WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.789 --> 00:00:06.320 Welcome to the Soul Touched by Dogs Podcast, the show for dog lovers who 00:00:06.340 --> 00:00:12.000 see dogs not as toys or tools, but wise souls worth our respect and care. 00:00:12.580 --> 00:00:14.559 I'm an Herrmann, and I'm your host. 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:20.560 I talk to poor some humans, people who do great work for dogs and their people. 00:00:21.099 --> 00:00:23.360 So come and join us for today's conversation. 00:00:25.716 --> 00:00:25.916 Hello 00:00:25.916 --> 00:00:28.006 Anke: and welcome, Christine and Carey. 00:00:28.056 --> 00:00:30.656 I'm super excited to have you here. 00:00:30.656 --> 00:00:34.386 I always say it, but like, I'm really, really excited to have you guys here. 00:00:35.006 --> 00:00:40.066 So before we go anywhere, yeah, why don't you just start out? 00:00:40.106 --> 00:00:43.136 Give us the two minutes, birds eye view, where you're based. 00:00:43.721 --> 00:00:45.731 You know, what's your business, what's your project? 00:00:46.985 --> 00:00:47.545 Go ahead, Christine. 00:00:48.205 --> 00:00:52.025 Christine: Well, Carey and I are the founders of Gray2K USA Worldwide, 00:00:52.465 --> 00:00:58.575 and we are a non profit advocacy organization working to end the cruelty 00:00:58.575 --> 00:01:00.515 of greyhound racing across the globe. 00:01:00.945 --> 00:01:03.935 We also promote adoption of X Racers. 00:01:04.425 --> 00:01:11.355 And we fund adoption and rescue all across the world, because unfortunately, although 00:01:11.355 --> 00:01:17.525 greyhound racing was invented here in the United States, it has metastasized 00:01:17.535 --> 00:01:22.805 to other countries, and therefore we're helping save those greyhounds as well. 00:01:22.805 --> 00:01:29.685 We feel that's our obligation here, um, at Greyhound UK USA to really see the 00:01:29.685 --> 00:01:31.465 whole problem and help try to solve it. 00:01:33.580 --> 00:01:38.200 Anke: Yeah, I mean, that's so dear to my heart because I live in Spain and yep, 00:01:38.450 --> 00:01:43.870 there are a lot of greyhounds here that, you know, so I don't, I don't know how 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:47.460 big the race industry is, but it exists. 00:01:47.710 --> 00:01:48.650 It hell exists. 00:01:48.660 --> 00:01:49.560 So yeah, for sure. 00:01:50.385 --> 00:01:55.025 Christine: Well, the problem in Spain is with Galgos used for hunting. 00:01:56.155 --> 00:02:00.065 Thankfully the last dog track was closed some years ago, but 00:02:00.115 --> 00:02:06.895 unfortunately the hunters continue to use and abuse greyhounds during 00:02:06.895 --> 00:02:08.825 the hunting season every year. 00:02:09.005 --> 00:02:11.495 So that's of course a great concern to us as well. 00:02:13.405 --> 00:02:17.860 Anke: So how did you get When you started with that, I would imagine you didn't 00:02:17.860 --> 00:02:22.330 leave school thinking or, you know, like going to university or whatever, thinking, 00:02:22.740 --> 00:02:23.780 what am I going to do with my life? 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:25.070 I'm going to go rescue greyhounds. 00:02:26.350 --> 00:02:28.100 My guess is that wasn't the case. 00:02:28.110 --> 00:02:29.930 So how did you get into that? 00:02:31.510 --> 00:02:34.240 Christine: Well, we come to it in two different ways. 00:02:34.510 --> 00:02:39.130 As we discuss in our book, we're very different people and Kerry's from one 00:02:39.130 --> 00:02:40.930 side of the country and I from another. 00:02:41.470 --> 00:02:46.665 In my case, I'll just, um, Let you know how I came to be, uh, 00:02:46.665 --> 00:02:48.565 involved in helping Greyhounds. 