out of three are adopted.
If your in the market for a goofy male brindle than look no further Kebo Kash is your man.
Give it some thought and take Kebo off the homeless list.
Wish them all a safe journey.

An Early Mother's Day Tale

2010-04-24T10:24:00.006-04:00

A little over a year ago, Alexis Carlson, adopted a little greyhound named U Too Hopsing. I remember that cold January day back in '09 (check out the story HERE).

She named that grey Harper. Well, not too long ago Alexis discovered one of Harper's daughters (JC It's a Sara) was available for adoption. With a few tugs here and a few strings there it was arranged for mother and daughter to be reunited. Now Harper and daughter Sara are enjoying the good life.

Petco Swift Creek Plaza

2010-04-24T10:07:00.005-04:00

Here are some M&G pictures from the Midlothian Petco at Swift Creek Plaza from last Saturday (April 17th). This is a new M&G location and I understand they did produce an application, GREYT JOB. If you'd like to join them next time they'll be there again on May 15th from 12:00-2:30. Here's the info:

PETCO
Swift Creek Plaza
13329 Rittenhouse Drive
Midlothian,VA 23112-6225
804-744-4687

Newest Members

2010-04-10T10:57:00.012-04:00

By the time you read this the Four newest VAGA members will have met their new owners.
All four are adopted. They are: CRs Stephie, Dbar Heartbraker, Little Dictator, and Slack Off .
Welcome home.

April is National Adopt a Greyhound Month

2010-03-28T14:01:00.003-04:00

This movement was launched by the Greyhound Project in 2009 as an effort to raise awareness for Greyhound adoption throughout the United States. A prime example of these efforts is the spot on the CBS Morning Show from last year we have been running in the left sidebar.

To find out more about the Greyhound Project visit Adopt-A-Greyhound. It's full of suggestions how we can help help make this April an even bigger success than last year.

Check out Cal the greyhound's pitch for long term commitment below.

Mid-Week Haul

2010-03-26T22:53:00.016-04:00

Early Tuesday morning, VAGA picked up four happy greyhounds.They hitched a ride along with 16 other greyhounds that were headed north. Just think, twenty greyhounds moving on to forever homes! WONDERFUL!!!

Two greyhounds who missed the last haul, Boc's Buckmaster and Gooddaystarshine, were able to join the haul this time around. Buck is now with his family in Richmond and Star is going to her home in Alexandria in the morning.

A & D Walpole joined her family tonight in Fredericksburg and JC It's a Sara is being adopted tomorrow. She is going to be reunited with her mother, U Too Hopsing ( now Harper). We will post some pictures of mommy and daughter in the near future.

Having dogs arrive mid-week made things a little difficult. We would like to send our thanks and hugs to our awesome foster families. Thank you Kristen & Gyeong, Alice & Bob and Lorie and Larry ( who took in two greyhounds). You helped make this happen!!!

Chemar the Runway Model

2010-03-26T21:19:00.009-04:00

Beautiful Chemar was in a “dog rescue awareness” fashion show at
the Pet Expo last Saturday, March 20th. She was quite the elegant fashion model.
Chemar was adopted and is loved by Cindy McConnell.

2010 A Round for the Hounds

2010-03-14T09:55:00.003-04:00

Registration is now open for our 5th Annual "A Round for the Hounds" golf tournament. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year. We will be returning to Fawn Lake Country Club on June 5, 2010. This event sold out last year in just 18 days. On top of the left sidebar you will find a gadget that will take you to the golf website or you may click HERE. All information about the tournament is available for you there. If you have any additional questions feel free to contact us. This event is fueled by donations of goods and sponsorships. Economic conditions have hurt most charities in this aspect. If you or anyone you know would like to help out in this area, please get in touch with us.

Sunset Silhouettes

2010-03-08T15:12:00.006-05:00

My jaw dropped in amazement when I looked at these beautiful photos taken as the sun began to set. VAGA members, Jeff & Finn, adopted Sasha around a year ago. She has changed their lives. Please click on the link below if you would like to see more stunning photos taken at sunset. Jeff is one talented photographer and if you would like him to photograph your greyhounds, please feel free to contact him. His information is on the VAGA web page, on this VAGA News page below on the left hand side and you may also reach him by the link below. Enjoy the photos.

http://www.inphotograph.com/c/virginiaphotographer/gallery/New-Image-Gallery-Sunset-Silhouettes/G0000r4vLY3mdcyI

Hot town, summer in the city

2010-03-06T16:52:00.004-05:00

Okay it wasn't in the 90's but it must have felt good to the gang of greys at the Route 3 Fredericksburg Petco today (either that or I missed the memo on an unscheduled parade). So many rolled through I lost count around 30. In fairness, who could blame them. After months of being couped up at home, they finally had decent weather in which to come out. There was plenty of sniffing going on, it was hard trying to locate old friends among the newcomers. This was a well behaved crowd which searched for anyone with a free hand to catch a pet or scratch. No child was left behind as there was never a shortage of greys to exchange pets and kisses. Late in the day there was even a party crasher named Moon Pie, who thought this was an ALL greyhound event, not just retired racers. We decided to let her hang out with the big guys anyway.
Greyhound cam was in working mode all day. Enjoy the slides.

A Little March Madness

2010-03-03T21:15:00.007-05:00

The snow is slowly becoming a distant memory, the Olympic Flame is out, and College basketball is gearing up.
What does this have to do with greyhounds? Just another haul to fill in the gaps between events. This is turning, what is generally a slow quarter, into a very successful one. So let's welcome Boc's Buckmaster, Craigie Lacy, Gooddaystarshine, and UToo Shadow to VAGA. They'll be arriving Saturday March 6th. Wish them a safe journey.

Our Last Haul (Update)

2010-02-20T11:35:00.002-05:00

There was a last minute change for this haul. Heartbraker was unable to make the trip due to an infection. We wish him a speedy recovery. In his place, a 9 year old farm dog named Miz Conn, did make the trip and was adopted along with fellow adoptee Geez Drama Queen. Both are now enjoying the same forever home. A big thanks to Joel for bringing the gang up from South Carolina under less than perfect driving and weather conditions. Enjoy the slideshow.

Happy Days Ahead For Miz Conn

2010-02-17T13:00:00.002-05:00

Miz Conn, the 9 year old greyhound that has waited all these years for a home, finally got her wishes. After racing, having pups and living at the farm, her dreams have come true. She was adopted on Saturday by a wonderful family in Fredericksburg, VA. She will also have a greyhound sister to play with named Luna. Now, our goal is to find a forever home for Miz Conn's brother, Hey Deputy Ben.

