Greyhound Adoption League of Texas, Inc.

The Valley Race Park in Harlingen, Texas, in the Rio Grand Valley opened again on November 28, 2003 and remained open during the racing season, closing on April 4, 2004. GALT opened the Adoption Kennel on the track grounds for its second year. In summer 2003, Alan Hebzynski moved to the Valley from Minnesota where he and his greyhound, Roxy, were very involved in greyhound adoption. GALT is greytful to have Alan as a GALT volunteer to promote greyhound adoption and awareness in the Valley area.

GALT opened its kennel on December 10, 2003, but had already received two dogs with broken legs before its doors were open. After seven weeks, GALT had received 59 greyhounds into its program. Greyhounds came and went throughout the season. Some of these dogs were taken by other greyhound adoption groups in Texas and some were absorbed into GALT's adoption program in North Texas.

In March 2004, Roger Robinette of TLC Express took 37 greyhounds to adoption groups in Colorado and Idaho. When the season closed in April, TLC brought 47 greyhounds to Dallas, where they were taken off the bus, exercised, and 30 dogs were re-loaded and were delivered to groups in New Mexico, Colorado and California. The remainder of the greyhounds left in Dallas were delivered to other groups in Texas and Oklahoma or were kept by GALT.

GALT is proud to say that it received and placed a total of 137 greyhounds during the 2004 racing season from the Harlingen track. It placed approximately 100 greyhounds from VRP during the 2003 season.
Some of the dogs received were injured. GALT treated eight greyhounds with broken legs in addition to the torn Achilles tendon and other injuries.
As you can imagine, the expenses incurred by GALT for the care of these greyhounds was enormous, including kennel costs, food, medical supplies, medical care and transportation. Transportation from Harlingen to other parts of Texas and out of state totaled almost $8,000.00 and the medical costs, including surgeries, exceeded $16,000.00 for just this one season. GALT's total operating costs for the 2004 season at VRP was in excess of $36,000.00.

There were many greyhound lovers who generously donated money to help GALT pay for its 2004 operation in Harlingen. GALT would like to thank the following people and organizations for their support of GALT's efforts to retire greyhounds from VRP to their forever homes:

Gabriel and Annabelle Ben-Abraham Cryptic Creations Nick Greeley Jo Ellyn O'Donnell Dagmar and John Bogan Audrey Rapp Julie Fernald Ellen Sanchez and Ceilidh Charleson-Jennings Lynn and Mary Frederickson Keith and Sally Woodcox Chris Crawford Glenn and Mary Lower Mikio and Christina Nihira Robin Pittenger Greyhound Companions of Missouri Nancy Burt Mik and Matt Wilkens	Elizabeth Cobb David and Marilyn Cole Cynthia Hanson Northcoast Greyhound Support Michelle and Doug Hamilton Dixie Laney Amy and Nadav Sela Ingrid Kjelstrup Brad Duelks Mary Nooney Alane Shultz Lyn Abissi Chava Spirithorse ASPCA Greyhound Pets of America - Springfield, Mo. Chapter Denise Saleh Carpe Canem
All the winning bidders and those who generously donated items for the March 2004 online auction, and the Carpe Canem Auction conducted in April 2004.

However, the donations received by GALT only paid for a portion of GALT's Harlingen operating expenses. If you would like to make a donation to help defray the costs associated with GALT's Harlingen operation, please send your tax deductible donation to GALT, P.O. Box 680, Addison, Texas 75001-0680, or securely online by credit card or PayPal.

GALT hopes to continue to make a difference - one greyhound at a time. GALT appreciates your support of this effort.

To see pictures of some of the 2004 Harlingen greyhounds that have gone to their forever homes, please click here. The very attractive GALT handler is Lexi Padden.

If you would like to learn more about GALT's Harlingen operation, read the article entitled "The Harlingen Haul" in the 2003 Past Events.