Back when I first got my Greyhound, I never thought I would ever have more than one dog. However, after one of my good friends spent a few months living at my place with her dog (Beauregard), I began to consider it. My greyhound (Allison) really seemed to thrive with another canine companion in the home.
Once my friend (and Beauregard) moved out, the impact on Allison was clear. Despite the fact that she managed well as a single dog, I could not deny that she really enjoyed the company of her own species.
That's when I decided to sign up for fostering. I wasn't sold on the responsibility and cost of a second dog, so it seemed like the best of both worlds. Thus, I applied and got accepted to two different organizations: Crazy for Greyhounds, where my lovely Allison is from, and FLIGHTS, who brings over retired greyhounds from Ireland, and rescued Salukis from the middle east.
Regrettably, with the pandemic, the amount of dogs ready to come to Canada was limited. So for a while, nothing really happened. However, in September 2021, I was asked to be a temporary foster for Rohan, a recently arrived Saluki who needed a soft place to land before he embarked on the next leg of his trip - the Maritimes, where his forever home was waiting for him. Of course, I said yes, and arranged everything with FLIGHTS. A few days later, I had Mr. Rohan with me!
The poor little guy was so sweet, but quite overwhelmed by all the change. I had him for two weeks. In that time, I tackled three key things: 1) I helped him decompress and showed him that his new world is safe, 2) I worked on his leash manners, and 3) I helped him with crate training. I wanted to set him up for success!
Rohan quickly showed me that he was super eager to learn, and he caught on to concepts incredibly quickly. Not only was I able to crate train him in a few days, he handled being left alone great. Walking on leash was tough, mostly because he was very skittish/scared, but within two weeks, he improved significantly. His fear of cars lessened, and I figured his new adoptive home would have to continue the work (spoiler, they did!).
You can imagine, I very quickly fell for Rohan. He loved us a lot. He cuddled with me every night, and he played so well with Allison. He is one of the rare non-greyhounds that handled the intensity of her chase incredibly well (see video below).
Soon enough, it was time to say goodbye. It was bittersweet: I did not want to see him go, but I knew there was an anxious family waiting for their new best friend. My worries eased, particularly because Rohan had grown so much in such a short amount of time. I felt that he was ready to handle the challenges ahead.
So, with all the flight information in hand, I drove Rohan to the airport, where FLIGHTS met me. We put him in the travel crate and watched him leave to board the plane. All the noise was scary for him, but it was awesome to see him settle in the crate - our hard work paid off! Even though it was difficult to send him off, getting updates from his forever family really cemented how important it is to open our homes and hearts to these dogs. They really deserve a chance at a good life.
Fast forward into November 2021 - another Saluki was set to come in to Canada: Cleo. Described as gentle and shy, but comfortable with other dogs, I was pretty excited with the thought of fostering her. After a quick discussion with FLIGHTS, and confirming that I was OK with taking a younger dog (11 months), I was set to take Cleo in (credit to 2nd Chance Rescue for the pictures below).
On November 19th 2021, FLIGHTS dropped Cleo off at my house, freshly picked up from her flight from Qatar. My heart melted for her. The poor little one had soiled herself, and she was completely terrified. We fed her, bathed her, and gave her lots of space for her to decompress after the long trip.
To nobody's surprise, I was utterly smitten. Not long after her arrival, I made the decision to officially adopt her and welcome her to my home. My greyhound, Allison, had accepted her as part of our family. Cleo, in turn, slowly learned to trust and be confident from her big sister.
I am incredibly thankful to FLIGHTS for their support throughout the entire process. I feel so lucky to have been given the opportunity to adopt little Cleo. Teaching her that the world is safe...is an ongoing process, but it's incredible to watch her slowly open up and trust.
So, if you are looking to open up your home to a dog, I highly encourage you to foster one in need. I can't say that it will be easy, but it is a humbling experience to see how much they respond to a bit of love, kindness and patience.
Please consider taking a look at the following links. I would not have my Allison and Cleo without them.
FLIGHTS - An Ontario-based adoption agency for Irish Retired Racing Greyhounds and Middle Eastern Salukis
2nd Chance Rescue - The Qatar based rescue that saved Cleo and Rohan from the streets. They are always looking for flight buddies to help their dogs fly out of Qatar.
Crazy for Greyhounds Adoption - An Ontario-based Adoption Agency that brings in retired racers from the USA.
Feel free to leave a comment or any questions below. I would be more than happy to answer.
Finally, keep up with Allison and Cleo's adventures on Instagram!
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