VAGA Now on Twitter

2010-01-30T14:16:00.009-05:00

You will get tweets about our events, hauls, functions
and just about anything VAGA as well as new items in the store.
You can find us at VAGA Greyhounds.

It is also included in the left sidebar under "LINKS" (VAGA on TWITTER).

Whether your an old pro, novice, or never had a reason to tweet,
signup and give us a try at VAGA Greyhounds.

Littermates

2010-01-27T19:41:00.008-05:00

Meet Conni & Ben. These two beautiful littermates just turned nine in November. They raced and then went to the farm to live. They have never had the chance to live in a home. We would like to change that....if you have ever thought about opening up your heart and home to a senior greyhound(s), please consider adopting one or both of these adorable hounds. We would like for them to stay together but would be willing to separate them if needed. We know keeping them together may not be possible. Conni & Ben are both VERY sweet dogs and are cat safe too.

Thank you,
Debbie

Who's Next?

2010-01-25T17:26:00.006-05:00

Alright I'll tell you. Three guys and a lady will be coming up the I95, or as I like to call it "The Greyt Escape Interstate", on February 6th. Welcome C Awe Mon, Dbar Heartbraker, Geez Drama Queen, and HK's Electrified. Usually it's the other way around but this time the guys are all adopted and the lady will go into foster. Please keep them in your thoughts as they make their trip home.

When it has to be there Overnight

2010-01-23T08:33:00.005-05:00

Three VAGA greys were able to hitch a ride last night on a Greyhound Express and arrive today. Let's welcome PTL Bedazzle, Rollem, and SE's Potsy Pea. I'm sure they will be as excited, as their new owners, to have a forever home.

Grapehounds-Virginia

2010-01-18T21:34:00.001-05:00

Mark your calendars for May 14 to 16, 2010 for The Grapehound Wine Tour-Virginia 2010

( the informal name is Grapehounds-Virginia ). This is going to be a greyt event and we are very excited to be a part of it!

Event: Grapehounds-Virginia

Dates: May 14-16, 2010

Cost: $20 per ticket

Location: Several wineries in northern Virginia, near Leesburg

Description: Wine tasting and greyhound vendors for greyhound owners who want to enjoy northern Virginia wineries in spring. There will be certain hotels in the area that are waiving pet fees and giving us group rates. You may click on the following link for more information

http://www.grapehounds.com/virginia.htm

Registration will open 1 Feb, 2010.

As we obtain details, they will be posted.

The Race

2010-01-12T20:12:00.003-05:00

Over on the left sidebar you will find a video called "The Race." This video has been out a little over a year. The songwriter just recently allowed distribution to all rescue and adoption groups.
These videos are customized for each group by Alan Jackson. The first 3:30 minutes are standard then each group has their photos inserted at that point. We wish to thank Matt Dahan for the song and Alan Jackson for putting this together. I will keep this on top of the sidebar so everyone will have a chance to view this without scrolling to find it. It will stay there for about a month and then I will move it to a lower position. Hope you enjoy it.

2009 Year in Review

2010-01-04T15:34:00.013-05:00

Another year has slipped by us, how much has happened, how much do we remember. Let me touch upon a few events:

The Orlando Project, Zach and Corey Thorne, Lick Canine Cancer and Dr. Couto, Gettysburg, little Knuckles, another Golf Tournament, Kebo, Smiley Miley, one final wash, Will and Hero, a picnic, a couple of Christmas parades, some gift wrapping, the Shoebox Fundraiser, countless M&G's, numerous hauls and adoptions,

well I guess that's more than a few.

So how do we measure the success of a group? Is it the fundraising, the number of adoptions, both, neither, or none of the above. I believe success is measured by volunteers. Without volunteers there is no fundraising. Without volunteers there are no hauls, no adoptions, no M&G's, no parades, no stories to stir our feelings and capture our hearts.

This organization is blessed with some of the best volunteers in the greyhound world. You know who you are. You know what you've done. You do this year after year. Pat yourselves on the back for yet another job well done. Know that everyone at VAGA appreciates the sacrifices you make. Know that we will continue to count on you.

This year there have been a lot of new family additions for VAGA members and congratulations to you. On the other hand, some have suffered losses. The English language has no words to console you. We can only hope time will help heal your pain.

I am not a writer, I am barely a blogger, so I offer you from the Foo Fighters
"It's Times Like These"

"It's times like these you learn to live again
It's times like these you give and give again
It's times like these you learn to love again
It's times like these time and time again"

HUG YOUR GREY(S) EVERY DAY. GOD ONLY LOANS THEM TO US.

It's a Good Start

2010-01-03T10:49:00.003-05:00

It was quite a crowd of both people and canines as the new year was kicked off with this M&G at Petco in Fredericksburg. There was plenty of petting and scritching to go around for everyone. It makes you wonder who gets the most out of these events, the dogs or the people. In either case, no one was disappointed. Thanks to everyone who came out on a cold and blustery day to continue spreading the word about our favorite breed.

Midnight Riders

2009-12-27T18:44:00.005-05:00

We had a couple of midnight riders come into town this morning after a long night up the I95.
Please welcome Broadway Bark ( a cow dog ) and Boc's Jet ( a red brindle ). Both are residing in foster homes and are available for adoption. If you or anyone you know would like to make a New Year's addition to your family, please get in contact with us.

The Shoebox Fundraiser

2009-12-26T09:48:00.005-05:00

We wanted to pass along this letter received from our friends down at GPA-GO:
To ALL of our extended family at VAGA ....

Santa Paws came to visit us yesterday, with a huge, and we mean H-U-G-E, sack over "his" shoulder. Of course, we were all very excited, because we've heard that Santa brings greyt things to Kennel Kuties who have been good all year. Aces ... we all knew that we have been exceptionally good all year ... well, there was that time that Moondog pulled AweMan's blanket halfway thru to his crate, and Washita did dig a little hole in the side yard that required a dump truck full of gravel to fill in (she did find a really cool rock, though'!), and okay, okay ... so RangeFire's aim is -uh hum- a little off - little Lilac didn't seem to mind her bath too much! All in all, though, our Kennel Moms and Dad say we are the BEST kids anywhere, so we knew something wonderful just had to be in Santa's sack for us!
W-O-W!!!! Our favorite! We were sooooo thrilled with our wonderful, new rope toys Ours were gettin' kind of worn from all of the playing and washing! But then, Santa started pulling out these humongous knuckle bones! Whooo hooo, those babies were the size of bowling balls!!!! And, best of all, there was a bone for each one of us! Just when we decided Santa must have hit the Powerball, Santa confessed that our Christmas goodies really didn't come from as far away as the North Pole, but from our wonderful friends in Virginia-who we lovingly call VAGA! We wanted to thank you, but since our paws are too big for the keyboard, most of us can't spell very good, and we'd have to be REALLY careful with RangeFire around electrical devices --hee hee-- we asked our Kennel Moms to type what is in our hearts ....

