Houdini Leaves Us

On December 22, 2011, Houdini, our very last Animal Medical Center blood donor dog left this world. He was born in August of 1998 and was the first to be born in his litter. We don't know exactly how long Houdini served as a blood donor at the Animal Medical Center but we know he was there during my first visit to the AMC in 2004. All of the greyhounds were there for much too long.

Houdini was one of a group of greyhounds rescued from the Animal Medical Center in October 2008 in what we like to call a 'sting operation' after a four-year long war with the AMC to free all of the greyhound blood donors. At the time, we were all at Dewey Beach at the Annual Reach the Beach gathering. We celebrated their safe arrival at our kennel with a champagne toast. The Animal Medical Center released a total of 19 blood donor greyhounds that year.

Houdini never did get adopted, but he was loved and doted on by many here at National Greyhound Adoption Program. He was surrounded by many of those people when he left us. He was a favorite of many of our regular dog walkers and was taken on lots of walks. For the last several months he was lodged in one of our big interior turnout area where he could wander wherever he pleased as opposed to being kept in a cage. Although he will be missed, we know it was his time to go.

Run like the wind, Houdini.