Chloe's Story
"Sweet China" (as she was known during her racing career) was born on January 25, 1995 in Lee County, Florida. She was one of four females in a litter of six pups born to "Sweet Louie" and "China Maid". Her first race took place at Flagler Stadium in Miami, Florida on July 24, 1996. She finished second on her first time out - not bad for a beginner! Over the course of the next two and a half years she raced at Flagler and Hollywood (FL) race tracks, running her final race on November 7, 1998.
Of the 150 races that "Sweet China" entered, she finished first nineteen times. She finished in the top three positions in 57 of her races, a very respectable record. Anyone who knew her would not find that surprising, as she was a very determined and strong-willed dog.
At the time that "Sweet China" retired in late 1998, the majority of retiring racing greyhounds were still being put to death. In 1988 her trainer, one of the largest and most successful breeders and kennel operators in the country, was arrested on charges of using live rabbits in the training of his greyhounds. The prosecution presented videotapes and eyewitness accounts from several law enforcement officials at the trial. Even though the use of live animals in greyhound coursing was illegal, the trainer was acquitted of all charges of animal cruelty, although his license was suspended for five years. This particular trainer was noted for viewing his greyhound dogs as a commodity. He was quoted as saying "I am not what you'd call a pet lover... I am the master and they are the servant".
"Sweet China" was lucky enough to be rescued by a greyhound rescue group based in the San Francisco Bay Area, "Greyhound Friends For Life". She arrived at the GFFL kennel in Gilroy, CA (the garlic capital of the world) in February 1999. The kennel was managed by a wonderful GFFL volunteer, Barbara, who had her hands full with the spirited "Sweet China".
I adopted "Sweet China" (and gave her a new name) a week or two after her arrival at the GFFL kennel, in March 1999. Normally greyhounds spend several weeks at a 'foster' home where they become accustomed to living in a home before being adopted, but I had no such luxury! The first few weeks were a challenge as I taught Chloe how to go up and down stairs, walk on a leash, and basically how to be a house pet. The eight months that Chloe spent with me in San Francisco were busy ones, as she visited many sites in the city including the Golden Gate Bridge, Palace of the Legion of Honor, Dolores Park, Mt. Davidson (the highest point in the city), Golden Gate Park, and Marin County. She even made a trip to Stanford University (but, alas, no sighting of Chelsea Clinton who was a student there at the time).
Chloe left the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area in November 1999 when she moved with me to the Sauganash neighborhood on the northwest side of Chicago. After spending her entire life in Florida and the temperate climate of coastal California, I'm sure she questioned my sanity during those long Chicago winters. But she had a full complement of coats and sweaters to guard against the cold, as well as a yellow slicker to stay dry during the spring rains. She became a bit of a celebrity in the neighborhood and was known by name to many whose houses we passed on our daily walks. She enjoyed the love of family and friends, and she returned that love many times over.
In November 2005 Chloe was diagnosed with inoperable osteosarcoma, a cancer of the bone that is fairly common in greyhounds. Chloe was very brave and stoic during her illness, and we all got to enjoy a very special, though poignant, final Christmas with her.
On January 10, 2006, with her head resting in my lap in the comfort of her home, and surrounded by those who loved her, Chloe bid us farewell and peacefully crossed over the rainbow bridge.
She is missed tremendously but she continues to live on in the hearts of those whose lives she touched.
