Hounds Rest

Hounds Rest is a kennel facility on a farm near the Sandy River between Gresham and Sandy.  It is where the newly acquired greyhounds come to stay for a while after being picked up from greyhound breeders.  The are about 20 breeders near Abilene, Kansas.  So the group I volunteer with, Greyhound Pet Adoption Northwest, drive the 1700 miles to get retired dogs several times a year.
   When they arrive from a pick up run, they arrive at Hounds Rest.  Volunteers are there waiting to unload them from the special trailer, check to see that they are alright, feed them and put them in a assigned kennel.  That kennel will be their temporary home until they can be put in a home.  It's not fancy, but it works well for it's purpose.  During their stay the dogs are visited by volunteers in the morning and the afternoon to feed, scoop, and exercise then every day.  This time is used to get the dogs used to more human contact, assess their health, get shots and spayed or neutered.
    I love going there to be with the dogs.  They are so happy to see people, to be petted, to romp in the run area with other greyhounds.  But it is also very sad to leave them after a couple of hours knowing that they will not see anybody until the next shift.
   These dogs can be anywhere from 2 to over 5 years old depending on whether they raced and how successful their performance was.  They are generally healthy, but may have injuries usually caused by racing incidents.  Both sexes are raced.  The males run 65- 80 pounds, females, 50 - 60.  That being said they are all sleek and lean with not a pound of fat on them.  They truly are athletes.  They come with Kennel names which can be retained or not.

This is HR.  On the left is one of the "runs".  The kennels are on the right side of the building.  You can see one of the the hounds in the dog run looking at us.

Carmel has a previously broken right hind leg which he favors but it is fused and strong. 

Basher is a sweet boy that seems to have a calm disposition.

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