The Marin Humane Society's adoption center is sporting a few long-limbed, narrow-nosed, aerodynamic athletes. These young, former racing greyhounds arrived in Marin through a new, lifesaving partnership with Greyhound Friends for Life, a Bay Area rescue organization.

Each year, the dog racing industry destroys approximately 17,000 greyhounds; rescue groups place roughly an equivalent number of greyhounds each year into homes.

Last month, at 5 a.m. on a Saturday, volunteers gathered in Sacramento to meet up with a "dog hauler" who was transporting 38 greyhounds from Southern California. These dogs were among 60 former U.S. racing greyhounds rescued from the Caliente dog track in Tijuana, Mexico. Had they remained there, it was likely the dogs would have simply "disappeared" from the track's adoption kennel, so rescue groups in Southern and Northern California and Oregon arranged for the haul to bring the dogs into their adoption programs.

Meet Bounder

The Marin Humane Society brought back four "boys" who were vet checked, evaluated for behavior and then scheduled for neutering surgery and teeth cleanings. The first two dogs were adopted by a Corte Madera man who says his dogs quickly discovered his bed and couch - a far cry from the cages in which racing dogs spend 22 hours each day. The remaining two dogs, Bounder and Ben, spent two weeks at San Quentin in the MHS "Pen Pals" foster program while being treated for exposure to a tick-borne disease, and are now at the shelter awaiting permanent homes.

Meet Ben

Nicknamed "45 mph couch potatoes," ex-racing greyhounds really enjoy hanging out with their people. Even though they race at high speeds, ex-racing greyhounds do not require a lot of exercise. Sometimes compared to living with cats, these sweet, sensitive, well-mannered dogs enjoy leashed walks and play sessions with plush squeaky toys, but most of the time their activity of choice is lounging - on their beds, or perhaps your bed or the sofa. Many adopters have dog beds scattered all over their house to provide lounging places in almost every room.

Since they've had no experience being pets, ex-racers do have to learn some new things about life - such as how to go up and down stairs, and learning that windows and sliding glass doors are invisible barriers.

Some greyhounds happily live with cats, while others have a strong prey drive and cannot share a home with small, furry companions. More than anything, retired racing greyhounds need the patience and TLC that a human family can provide. The Humane Society is hoping to bring in rescued greyhounds on a continuing basis. Perhaps the next time you come by the MHS adoption center, or check the Web site, you'll discover a couple of these elegant loungers looking for a loving home. And do be careful - like potato chips, many adopters find it's hard to stop with just one!

For more information on ex-racing greyhounds, visit www.greyhoundfriendsforlife.org.

Betsy McGee works in the behavior and training department at the Marin Humane Society.


Tails of Marin appears every Saturday in the Home & Garden section of the Marin Independent Journal