Please permit me this opportunity to spread the news through the Louisville Hot Bytes forum about a really exciting new program. For the past year, the Louisville chapter of Greyhound Pets of America (GPA) has been working in conjunction with the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice through its Morehead Youth Development Center and the Veterinary Sciences department at Morehead State University to foster newly retired racing greyhounds at MYDC as they transition from track to home.
Katya Cengel at the Courier-Journal worked for about five months on a story that follows the life and times of one of four dogs added to the population at MYDC in March 2008. This was the THIRD class of dogs to go through the 12-week Greyhound Foster Program; this group graduated in early June 2008. The previous two classes graduated in December 2007 and February 2008 respectively and went directly to their new "Forever Homes".
The story went on-line on Sunday, July 13th. You can find it at:
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080713/FEATURES/807130309
Though dog fostering and training is happening at adult correctional facilities throughout America, this is the first time it has ever been attempted in Kentucky at a facility for juveniles. The girls at MYDC are learning so much from this voluntary program . . . parenting skills, diligence, reliability, mentoring and on and on. They are also learning to accept responsibility for the impact of their own choices and actions.
Another benefit of the program is the girls at MYDC are being exposed to career paths that might never have otherwise occurred to them. While working side-by-side with MSU professionals and students, the girls are learning about careers in veterinary medicine, animal training, pet hospitality and other animal-related opportunities. They are also developing writing and journaling skills through this program.
The dogs going through the Greyhound Foster Program at MYDC are big beneficiaries of this project as well. They are being assisted in their transition from track to home as the girls expose them to riding in cars, climbing stairs, shiny floors, mirrors, sliding glass doors, cats roaming the grounds and all the other things racing dogs are usually not exposed to during their careers as professional athletes.
If you'd like to learn more about the program, please read Katya's story and visit the GPA website at http://www.GPALouisville.org. But please don't let this thread turn into a pro-racing/anti-racing debate. It's really not about that. It's about helping the girls at MYDC and helping these dogs find their way to their new "Forever Homes". Thank you.
Lois