USA, FL: Dennis Tyler Finds Homes for More Than 7,000 Retire

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From www.people.com

Dennis Tyler Finds Homes for More Than 7,000 Retired Greyhounds

By Emily Evans and Kristen Mascia

01/10/2013 at 02:05 PM EST

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Dennis Tyler and his greyhounds

Jeffery Salter

Dennis Tyler never expected to fall in love.

But after he took in a former racing greyhound named Clara Voyant in 1991,
Tyler soon discovered that he'd found a constant companion in the
affectionate light-brown dog, who strode beside him on daily walks and
nestled against him while watching TV.

"She was a very special dog," recalls the Melbourne, Fla.-based father of
two grown children. "She blended right into the family."

So when Tyler, 66, learned that many greyhounds, some injured while racing,
faced the risk of being euthanized, he couldn't look the other way.

"These dogs can be the most wonderful pets," he says. "I needed to do
something."

Since then the retired mechanic and his wife, Claire, 66, have found homes
for more than 7,400 greyhounds through his nonprofit, Florida Greyhounds
http://www.floridagreyhounds.com> . Using donations, Tyler provides medical
care for the dogs, personally matches them to a compatible family and drives
them from his home state of Florida - which has the largest number of
greyhound racetracks in the U.S. - to their new homes along the East Coast.

While the group briefly suspended operations last year due to new costs at
track kennels in the area, Tyler says they'll be back up running later this
month. His group has also started a fledgling foster dog program.

Lorie Stewart, of Satellite Beach, Fla., is one of the thousands of people
who have benefitted from Tyler's efforts.

"I just adore my dogs," says Stewart, who's adopted five greyhounds through
Florida Greyhounds. "They call them potato chip dogs because they're so
addictive; you can't have just one!"