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In May we had 8 adoptions and 1 new arrival.
That one new arrival? Meet Rigel!
We were contacted in late April about our ability to take a Polish sight-hound by one of our good friends at McAfee Animal Hospital. Of course while it wasn't yet common knowledge, we had 11 Spanish galgos slated to join us in the last week in April, so there was some concern about the extra shipping of a dog from Poland in and around the same time-frame. As it turns out, he had been imported from Poland as a puppy by a lady in Michigan. She had passed away and the place he went was unable to accommodate him as they had small dogs with which he was not tolerant. He was moved to McAfee Animal Hospital for his neutering and shots and later that evening we picked him up. He had not received much exposure to men, and as such was very leery and afraid. His first night at home he maintained a good distance from me and was not interested in eating or drinking water, even though he had not eaten since the previous night or had much to drink, due to his surgery.
The next morning, everything changed. he came to me , leaned on me and by that evening was likely one of the most affectionate dogs I had ever met
-Jeff
This makes our year-to-date totals 57 brought into AG, 13 hauled for other groups, and 47 adoptions.
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TGIE: Making a Difference in the Lives of More Than Just Dogs
We've told you a number of times about TGIE: The Greyhound Inmate Experience, and what a wonderful program it is. And, it is making a world of difference in the lives of the 20 greyhounds who enter the program every 10 weeks. But TGIE is touching the lives of more than just those 20 dogs. There are 41 men have had their lives changed immeasurably by their participation in this wonderful program every time those 20 dogs enter the program. And what an impact these dogs have on these men! And, likewise, what an impact these men have on these dogs!
But, there are other beneficiaries of this program. Every 10 weeks when those pups enter the program, 20 dogs have just graduated from the program and head out to their respective adoption organization (American Greyhound is one of three organizations who participate in TGIE and receive 9 of the 20 dogs who graduate each session). And with that graduation comes their Canine Good Citizenship and basic obedience awards (and anyone who has been exposed to these dogs can attest to their wonderful training), and the real beneficiary of that training is the lucky families who welcome these TGIE graduates into their families.
Earlier this week we completed another graduation and there are still a handful of these wonderful pups still available for adoption. To take a look at these pups, go to
https://www.americangreyhound.org/adoptable-dogs/ to learn more about these and our other wonderful pups.
However, to keep this program humming along, TGIE needs our help. Much like American Greyhound spends much more to prepare our dogs for adoption than we receive in adoption fees, TGIE spends more to run the program than each participatory organization pays to participate. To help offset these costs, TGIE is currently raffling off two certificates good for two round trip tickets to any destination Southwest Airlines flies in the continental United States. Cost of these raffle tickets is $5.00 each or 5 for $20.00. To purchase your tickets and help keep this wonderful program's head above water, go to
http://www.tgie-greyhounds.org/Events/SWA_Raffle.aspx and purchase your tickets today. Drawing will be held this Sunday, June 10th at 1:30 PM Eastern time.
Please help assure that TGIE is able to continue their mission of making a difference for retired racing greyhounds and the men who love and train them.
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11 Ways to Protect Yourself (and Your Pets) from Ticks
Pick up these expert-approved products that can help you avoid growing tick populations this summer.
Summer hasn't even started, and worries about exploding tick populations and rising rates of Lyme disease have already reached a fever pitch. Luckily, there are things you can do to reduce your risk of picking up those little parasites-and the diseases they carry-whenever you head outdoors.
Health
asked Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, an entomologist at Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Stalin Vilcarromero, MD, assistant professor of research medicine at Stony Brook University, about the best products you can buy to protect yourself against ticks this summer. Here's what they recommend.
1 Insect repellent with DEET
"Insect repellent containing DEET can be effective in keeping both ticks and mosquitoes away from you when you're spending time outdoors," says Gangloff-Kaufmann. These formulas are designed to be applied directly to the skin (not to clothing), and many will last for four to five hours.
Dr. Vilcarromero recommends using a formula that contains between 20% and 30% DEET, like Ben's 30% DEET Tick & Insect Repellent, a range that's been shown to be effective in clinical trials. Those containing less may not last as long or work as well, he says, while those containing more will likely cost more (and may be more likely to irritate sensitive skin) without much added protection.
2 Permethrin clothing spray or wash
"You can also buy sprays or washes containing permethrin, which you can use to treat your clothing," says Gangloff-Kaufmann. "It's usually used while hunting and fishing, but it can be helpful for anyone who's going to be spending time outdoors where ticks are prevalent. If ticks try to crawl up your pants and they're treated with permethrin, usually they'll just fall off."
