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This page takes a minute or two to load... please be patient. Thanks!
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Dempsey's "Home" Run... |
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Dempsey (formerly Aljo Whisper Ace) |
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Hi! I'm Dempsey... welcome to my web page! Dad put this up for me, so I could tell you my story. I'm a greyhound... a retired racing greyhound! Guess that makes me a professional athlete, huh? So where do I begin?? |
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Well, let me tell you about my racing career first! I was part of the Aljo Kennels first racing litter! That's in Raynham, Massachusetts... sorta near Boston. They called me "Blaze" at the kennel... and spoiled us rotten! We were happy puppers... so we ran really fast!! My brother "Rex" was super fast!! He's my best buddy in the world!
I really wanted to make my people proud of me! I ran really well... but somehow I always thought I could do better. I was what my people called a "worrier"... on the days I was going to race, I would get all nervous and worked up. I only wanted to please my people! And I did, too... they gave me lots of hugs, and treated me really well.
It was back in October of 1994 when my life changed. I raced one night, and didn't do well at all... I finished sixth. It was the next to last race of the night and I was just worn out from worrying. Well, a few days later I got to race again. I saw a lot of the same dogs from the last race... "uh oh!" I thought... "..this is gonna be trouble!" But on this day we were the first race... so I was still nice and strong!! When that starting box opened, I flew out!! All those other greyhounds saw was my dust!! I won by five lengths... boy, was I happy!! Little did I know that it was my last race! |
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Seems that my people had noticed my worrying... and if they could tell, then sooner or later the people in the stands would figure it out, too. So they had decided that I would be retired... so I wouldn't have to worry about racing anymore! That sounded okay... but I was a little scared. This was the only home I'd ever known... and I didn't want to leave my brother!!Besides... where was this "Baltimore" place??
Well, I found out soon! There was a long ride... then these really nice people took me to a vet's office. I got the real treatment there! All my shots, nice clean teeth, clipped nails... oh yeah - I did come out missing a couple parts... but then off I went to this other place... called a "house". Really nice, except for those "stairs" things... I'd never seen those before!
A couple days later, a van pulled up. These people got out of it.. and they had a greyhound, too! And boy... was he RED! They came in and hugged me (which I liked) and rubbed my ears (which I looooved!). Then my new Dad took out this orange bandanna with "Dempsey" on it, and the number 24 under it. He put it on me... hey, it looked good! Now I had a new name! Seems Mom liked this baseball player, and wanted me to be named in his honor! I thought, "I can handle this!" |
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(Here's a little note from Dad...)
Meet Rick Dempsey... former catcher, coach, and master of the "tarp slide" for the Baltimore Orioles! Rick was the 1983 World Series MVP, and one of the most loved players ever to play for the O's! His "Casey at the Bat" parody had everyone rolling! Maybe someday he'll be the manager... and they might WIN the Series again!! (just my humble opinion...)
Okay, Dempsey (scritch scritch!)... tell your story!! |
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My new people were GREYT! I had a nice comfy couch to flop on, cats to play with, stuffed animals, a new brother, squirrels to chase... but I still missed my best friend... my real brother. I thought I'd never see him again.
But you never know... |
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| July 1st, 1996 started out like any other day. Then Dad picked up our leashes! Oh boy... ride time!! And off we went... riding in the van. All was wonderful... till Dad stopped the van... at the VET! (Really... no dog likes to go to the vet!) We went in, and a few minutes later, a man came out with another greyhound. I was getting ear scritches from the receptionist, so I wasn't really paying attention. Trailways started the "sniff ritual" (it's a greyhound thing...) and then it was my turn. |
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So... that's my story. Odie will tell you his story soon! I have to say "Thank you!!" to Mommy Joyce and Daddy Al... not only did they send me to a great home, but they sent Odie here, too! And that made my life perfect!! Oh, by the way.. thanks for telling my story for me, Dad! I'll just go to the couch and take a nap now... ahhhh!! Life is SO good!!
10/9/04 - Dempsey left us on September 30, 2004, to be with his brothers. His beautiful life was cut short by osteosarcoma.
We miss you, Demps...
