Greyhounds in need of homes after track closes
With the close of Memorial Day weekend this year, the Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track also shut down for the first summer in more than a decade.
Those greyhound racing dogs that have not been moved forward on the racing circuit – retired and unable to be cared for – are in desperate need of homes, and donations are needed to help with expenses in sending some to new homes across the U.S.
In North Fort Myers, the Greyhound Adoption Kennel, located on Deal Road, came to the rescue and took in dozens of dogs when the track closed.
The Greyhound Adoption Kennel is a 501 C3 group that places greyhounds in homes here and across the country. It is set up so donations are tax deductible for those who, even if they can’t adopt, can make donations to transport, feed and house these animals until they are all adopted.
There are no paid employees, and coordinator Donna Forster opens doors each weekend at the kennel, now housing dozens of dogs to perspective adoptive families.
“It will be 25 years in July when I adopted my first greyhound from the Humane Society,” said Forster.
The greyhound was a racing dog.
“She was very friendly and actually smiled at me,” she said. “I didn’t know enough about retired greyhounds but I was very, very happy with her. The woman I adopted through was from West Palm Beach, and she became my mentor.”
Forster then over the years got her second and third greyhound.
“Then they just started shipping them to me, to help get them adopted,” she said.
Forster has over two acres in a naturally shaded area with a big kennel and big exercise pens for the dogs.
“We now have 32 at the kennel and I have two of my own,” she said.
When the call came out for her to help with dogs that had retired from the track with no place to go, she went to her network of adopting and rescue groups from throughout the U.S.
“We shipped 20 dogs to Connecticut and some were spilt into adoption groups in New England to make space for all of the dogs from the track,” she said.
Another adoptee went to Tennessee, another to Mississippi and another to Alabama.
“We knew the track was closing, and knew what would happen, so we made plans. I’m not anti-racing,” she said of the dilemma of so many dog in need. “I’m an advocate for responsible racing.”
She said that in similar situations, when kennels who get retired race dogs, they can either put them up to a breeding farm, take them to another track or put them up for adoption.
“If they were not racing well, many don’t go to other tracks or farms. Not everyone is a winner,” she said,
Right now there are many dogs that still need adoptive homes.
“We do have 13 on hold to be adopted out, but we need adoptive homes for many more. They are very loving, well behaved and gentle,” she said.
She even “cat tests” the dogs, to see who will get along with feline members of adopted families.
Forster said anyone interested is invited to come to the kennel on Saturdays or Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. No appointment is necessary.
“I’m a matchmaker and can help,” she continued.
There is a website – greyhoundadotionkennel.com – that has pictures of some of the dogs, but all are not posted at this time.
No one takes a salary at the kennel, but they are looking to offset the costs of health care and transportation of many dogs to out-of-state locations.
The kennel is located at 11551 Deal Road, near the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers.
To be part of a future adoption or to make a tax deductible donation or attend the weekend open houses, call Forster for more information at 731-3187.
Checks can be sent to Greyhound Adoption Kennel, 11551 Deal Road, North Fort Myers, FL 33917.