00:02:49.035 --> 00:02:53.285 I was run over by a train when I was at the age of 26. 00:02:54.025 --> 00:02:59.605 And I was saved by my dog, who pulled me just enough out of the 00:02:59.605 --> 00:03:01.985 path of the train to save us both. 00:03:02.765 --> 00:03:08.845 And I said to myself, once I was out of my coma, If I ever get up 00:03:08.945 --> 00:03:12.445 and walk and talk again, I'm going to do something to help dogs. 00:03:12.665 --> 00:03:14.245 Because I've got a debt to pay. 00:03:14.745 --> 00:03:19.595 So that was the beginning of my focus on helping dogs. 00:03:19.615 --> 00:03:25.305 And little did I know that it would lead to This campaign to end 00:03:25.305 --> 00:03:29.925 dog racing, not just in my home state of Massachusetts, in the U. 00:03:29.925 --> 00:03:33.355 S., but nationwide, and now we hope worldwide. 00:03:34.525 --> 00:03:35.965 Kerry came to it in a different way. 00:03:35.975 --> 00:03:38.385 Now, Kerry, how did you come to it? 00:03:38.935 --> 00:03:40.595 He didn't have to be hit by a train. 00:03:41.575 --> 00:03:43.335 Anke: Oh, I think that's highly recommended. 00:03:47.750 --> 00:03:54.050 Carey: Yeah, I had done a lot of legislative work as a young man, and my 00:03:54.050 --> 00:03:59.620 mother ran a local animal rights group so I cared very deeply about animal 00:03:59.620 --> 00:04:02.730 issues in general, and I learned of. 00:04:03.835 --> 00:04:07.715 This ballot question campaign, there was going to be a vote on whether to 00:04:07.715 --> 00:04:13.745 abolish grand racing completely in the state of Massachusetts, and I was 00:04:13.745 --> 00:04:17.375 recruited essentially to come out and be a spokesperson for that campaign when I 00:04:17.375 --> 00:04:24.725 was 22 years old, so I was sort of thrown into the fire at at a pretty young age, 00:04:24.795 --> 00:04:31.765 and that campaign, which Christine was one of the key volunteers for, um, I was 00:04:31.765 --> 00:04:38.815 really the first time that, uh, Ordinary dog lovers, you know, stood up against the 00:04:38.815 --> 00:04:45.245 greyhound racing industry and tried to end it and uh, it was a very uh, uh, it was 00:04:45.255 --> 00:04:48.495 it was a Brutal campaign quite frankly. 00:04:48.495 --> 00:04:54.155 It was it got very nasty that the dog track owner uh The two dog track owners 00:04:54.155 --> 00:04:57.735 that were fighting us spent millions of dollars against us in television ads. 00:04:58.115 --> 00:05:02.400 They had a A former police lieutenant standing in front of his police 00:05:02.400 --> 00:05:04.380 car saying there's no animal abuse. 00:05:04.420 --> 00:05:09.070 He had, they had a Catholic priest who told voters to vote to keep Greyhound 00:05:09.070 --> 00:05:13.240 Racing, a single mother with her children and Greyhounds running in an open field. 00:05:13.550 --> 00:05:15.810 And on the Friday before the election. 00:05:16.535 --> 00:05:20.615 Christine and I and two other people were sued by one of the track owners for 00:05:20.615 --> 00:05:22.815 10 million for defamation of character. 00:05:22.815 --> 00:05:29.225 So it, it truly was, um, you know, they did, did everything they could to, to 00:05:29.225 --> 00:05:33.975 stop us, but we kept fighting and we, we showed voters, you know, how dogs live 00:05:33.975 --> 00:05:38.075 in this industry, that dogs endure lives in terrible confinement, that, you know, 00:05:38.615 --> 00:05:42.755 Hundreds of dogs were suffering broken legs and other serious injuries, and 00:05:42.845 --> 00:05:48.615 on election day we lost 51 to 49, which was one of the closest elections in the 00:05:48.615 --> 00:05:53.995 history of the state, and truly, excuse me, a crushing moment for Christina 00:05:53.995 --> 00:05:58.130 and I personally and everyone else who was involved, but We also realized that 00:05:58.130 --> 00:06:03.180 we had stood up to this very powerful animal abuse industry and nearly won. 00:06:03.230 --> 00:06:08.210 And so, uh, we formed a national non profit organization after that, Great2K 00:06:08.210 --> 00:06:11.270 USA, which is now Great2K USA Worldwide. 