Non-Profit Group Adopts 60,000th Greyhound

    RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Greyhound Pets of America (GPA),
 the largest non-profit adoption group in the United States, announced today
 that it has adopted its 60,000th greyhound.  At its conference in Richmond, VA
 today, GPA president Rory Goree introduced Crunchtime Casey, representing the
 60,000th greyhound that GPA has placed in a loving home as a pet, and
 Crunchtime Casey's "parents" Ken an Heather Vaughn.
     "Our goal is to see that 100 percent of all adoptable greyhounds are
 placed in homes as pets by the year 2007," said Goree.  "Today, approximately
 90 percent of all greyhounds find homes once their racing careers have ended.
 As people become increasingly aware of what exceptional pets greyhound make,
 it puts us one step closer to our goal."
     Prior to becoming a couch potato, Crunchtime Casey ran 125 races at Palm
 Beach, Derby Lane and Tampa Greyhound racetracks finishing in the money
 50 percent of the time.  After four years of racing, Crunchtime Casey decided
 to hang up his racing paws and entered the adoption program through GPA South
 Carolina.
     Crunchtime Casey entered a foster home to evaluate how he related to cats,
 small dogs and children.  After assessment, Crunchtime Casey was then placed
 in a unique program for socialization prior to being place in a home.  The GPA
 adoption program has formed a relationship with the Camille Griffin Graham
 Correction Institution in Columbia, S.C. to be socialized by one of the female
 inmates.  The inmates are trained to handle greyhounds and help them adjust to
 life as pet.  It is great therapy for the inmates and the greyhounds that
 follow their "trainers" around the clock for several weeks until the pets are
 adopted.  Crunchtime Casey found a home with the Vaughns through the joint
 efforts of GPA South Carolina and GPA Richmond.  The Vaughn's renamed
 Crunchtime Casey, Prajna, which translates to "transcendental wisdom."
     The Vaughn's are delighted with their new pet.  "People have a lot of
 misperceptions about greyhounds," said Ken Vaughn.  "They think they need a
 big yard and are high strung.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Even
 though they need exercise, most of the time they are the world's greatest
 couch potatoes."
 
     Greyhound Pets of American was formed in 1987 with the purpose of finding
 homes for retired greyhounds and educating the public about the suitability
 and availability of greyhound pets.  Generally greyhounds are between
 2-5 years old when they retire from racing and have a life expectancy of up to
 12 years.  They are very affectionate and very good with children.  To find
 out more about adopting a greyhound, call 1-800-366-1472.
 
 

SOURCE  Greyhound Pets of America