Fundraiser planned for Greyhound rescue group

Greyhound Friends of New Jersey, the state’s oldest organization devoted to rescuing retired racing greyhounds, will hold a fundraiser, Go Green With Greyhounds Clothing Drive, on Oct. 24, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Every pound collected will generate cash to help pay for housing and healthcare for rescued greyhounds waiting for loving homes. And at the same time, the fundraiser will help keep our landfills free of used clothing. Greyhound Friends of New Jersey will be collecting clean, wearable clothing, shoes and accessories, soft household items including bedding, curtains, tablecloths, and towels. The group welcomes children’s hard toys and stuffed animals. All donated items must be in tied plastic bags such as garbage or shopping bags. Volunteers will be collecting donated items at the locations throughout New Jersey including Rusty’s Place, 1141 Greenwood Turnpike, Ringwood. Known for successfully placing thousands of ex-racers, Greyhound Friends of New Jersey receives dogs regularly from tracks all over the country. With its “turn no greyhound away” policy, they take in dogs with legs broken on the track, older breeding females, and those with special needs. In the fall, the northern tracks close for the season and approach the group to take dogs. This means more healthy greyhounds, mostly between two and five years old, come to the group in need of homes. “Greyhounds make wonderful pets. They’re intelligent, affectionate and easy to live with,” said Linda Lyman, president of the group. “They don’t bark much and just want to make you happy. Some people may think retired greyhounds are very active or hyper, but actually, the opposite is true. They love a good walk or exercise in a fenced-in yard every day, but will spend most of the time as couch potatoes. They can be great with children, cats and other dogs. Finding the right homes for these dogs warms our hearts as we give them the chance to be loved as they should be. And, we’re proud to offer experience and support to all our adopters,” For more information about the event and how to adopt a greyhound, go to www.greyhoundfriendsnj.org or call 732-356-4370.