Thank you for remembering us, and making our Christmas so special. We just love our rope toys, and our delicious-BIG-bones. We haven't stopped chewing since Santa gave them to us yesterday! Thank you EVERYONE at VAGA for working so hard all year, so that we can have a forever home with families who will love us just as much as everyone here at GPA/GO loves us. Thank you for your love, friendship, and support over the years, and most important of all, thank you .... for thinking WE are worth it ...

RangeFire! Not on the computerrrrrrrrrrrrrrwdjasdfu98qnegea45368t -348]4 5tq rgh d8uy06r -y3yt83tu sssssssssssssss ...

With much love,
The Kennel Kuties
Greyhound Pets of America/Greater Orlando
Thanks to everyone who contributed and made this the big success that it was.You brought a lot of cheer to those still waiting for a forever home.

To see and read more, check out the GPA-GO website HERE

There are also a couple of short videos you can see HERE and HERE

May we wrap that for you?

2009-12-13T11:31:00.008-05:00

With a few Borders under our collective belts, I'm starting to hear that in my sleep.
SANTA has Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, WE have Prissy and Stanley and Abby and Tempest (and George). It was a busy Saturday so the photo opts were a little bit limited. We did manage to snag a few. Thanks to the volunteers for helping out, and again to Ms. Prissy for being the perfect ambassador.

Enjoy

Middleburg, Va. Dec. 5, 2009

2009-12-13T10:37:00.007-05:00

And we thought the weather in Fredericksburg was bad. I'm surprised you all were able to get any photos taken at all. Kudos to you for putting in that appearance.
Here's a short thank you from Gil.

Hello All;

The weather did not make for a very nice parade, but thanks to Sue & Mick Glenn and their Galgo Ginger,
Nancy, Bree Poe and I were not alone.

Hope next year we have better weather.
Gil

Winter Wonderland

2009-12-06T12:19:00.004-05:00

For the second year in a row Mother Nature decided to drop a little precipitation on our parade.
It once again did not stop some 30 greyhounds, and their owners, to brave less than desirable conditions. With wet snow and mixed rain, cold wind and a delayed start, everyone managed to make it from start to finish. Along the parade route, kids and their parents waved and cheered as a few of the greys made some curbside stops to soak up a head pat or two. They never seem to pass up some additional attention.

Enjoy the short show below and a Happy Holiday Season to all.

And so the Season starts

2009-11-29T11:36:00.004-05:00

The wrapping has officially started at Borders. A group of five, and one hound, showed up at 9am for what was supposed to be a four hour tour. A few hours after our arrival, we were informed that the two groups to follow us had cancelled. We were invited to stay as long as we wanted. Not wanting to turn down an additional fundraising opportunity, we decided to hang on as long as possible. At 8pm we called it a day (and night). This would not have been possible without the dedication of the volunteers and 3 hounds: Prissy, Stanley, and George. Ms. Prissy was relieved once by Stanley and then later by George. I was informed that it is not unusual for two males to try to do the work of one female. Prissy worked 7 hours before she finally caught a cat nap. Not wanting to miss out on any attention grabbing moments, she again hit the floor. It was reported she put in a solid 14 hours of sleep when she got home and has fully recovered. Thanks so much to everyone for putting in such a long day.

Home for the Holidays

2009-11-21T15:05:00.007-05:00

The 7 swans and a trio of grey riders named Madge,Pauline, and Bluff have all made it safe to Virginia. These guys and gals have had a long day with a long ride and yet, bounced out of those vans with their greatest asset, the ability to adapt to almost anything, in full display. Why this still amazes me I don't know. Each group seems to develop it's own character on a haul and no two groups seem to be alike. Each grey has it's own background. No matter how checkered or how bad it may have been, it is sometimes difficult to tell them apart.

So happy holidays to the newest 7 and the 3 grey riders. Safe continuing travel to the Backwood Sisters, who as of this writing, are on the final leg of their journey home.

Edited: The Backwood Sisters made it home safe and sound and were immediately spoiled.

Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!

2009-11-17T19:41:00.006-05:00

If you have not yet taken a look at the VAGA picnic pictures.....please take the time to look today. Professional photographer, Jeff Mauritzen, did a fabulous job capturing the beauty of this breed. When you are on his website, you can click on Gallery to see some of his other work. He is offering a special package for VAGA members. Here are a few pictures Jeff took at the picnic....as you can see, he is VERY talented!

Click HERE to see all the pictures taken at the picnic. If you would like to order pictures of your greyhound, please contact Jeff at jeff@inphotograph.com.

7 Swans a Swimming

2009-11-14T11:07:00.015-05:00

Hardly swans, but in the spirit of the upcoming holidays these 7 new greys will receive the best gift possible, a forever home. Coming up next Saturday the 21st are VAGA's 7 newest members. They are: Backwood Diva, Backwood Sondra, Bow Legacy, Fort Leavenworth, Gotcha Jethtro, MGs Veronica, and Spare Key. This group has a mix of guys, gals. and even a pair of sisters (kind of makes me think of White Christmas).
So, let's get them up, load them up and send them up the road next week. We will all be waiting to give you a happy holiday greeting.

Wish them a safe journey home.

2009 VAGA Picnic

2009-10-26T21:29:00.003-04:00

How much fun can you cram into 4 hours? You would have to ask the family, friends, and furkids who were there. There seemed to be something for everyone. The furkids enjoyed organized runs as well as the BLUR of FUR game. Family and friends mingled with each other. The store was open and the auction tables well stocked with items. Everyone who partook in the fabulous buffet did not leave disappointed. If that wasn't enough for you we even had an on site adoption.
Throw in some fantastic October weather and who could ask for more.

Thanks to Christina and Bruce Elsbernd for hosting this event again. Thanks to the volunteers who helped out with setting up, cooking, moving, manning the store and auction tables, running the dogs, organizing the games and cleaning up.

Meet Tristan & Aneesa...Two Greyt Hounds

2009-10-18T12:47:00.019-04:00

Tristan is a smaller male that just turned 6 years old on August 29th. He has been doing really well in foster care under the caring guidance of Kristen & Gyeong. He gets along with all the other dogs in the home and is cat safe but it seems that Tristan may be happier in a home with just a dog or cat. Too many animals in the house make him nervous at times and he will retreat into a room by himself. Little children can be too much for him too so we feel he should be adopted into a home with no kids or at least children 10 years or older.
Tristan has been through many changes in the pass few months so a new family that is dog savvy and will give Tristan the time and patience he deserves would be wonderful.

