The Love Of A Retired Rescued Greyhound Brood Was More Than I Could Have Imagined.
Gottagetamoveon's Story

Here is The beginning of Gottagetamoveon’s journey into my life…

At last year’s GSGA picnic Barbara Homer, you have to admit she has her ways of mentioning things to just the right people, just casually came up to me and said, guess who is going to be available in about a month?…My heart started beating faster as I got a quick shot of adrenaline because Barbara had that recognizable smile on her face….Whoooo?? came shooting out of my mouth…a brief pause from Barbara…Petey’s mom…Oh my goodness (I thought) would they entrust such a greyhound with me??…This is truly an honor…and my Petey’s mom!! I instantly said I would adopt her…there was no hesitation…at THAT moment…

Needless to say when I got home from the picnic with both Jack and Petey I thought what on earth am I doing adopting yet another greyhound??…and…she is 10 years old!!! Sight unseen I’m adopting this greyhound… OK I said to myself…I’ll adapt…I’ll take 2 separate walks when I walk the greyts…she certainly won’t be able to keep up with the younger boys…I’ll provide a nice peaceful life for her and enjoy her…

Anticipation grew because it actually took about two months for her to arrive here in California…again as I waited I had no idea what I would do with Gottagetamoveon but she was Petey’s mom and she deserved a chance at a happy peaceful life…After all she had given birth to my Petey whom I love very much…

The night of her adoption arrived she had landed at SF International Airport from Colorado. I arrived at Stu and Barbara’s house for the usual adoption procedure. I was about an hour early!!
I’m still secretly thinking I had really lost my mind. I hadn’t even seen a picture of Gottagetamoveon…but she is Petey’s mom I chanted in my mind.

The door opened and in walked this doe eyed beautiful little brindle girl. This is my gottagetamoveon…this is my Petey’s mom. I hugged her and welcomed her. She leaned against me and seemed to know I was now going to be HER mom. I was going to take care of HER now…she had given our group not only Petey but others as well. SHE had made the ultimate sacrifice of ten years of her life…over the course of those ten years she had given birth to greyhounds who were winners at the track…that’s the only reason she was kept alive to have babies all of those years…SHE deserved better. I understood all of this the moment I saw her eyes.

She was tired from her trip. I couldn’t wait to bring her home and introduce her to her son, Petey. She rode in the car as though she rode in cars all of her life. On the way home I told her all about her son. How he had been rescued…how happy he is…how happy he will be to see his mom…

When I opened the door to Gotta’s new forever home Petey came bounding over to meet his mom. Gotta licked his face and immediately rubbed her body against him…she KNEW him8230and he knew her. Since that night they have been inseparable…

Forget the thought that this ten year old needs a separate walk…she out walks the young ones…she is always in FRONT of the group…she is out of bed before the young ones in the morning as if to say…come on…I have a lot of world to enjoy out there.

Gotta loves her food, loves her lap time, loves pets, loves being brushed, loves warm baths, loves to lean against you, loves her bed, loves her walks. She is fully housebroken and never destroyed anything around the house…my only regret is that I didn’t have her for the first ten years of her life.

What I find amazing is that she spent 10 long years on the track in conditions most of us can’t even think about…and yet she is not looking back. She seems to look forward to every day as though it is full of adventure for her. I am humbled in her presence and I have never looked back either.

She is truly beautiful…you would not know she is 10 years old if you watched her out run and out walk the younger dogs. Her gray muzzle and gray eyelashes give away her age…Her strength, determination, and unconditional love should be a lesson to all of us. She is having the time of her life and so am I.

Thank you Barbara and Stu for making this all happen.

This story was submitted by greyhound owner Linda Engler