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NEWSLETTER - Almost Spring 2008

At a Glance:

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Next Greyhound Haul

Why Adopt From Us

CWGR Calendars

GH's & Winter Booties

YouTube / Worth a Read

Who believes that old tale about the groundhog and his shadow anyway? How does the groundhog know what day to peek out of his hole? And why does the absence or presence of the sun or the clouds equate to the arrival of spring? These unanswerable questions and more are why this is our "Almost Spring" newsletter rather than our "WInter/Spring" newsletter. We're done with winter (and are really hoping it's done with us!!). Whatever the season, WELCOME to our newsletter. Grab a coffee, sit back, and find out what's going on with our busy group while you take a break. We all deserve one of those now and again.... Enjoy!

Unwelcome News We'll get the bad news over with first. Judy Sleith has resigned from our Board of Directors. She has been diligently keeping our books since Day One, and keeping us on the right track as far as cheques and balances.

But the good news... is that Judy is continuing on with Chinook Winds Greyhound Rescue in her role as Adoption Representative in the Calgary area. We are thrilled that she is staying, and hope that she sticks around with us for years to come!

Welcome Tom! The Board Members of Chinook Winds Greyhound Rescue are pleased to announce the addition of Tom Gillis to our Board of Directors. Tom and his wife Nicole are the proud owners of Wynn and Zetta, and have been active volunteers with Chinook Winds Greyhound Rescue ever since they first adopted Wynn in 2004. We look forward to having Tom join us in this new role!

Welcome Catherine! The Adoption Representatives and Board Members of Chinook Winds Greyhound Rescue are pleased to announce the addition of Catherine Larouche as an Adoption Representative in the Calgary area. Catherine and her husband Chris are owned by Hawkeye and Sugar, and have been active volunteers with Chinook Winds Greyhound Rescue ever since they adopted Hawkeye over a year ago. Catherine brings a lot of enthusiasm to her new role and we look forward to working with her!

Our January haul of greyhounds has (finally!) arrived... Our January haul was delayed due to inclement weather and lousy road conditions, making it too hazardous for the hauler to travel. Perserverence and weather-watching was the name of the game, and finally on February 23, 16 happy greyhounds arrived safely in Alberta! Our next load is scheduled for mid April, so keep your eyes peeled for the Chinook Winds Greyhound Rescue hauler (pictured at left) to bring more greyhounds up from the States. The dogs' pictures and profiles are published on the Available Dogs page very shortly after they arrive, so check back often!

For more information about adopting from Chinook Winds Greyhound Rescue, please click on "Why Adopt from Us"

Exclusive Chinook Winds Calendars! This year Chinook Winds will be producing a calendar with our very own dogs as the stars! If you have a greyt photo of your hound, please email it to Alana at alana@luodadesign.com. Please note that the photos must be fairly high quality in order for them to look good when printed. If you have a photo but don't have a scanner, please email Alana and she can get it scanned for you. Submission deadline: May 1st.

Greyhounds and Winter Boots: Winter is not through with us yet! We still have winter boots available for your hound(s); visit our shop page to see what they look like. If you'd like to order any, contact an adoption rep.

Greyhounds on YouTube Check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXBGKFZG-44

Worth a Read We've posted three excellent new articles on our website, including a warning about a food treat that we had no idea could be toxic to our dogs. Click here to take a look.

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Fostering If you have read our last few issues, you will know of our need for foster homes. If you think you can help or just want further information, please contact Colleen in Edmonton, Sonia in Red Deer, or Leah in Calgary.

If you foster for Chinook Winds Greyhound Rescue, you will be provided with all the tools and equipment necessary. If you don't have a crate, we will lend you one. Foster food is always provided; you are not required to dip into your own hound's food supply to feed your foster dog! All vet bills and medical expenses are paid for by Chinook Winds. We ask you to take your foster dog to a M&G each Saturday, but if you can't make it one weekend, just give us a call and we will make arrangements to transport the dog to and from the M&G. We try to make it as easy as possible for you to foster for us! All we ask in return is that you care for the foster as you care for your own, teach him or her the ropes of retirement, and when s/he gets adopted and heads into his or her new home, give him or her a BIG hug, shed a couple of tears, and then get ready to open your heart and your home to the next foster!

