FONZIE What a very nice old boy.
Nearly six years ago I had a phone call from Johanna Beaumer at Walthamstow Retired Greyhounds asking me if I could foster one of her greyhounds for a week. It seems the kennels were full to bursting point and she was desperate. I of course agreed. The greyhound in question was Thesearethedays or the so much nicer sounding; Fonzie. After six days she phoned again asking me if I could keep him for another week. This was of course one of Johannas ploys, because she knew once a greyhound had crossed my doorstep it wouldnt be going back to kennels. So Fonzie was now officially one of my gang.

I really felt for Fonzie, because he had been returned to Johannas kennel because of his owners marriage break-up, but Fonzie was a very loyal and giving greyhound so it affected him very badly. So much so they had to keep a muzzle on him as he was always trying to chew his way out of the kennel, and who could really blame him after living in a home situation for four years.

Fonzie soon settled down with me and very soon became a credit to the breed, which was after I weaned him off wanting to hurt, or even kill little yappers. LOL. In Fonzies case that didnt take too long. So he was soon off his lead and living the life of Riley. He was a very happy confident old boy, who took everything in his stride, even after his many visits to the vets. Although not too serious, he kept many a vets bank account very healthy.

He was at an age nowadays when things could start to go wrong. A couple of months ago he started to give the impression all was not well with either his heart or his lungs. I had him checked over which included having his bloods done to see if anything were amiss. His heart seemed okay but there seemed to be a problem with his breathing, but not with his lungs. There was some sort of obstruction leading down to his lungs.

He was insured so it wasnt a matter of cost, so I had a word with the people who owned The Greyhound Sport Medicine Veterinary Practice. They advised, which I also agreed with, whatever was the problem to let it take its course. They were of the opinion that at the approaching age of thirteen, any surgery he had would most likely kill him before what was wrong with him would. So thats how it has been with Fonzie, watching and hoping he had some more time left.

We carried on as usual, doing all the same walks, and although at times it seemed a bit much, he wasnt a greyhound who I could leave behind if I was walking Julian and Ciara.

Well! Today, what was troubling him came to the surface soon after we started our walk over Harlow Town Park. We had only gone a hundred yards or so, with everything appearing no different than normal, when all of a sudden it was obvious Fonzie was in bad trouble. What was blocking his airwaves had taken a turn for the worse. He was in fact dying before my eyes. I quickly returned to the car with Julian and Ciara, and then drove back to pick Fonzie up and went straight to the vets. Where sadly there was never any other choice, I had to have the old boy put to sleep.

When I think back to all my dogs that have passed on, and ponder the question did I leave it too late, sometimes I have thought I had. These greyhounds have only one life so I like to make it last as long as long as possible and leave it for as long as possible. Fonzie looked fine until near the end so I couldnt have done much more. Fonzie has gone; he passed away at 12.55 pm today to go and join all my other 32 old greyhounds waiting for me in their doggy heaven.
Although I cannot say it made me smile, but while Fonzie was at his worst, his old ears still shot up when he see a squirrel up a tree, and thats another thing, the squirrels in my garden will now feel rather more relieved, although they still have Ciara to contend with.

It does make me very sad when one of my dogs goes to meet his/her maker, but on the other hand it makes me very happy I have given them a life far removed from living in a kennel. I have thousands of memories, plus all my videos to comfort me in knowing I have done something in my life that made such a big difference to all my greyhounds. Im not bothered about getting into Heaven, all I hope is they will allow me to enter Greyhound Heaven.
(Thesearethedays) Fonzie 20th April 2003 too 18th January 2016, he was such a lovely intelligent dog, I will miss him lots.

I hope I get to the same pearly gates as you, Bryan.
I'll have a beer with you.