Mark Menditto

PERSONAL WORK: GREYHOUND RESCUE - FOSTER

Since 1993, New Jersey Greyhound Adoption Program (NJGAP) has placed 2,000 rescued racing greyhounds into adoptive families. Volunteers provide a foster home until the dogs are placed into a permanent home.

"Ellla" is a new arrival into the program, where she will spend the next few weeks with a volunteer foster family, Wendy and Dave. There, she will learn a series of "first" experiences such as how to climb stairs, how to walk on leash, play in the snow, and most important-what it is to have a home.

Rescued greyhound "Ella" goes for a walk with her foster dad. The audio and a slideshow for this photo sequence are available at Vimeo, Youtube and Facebook.© mark menditto(GR-0263)
  
Trust and kindness can turn even the most timid animal into a fast friend. © mark menditto(GR-0268)
  
© mark menditto(GR-0282)
     
  
When Ella tired from her first walk, her foster dad carried her home, as though she were his own. © mark menditto(GR-0253)
  
© mark menditto(GR-0249)
  
Foster parents get very attached to their charges. There's an adoptive family out there, somewhere ready to love "Ella" as much as they do. © mark menditto(GR-0338)
     
  
© mark menditto(GR-0337)
  
photo © mark menditto(GR-0159)
  
© mark menditto(GR-0225)
     
  
Once in her new foster home, the family quickly renamed her to "Bella."  Here, she looks up to her new foster mom.photo © mark menditto(GR-0123)
  
Greyhound puppies are tattooed in both ears by the time they're three months old. The tattoos uniquely identify the animal by its litter and age.  I found one search hit as to how this is done. It's interesting that the author refers to themselves in the third person when describing how they do it.(GR-0230)
  
Many foster families have other greyhounds, who help the new arrivals acclimate to their surroundings and teach them the basics.photo © mark menditto(GR-0116)
     
  
Going down steps is easier then climbing. During the first week, foster dad, Dave spends as much time as it takes, helping Bella climb a short flight of steps, one step at a time. photo © mark menditto(GR-0133)
  
Bella follows her foster dad around the yard.photo © mark menditto(GR-0156)
  
Bella is a very timid animal.  Her foster family is doing all they can to help her forget the past.  After spending much of their early lives with a pack of other racing greyhounds, some greyhound fosters are terrified of being left alone. photo © mark menditto(GR-0151)
     
  
photo © mark menditto(GR-0157)
  
Every greyhound I've ever met craves love and attention, and to please their owners.photo © mark menditto(GR-0174)