Without foster homes, we could not find homes for the 135+ dogs that go through our system every single year. Foster homes are the backbone of our organization. Please help!

More New Stuff!: The newest item available from Chinook Winds for the greyhound lover is socks! We have ladies greyhound socks, and you can see them on our Shop Page. Also just arrived are some *new* beanie babies that are a little different than the ones we currently have in stock. They're definitely a must-have! Lastly, belly bands for those hard to train boys.

Attention animal lovers. This is pretty simple... Please tell ten friends to tell ten friends, and so on! The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily to meet their quota of getting free food donated to abused and neglected animals. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on the purple box 'fund food for animals'. It's free, and doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals in exchange for advertising. Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know.

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

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NEWS FROM EDMONTON:

Next Haul: Foster Homes Needed Although it seems like our last haul of dogs just arrived, we are already making arrangements for our next group of dogs. The new dogs are scheduled to arrive in Alberta on April 12th. Chinook Winds has agreed to take 20 dogs at this time, 8 of which need foster homes in Edmonton. If you’ve never fostered before, but think it might be something you’d like to do, this would be the perfect time to give it a try. If you have fostered in the past, but haven’t taken in a dog for a while, we need you to volunteer now. Foster families are the backbone of Chinook Winds. Without foster homes, we can’t bring the dogs into Canada. The next time you give your beloved greyhound a scratch behind the ear, remember that if it wasn’t for a family volunteering to foster, your dog would never have found your home. Consider “paying the favor backwards”; consider becoming a foster family. Remember, when you adopt a dog, you change the life of that one dog, but when you foster, you are able to change the lives of many. If you have any questions about fostering or if you think you’d be able to become a foster family, contact Colleen.

Edmonton Walking Club Now that the weather is getting to be more spring-like, it’s a greyt time to shake off the winter blues by taking your greyhound out for a walk. Come join the Edmonton Greyhound Walk Club on our monthly strolls. Our next walk is scheduled for Sunday, March 16. Check our web site http://members.shaw.ca/sue.mendoza/ for the times, locations, maps and directions for upcoming walks.

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UPCOMING EVENTS IN EDMONTON:

Fun Run Debbie and John Ward are inviting greyhounds and their families to come out to their acreage for a fun run. Feel free to drop in any time during the afternoon. After a winter of being cooped up, your hounds will love the chance to sprint around the big field.
Date: Sunday, March 30
Time: drop in any time between 12:00 and 4:00
Place: #33 Gibbonslea Dr., Gibbons (same location as the 2007 Edmonton Chinook Picnic)
For more details/directions, call John or Deb at 942-4163.

Acupuncture Clinic The vets at Town Centre Veterinary Hospital have again asked Chinook Winds to supply a few greyhounds to assist in an acupuncture clinic. Those hounds and handlers who participated in the clinic in November enjoyed their experience. No dogs are poked during the workshop. Rather, they are stroked and massaged by the vets who are getting hands on anatomy lessons. Dog owners are invited to stay throughout the workshop so this clinic is a great opportunity to learn about canine physiology and acupuncture. If you can attend, the clinic is definitely a worthwhile experience.
Dates: March 12th & 14th (you may choose to participate in one or both days)
Time: 2:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel (10111 Belamy Hill)
To volunteer, contact Colleen.