Look for a 0.5% permethrin spray formula, says Dr. Vilcarromero, like Sawyer Premium Permethrin Insect Repellent, which should last through about five to six washes. "Be careful with the spray when it's in liquid form, as it can be dangerous to cats and fish," he adds. "Once it's dry, there's no problem at all."
3 Long pants and tall socks
"If you can wear long pants, and if you can tuck those pants into your socks, it really makes it difficult for a tick to get to your bare legs," says Gangloff-Kaufmann. "Of course, nobody wants to look dorky, but there are ways you can do it discreetly enough that it doesn't look silly." Opt for light colors, too, she says, like these Alo Airbrush High Waist Leggings in white, "so you can easily spot the ticks as they're crawling on your clothing."
4 Permethrin-coated clothing
If you don't want to treat your clothing with permethrin yourself, you can buy items that already have the insect repellent in them. Insect Shield's technology, for example, used in these ExOfficio BugsAway Adventure Crew Socks, binds permethrin to fabric fibers in shirts, pants, socks, hats, bandanas, and more. And while most permethrin-treatment options only last a handful of washes, Insect Shield's clothing retains its protection through 70 launderings.
5 Tick tubes
Tick tubes like these from Thermacell are small paper tubes stuffed with permethrin-coated cotton. The idea is that mice scavenge the cotton and use them to build their nests, where ticks also live. The permethrin is harmless to the mice but kills the ticks.
But "the jury is still out on whether tick tubes are worth the money," Gangloff-Kaufmann says, because studies have not been able to link them to a decrease in juvenile tick populations or human tick-borne diseases. "It is a clever idea, though," she adds. "Mice carry many of the juvenile ticks that transmit Lyme disease bacteria to humans."
6 Topical treatment for pets
If you have a pet who spends a lot of time outdoors, talk with your veterinarian about what type of protection you want to provide. "Some treatments will only protect against fleas, and some will protect against fleas and ticks-so look at the label carefully," says Gangloff-Kaufmann.
A topical treatment like Frontline Plus will kill fleas, ticks, and lice for a full 30 days. (Vets can also prescribe an oral treatment, called Bravecto, that dogs take just once every three months.)
7 Flea and tick collar
Some people choose not to use topical treatments on their dogs and cats, as the chemical liquid may irritate animals' skin or rub off on other pets or humans in their household. An alternative is a flea and tick collar, like Seresto, which continuously releases a low concentration of insect-repellent chemicals. "It does guard against fleas and ticks, and it lasts for eight months," says Gangloff-Kaufmann.
8 Pointy tweezers
Despite your preventive efforts, you do end up harboring a tick, you'll want a pair of fine-tipped tweezers handy to remove the tick from your skin. "We say 'fine-tipped' because tweezers with flat edges, like the ones used for eyebrows, are not as good," says Gangloff-Kaufmann. "That flat edge can squish the tick, and if you squash the abdomen, you could actually squeeze germs into your blood." Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, and simply pull it straight out with even pressure.
9 Magnifying glass
In addition to your pointy tweezers, add a magnifying glass to your tick-removal kit. "Ticks are really tiny, smaller than you'd expect," says Gangloff-Kaufmann. She also recommends a small hand mirror "for checking hard-to-see places, like behind your ears."
10 Tick removal device for pets
If you find a tick attached to your dog, it may be difficult to get a good grip on it with tweezers through all that hair.
For furry friends, Gangloff-Kaufmann recommends a device like the Ticked Off Tick Remover. This gadget looks like a measuring spoon, but it has a tiny notch that grabs the tick at skin level and scoops it into the bowl-shaped end for easy disposal.
11 Wood chips
If you live at the edge of the woods and want to keep your yard as tick-free as possible, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends creating a 3-foot-wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between your lawn and any wooded areas.
"This can prevent the ticks from migrating into residential areas," says Dr. Vilcarromero. You may also want to construct high fences to keep out deer-who carry the type of tick that can transmit Lyme disease-or talk to a gardening shop about plants that deer are likely to avoid.
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Out and about in June
Like every month, in June we'll be out and about at our regular hang-outs 9Petco Stores, Petsmart Stores, Rural King, etc). but, like many months, we'll also be partaking in some other, more unique events as well.
Here's a rundown on some of those more unique events we'll be attending, and if you're available, we hope you'll join us:
June 16th-
Celebrate Schererville parade
On Saturday June 16th!!! We have a secured location far away from the emergency vehicles and loud floats. This is a short parade with a line up time of 4:15/4:30 and step off at 5:00. The parade route starts on Roman Rd & Joliet and culminates at Redar Park. .7 miles
This year's theme is Bad to the Bone, and we encourage all parade attenders and attendee to dress the part!
DRESS UP AS YOUR FAVORITE VILLAIN and strut that Rotten to the Core-ness (Disney Descendants of Course!), or show your BADNESS through and through!!!