Meet Aneesa, a pretty little brindle girl who turned 9 in July. She lost her home due to no fought of her own. She has been a gem of a foster girl for Bob & Alice. Aneesa has been a well mannered girl who seems to just go with the flow. She does not mind the company of tiny children. Aneesa may be nine years old and considered a senior but she has plenty of spunk in her. She's a real love bug.

Please consider adopting one of these beautiful special needs greyhounds.
Thank you!!!

Congratulations to Alex, Will and Hero

2009-10-06T16:19:00.004-04:00

Excerpt from the Free Lance Star on 10-05-09

"Warrenton resident Alexandra Zitzmann (left) wants her son Will to listen to the comments of the judges who declared him and his greyhound Hero winners in the Best Costume division (age 5 and younger) during the Fredericksburg Dog Festival held Sunday at Hurkamp Park."

Alex is a Vaga volunteer who helps out at M&G's and also fosters for us. I'm sure all of you are as happy as we are over winning their division and putting yet another greyhound on the front burner of the public's attention. Congratulations to you both (and Hero) from all of us.

If you'd like to read the entire article click the

FREE LANCE STAR

Early Arrivals

2009-10-02T19:35:00.008-04:00

It's been quite the week! We had a haul planned for Oct 10th but as we all know in the greyhound world....things can change. Our four new VAGA dogs are at this moment getting ready for their trip to Virginia and will be arriving tomorrow! We could not be more excited. We are working together with a few other greyhound rescue groups and a total of ten greyhounds will be leaving sunny Florida and headed north. We wish everyone a safe trip!

One Final Wash

2009-09-22T17:22:00.010-04:00

First, I apologize for getting this up so late but the photos were lost in a major computer meltdown. Files were recovered from back-up but it took some time.
As the title indicates, this was our last car wash at Wal-Mart. Policy has changed. Hopefully it will revert back in the future. We appreciate what Wal-Mart has allowed us to do over the last 3 years. Staging this event there has been a blessing. The community of Culpeper has been a big supporter of greyhound adoption and we will miss them.
Now as for the day itself, well, it started as cloudy and ended up as rain. Even so, our time was not wasted. The washing was not as busy but the dogs worked the sidewalk to perfection. After 3 hours the skies opened up and we packed it up. With that said, our per hour donations on the day were half as much had we been there the full 6 hours. None of this would have been possible without the hard work from the volunteers and the great generosity of the people. In these economic times that is a tribute to everyone.
I will end this with saying, a big thank you to Wal-Mart, the community and the volunteers from all the greyhounds that benefited from these events.

Post Script: Ladies, I know you all had suggested B.J. Thomas "Raindrops keep falling on my head" but I went with Creedence on this one. It just seemed more fitting. You may kick me later.

Sunday is for Seniors

2009-09-20T20:30:00.006-04:00

Let me start off by thanking Jeremy and Stephanie for adopting two senior girls. Bunny is 10 and Gertie is soon to be 8. Both were at a breeding farm. They just emailed us with an update. Here is an excerpt from that email.

"They are doing well. Gertie barked for the first time the other day so that was very exciting. They have started voluntarily laying on their pillows in the living room with us in the evening so we feel loved. They usually stay in the back bedroom so it's very encouraging to see them come out of their shells. They've also discovered the art of chewing. Bunny chewed through a telephone cord. So, we got them rubber toys the other day and that seemed to do the trick. I caught Bunny the other day trying to steal my digital camera off my desk to chew it. Bad dog. Hopefully, she'll find the squeaky hot dog more appealing."

Thanks again for opening your hearts and home to these two special gals.

Since the theme here is seniors, I want to share something I ran across a few years back. I don't know who to give credit to for this but we appreciate the time it took to write it.

S is for the Satisfaction of giving an older dog a new life.
E is for the Eagerness with which they greet you every time.
N is for Never a bother or nasty always sweet and gentle and loving.
I is for the Intensity with which they watch you and listen and learn.
O is for the Outstanding love and affection you get in return.
R is for the Running they do now for sheer joy.
S is for what else can it be but Seniors the best of the best.

Adoption Day, September 13, 2009

2009-09-14T18:59:00.002-04:00

Everyone made it safe and sound to the Coble's home for adoption day. The new adopters listened intently to the presentation, the repeaters remembering how it was their first time. After the formalities, it's out with the new gang and time for a photo opt or two. Not to be outdone, the hosts grab up one of these beauties for themselves. Congratulations to the Cobles and the rest of the adopters. Thanks for giving up your homes and lives to make a difference in a greyhound's life.

Newest Arrivals

2009-09-09T20:03:00.004-04:00

It seems longer to me but it has been only a month since the last group came up. Here's the list of the latest VAGA members to make the journey up the east coast to a better life. Let me introduce you to Zes Juanamachetel, Tony's Lady, Sol Geoffrey, Craigie Marley, and C'mon Linda. Wish them a safe and uneventful journey home. See you all on Sunday.

Don't You Want Somebody to Love?

2009-08-11T19:14:00.008-04:00

Hi!

My name is Condo Kid. I just came up from Florida 10 days ago (they told me it would be cooler here, whew !!). I am good with other dogs and I also have no interest in cats. In fact, they actually scare me a little bit. I'm very loving, friendly, and many people tell me how cute I am. Now, all I need is a forever home. Please, will you take me home? E-mail VAGA STAFF HERE for more information about how wonderful I can be.

Greyhound Guardian Angel “Smiley Miley” Fusillo

2009-08-10T17:13:00.007-04:00

An important message from Miley:

"Shortly after I was adopted by Robert and Niki Fusillo in December 2008, my brand new family suffered a life-changing event when my Dad was the victim of a terrible accident. Six months in the hospital has been hard on all of us, especially my Dad, but he is finally making progress and we hope that he may come home to us soon.

You can help offset the extraordinary medical expenses incurred by participating in a raffle fundraiser. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to help provide revenue for some of my Dad’s special needs when he can finally leave the hospital. There is an special grand prize offered to the winner of the raffle, but more importantly – you can help bring my beloved Dad back home to me. I promise to watch over him and heal his soul, in return for the gift of life that he gave me when he rescued me from the racing kennels."

This is just an excerpt from a story running on our virginiagreyhounds.org website the past couple of months. Please take the time to read the entire story HERE. Complete details are listed there. If there is anyway you can help out Miley's adopted family it would be greytly appreciated. Please pass this story on.