00:06:11.380 --> 00:06:17.180 And, uh, the, the book that Christine and I just wrote, it's, it's the, the 00:06:17.180 --> 00:06:23.290 story of how greyhound racing Uh, you know, rose in the United States, the 00:06:23.290 --> 00:06:26.430 rise, and then the ultimate fall of greyhound racing in the United States. 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:31.530 Um, this industry has unfortunately spread across the world and, uh, 00:06:31.770 --> 00:06:36.850 that first campaign in Massachusetts, even though we lost, it not only, um, 00:06:37.080 --> 00:06:41.610 birthed our non profit organization, it laid the groundwork for a 00:06:41.610 --> 00:06:43.970 grassroots movement to help these dogs. 00:06:44.640 --> 00:06:49.960 Which is active all over the world now in Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Wales. 00:06:50.250 --> 00:06:55.290 Um, uh, it, you know, people all over are fighting for these 00:06:55.300 --> 00:06:57.900 gentle dogs, uh, Spain, obviously. 00:06:58.280 --> 00:07:04.960 Um, and, you know, finally, uh, you know, it's also the story of one particular 00:07:04.960 --> 00:07:07.130 greyhound named Brooklyn that we adopted. 00:07:07.430 --> 00:07:12.310 And You know, that was a powerful moment for us, not only because, you know, he 00:07:12.310 --> 00:07:15.810 had gone through incredible abuse, and we can talk about that specifically 00:07:15.890 --> 00:07:21.080 later, but, you know, also, really the end of Greyhound Racing happened in the, 00:07:21.090 --> 00:07:28.110 in the course of his life over 13 short years, and I think that, that is, for 00:07:28.110 --> 00:07:33.545 me, A powerful example of how fundamental change can happen very quickly. 00:07:33.945 --> 00:07:37.885 Um, what is 13 years in the grand scope of time? 00:07:37.885 --> 00:07:41.195 It's really nothing when you're dealing with a multi billion dollar 00:07:41.225 --> 00:07:46.210 industry that at one time was using and abusing more than 50, 000 dogs 00:07:46.210 --> 00:07:47.750 a year just in the United States. 00:07:47.760 --> 00:07:51.300 So I think, I think our story is, is a story of hope. 00:07:51.300 --> 00:07:56.340 It's a story that, uh, the power of everyday people really can kick, win 00:07:56.340 --> 00:08:01.690 the day, um, as long as you never feel, never, never leave the field and, and 00:08:01.690 --> 00:08:05.420 never give, give up and just keep fighting for the animals and keep fighting for 00:08:05.420 --> 00:08:08.140 the dogs, um, no matter what happens. 00:08:09.070 --> 00:08:12.440 Anke: That's massive, like that's massive from like, it's a really short 00:08:12.470 --> 00:08:13.910 period of time when you think about it. 00:08:14.255 --> 00:08:20.285 You know, and with that level of pushback, you know, that, that's, that's, yeah. 00:08:20.675 --> 00:08:24.525 Do you find raising awareness as a big part of it? 00:08:24.585 --> 00:08:27.585 Because when I'm thinking like, I, I kind of remember when I was like maybe 00:08:27.825 --> 00:08:31.535 five or something, I was like really little back in East Germany, where I'm 00:08:31.575 --> 00:08:35.445 from, my dad took me to a Greyhound race. 00:08:35.765 --> 00:08:41.025 You know, and all I remember was how difficult it was because I remember 00:08:41.025 --> 00:08:46.065 that little, that little kind of fluffy thing, you know, and they wouldn't run 00:08:46.065 --> 00:08:50.345 and then they would catch it and, you know, and it was like, I don't know, 00:08:50.365 --> 00:08:54.985 like, but that's what, like, you know what, I was taken there as a child, you 00:08:54.985 --> 00:09:00.035 know, so I saw it, and then, and then it just didn't exist anymore, but see, I 00:09:00.035 --> 00:09:03.105 mean, obviously I was kind of too young to kind of think like, what is that? 00:09:03.105 --> 00:09:10.225 So, but do you find people don't really know or didn't really know what was 00:09:10.665 --> 00:09:12.395 actually going on behind the scenes? 