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We donated $400.
When someone mentions a Greyhound, what often comes to mind is the image of a lean, long-legged dog with a slender face. But when pressed further, what else do you know about the breed?
What do you know about Greyhounds? (Image Credit: NCGL)
When we sat down with NCGL, we learned that:
A unique breed of dogs, Greyhounds boast sharp eyesight and speed capable of hunting agile prey. Other sighthounds include whippets, salukis, and afghan greyhounds. Compared to scent-hounds, these sighthounds – as their name suggests – excel at hunting by sight rather than by scent.
Greyhounds excel at hunting by sight. (Image Credit: NCGL)
Whereas a beagle may sniff out game hidden in brush with their powerful nose, Greyhounds would use their excellent eyesight to spot deer and hare, and chase after them. Where a Greyhound would lack in endurance during a chase, they excel with bursts of speed.
The ability of these Greyhounds to sprint make them the ideal racing dogs. As such, many bets have been made on the racefield for these Greyhounds. In fact, Greyhounds often find themselves in the racing career, trained to compete against each other under the caring guidance of their handlers. With their natural ability to reach 72 km / hr during sprints, Greyhounds have long thrived on the track.
Greyhounds have the natural ability to reach top speeds for racing. (Image Credit: Canadian Mattress Recycling)
But did you know that Greyhounds are also fantastic apartment dogs?
To those unfamiliar with the Greyhound breed, recommending the breed to apartment dwellers may seem odd. Greyhounds love to sprint, to race. So isn’t an apartment the last place they’d feel comfortable living in?
On the contrary, as we learned from NCGL, Greyhounds find contentment lounging at home, sprawled on a couch. When we met Judy Miller, NCGL’s Treasurer/Director, her own Greyhound was curled up under her office desk, dozing off in a light nap!
Greyhounds require only a couple of short walks each day. They like to sleep a lot during the day, making them a very low maintenance companion compared to other breeds. In addition, Greyhounds rarely bark, and are great with other people and animals.
Some dog breeds are infamous for nipping at outstretched fingers. This is a problem when you have infants or toddlers, who love to grab things. But the sweet, gentle nature of Greyhounds make them the perfect addition to a new family. Their calm temperament would be a wonderful contrast to a new family’s busy life.
The Greyhounds’ sweet and gentle nature make them perfect companions. (Image Credit: Canadian Mattress Recycling)
The key takeaway is to teach children not to bother a Greyhound’s nap – or to surprise a Greyhound with sudden movement if they’re lying down or sleeping. These general pointers apply to other breeds, though, and aren’t Greyhound exclusive.
Overall, Greyhounds make fantastic family pets. Even though they’re a larger dog breed, and can seem intimidating around children compared to smaller dogs, the Greyhounds’ sweet and gentle nature can make them perfect companions.
In Vancouver, the Greyhound community is filled with passionate owners and advocates willing to lend a hand if you decide to adopt a Greyhound. For example, when we spoke with NCGL and attended their fundraising gala, it was clear that the owners all had the breed’s best intention in mind. Many of them attend local activities and meet-ups, with most of them Greyhound-friendly!
The Greyhound community is filled with passionate owners willing to lend a hand with your own adopted Greyhound. (Image credit: NCGL)
Sometimes people feel adopting a dog may be stressful, or scary, seeing as they may not have the experience re-training them or helping them transition into their new home. However, with the presence of NCGL and its members, you know someone is always there to help if you ever need it.
One of the biggest draws of adopting a Greyhound is that as ex-racing dogs, they’re already house-trained. Of course, there will always be an adjustment period for the dog to get adjusted to its new home in your house, but often these dogs are well trained and extremely well mannered.
Some of the other Greyhounds NCGL rehomes may require more training, such as puppies. For example, earlier in 2019, a litter of pups were rehomed from Northern Alberta along with 15 other adult dogs including the mom of the puppies.
Puppies will need more training compared to adult dogs. (Image Credit: NCGL)
Because these pups haven’t been trained as racing dogs, the new owner must be dedicated to training them from a blank slate, just like a puppy from any other breed. Even so, as we’ve found, the community at NCGL is always eager eager to share tips for training and taking care of a Greyhound!
If you’re located in Western Canada – you’re in luck!
