Legacy……….

On January 4, Mr. Bruce Halle, founder of Discount Tire passed away. I had the privilege of working on a Discount Tire project a few years ago.  Two things were very obvious my first week on the contract.  When a customer called for help, you did whatever it took to take care of it and worked the problem through till resolution was complete. Corporate headquarters did not let those at the stores hang. Another refreshing observation was the friendliness found in the Discount Tire workplace. It was almost like everyone was family

Now remember I was not an employee of Discount Tire. During my time there I was just a faceless contractor hired to assist with an SAP implementation. One afternoon on my way back from lunch, I noticed an older gentleman walking towards the door I had just entered. I went back and I held the door open for the elderly gentleman. The gentleman looked at my badge and said "thank you, Rory". When I mentioned it to co-workers they remarked, oh you just met Mr. Halle. From that point on during the project, anytime Mr. Halle saw me he always greeted me by name. The founder set the standard for courtesy at Discount Tire.

During my time at Discount Tire, a local fellow greyhound adopter needed new tires. She had her greyhound with her when she dropped her car off at Discount Tire. It was during the summer months and for those of you who may not know, here in the valley of the sun temps are often over 100 degrees and it gets very toasty in a vehicle. Later that afternoon when she picked up her car, she did not see it in the Discount Tire parking lot.  Asking where her car was, the Discount Tire technician told her that the car was in another lot parked under a tree so it would be shaded and kept cooler for her greyhound. That is what Discount Tire employees do. They care about their customers.

Courtesy. Caring. Consideration. Doing your job well. Mr. Halle lived that from the day he started Discount Tire with very little money and 6 tires till the day he passed way as a 5-time billionaire. That is a legacy that is passed down from Mr. Halle to many who had the privilege to meet him or work for Discount Tire. 

Be nice, treat others as you would want to be treated and take care of customers. You do that and you will be successful.

We each need to ask ourselves - What will my legacy be? Will it be all about me? Or should we strive to be sure our legacy is what we have taught others and shown to others so that they can pass along kindness and service to others? 

BLACK 'GREY' FRIDAY FUNdraiser - PLEASE SHARE WITH FRIENDS!

***Check out the contest Greyhound Pets of America is running on Facebook – go to Facebook then go to Greyhound Pets of America - National***

Hi, I'm a Black Greyhound and I need your help. There's a group out there called Greyhound Pets of America. If you haven't heard of them, check them out. They're pretty cool. They are volunteers and LOVE Greyhounds and would do anything for them. Because of this, I decided to solicit a bunch of my friends to help me raise money for them.

When discussing what we could do, one friend suggested a competition (you know how much we love to compete). My friends all think they are the "best dog ever". So, in the spirit of friendly competition, we decided to have our humans submit their favorite photo of us. YOU get to decide which one of us will hold the title of BEST BLACK GREYHOUND.

Check out all the photos below and vote for the one you feel best suited for the title of BEST BLACK GREYHOUND. My friends are listed in alphabetical order along with the group's name that helped them find their forever home.
Once you've decided on your favorite, click this link www.greyhoundpets.org and click on the DONATE button. For every dollar you donate, my friend and their group will get one vote. So, if you donate $10 that = 10 votes. The more you donate, the more votes my friend and their group will get.

When the competition is over, the dog with the most donations/votes wins the title of BEST BLACK GREYHOUND and their group along with Greyhound Pets of America will split the donations. It's a win-win for all.

The contest runs from 11/24 (Black Friday) at 7:00 a.m. to 11/27 (Cyber Monday) at 11:00 p.m. EST.

Please help us help our friends at Greyhound Pets of America.
Sincerely,
A Black Greyhound

Greyhound Pets of America is a 501(c)(3) and all donations are tax deductible as permitted by law. Your PayPal or Credit Receipt is proof of donation.

Common Sense………..

We often hear people ask "Whatever happened to common sense?".

Thinking about common sense in the greyhound world one may ask - Why don’t “humane advocate protectors” and those who care about racing greyhounds get along? What happened to common sense?

In order to have common sense people must have something in common. While one might say greyhounds are what is in common, I disagree. “Humane advocate protectors” use greyhounds to lay the ground work for their true objectives - a world free of gambling, a world that is 100% vegan, a world where animals have the same legal rights as humans and perhaps most disturbing, a world free of any animals as pets.

Many “humane advocate protectors” have an effortless way to earn a living. You do realize your donations pay the salaries of “humane advocate protectors”, don't you?  How easy it is to use a greyhound to tug at the publics financial heartstrings so that they keep hitting that donate button allowing the “humane advocate protectors” to lobby and wine and dine whoever they need to in order to push their agenda and depriving greyhound adoption programs - the true individuals who help ex-racing greyhound find homes - of much needed financial support which truly is 100% for the greyhounds. 