00:09:12.915 --> 00:09:14.615 It's almost like with horse racing as well. 00:09:14.615 --> 00:09:18.295 Like all you see is, oh, they're running and the horse wins and oh, you're betting 00:09:18.325 --> 00:09:23.855 on the horse and People don't really know the conditions these animals live in and 00:09:23.855 --> 00:09:30.185 is that, is that your experience or how did you get that much support from, from 00:09:30.185 --> 00:09:34.225 people to, to help you like get that close and actually, you know, achieve 00:09:34.225 --> 00:09:36.055 so much in such a short period of time? 00:09:36.995 --> 00:09:39.185 Christine: Well, I can use myself as an example. 00:09:39.885 --> 00:09:41.725 I didn't know anything about dog racing. 00:09:41.885 --> 00:09:45.395 I didn't even know there was dog racing in my state, much less that 00:09:45.395 --> 00:09:50.025 there were 2000 greyhounds living in small cages dying every week. 00:09:50.495 --> 00:09:50.925 Well. 00:09:51.155 --> 00:09:54.535 You know, a bunch of, uh, you know, low level gamblers were betting 00:09:54.535 --> 00:09:57.785 two dollars on them, whether they'd live or die on a given day. 00:09:57.995 --> 00:10:00.235 It was horrendous, but I didn't know anything about it. 00:10:00.545 --> 00:10:05.505 So, as we like to say, dog racing is a low information issue. 00:10:06.005 --> 00:10:11.525 And even when we've been out campaigning for months or years, collecting signatures 00:10:11.525 --> 00:10:16.960 on a petition, many people will come up to us and say, What's dog racing? 00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:18.610 Or we have dog racing? 00:10:19.040 --> 00:10:25.910 So it really is an issue that is very open to education and what we find 00:10:25.910 --> 00:10:32.170 is that every kind of person has a reason for wanting to end dog racing. 00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:36.920 Whether it be the cruelty visited on the dogs or the waste. 00:10:36.930 --> 00:10:40.250 Taxpayer funds are used to prop up this industry. 00:10:40.580 --> 00:10:45.050 So whether someone is left or right or somewhere in between, there are so many. 00:10:45.405 --> 00:10:50.925 reasons why we can all agree that the cruelty of greyhound racing should end 00:10:51.055 --> 00:10:56.645 and the taxpayers be relieved of, you know, keeping this industry afloat, which 00:10:56.645 --> 00:10:58.405 is what it's doing around the world. 00:10:58.415 --> 00:11:02.045 It's, it's a, it's a real tragedy here in the United States, for 00:11:02.045 --> 00:11:08.105 instance, Our last two dog tracks in West Virginia are only there because 00:11:08.105 --> 00:11:10.765 of a 17 million a year subsidy. 00:11:11.665 --> 00:11:13.125 So that's something we fight. 00:11:13.315 --> 00:11:19.195 We've learned along the way that there are many, you know, elements to our fight. 00:11:19.375 --> 00:11:23.045 So depending on our audience, we could be talking about the humane aspects 00:11:23.045 --> 00:11:25.867 first, and then the economic or reverse. 00:11:25.867 --> 00:11:30.301 And for that reason, people from all stripes have come together 00:11:30.301 --> 00:11:32.720 to work to help the Greyhounds. 