The August 15th Haul

2009-08-09T16:05:00.014-04:00

Okay everyone, it seems I just put up the post for the last haul and here we go again.
You'll hear no complaints from me or anyone else at VAGA. The more the merrier.

Summer is generally slow in the adoption business and we're happy to buck that trend.
The five latest are: RJ's Ethel, Billy Talent, Cmon Mini, Starz Reesee, and Leta's Ginger.
We're extremely happy to welcome them to VAGA. Wish them a safe
(and hopefully not to hot) journey into town next Saturday.

Like a Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde

2009-07-29T16:29:00.012-04:00

Well it's a long way to Richmond
Rollin' north on 95
With 5 greyhounds riding shotgun
And one brindle by my side
Tearin' down that highway
Like a modern day Bonnie and Clyde.

Well I hope Travis Tritt forgives me but I couldn't resist. With 4 out of the 5 greyhounds coming up this weekend staying in Richmond it was a no brainer. Vaga welcomes it's 5 newest members: Bolo Macho, Condo Kid, KB's Shine On, Philemon and WSR Puddin Pop. Safe trip to all and keep that radio playing.

Coming Soon to a Home Near You

2009-07-16T20:20:00.007-04:00

Making the night moves up the I95 Saturday will be the 5 newest VAGA members.
BB's Shesaboozer, JP's Field Day, M's Chyah Doll, Maryville Martin and Vans Kaycee will be travelling in the lap of luxury compliments of Angela and Tracey. No hauler for this group. Wish them all a safe trip. See you on Sunday.

Meet KEBO EGGNOG, the swimming greyhound

2009-07-14T22:37:00.001-04:00

Who says Greyhounds can't swim?

Check out Swimming Greyhound Extraordinaire, KEBO EGGNOG.

Egg is a perfect Greyhound waiting for his forever home.....

He is great in the house, gets along perfectly with other larger dogs (no kitties or small dogs), loves to run in the yard, and then cool off in "his" pool.

His "swim coach" is foster Mom, Pat Boehly.

__._,_.___

Perfect June day

2009-07-05T12:22:00.004-04:00

On June 27th five beautiful greyhounds arrived in Virginia. Rex & Linda graciously hosted adoption day at their house. We had lots of fun spending time with this loving group of greyhounds, before they moved on to their forever homes. All of them are doing greyt. It's hard to believe that they have only been here a week. It's amazing how quickly these dogs adapt to their new lifestyles! Congrats to the new families and thank you for giving these happy hounds a new chance at life.

June Haul

2009-06-22T21:02:00.008-04:00

Five happy greyhounds will be arriving in Virginia on Saturday, June 27th. It's too hot this time of year to bring them up in a hauler so they will be riding in style by personal vehicles. Volunteers from Florida will load up the hounds and drive all night. They will meet the VAGA volunteers in Wilson, NC at 7:00am. Once the switch is made the dogs will arrive in Virginia around 10:30. Please welcome RJ's Fred M, Kebo Karen, Laced Decal, Van's Chi Chi and Task Fifty Fifty. Thank you to all the people who worked together to make this happen. Have a safe trip!

A Round for the Hounds 2009

2009-06-14T15:49:00.009-04:00

How do you measure the success of an event? Is it the money you raise, the turnout of people, things going off without a hitch, the weather? Each is important by itself, but one must incorporate all the factors to some degree. We tend to focus on the money because it is called a fundraising event so let me start there. Sometimes I forget as to why we hold this event, it's about the dogs. Many of the players are VAGA members, the rest come out to support us but may not know what the money is for. Every penny we raise goes towards these dogs, from vetting to transportation, adoption, and everything in between. Those Mulligan packages and raffle tickets you purchased help us meet these goals. So let me thank you all for your tremendous support.

The turnout, well it was a sellout. Things going off without a hitch, almost.
The weather........if you were there last year......80 is better than 100.
For all of you who prayed to the weather gods, a BIG Thank You.

To our Sponsors and Donators, a thank you hardly seems adequate. You all are what drive the auction and raffle tables, and furnish the prizes. Without you we could not pull this off.

To the volunteers and those working behind the scenes: you all are simply the Best.
Greyhound folks ROCK.

Now to the winners:

First Place, with a score of 61: Anderson, Gordon, Kidd, Montemayor.
Second Place, with a score of 65: Corder, Kolak, Licklighter, Spano.
Third Place, also with a score of 65: Hardy, Joseph, Malloy, Shevitz.
Longest Drive: Hardy.
Closest to the Pin: Jones.

Congratulations to you all.

There is one more group that would like to thank you.
It is that group of greyhounds whose lifes you just changed.

Life Is Greyt

2009-06-13T22:27:00.006-04:00

A few weeks ago we welcomed four beautiful seniors as they arrived in our beautiful state of Virginia. Bunny, Doublecross and brothers Timmy & Tommy were all adopted into loving forever homes. They had been at a farm for many years.

We thought you would like to know that all four greyhounds are doing great. They are being spoiled and pampered. They are loved.

Thank you to everyone that worked together to make this happen.

Safe and Sound

2009-05-26T12:34:00.002-04:00

All present and accounted for. Since I was unable to attend the arrival of the latest members joining VAGA, I will let the photos tell the story. After all, a picture is always worth a thousand words.

Virginia here we come!

2009-05-12T18:30:00.006-04:00

This Saturday ( May 16th) eight greyhounds will be arriving in Virginia! We look forward to every haul that we pull together but this one is extra special. Four of the greyhounds arriving have waited a very long time for a forever home. They have spent years at a breeding farm after they were retired from racing.

We would like to introduce you to brothers Timmy & Tommy. They will be 7 years old in August. The brothers will be living together in a wonderful home outside of Richmond. Their new family anxiously awaits the arrival of their handsome boys. Michelle will meet Pat, the hauler, in Richmond and do their adoption. She'll take lots of pictures to share with us all.

Next... meet Bold Breeze, better known as Bunny. She will be celebrating her 10th birthday on May 29th. Can you imagine how grand this birthday is going to be for her! She is being adopted by a very loving couple who plan to spoil Bunny everyday!

We also are happy to introduce you to Greyson ( formally known as Doublecross). Greyson just turned 9 in January. He is a perfect little boy. Greyson will have a greyhound sister in his forever home and his new mom is such a nice person. She has been waiting for over 4 weeks for Greyson's homecoming.

Finding fabulous homes for these four senior greyhounds has been a honor for VAGA. We know the senior greyhounds are the gems of the breed. We would like to thank the three kind families that are opening their hearts and homes to these beautiful hounds. You are special people and we wish you all the best.