Sherwood Park Mall Easter Eggstravanganza Every Easter, Sherwood Park Mall hosts an Easter celebration, and once again, Chinook Winds has been invited to participate by showcasing our greyhounds. This meet and greet is fun for the whole family to attend, as the mall has many seasonal activities planned including egg hunts, face painting and kid crafts. If you and your hounds would like to take part, contact Debbie.
Date: Saturday, March 22
Place: Sherwood Park Mall, 2020 Sherwood Drive, Sherwood Park
Time: 9:30 – 5:30 (volunteer early to get your choice of shift)

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NEWS FROM CALGARY:

Canine Blood Donor Program: Greyhounds make ideal blood donors. Greyhounds normally have a negative blood type, which makes them universal donors able to donate their blood to other breeds of dogs that need it. Their blood is rich in red blood cells because like most aerobic athletes, greyhounds require a large number of red cells to sufficiently oxygenate their bodies during strenuous runs. The Western Veterinary Specialist Center has a blood donor program available that you and your greyhound(s) can participate in. It is not a painful procedure for the dogs, and what a feeling knowing that your greyhound has helped save the life of another! There are a number of benefits to you and your donor hound as well. For more information on this most worthwhile program, please click here.

To Those Blood Donors who donate the money that they are given for their greyhound's participation in the blood donor program to Chinook Winds Greyhound Rescue, a heartfelt THANK YOU! With one single donation your hound's blood saves the life of another canine and your donation to Chinook Winds helps us help the greyhounds that go through our system. Talk about a win-win situation!

UPCOMING EVENTS IN CALGARY

Calgary Pet Expo Chinook Winds Greyhound Rescue will once again be at the Calgary Pet Expo being held at the Big Four Building in Stampede Park on April 12 from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. and April 13 from 11 a.m.- 5 p.m.. This is one HUGE Meet & Greet where we have the opportunity to give greyhounds and greyhound adoption so much exposure. Thousands upon thousands of people attend the pet expos every year, and we look forward to talking to people and introducing them to the wonderful world of greyhounds! For more information, feel free to visit the Pet Expo website at www.petexpos.com.

Calgary Picnic This year's picnic has been scheduled for Saturday, August 23. Mark it on your calendar and stay tuned for details!

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CENTRAL ALBERTA NEWS

Central Alberta Greyhound Walking Club Please join us with your hounds on the lovely trails of Red Deer & Central Alberta. Even if you don’t have a hound, club members are always in need of extra hands! Also, if you have never met a greyhound in person, this is a great way to meet and socialize with greyhound folks and to learn a bit more about this fantastic breed. Visit the website for information on future walks www.greyhoundwalking.com.

Pet-sitting Yes, it’s hard to believe but spring and summer are just around the corner. Many people are starting to plan their vacation getaways. If you are looking for someone to look after your beloved hound while you are away or if you are willing to open up your home for pet-sitting in the Red Deer and the Central Alberta Region, please contact Sonia Pezzack at 403.309.5559 or email sonia@pezzack.com. Your assistance is greatly appreciated!

UPCOMING EVENTS IN RED DEER

Red Deer & District SPCA’s Capital Campaign Saturday, March 15, 2008: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Bower Place Shopping Centre is hosting an event put on by the Red Deer & District SPCA. Chinook Winds Greyhound Rescue Foundation, along with other pet rescue groups, have been invited to display a booth at the shopping center. What a wonderful way to show the public what wonderful companions greyhounds make! For volunteer opportunities for this event, please contact Sonia Pezzack at 403.309.5559 or email sonia@pezzack.com.

Red Deer & District Spring Dog Show

Friday to Sunday, April 4 to 6, 2008: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm daily
Chinook Winds has been invited to man the entrance and ticket sales to the Red Deer & District Spring Dog Show (at Westerner Park), held April 4 – 6, 2008. We are happy to take them up on the offer, as a portion of the ticket sales will go to Chinook Winds Greyhound Rescue Foundation. For volunteer opportunities for this event, please contact Sonia Pezzack at 403.309.5559 or email sonia@pezzack.com.

Many more events to look out for!
Westerner Days…
Meet & Greets…
Parades…
And much more!

TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS: Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the time you donate and the support you give. We could not do it without you!

Hug those hounds!

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