00:11:33.210 --> 00:11:38.820 We've had the most, you know, high level Republicans on one side and the 00:11:38.820 --> 00:11:44.100 most, you know, lefty Democrats come together, sit down and say, we're 00:11:44.100 --> 00:11:45.560 going to help you end dog racing. 00:11:45.570 --> 00:11:50.310 And it's just been a beautiful experience because the dogs really unite people, 00:11:50.610 --> 00:11:53.320 just as Brooklyn United, me and Carrie. 00:11:53.850 --> 00:12:00.170 When we We were able to bring greyhound racing to an end at China's only legal dog 00:12:00.180 --> 00:12:02.080 track, which was known as the Canadrome. 00:12:03.110 --> 00:12:07.580 We airlifted over 500 greyhounds to safety from the tracks. 00:12:07.590 --> 00:12:09.370 They went to groups around the world. 00:12:10.040 --> 00:12:11.720 One of those dogs was Brooklyn. 00:12:12.370 --> 00:12:19.800 He came home to us, and it was his miraculous rescue that inspired us. 00:12:20.490 --> 00:12:24.170 And really made us realize that it is possible to take on this 00:12:24.190 --> 00:12:26.270 industry, wherever it exists. 00:12:26.500 --> 00:12:31.420 So that is why this book is really focused on the life of Brooklyn. 00:12:31.770 --> 00:12:33.210 That's how we tell our story. 00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:35.590 And that's how we introduce people to. 00:12:35.925 --> 00:12:40.785 So many volunteers and others along the way who've made this, 00:12:40.955 --> 00:12:43.195 you know, campaign successful. 00:12:43.655 --> 00:12:43.745 I 00:12:43.745 --> 00:12:43.995 Anke: love that. 00:12:44.045 --> 00:12:44.545 I love that. 00:12:44.585 --> 00:12:45.325 And it's so true. 00:12:45.335 --> 00:12:47.475 Like, you know, we are, you know, I was kind of like, 00:12:47.785 --> 00:12:48.875 tell me about Brooklyn, right? 00:12:48.875 --> 00:12:53.245 Because when it's one dog, like when it's, it becomes, it feels, 00:12:53.245 --> 00:12:54.995 it becomes personal, right? 00:12:55.355 --> 00:12:57.535 So how did you hear about Brooklyn? 00:12:58.095 --> 00:13:01.345 How did you even, like, you know, how did you get to China and how? 00:13:02.300 --> 00:13:05.620 Did you meet Brooklyn and why did you bring Brooklyn home out 00:13:05.620 --> 00:13:07.520 of the 500 that you rescued? 00:13:09.160 --> 00:13:10.730 Carey: Yeah, well, no. 00:13:11.335 --> 00:13:15.255 As we started to make some progress in the United States for these dogs, 00:13:15.285 --> 00:13:19.755 we realized that there were greyhounds suffering all over the world. 00:13:19.975 --> 00:13:25.645 And we knew that the greyhounds that were suffering and dying in Massachusetts 00:13:25.645 --> 00:13:30.995 and Florida were the same as the dogs that were suffering, you know, in these 00:13:31.085 --> 00:13:35.805 other jurisdictions overseas and so One of our board members named Charmaine 00:13:35.815 --> 00:13:39.655 Settle started to, uh, Christine and I did a fair amount of traveling as 00:13:39.655 --> 00:13:43.505 well just to meet other advocates and, and understand how the industry works. 00:13:43.545 --> 00:13:46.805 But Charmaine, uh, went all, all across the globe and looked at 00:13:46.805 --> 00:13:48.785 greyhound racing in various places. 00:13:48.835 --> 00:13:53.715 And she went to the Canadrome, which was the only legal dog track in China. 00:13:53.715 --> 00:13:55.545 It was, it was a death track. 00:13:55.555 --> 00:13:59.495 30 dogs a year were being imported from Australia and 30 dogs a year 00:13:59.495 --> 00:14:03.770 were I'm sorry, a month, thank you, and 30 dogs a month were 00:14:03.780 --> 00:14:05.670 being killed, um, like clockwork. 