The Guam greyhound situation has made an impact across the country. So much so, that it was covered in a four-minute segment on ABC news.

On Feb. 20, ABC7 in California interviewed Barbara Davenport of Homestretch Greys who has been working with Guam Animals In Need in transporting rescued greyhounds to Los Angeles as they prepare to find permanent, loving homes. The video clip can be viewed at http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/..story?section=news/local/..ventura_county&id=6670382.

Since the Guam Greyhound race track closed its doors in November 2008, the number of homeless and abandoned greyhounds on Guam skyrocketed. The hundreds of race dogs were given away to anyone who asked, often three or four at a time, with little or no record of where the animals went and no screening for suitability or other normal adoption-process criteria.

The situation has raised concern globally, with greyhound rescue groups around the world networking to help save the greyhounds. A simple google search of “Guam greyhounds” garners sites not only from the United States, but also Japan, Ireland, Spain, Korea, England, Netherlands, and Belgium talking specifically about the Guam greyhounds in their respective languages.

Noni and Dave Davis, Guam Animals In Need volunteers spearheaded the effort to work with greyhound rescue groups in the mainland U.S. in order to get the animals nursed back to health to be adopted locally or off-island. According to Dave Davis, financial and other more direct kinds of help have been provided by several greyhound advocacy groups, including the Greyhound Protection League, Homestretch Greys, and North Coast Greyhounds of California and Greyhound Friends of Massachusetts in addition to members of Guam’s community. People who adopted Guam greyhounds started a networking group at www.guamgreyhounds.org, dedicated to the rescue of all the retired Guam greyhounds.

GAIN has so far recovered 70 of the animals given away by the track. The dogs were all originally unsterilized, and no record of vaccination for rabies or other diseases was available. All were badly in need of dental care and several suffered from serious skin problems and healed but bothersome track-related injuries. It is unknown exactly how many animals were at the track prior to the giveaway, but the estimated number is between 250 to 400 greyhounds.

There are real horror stories associated with some of the rescued dogs and some spectacular success stories as well. Fifty or more may still in the hands of those who ‘adopted’ them in late November and early December. Some we know went to good and caring homes. Many died and have been and will be mistreated, though that can only be addressed if GAIN discovers them.

GAIN has since offered a reward program for anyone who reports and leads to the rescue of abandoned, abused and homeless greyhounds.

For more information, please contact Guam Animals In Need at 653-GAIN, e-mail guamanimals@yahoo.com or visit www.myspace.com/guamanimalsinneed.