Thanks to some very loyal volunteers with trucks and vans, GAC can transport our dogs from the kennel to their forever homes across California and beyond. Under the direction of GAC treasurer Jim Howell, the drivers carefully orchestrate “hand offs” at various rest stops along the highways. We’ve been busy the past few months and thought you would enjoy this road show…
Starting in November of last year, Jim Howell traveled home from GAC’s annual meeting with two hounds — GAC’s Crumple and GAC’s George bound for Fresno adopters.
With the help of volunteer Linda Weller, the boys landed in Fresno where they met Crumple’s adopters, Stephanie and Carter Barnes in addition to transport volunteer Rodger Meier who ferried George to his forever home in Sacramento.
After spending another three hours on the road, George was placed with Matt Petrali and Taryn Casaleggio and his new buddy, Luigi, a 6-year-old terrier-mix.
A few weeks later, Jim Howell picked up a non-racer, GAC’s Sasha, found by a Good Samaritan outside of Buttonwillow, Calif. This wonderful lady fostered Sasha for a week until our transport team could bring her to our kennel in San Diego.
Sasha met up with Cadel at the half-way point. While she continued to travel south, Cadel headed north to the Garza family of Fresno.
In December, the transport team rallied for GAC’s Jonny and Mopar. Jonny needed a lift to her forever home in Sacramento so transport volunteer Paul Hartup swung into action delivering this pretty girl now called Athena.
When Mopar finally met his adopters, Greg and Theresa Duer of Santa Ynez, they brought along their other greyhound Woody (GAC’s Beauregard) to let the boys meet each other on neutral turf.
Theresa Duer holding GAC’s Mopar (now renamed Cooper) and Greg Duer holding Woody
In January, the transport volunteers brought GAC’s Curlew and Persie to Northern California with the help of long-time volunteers Bob Fluty and Lindsay Howell .
New adopters Jeff and Rosanna Bertheola left their Fort Bragg home at dawn and drove more than six hours to meet their beautiful new girl Curlew, now named Audrey.
GAC volunteer Christy Schmidt was on hand to help bring Persie to his forever home with the Larson family in Chico.
Our road show winds down with a final shot of sweet Audrey sound asleep at the Marriott Hotel in San Francisco. Her new family had to bed down for the night before their long journey home. The hotel’s dining staff was so enamored with Audrey, they allowed her to dine with the family — even preparing her a special chicken dish. As the night drew to a close, she climbed atop her brand-new bed and in typical greyhound fashion, fell fast asleep.
Many thanks to the tireless transport volunteers, placement reps and profilers who helped to bring our hounds to their new homes near and far.