Shrek shows off his clean smooth coat. He spends a lot of time grooming. Greyhound Lifesavers Inc. is a 501©3 nonprofit group established in 2002 by Judy Horton. The headquarters is in Lexington, S.C., but the group places retired racing greyhounds in loving homes across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. The organization has over 100 members and is governed by a board of directors elected by the general membership. It is an all- volunteer organization with no paid employees.

The current board consists of Woody Fischbach, president; Joyce Jackson, vice- president; Angie Wellman, secretary; Charles Brown, treasurer; Nancy McKenna and Colleen McGraw, members at large; and Judy Horton, chairman.

All volunteers are passionate about greyhounds. The group's mission is to find loving homes for as many of the dogs as possible.They typically work with retired racing greyhounds, but they also help place greyhounds who may have been left at local animal shelters. They educate the public (many have never seen a greyhound) on the desirability and suitability of greyhounds as pets, often taking the greyhounds to school events, meet and greets at businesses like Petsmart, and area festivals.

Snuffy loves a quick dip in his pool especially during the hot days of summer. The dogs are usually between two and six years of age. Most females weigh between 55- 65 pounds while males weigh between 65- 85 pounds. They stand 26- 29 inches at the shoulder and come in a variety of colors. There are 18 official colors; a gray greyhound is called a "blue" and is not a common sight. Greyhounds are ideal house pets because they are a clean breed known for having short hair with little shedding, little odor, and they are housetrained.

Greyhound Lifesavers has no kennel. Instead, they choose to place "fresh from service" greyhounds into a foster home for a minimum of three weeks. This eases the transition from living in a kennel to living in a home. During that time, each of the greyhounds receives a thorough veterinary exam that includes shots, heartworm testing, microchipping, teeth cleaning, and spayneuter. Next they check to make sure the greyhound is cat- safe, small dog-safe, and child safe. They want the greyhounds to succeed in their new home.

Dukell says there's nothing like a good nap after a llong day of playing. Adopting a greyhound is a lifetime commitment. The greyhound lives in excess of 12 years. When thinking about adopting a greyhound or any dog, the proper research should be done before making the commitment to adopt.

For more information, read Cynthia Branigan's book, Adopting the Racing Greyhound, visit the website (www.greyhoundlifesavers. org) and visit the greyhounds. All events are listed on the calendar page of the website or call any of the local representatives with questions:

Judy at 803-957- 3866, Joyce at 803-429- 4209, Colleen or Bill at 803-736-2287, or Woody or Carol at 803-699-2351. At the present time, 16 greyhounds, ranging from two- 10 years of age, are waiting for homes.