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Greyhounds enjoy a rich heritage dating back over 4000 years and
are even mentioned in the Bible in the Old Testament, Proverbs
30:31.
Their
unmistakable figure graces the walls and tombs of Ancient Egypt
and vases of Ancient Greece.
 .
Greyhounds
have long been associated with royalty. From the 11th to the 14th
century, English law decreed that 'no mean person shall own a
greyhound." The penalty for breaking this law was death.
Before
1980 almost every greyhound was destroyed after their racing career
was over. People did not know how wonderful pets these amazing
athletes would make.
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Initially bred for royalty and noblemen, this breed was a favorite
of both Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth I.
In
Homer's "The Odyssey", the only one who recognized Odysseus
upon his arrival home after being absent for over 20 years was
his greyhound, Argos.
Greyhounds
were introduced in the USA in the 1800's to help farmers control
the jackrabbit population and greyhound racing developed as a
result of popular neighborhood competition.
This
slowly changed and presently there are over 150 greyhound adoption
and rescue groups nationwide. Yet, even today, between 10,000
and 20,000 Greyhounds are killed every year.
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