Shirley Smith drew this cartoon as her vision of herself if she were a greyhound.

Shirley is founder and President of Greyhound Rescue of Quebec

Our heaven sent kennel worker Shirley Smith

      When asked to make a statement about Shirley Smith, I didn't even have to blink my eyes before I could think of something to say......    

   When I received the news that our racing kennel was going to be observed and given a helping hand with the daily routines,{ for one week}, from some lady named Shirley, from Quebec.  I had my misgivings!!!  I thought to myself, " what if this lady is against greyhound racing", is she going to turn a blind eye and report what she already intended to report?  Or, is this woman going to report a what would be an unbiased view.

        Well let me tell you after meeting and working with Shirley, she wasn't at all what I expected! She was more, she worked her tail to the bone, { so to speak!}, she worked every turn out.  As anyone in the greyhound racing world knows, that means starting at around 5:30 a.m. until around noon, then coming back in the afternoon around 2:30 until around 5:30 p.m. and then returning by 7:30p.m.   for night turnout.  Our heaven sent kennel worker Shirley, did it all!!!  That's right, Shirley did the three shifts a day, seven days a week thing!

        Shirley was heaven sent, because she came at a time of turmoil.  She experienced a work load that most would have folded under.  Not only did Shirley work the three shifts a day experience, she also worked the long hours of sprinting and schooling our greyhounds back from delayed racing, {due to sickness}. I have to say,  being involved in this business myself for over 20 years, if I walked into what Shirley dealt with in her first week as a kennel helper,  I wouldn't be able to say, "I have worked with the dogs for for 20 plus years!".  I would have quit!!!!!  It's hard enough to deal with the everyday shifts, let alone, the extra hours it took to get the greyhounds back racing, from the sickness.

        Shirley however, did it all!

        It's the love of the greyhounds that keep us all working hard.  It's the knowledge of knowing that there are people like Shirley who want to keep the greyhounds best interests alive.  That being their racing world active and their adoption world open to caring people who realize, without racing, there wouldn't be a need to adopt.

        So with all this being said, we at the North Shore Racing Kennels, want to express our heart felt thanks, to the lady from Quebec, named Shirley Smith!!!

        Respectfully,

        Sandy and Casey O'Neil

        North Shore Racing Kennels