This article first appeared in Celebrating Greyhounds: The Magazine
(Spring 1998, Volume 3, Number 1)

Regular viewers of the Oprah Winfrey show are familiar with Oprah’s recent call for all of us to be thankful of our blessings every day. This is nothing new to us at G.O., every day we realize how fortunate we are to have one particular group of people working with us—our foster families.

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One of the unique aspects of our group is that we do not operate a kennel. All of the dogs we take off the track go into loving, caring foster homes where families begin to help them make the often scary transition from kennel to home life. The idea that a dog will have already spent some time in a foster home prior to adoption is the one thing most prospective adopters, especially those with children, seem to appreciate the most. We are only able to offer this valuable service because of the generosity of time and support from our foster families.

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What does it take to be a foster parent? A little bit of time and a whole lot of love. All of our foster families are different, some live in large country homes, some live in the middle of the city. Some have huge backyards, some must walk the dogs. Some own their own home, some rent. But what they all have in common is one thing—a generous heart.

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A generous heart is what allows a person to get up at 5:30 am for a walk on a cold winter morning on a foster dog’s first day away from the kennel. It is what gives them the ability to see beyond the occasional accidents in the house, and the sleepless nights. Our dedicated group of foster families see the big picture and know that what they are doing is important—helping a deserving animal find a second chance at a happy and healthy life.

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It doesn’t matter whether you live in a castle or a condo, it’s what you have inside to give that matters. The Greyhounds give what they can—their good company and their unconditional love. All they need from us is a little bit of our time and a whole lot of our love.