The day he walked into my life, he stole my heart. My parents told me to sit down, they had a present for me. I did, and slowly in walked the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. He looked more like some imaginary animal from a fairy tale than a dog. With his floppy ears and brindled tail, I couldn't imagine how anyone could want to hurt him. Someone looked at him and thought only about how much money he would make for a race track. By the time he was 18 months old, he had been put to work. He must not have been very fast, or they would have kept him for more than two years. We will never be sure of the details. All we know is what was tattooed inside his ears; what number of the litter he was and when he was born. All we know is that when he came to us, he wouldn't take any food from our hand; he didn't know how to play or climb stairs. All we know is that if he hadn't been rescued by Greyhound Friends, he would have become one of the forgotten dogs found bludgeoned to death beside a dumpster.

Thousands of greyhounds are discarded each year, either by gassing, bludgeoning, or other inhumane methods of extermination. Until all greyhound tracks have been made illegal, please try to help end at least one dog's suffering; adopt a greyhound.

If you're interested and would like more information about the breed or an adoption center near you, write Greyhound Friends, 167 Saddlehill Road, Hopkinton, MA 01748. c