Karyn’s Corner
Last month was all about Tucson Greyhound Park closing in June 2016. Now what?
There was no shortage of incoming dogs when the park closed. There were 28 remaining from TGP, one from Pima Animal Care Center (PACC), nine were relinquished, six from an Oklahoma breeding farm, 12 from the Alabama race track, and 77 from a Kansas breeding farm. Our main Kansas supplier raced at Caliente Dog Track in Tijuana so he could transport retired hounds on his way to Mexico.
Of these dogs, 8% were 1 year or younger, 32% were 2 to 3 years old, 45% were 4 to 6 years old, and 15% were 7 years or older. Got to love the brood mamas.
Fun Fact: Here comes the littermate brigade: nine sets of twins, two sets of triplets and one set of quadruplets.
Post TGP incoming hounds suffered from stomach distortion, HGE, heart arrhythmia, muscle injuries, heartworm, babesia/ehrlichia, broken toes, diseased teeth and gums, and worms, worms, worms. In 2016, Jackie’s Fund provided 29 hounds’ care costing $74,900 and in 2017, seven hounds cost $22,700.
As usual, what kept SA Greys busy: spa days, cat testing, transporting, socialization, medication disbursement, home checks, outreach/meet and greets, fundraising and more. Further, there are many people to thank.
On Arizona Gives Day 2017, SA Greys raised $32,000. The late Mary Freeman headed that sterling effort.
On April 17, 2017, Mayor Jonathan Rothschild presented SA Greys with a proclamation for Tucson Greyhound Day! Let’s remember to celebrate this every year.
The Arizona Daily Star published an article about SA Greys one year after the track closed.
Board members who took office on Aug. 1, 2017, were John Clark, President; Ivan Milensky, Vice President; Liz Martinez, Secretary; Cindy Hall, Volunteer Director; Misty Pantel, Outreach Director; and Adrianne Regrutto, Funding and Development Director. Continuing on the board were Eric Schaefer, Treasurer; Marcelle Cox and Paula Huter, At Large Directors; and Renee Bennett, who agreed to stay on for a short time as Operations Director to ensure a smooth transition with the new board.
At some point, summer elections/annual meetings evolved to year-end nominations, elections and an annual meeting in January. The above numbers were in an annual report from June 2016-May 2017. I am looking for more information. If you are a record keeper, please reach out to communications@sagreys.org
Littermates Furlough and Meadow’s (pictured), Mama, Valley, had five offspring. According to Judith Weiser (Fur’s adopter), four female littermates came to Tucson. Both hounds raced in different tracks. Furlough retired in 2013 and Meadow in 2015, then both went to the farm to become brood mamas.
I ran into another littermate Tracy while walking in the Peter Howell neighborhood. Cynthia Guldberg adopted Meadow. The human mamas became friends and celebrated their hounds’ birthdays together on June 6 for years. I couldn’t tell them apart except from their collars. Both hounds were cherished and died within months of each other from osteosarcoma.
Karyn Zoldan volunteers on the communications and marketing teams.