Of course, we also are very excited to meet the other four greyhounds on this haul. Back Pay, Driven By Alomar, Mulberry Maxine and Beth Speller are all love bugs! They are gorgeous hounds with lots of love to give.

Please keep Pat and all the greyhounds in your thoughts as they make their way north. They will be leaving Orlando Friday evening and will arrive in Virginia very early Saturday morning. Thank you!

Knuckles - The Little Grey that thought HE could

2009-05-03T14:54:00.011-04:00

If you watched the CBS Morning Show clip on the left, you saw a 10 month old tripod named Knuckles. When asked about his missing leg, his owners were gracious in their response and said it was lost due to a blood infection. End of story? If you had heard of Knuckles back in September of 2008 you would say "Not hardly".

Knuckles was 14 weeks old when I first heard about him in September 2008. He and other puppies had been removed from a farm where they were being seriously neglected. The manager of the new farm reported that they were dehydrated, infested with worms, mal-nourished and some of them, injured. They had not had any vet care.

This is when a dedicated group of volunteers at Greyhound Rescue and Rehab stepped in. Knuckles (who was believed to have a fractured leg) and four other pups were GURed on a 15 hour trip to Katonah-Bedford Veterinary Center in Bedford, NY.

Without the care of Dr. Robert Hart, his staff and the many dedicated volunteers, you would not have seen the dog Knuckles has become on that CBS morning Show clip. Against all odds, the little grey that thought he could, got himself that forever home he deserved in Connecticut. Without ever stepping a paw on a track he became a winner. Way to go Knuckles.

To read about Knuckles full story CLICK HERE
See his Photo Gallery HERE

Editors Note: There are days when I get up and wonder, as you may have, if what I do makes any difference. With so many greys and so limited resources it seems such an uphill battle. Then along comes a Knuckles and a Samson back in '05 and you get involved again, the picture clears up a bit and you say to yourself yes. This is why we do it, this is the satisfaction we receive. I have long ago resigned myself that saving them all is unrealistic. It is these stories that rights the ship, that energizes my soul. This is what changes the world for that one greyhound.

The GIG is UP

2009-04-27T18:11:00.007-04:00

"Attention Greyhound shoppers"
If you didn't hear that calling you were probably not in Gettysburg for the annual
GIG festivities. Vendors from Canada to Florida and points west were there. Items of use to items of pure vanity were available for greys as well as humans. There were seminars and shows to go along with the shopping. At the VAGA tent, sales were brisk but the nail trimming seemed to have no end. Grey after grey, a galgos or two and a few (non-greys) that showed up just to join the party. If there was any downside it was the warm temperatures that left a few canines and humans mildly distressed. All in all it was a greyt time. So if you missed this one, mark your calendar next April and come on down.

As always, a big thank you to all the volunteers who came out to help.

The "Ultimate Buckeye"

2009-04-12T08:43:00.012-04:00

Articulate, captivating, intelligent, down to earth, just a few of the accolades I will use to describe a man who can mesmerize a room full of people. He is the man I call the "Ultimate Buckeye". The near mention of his name in the greyhound community opens a floodgate of responses from "what can I do to help", to "where can I hear him speak". Over 60 people on an Easter weekend, and donated items from around the country and aboard, helped make the "Lick Canine Cancer" event a most memorable evening. This man who works with greyhounds, this man who touches so many of us, because of what he represents to us "HOPE" is Dr. Guillermo Couto. This is my third opportunity to hear Dr. Couto speak. Each time he comes back with new information on different programs and studies, relevant on some level, to every greyhound owner. You cannot leave one of his presentations without asking yourself "when does this man sleep". From blood studies, cancer research, teaching, travelling and everything in between, it would be hard to find a more dedicated individual.

On behalf of myself, the VAGA membership, and guests, thank you Dr. Couto for all you do. Thank you for inviting us to take a look into the world of the "Greyhound Health and Wellness Program". Most of all, thank you for gracing us with your attendance at this event.

For more information on the Ohio State University Greyhound Health and Wellness Program, as well as Dr. Couto and his Hound Team, links are available for you in the left sidebar. 100% of the proceeds from this event goes to support this program.

In closing, as with any event, none of this would have been possible without an outstanding group of volunteers. Their time, support, efforts, and dedication are what made this evening what it was. Thanks to you all.

Lick Canine Cancer Tee Shirts Are Available Now

2009-03-24T21:46:00.004-04:00

Great News!!! The Lick Canine Cancer Tee Shirts are available for purchase. Buy your T-shirt now so you can wear it to the LCC Event on April 11th. ALL proceeds from the sale of these great T-shirts will go to The Greyhound Health and Wellness Program at OSU. Please go to the web page (http://www.virginiagreyhounds.org/ ) to order your T-shirt today. If you can not attend this fundraising event you may want to show your support by purchasing a T-shirt.

If you haven't registered yet, you may want to do so soon. You will get a discount if you register by March 31st. Don't forget, our special guest is Dr Couto from OSU. You don't want to miss this opportunity to meet him and hear him speak!

Thank you and we hope to see you on April 11th.

Warrenton Petco

2009-03-09T18:37:00.002-04:00

Well the troops didn't get enough of the greyt weather on Saturday, so out they trekked to Petco on Sunday for a Meet and Greet. They wrapped up a spectacular weekend with yet another busy day in Warrenton. During the Meet they even managed some time to do a little nail trimming at the sidewalk salon. The things our greyhounds will endure to focus attention to themselves. Lots of pets, a few kisses, and hopefully a new home or two.

2009 VAGA Golf Tournament

2009-03-08T15:52:00.005-04:00

It's starting to get a little busy around VAGA. Lots is going on. This is to let you know that registration is now open for our 4th annual "A Round for the Hounds" golf tournament. There is a sign up gadget for you in the left sidebar which will take you directly to our golf site or you can click HERE. This event sold out early last year, so don't be left out in the cold. We are limited to 72 participants. There is information available for golfers as well as volunteers for the event at the site so please check it over. While we can't promise you sub 100 degree temperatures, we can promise you a fun time for all. Also, don't forget to register for our "LICK CANINE CANCER" event on April 11th. This is something you don't want to miss.

Perfect "TEN"

2009-03-07T18:33:00.003-05:00

It looked and felt like we should have been preparing for a picnic rather than adoption day. The weather was spectacular and the guests of honor revelled in the festivities. The crowd was large and well behaved. There was excitement and enthusiasm abound. Adopters, volunteers, passers-by, and a few guest greys on their way to a Meet and Greet, seemed caught up in the events. Who could have asked for more. Spring was in the air and everyone enjoyed it. Perfect day, perfect trip, welcome to VAGA Perfect "TEN".

