Greyhounds get a second chance within the Kings Elementary family

Warwick - Shayne O’Neill and Kings Principal Sandy Wood both have adopted Greyhounds. When interviewed, Shayne and Ms. Wood gave some insight on their dogs and their traits. Ms. Wood became interested in Greyhounds on a summer vacation in Maine in 1989. She visited a Greyhound racetrack and was saddened by the living conditions of the beautiful dogs. She knew from then on she wanted to adopt one. Shayne became interested in Greyhounds because her father is allergic to dogs and Greyhounds tend to cause less allergy problems than most other dogs. The O’Neills researched and found that Greyhounds would fit their needs. They first saw Greyhounds at Applefest one year. Shayne said that Greyhounds are very friendly but quiet. Most of the time they sleep but love to run when given the chance. She said her dog is calm and fun to play with. Greyhounds interact well with other dogs, except for very big dogs. Ms. Wood’s dog, Sassy, loves hanging out with her 11-year-old friend, Oscar Mayer, who is a Daschund. Sassy’s track name was Pat C. Fawn. Sassy turned five on June 26. She started racing at 18 months and race for two years at the Plainfield Greyhound Racetrack. Topaz HoJo is the track name of the O’Neill’s Greyhound. HoJo, as he is called, raced for three and a half years. He is a red brindle and is three feet tall. He is about 80 pounds. HoJo was four when the O’Neills adopted him about three months ago. Most greyhounds, however, only race for two to three years. They run in short, fast races because they tire quickly. The Plainfield Racetrack and other racetracks have been closed in the past years because of mistreatment. Shayne loves her dog’s sad cute look. Shayne said that one negative to having a Greyhound is that you can not have an electric fence or let them off the leash because they would run away. Ms. Wood thinks her dog’s hazel colored eyes are the best. On her office wall there are colorful Greyhound prints by Kent Roberts. Ms. Wood feels there aren’t any negatives to adopting a Greyhound. She thinks every retired racing greyhound deserves a second chance. Both families found that the Web site www.greyhoundfriendsnj.org was very helpful in their search for a greyhound. Kyle Roeloffs was a cub reporter during the just completed school year for The Warwick Advertiser, covering the events and people at Kings Elementary School.