To deny or reject what a greyhound is and their history is not something one does if they truly love the breed. 

Can the “humane advocate protectors” have common sense if they cannot love the greyhounds for what they are as well as what they have been? How can they claim to know what is best for greyhounds if they do not have hands on experience with all aspects of greyhounds? 

As with a good marriage or a good relationship, success comes from mutual love, mutual understanding and a mutual willingness for give and take in order to make things better for a common goal. That's simply common sense. But if one side looks only to destroy what exists or demand the other side to all things "their way", what sense does that make?

Perhaps if the “humane advocate protectors” made the effort to understand and love the greyhound, we would all have something in common.

What’s in a Name…….

Name recognition is a number one item for many corporations and politicians. In the greyhound world, it is equally important. Greyhound Pets of America for instance has built up a name recognition over the years as being a leader in greyhound welfare, placement and speaking truthfully. Under the Greyhound Pets of America banner over 90,000 ex-racing greyhounds have found homes.

Greyhound Pets of America is also commonly called GPA and has been known by and associated with those letters since 1987.

While it is understandable that in the course of 30 years, several GPA chapters have broken away to be independent adoption groups, it may come as a shock to some of you that many of these newly independent groups who have voluntarily left the GPA family have chosen new group names oddly similar to Greyhound Pets of America who's initials condense to GPA, thus causing an unknowing public to think that they follow the same standards, accountability, honesty, financial responsibility and actions as the true GPA chapters. Why it is almost like these groups who no longer wish to be part of the GPA family still wish to be viewed as, thought of and referred to as "GPA" by the donating and adoption public. Seems a bit deceptive.

So, the next time a group tells you they are "GPA", do yourself a favor and verify that they are indeed a true, original GPA and not a group coyly presenting themselves as GPA in an attempt to fool the unknowing into thinking they are still a part of an organization they chose to leave.

Cocaine in Racing Greyhounds

To: Greyhound Pets of America and friends of greyhounds,

Wish I was writing to you under different circumstances. I’m sure many of you have read or heard about a news article getting lots of attention of late regarding positive tests regarding racing greyhounds in Florida.

While it is true that some greyhounds have tested positive, a lot is yet unknown. Many of you may know that I also serve as a racing regulator in the State of Arizona. One huge lesson I’ve learned during my 5 plus years as a racing official hearing various cases and appeals is that it’s best to wait for all the factual information, let those charged with investigating perform that investigation and present their findings before formulating an opinion.

Right now as I see it, and I’m looking at it as someone who has loved and worked on behalf of the greyhounds for 24 years, we are seeing very few facts and lots of hearsay and accusations.  I would encourage everyone to hold back on any judgement until investigation is completed and all appeals have been exhausted.

I will also say, if someone is responsible for physically giving racing greyhounds cocaine, I hope those charged with performing the investigation find that person and prosecute to the fullest. If individuals or organizations are currently being falsely accused and investigation finds that out, I hope they are fully vindicated.

Rory
Vice-President
Greyhound Pets of America - National

TGIF – A Boy And His Dog

Welcome to Friday, I thought this was a good blog to bring back – especially with the filth and nastiness that some organizations and individuals have been so proud of this week!

Enjoy – A Boy And His Dog

http://rorygoree.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-boy-and-his-dog.html

Helping one who has helped many……Part II

Yesterday I released a blog titled Helping one who has helped many – today Part II is a link to the online auction going on now!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1448594592065566/

Thank you to all who have donated – If we can't share kindness with our own mankind - we have no kindness to share with the animals.

Helping one who has helped many.

In 2005 and 2006 as I negotiated the deal to remove the racing greyhounds from Juarez back to the US, several people were assisting from beginning. Two of those people were Pat & Alan Roberts. The owner of the track told me he would not release the greyhounds to me after previously telling me he would. I looked him in the eye, told him he was not an honorable man, turned my back to him and walked out. At my side were Pat, Alan, and Noreen Reid and as we walked side by side out of the building we expected at any moment to hear gun fire. Pat, Alan and Noreen where very courageous in going with me that evening and then walking  side by side with me after my negotiations failed, fully knowing the track owner was very angry with me.

Thankfully in 2006 the greyhounds of Juarez were returned to the US and adopted into forever homes.

Pat and Alan Roberts never turned away from helping a greyhound. If you can find it in your heart if you can join me again in walking side by side with Pat and Alan as it is now these two individuals that need our help.

Click here to support Alan Roberts LVAD Support Fund by Patricia Roberts

http://www.gofundme.com/ah5bks

Many thanks for any assistance you can give.

Rory & Bobo...who is my 11.5 year old Juarez greyhound that is with me in no small part thanks to Pat & Alan