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:11.040 Um, and she took a series of photographs, and one of the photos she took was of 00:14:11.040 --> 00:14:17.970 this, uh, very beautiful dog, this very striking image, and, uh, the only way we 00:14:17.970 --> 00:14:21.400 could identify him is there were three, there was a collar, and we had three 00:14:21.400 --> 00:14:27.360 letters, L Y N, and we tried to find out who is this dog, and our best guess 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:29.390 is that it was a dog named Brooklyn. 00:14:29.960 --> 00:14:31.220 Brooklyn had been born. 00:14:31.520 --> 00:14:33.010 Let me go back a second. 00:14:33.180 --> 00:14:36.160 I mentioned our first campaign in Massachusetts. 00:14:36.180 --> 00:14:37.180 We were defeated. 00:14:37.590 --> 00:14:42.580 We brought that ballot question back to voters eight years later in 2008, 00:14:42.940 --> 00:14:48.740 and the voters in Massachusetts voted with, by a huge margin, to outlaw 00:14:48.740 --> 00:14:52.510 greyhound racing, to shut down two operational dog tracks that were 00:14:52.510 --> 00:14:54.270 harming thousands of dogs a year. 00:14:54.570 --> 00:14:56.730 Um, it was a sweeping victory. 00:14:57.090 --> 00:15:01.810 Only a few weeks after that Massachusetts vote, Brooklyn was born in Australia. 00:15:02.460 --> 00:15:06.040 His father had been a failed racer, his mother had been a failed racer. 00:15:07.010 --> 00:15:11.670 He raced for a couple of, really a few months in Australia, did not, 00:15:11.850 --> 00:15:14.240 was not successful, and then was. 00:15:14.975 --> 00:15:21.015 Shipped off to the Canadrome, um, where he was surely going to die, and, you 00:15:21.015 --> 00:15:24.665 know, Charmaine took this photo of him, the photo went all over the world 00:15:24.665 --> 00:15:30.515 and became this iconic image, and, you know, from the far reaches of the earth, 00:15:30.555 --> 00:15:35.205 people called on the Macau government to shut down this track, and we, and we 00:15:35.205 --> 00:15:40.365 wrote to them and said, at a minimum, um, Adopt out Brooklyn and let him be 00:15:40.365 --> 00:15:43.385 the first dog at this track to not die. 00:15:43.905 --> 00:15:46.985 And the track did not respond. 00:15:46.995 --> 00:15:48.295 We heard absolutely nothing. 00:15:48.945 --> 00:15:53.255 And so we started a campaign to convince the government to shut the track down. 00:15:54.005 --> 00:15:56.885 That did succeed, but it took eight long years. 00:15:58.020 --> 00:16:02.200 When we, when our ally, Albano Martins, who was our advocate on the ground, 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:05.790 went in after we won and started looking at the 500 plus dogs that were 00:16:05.790 --> 00:16:09.920 there, he couldn't believe it, but Brooklyn was there and still alive. 00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:13.940 Brooklyn had lived in a cement cell for eight years. 00:16:14.715 --> 00:16:17.195 We were sure this dog was dead. 00:16:18.795 --> 00:16:22.605 Christina, she said, and others helped adopt out these dogs to 00:16:22.605 --> 00:16:24.045 various places throughout the world. 00:16:24.405 --> 00:16:29.395 Brooklyn came home to us and he was, he was in bad shape. 00:16:29.415 --> 00:16:30.385 He was underweight. 00:16:30.415 --> 00:16:32.015 He had a lot of missing teeth. 00:16:33.095 --> 00:16:37.925 But he was the sweetest dog and, you know, to come home to us after all of 00:16:37.925 --> 00:16:41.915 those years of suffering was really the first time he had had a home. 00:16:42.315 --> 00:16:44.815 Um, but his story didn't end there. 00:16:44.825 --> 00:16:47.775 After only a few weeks, he started to limp. 00:16:48.225 --> 00:16:49.335 We took him to the vet. 00:16:49.955 --> 00:16:51.755 He was diagnosed with bone cancer. 