The show is a little long (40 slides). I hope you will enjoy it as much as we enjoyed being there.

Thanks to everyone who came out and pitched in on what turned out to be a GREYT day.

10 Newcomers

2009-02-28T20:01:00.004-05:00

On March 7th we will welcome the 10 newest VAGA additions. The group of photo's we had were too small to put their names on individually. They appear below in alphabetical order: Bev's Periwinkle, Blue Moon Red, Diamond Studded, Flying Kathy, JNB Aulani, Kiowa Jax Jay, Mulberry Emmy, Ramrod, Toba, Yahoo Jill. Let's wish them a safe journey to their new forever homes.

VAGA's "Lick Canine Cancer" Fundraiser

2009-02-16T13:20:00.023-05:00

When: 11 April 2009 from 4:00-8:00PM
Where: The Belle Air Club House at Leeland Station, 115 Riggs Road,
Fredericksburg, VA 22405 (MAP IT).
Why: A fundraising event to support the Greyhound Health and Wellness
Program at Ohio State University (Check the program out HERE)

Respected greyhound health expert, Dr. Guillermo Couto, will be our guest speaker.
If you have not had the pleasure of attending a presentation by Dr. Couto,
you do not want to miss this opportunity.
He is well known for his knowledge of the greyhound breed and dedication to greyhound
health and wellness. Trust us when we tell you that it will be worth the drive
to hear Dr Couto speak. Too many of our beloved greyhounds are being diagnosed with cancer.
Raising funds for the Greyhound Health and Wellness Program is a way to
help continue the research, improve treatment options, and find a cure.
We are counting on you to support VAGA in this fundraising endeavor.

There will also be a silent auction held at the event. Please email
Linda Coble HERE if you have something you would like to donate for the auction. This event is open to the public so please
spread the word to your neighbors and friends.

A casual dinner will be served and silent auction will be conducted with all precedes going directly to the Greyhound Health
and Wellness program at Ohio State University.
Admission for the evening is $20 per person, $35.00 per couple.
Register by March 23 and receive $5.00 off per person!

Deanna has designed a T-shirt to support this fundraising effort. It is available now at the VAGA store.
Purchase yours and register for this event HERE.
Registration is also available directly from this page in the left sidebar near the top.

Meet Jasmine

2009-02-09T21:45:00.006-05:00

In this day and age of bad news followed by more bad news it is refreshing to find a feel good story. What makes this even more special is the fact that it is about a rescued greyhound named Jasmine. (you know how partial we are toward greyhounds) So if the economy has you down, and life could use a little cheering up, follow the story by
CLICKING HERE.

If this doesn't put a smile on your face, call us, we'll come rescue you.

Who Turned Off The Heat??

2009-01-31T15:46:00.009-05:00

You have to wonder what is going thru their minds. After just leaving the Sunshine State, with temps in the 80's, being smacked in the face with a temperature of only 22 must have made them wonder....(PSSSSST, they told us we were going to our forever homes, where there were kind people who would care for us. There would be sofas and beds, treats and toys, people to spoil us.....Did the driver make a wrong turn????).

Shivering bodies and cold shocked dogs was the norm of the morning. When the hauler arrived the troops kicked into action with precision accuracy. As each new VAGA member stepped out into the frosty air they were surrounded, unmuzzled, tagged, collared, remuzzled, and walked. All in the attempt to get everyone, two and four legged, into the warmer confines of the clubhouse. The place where the spoiling would begin. The place where the greyhound's greatest asset arrives, their uncanny ability to quickly adapt to any situation. This is also the place where your heart is forever transformed.

Hopefully, after a day or two of settling in, the thoughts of a wrong turn will be just that.

Time For Another Haul

2009-01-25T19:58:00.014-05:00

YIPPEE, the details of the haul are finally set. Joan had her work cut out for her this time but we pulled everything together. Pat will pick up our six greyhounds and begin the trip north on Friday evening. They will arrive in Virginia early Saturday morning.

Hammie Hodge and Erin Donavan will get off in Richmond where Michelle will be waiting to pick them up. She will take them home, get them settled in and will hold their adoption late Saturday morning.

The remaining four greyhounds ( LL White Mocha, Canuspareatwenty, Regall Nashland, U Too Hop Sing) will finish the trip north where their families will be waiting anxiously for their arrival.

Please keep Pat and our greys in your thoughts.

Hotel For Dogs M&G

2009-01-18T19:44:00.009-05:00

VAGA had an exciting time at the premier for the movie "Hotel For Dogs "at the Staunton Mall on Jan 17th. Many people were happily surprised to walk into the theater and see some beautiful greyhounds. The greyhounds sure enjoyed all the celebrity attention they were given! What a fun way to introduce the public to this gentle breed.

Chantilly M&G

2009-01-18T19:32:00.006-05:00

The volunteers in the Chantilly area got together on Dec 28th and had a great time at the Petsmart M&G. What a way to relax after the holidays...spending time with friends and spreading the word about our wonderful greyhounds. They are a friendly group of VAGA volunteers and they would love for you to join in the fun at the next M&G in Chantilly on Jan 25th. See you all there!

Boys Who Care

2009-01-09T20:19:00.004-05:00

Since adopting Ginger & Abby, two retired racing greyhounds, the Thorne family's life has not been the same. They have discovered how much this breed means to them and they want to do all they can to help save more retired racers. Zach Thorne ( 6 years old) decided he wanted to do his part to help the hounds and quickly came up with a plan. Zach decided he would collect money to help the greyhounds in Orlando. He began with donating money he had been saving for a long time. Zach's younger brother, Corey,was in the giving spirit too. He quickly broke into his piggy bank and donated his hard earned money as well.

Zach also collected money from friends and family. What a wonderful surprise it was for VAGA when we opened a card from the Thorne family to find a very kind note, accompanied by a check representing the personal donations by Zach and Corey, as well as the money Zach worked so hard to collect.

VAGA thanks you Zach and Corey. The money will help feed the dogs in Florida and provide medicine if they get sick. You are very caring and loving boys. We know your parents are extremely proud of you both. We are too. Ginger and Abby are so lucky to have such a wonderful family to take care of them.

We can't wait to see you boys at the next VAGA event so we can give you lots of hugs and a big HIGH FIVE!!! Also, please give our thanks to all of your friends and family members who also donated to help the greyhounds.