For anyone wanted to join us in the parade, we will line up at the Hammond Baptist school in Schererville. 134 W. Joliet st Schererville, IN. around 4:15 - 4:30.
June 19th-
Greyt Readers Goshen, Indiana 3:30 -5:00 PM Eastern time
If you've never attended a Greyt Readers Program, you're in for a treat. It's an opportunity for you to take your pup to the library so they can have stories read to them.
The whole idea behind Greyt Readers is that often, children are nervous reading to humans as their reading skills are still a little shaky and they are also nervous about adults and other children judging their poor reading skills. While, greyhounds, who are not generally good readers themselves, will lie next to the child and enjoy the story, no matter how shaky the child's reading skills may be. This leads to heightened confidence in the child and improved reading skills.
Look for other Greyt Readers Programs in libraries near you throughout the year.
June 23rd-
Burn 'Em Brewing's 3 Year Anniversary Bash
From 11:30 until 10:00 PM, this event will feature 4 live bands, Midwest hype, The Andrew Fisher Quartet, AFQ, and Nervous Burger. There will be a specialty tap list and fresh local food, tap list and menu to be announced. Tickets are $10 pre-sale-$15 at the door. Kids under 12 get in free.
Tickets available here.
And, as always, take a look at our events page on our webg site for more details, driving directions and time for all events. Thanks and we look forward to seeing you.
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Progress on "Our Home"
I'm sure that many of you are wondering, "just what in the heck is going on with that building?".
Well, first off, I apologize for not getting more information out about where we are at and when we'll start seeing some dirt begin to move.
First, little refresher on where we are currently sitting. As you may recall, we put an offer in on 10 acres of land (actually 10.1 acres) in May of last year. We then began the process of assuring that 1) we could receive a use variance allowing the land to be used to house sight-hound breeds, and 2) that we could receive a sanitary permit to install an on-site sewage system (septic tank and in this case a mound to dissipate the effluent), as the purchase agreement was contingent upon us being granted these rights.
Our lawyer mailed the details of what we were interested in doing to each of the affected neighbors whose properties bordered and those within so many hundred feet of our potential property. I then assembled packets of much more detailed information and went door to door to each of these people to speak with them about our plans, answer any questions they may have about what it is that we are planning, and get a feel about where they stood on the matter. Other than a couple people who would not listen to what I had to say, everyone was not only OK with our plans, but were genuinely happy about what it is we planned to do. In August of last year we received approval, by 4-1 vote of Porter County Zoning Appeals Board to build and operate a facility for up to 30 dogs on the property
In June of last year, I went to the property with a company that performs soil analysis reports which are sent down state to determine whether or not an on-site septic system can be utilized, then submitted the Pre-application. Late last fall, we received approval from the state of Indiana on our Pre-Application to install an on-site sewage treatment system (this basically says, "you can build one, here are the basic parameters of what we'll allow you to build for the facility you are constructing and the nature of the soils you are building on, now before you build we want to know the exact details of what you plan to build").
So, a week before Christmas last year, we closed on the property. And, I believe that is where we have left most of you in regard to the status of the project, and where I'll begin with the new information.
First off, the property is located on County Road 100W, about a quarter mile north of the intersection of 900N and 100W, on the west side of the road, just north of the two track railroad crossing. In January, we named Mark Laatsch as our Construction Manager. Mark is retired and will have more time to dedicate to the day-to-day oversight of the project and to seeing the it through to completion and assuring all the i's are dotted and t's are crossed.
In February, our engineer had the property staked for our north boarder, (which you will see if you were to drive by and it also identifies the southern-most point that the farmer can plant his crops on the parcel north of ours). He also has prepared a topographical survey of the property, which includes location of the septic system, a driveway into the property, a building location, parking, storm water drainage, a retention pond location, well location, and assorted drains and setbacks.
This past Wednesday, we had the wetland area of the property marked out which will allow us to seek approval for moving our storm water through the wetland (without doing damage to the wetland or injuring any of plants or animals that inhabit the area).
We are looking to seek this approval, as well as site septic and design approval later this month or July. At that point, we will be able to break ground on the site and our builder will be submitting structural plans to the state for approval.
Things are finally beginning to start coming together and we're expecting to see some real activity to begin on the property soon. While the whole process has been a little more long and drawn out than many of us were expecting (I know it has been for me), I believe that very soon, things will begin happening at roughly the speed of light and our heads will be spinning.
If you have any questions about our plans and where we are, please don't hesitate to contact me at
[email protected] or call me at (219)771-0892 (email is best). We are really looking forward to the day we can deliver a load of dogs to this facility and process them into our program-it will be a tremendous leap forward for American Greyhound and all the dogs whose lives we touch.
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