00:16:53.340 --> 00:16:57.990 We had the leg amputated, uh, he had chemotherapy, and the 00:16:57.990 --> 00:17:03.360 veterinarian said, well, nine months, you can hope for nine months. 00:17:03.610 --> 00:17:06.160 And we were incredibly blessed. 00:17:06.170 --> 00:17:08.930 Brooklyn lived for three long years with us. 00:17:09.280 --> 00:17:13.450 Uh, he became the example at the local veterinary schools, the veterinary 00:17:13.460 --> 00:17:16.970 hospitals, they would say, well, Some dogs do live a lot longer. 00:17:16.970 --> 00:17:20.200 There's this dog named Brooklyn that lived, has been living for years. 00:17:21.160 --> 00:17:25.310 Brooklyn also had later a type of spinal stroke called an FCE where 00:17:25.310 --> 00:17:29.290 he lost a lot of his mobility, a lot of his coordination. 00:17:29.290 --> 00:17:33.820 But despite all of this, he was just the most gentle, happy dog. 00:17:33.830 --> 00:17:39.270 We'd bring him in every day and he would stand at the opening of our building and 00:17:39.270 --> 00:17:41.780 wait for people to come in and pet him. 00:17:41.800 --> 00:17:50.195 And everyone who met him was was truly touched, and, uh, when he did pass, uh, 00:17:50.645 --> 00:17:56.965 there were all over the world, there were, uh, dog walks in his honor, there 00:17:56.965 --> 00:18:01.135 were obituaries written, uh, the South China Morning Post wrote an entire 00:18:01.135 --> 00:18:07.235 feature story about the impact he had made, and, uh, only a few weeks after 00:18:07.235 --> 00:18:11.925 he passed, by this point, almost all of the American dog tracks had been 00:18:11.925 --> 00:18:15.125 shuttered, and, uh, A ballot question to outlaw greyhound racing in Florida 00:18:15.125 --> 00:18:20.425 where there were 12 tracks had passed with by an overwhelming margin and the 00:18:20.435 --> 00:18:24.305 owner, the track owner that owned the very last two tracks, which are both in the 00:18:24.305 --> 00:18:29.555 state of West Virginia, just a few weeks after Brooklyn passed, publicly said, 00:18:29.795 --> 00:18:31.715 we don't want to do dog racing anymore. 00:18:31.715 --> 00:18:33.215 We want to get out of this industry. 00:18:33.225 --> 00:18:36.135 So now we're still fighting that fight because sometimes 00:18:36.135 --> 00:18:37.305 it's hard to finish things. 00:18:37.315 --> 00:18:45.165 But, um, you know, he truly was, uh, A transformational figure and, 00:18:45.175 --> 00:18:50.255 and, and it was just an incredible honor to, to know him and, and 00:18:50.255 --> 00:18:51.405 love him and take care of him. 00:18:51.445 --> 00:18:53.475 It was truly a gift. 00:18:54.015 --> 00:18:54.945 Oh, I just 00:18:55.085 --> 00:18:56.165 Anke: can't go on, can we? 00:18:56.885 --> 00:19:01.415 So I would love to hear, you know, where can people get the book? 00:19:01.715 --> 00:19:04.465 Where can people find out more about you? 00:19:04.475 --> 00:19:08.095 How can people support you or get in touch with you? 00:19:09.445 --> 00:19:13.125 Christine: Well, I just like to add that, you know, what you said is right. 00:19:14.155 --> 00:19:15.875 Dogs really unite people. 00:19:15.995 --> 00:19:22.105 And when people hear the story of a dog, or a dog in need in particular, it just, 00:19:22.125 --> 00:19:24.815 it just passes through all of our hearts. 00:19:26.210 --> 00:19:27.200 We understand. 00:19:27.620 --> 00:19:31.920 These dogs really communicate something, and Brooklyn's story of 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:37.190 survival is something we wanted to share with others, and we also want 00:19:37.390 --> 00:19:42.250 the story of our very small grassroots organization fighting against this 00:19:42.260 --> 00:19:44.665 multi Billion dollar industry. 