VAGA's New Happy" Boarders"

2009-01-07T21:35:00.011-05:00

What a way to start the 2009 year! Meet the next group of VAGA sponsored greyhounds at the GPA Orlando Kennel. They all have great personalities and are anxiously waiting for their forever homes. If you have thought of adopting another greyhound, this would be the perfect time to take the plunge. Take an extra glance at Happiness. She is an eight year old brood mama. But don't let her age fool you, Happiness is an active little girl. Do not let her hear you call her a "senior".

Thank you all for your support in this endeavor to help our precious Orlando greyhounds. Look into the eyes of each one of these beautiful faces and ask yourself..."how could we not."

Year in Review

2008-12-20T15:47:00.006-05:00

It seems that in the blink of an eye another year has slipped by. We have experienced happiness and have overcome tragedies. We have been messengers and teachers, spreading the word, hoping some person may be listening. Countless Meet and Greets, special day events, a golf tournament, car washes and more. Time has been given up by volunteers who stage these events and help out. Time that could be spent doing something else. Then why do we do these things? The belief that we are making a difference some how? Is it that introduction you just made to some one's first greyhound? The smile on that child's face as they pet one? There are many different reasons why, but the answer is always the same. THE PAYOFF. It's that feeling when a connection is made with someone else over the passion that consumes most of us. The feeling that we are some how making a difference. It's the reason we believe. It's the bell we hear. I'll finish this with a quote from the Polar Express:

"At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe."

Dec 13th Haul

2008-12-10T10:15:00.007-05:00

Six Super greys are leaving Orlando on Friday Dec 12th. They will be arriving in Virginia on Saturday morning. What a special Christmas they will have this year. December is always a very busy time for everyone and we would like to thank all our volunteers that helped make this haul happen. We could not have accomplished this without your hard work!

Please keep the dogs and Pat, the haul driver, in your thoughts as they begin their trip north Friday evening.

Thank you.

Christmas Parade December 6, 2008 Fredericksburg, Va.

2008-12-07T14:14:00.005-05:00

What better way to spend a Saturday night than dressing up your hounds and yourself, getting in your vehicles and heading downtown. You are now at a parade site. The temperature is in the upper 20's, the snow is falling, and the wind is howling. When you arrive, what to your wondering eyes do appear, but a bunch of you friends who also bought their dressed up reindeer (I mean greyhounds) to join you. You do all this not because you have to, but because you want to. You walk the streets to see the smiling faces, the waving, and then it becomes clear why you are there. Suddenly you are no longer cold. The wind has stopped, you find yourself smiling too. Maybe it's not about the receiving of gifts, but the giving of yourself. Maybe Grandma was right after all.

Seems Like Yesterday......Borders Part 2

2008-12-07T13:31:00.004-05:00

A few days later, and it's back on the table. More gifts, more wrapping, more donations. As the season gets busier, so does VAGA. Another thanks to those who volunteered their time and efforts. It's good to see, that even in these economic times, the generosity shown by people to help out. It's a joy to see the smiles on the kid's faces as they stop to pet Roxy, Tempest, and Ally. For many this is their first contact with a Greyhound. Hope it makes their holidays a bit brighter.

Wrap it Up

2008-12-02T21:37:00.004-05:00

Before the leftover turkey is gone the gift giving season is upon us. December is a busy time for families, especially for VAGA volunteers. Just check out the event calendar HERE. From Leesburg to Newport News volunteers are busy with Meet & Greets, Parades, Gift wrapping and more. Below is the first, in what I am sure will be a series, of photo events. This one was staged in Fredericksburg on Sunday November 30th at Borders.
Thanks to everyone who showed up to help out with the wrapping. A special thanks to Tempest and Roxy for being the perfect greyhound ambassadors.

Wonder

2008-11-29T09:29:00.006-05:00

I found this story fitting since Debbie is in Scooby Medina and arrived there the day this video was shot.

On Nov. 21st, Maria Daines did a benefit concert for SOS Galgos in Barcelona. The following is a quote from her email:

"On the day after the event we went for a walk on the beach with many
of SOS Galgos rescue dogs and that's where we met the precious galgo
named 'Wonder', she is blind but you would not believe it if you met
her, she is loveable, intelligent, happy, sweet natured, and now, the
best part of all, she has her own family because she has been adopted
and they love her very much. Of all the special memories we took home
with us from the trip, meeting Wonder and her family is something we
will always treasure and even thinking about it now I have a lump in
my throat."

Extra Extra! Read All About It...Attraction Coupon Books Are Here!

2008-11-14T17:56:00.003-05:00

VAGA is now selling the 2009 Attractions Dining and Value Coupon Book.

This book is jam packed with 285 pages filled with HUNDREDS of coupons that do not expire until Dec 31, 2009. You can begin using the coupons now! The coupons in the book are offered by various restaurants and businesses in the Fredericksburg, Woodbridge, Stafford, and Spotsylvania areas.

These books made wonderful gifts! A great stocking stuffer for your teenage children or hard to buy for parents! Buy today and save money while Christmas Shopping.

We are selling the Attraction Book for $25.00. ALL proceeds made will go to help the greyhounds in Orlando, Florida.
If you are interested in purchasing one of these books or would like more information, please e-mail Mark Britto HERE

Thank you once again for your support!

Welcome Home

2008-11-01T14:54:00.006-04:00

The new adopters started their day early. Having to arrive by 8:30AM for orientation on what would turn out to be a beautiful November morning. What they were waiting for had gotten up a whole lot earlier for their trip from Orlando,Fl. to Virginia.
Who was more excited upon arrival was hard to tell. With wagging tails and smiling faces it was indeed a greyt day. As volunteers unloaded the hauler to stretch some legs, the dogs were finally united with their new families. There were first timers, multiple timers, and a few kind souls helping out with fostering. Congratulations to everyone.

A side word to the fosters, failure is not a criminal act, if it were many of us would be behind bars.

The slide show below is a little long. It has 32 photos. Hope you enjoy.

Chantilly Meet & Greet

2008-10-28T11:28:00.008-04:00

Football?...who needs football on Sunday when you can attend a Meet & Greet from 1-3 on the fourth Sunday of the month at the Petsmart in Chantilly. Join in the fun and meet these beautiful retired racers. It's a fun day..... meeting new people, spreading the word about this great breed, getting dog kisses. Sounds like a touchdown for everyone! Go Greyhounds!!!!

Our Biggest Haul Of 2008

2008-10-22T23:47:00.007-04:00

We are very excited!! Eleven greyhounds are coming up to Virginia on Saturday, Nov 1st. This is our biggest haul yet this year. Everyone works so hard and this is the reward, seeing the faces of all the greyhounds and knowing how much their lives are going to change.