00:19:44.995 --> 00:19:48.775 We want people to understand that change is possible and you don't 00:19:48.775 --> 00:19:50.035 have to have a lot of money. 00:19:50.245 --> 00:19:53.575 You don't have to be the smartest people in the world or have the, all 00:19:53.575 --> 00:19:55.765 the connections just keep working. 00:19:56.005 --> 00:20:00.385 So we hope that people will read the book, uh, and learn about the many people 00:20:00.385 --> 00:20:02.905 that have been part of this campaign and. 00:20:03.220 --> 00:20:07.930 Think about how they can take the strategies that we used, which was to 00:20:08.130 --> 00:20:13.120 realize our goals through incremental steps and have a lot of patience, use 00:20:13.120 --> 00:20:17.710 these same strategies for the things that they care about and they want to change. 00:20:17.710 --> 00:20:21.330 So that's our hope with the book and it's available. 00:20:21.445 --> 00:20:27.055 Um, online, um, through Amazon, for instance, uh, you can go to our website. 00:20:27.055 --> 00:20:29.915 There's a link to it at grey2kusa. 00:20:29.945 --> 00:20:30.365 org. 00:20:30.595 --> 00:20:32.405 You can get it on Kindle as well. 00:20:32.755 --> 00:20:36.715 Uh, actually it's officially out on November 7th. 00:20:36.745 --> 00:20:40.665 So hopefully by the time people read this, they may already have it in their hands. 00:20:41.645 --> 00:20:42.025 Anke: Awesome. 00:20:42.545 --> 00:20:44.195 I mean, you're, you're so, you're so right. 00:20:44.195 --> 00:20:47.925 There is so much, I mean, I, I still kind of, my mind is still, 00:20:47.955 --> 00:20:48.795 I can't believe it's done. 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:54.490 Lasted like in that in those conditions, but that's a miracle already, you know 00:20:54.490 --> 00:20:58.750 that he even made it that long And then that he could hang on for so long with 00:20:58.750 --> 00:21:03.615 you and you know, I've got to live What it's like to have a home and to be loved. 00:21:03.655 --> 00:21:05.455 And it's just like heartwarming. 00:21:05.455 --> 00:21:07.585 And there's so much hope in it and the whole project. 00:21:07.645 --> 00:21:10.155 It's just, it's just absolutely delightful. 00:21:10.415 --> 00:21:13.375 So we'll obviously put the link to the, to your website and to the 00:21:13.385 --> 00:21:16.575 book, and it's going to be in the show notes, if people listening and 00:21:16.625 --> 00:21:18.855 it's on the, um, you know, on the. 00:21:19.475 --> 00:21:21.405 page where it goes as well. 00:21:21.835 --> 00:21:22.425 So thank you. 00:21:22.435 --> 00:21:25.725 Thank you so much for, you know, sharing this powerful mission and 00:21:25.785 --> 00:21:26.985 this beautiful work you're doing. 00:21:27.415 --> 00:21:32.435 I feel honored that you've decided to come and share and share your story. 00:21:32.695 --> 00:21:33.095 Thank you. 00:21:33.105 --> 00:21:33.395 Thank 00:21:33.585 --> 00:21:37.435 Christine: you so much for having us and letting us share our story with you. 00:21:38.991 --> 00:21:40.221 Thanks so much for listening. 00:21:40.741 --> 00:21:45.041 If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget to subscribe, and leave a review so 00:21:45.141 --> 00:21:46.921 other dog lovers can find the show. 00:21:47.711 --> 00:21:51.201 If you haven't already, head over to soul touched by dogs. 00:21:51.631 --> 00:21:57.201 com and sign up for weekly doggy cuteness tips, recommendations, and personal 00:21:57.301 --> 00:21:59.671 stories to warm your dog loving heart. 00:21:59.671 --> 00:22:03.401 And if you know a pawsome human you think I should interview, 00:22:03.821 --> 00:22:04.961 I'd love an introduction. 00:22:05.441 --> 00:22:07.271 Email me at Anke. 00:22:07.541 --> 00:22:11.776 That's A N k E at Soul touched by dogs.com.