Northwest Canadian Greyhound League (NCGL) oversees the fostering and adoption of retired racing Greyhounds in Northwest Canada. For the last twenty years, NCGL has placed many retired racing Greyhounds in their new, permanent homes.
Vancouverites can adopt a Greyhound through NCGL. (Image credit: NCGL).
Advocating on behalf of these gentle dogs, NCGL established a network with Greyhound adoption organizations in the states. Thus, NCGL works across borders to ensure the Greyhounds in their care receive the best quality of life after their racing days. Their chapters spans British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Washington State.
Visit their website to learn more about the organization, the breed, and the adoption process. To see the Greyhounds available for adoption, go here. If you have questions about the adoption process, email Ms. Judy Miller at treasurer@ncgl.ca.
As more Canadians choose to adopt a dog these days, it is important to make sure the breed you adopt suits the lifestyle you live. For apartment dwellers, many would start looking for a smaller dog. However, as we learned, Greyhounds suit the apartment lifestyle despite their size. Their easy going temperament, need for a few short walks a day, and penchant to curl up on your couch to sleep the day away, make them a fantastic companion.
Canadian Mattress Recycling Inc. is pleased to feature Northwest Canadian Greyhound League in its first quarterly charity feature. At our company, we firmly believe in supporting organizations seeking to improve the environment, animals, and communities around us. We are also grateful to have attended the NCGL’s For the Love of Dogs fundraiser gala early in the year, learning about the amazing work the organization does for the Greyhound breed.
The Variety Show of Hearts Telethon is returning this Sunday, Feb 10th. The Telethon is Variety’s largest annual fundraising event, and all proceeds will be going towards providing support and care for children with special needs in BC Canada. Our office manager Sue will be volunteering at the Telethon.
Details about the event:
Our office manager, Sue, has been a long-time volunteer for VarietyBC. But did you know she also completed her office manager practicum at VarietyBC under the volunteer manager, Maureen? Maureen coordinates the volunteers for fundraising events like the Telethon and makes sure the positions are all filled so the fundraisers run smoothly.
“I did my office admin practicum with [Maureen] at Variety and learned so much,” Sue said in an email. “Now six years later, I am running an office as an Office Manager. I’m truly thankful today for that part of my life.”
Sue continued, “Variety is a fabulous charity with some very amazing people that run it… The money donated to Variety goes to the kids. So please help the kids, anywhere you are, anytime you can. It’s so worth it for the struggling families and to see the joy on the child’s faces.”
Therefore, we at Canadian Mattress Recycling highly encourage folks to tune into the Telethon, donate, and support Variety the Children’s Charity this Sunday, Feb 10th.
Over the years, CMR has supported numerous conservation efforts to protect endangered species and preserve sensitive wildlife habitats. Our donations have helped local organizations as well as international efforts. These organizations include the Raincoast Conservation Foundation (RCF), World Animal Protection (WAP), and the Cheetah Conservation Fund Canada (CCFC).
We truly believe in improving the livelihoods of endangered species, and conserving natural habitats for future generations. Therefore, we’d like to take the time to blog about the work these organizations are doing around the world.
Here at home in British Columbia, the Raincoast Conservation Foundation is a team of conservationists and scientists. Using community engagement, they share their research to protect the wildlife of coastal British Columbia. They operate a research lab at the University of Victoria, a research field station on Denny Island BC., and also have a research vessel called the ‘Achiever’ to conduct their fieldwork with.
Photo Credit: Raincoast Conservation Foundation
Some of their flagship projects include:
– Oil-free coast
– Fisheries Management for wild salmon
– The Fraser River Estuary Project
Raincoast has also on projects like the Fraser River Estuary Project. According to their website, it’s a five – year long project to help juvenile salmon in the Fraser River to reach the delta to feed and grow. Man-made barriers along the Fraser River makes it difficult for the salmon to migrate. The organization’s research would help identify what current salmon movement is like, and what changes need to be made. With that information, they will be able to implement policies, and evalulate how the salmon population has changed since the project started.
You might be familiar with World Animal Protection, and it’s not hard to wonder why!
It’s an international organization that, for the past 50 or so years, have advocated on behalf of animals and wildlife around the world. Their work mostly revolves around engaging communities and advocating for vulnerable wildlife.
They engage communities to improve wildlife-human interactions. In other words, they work to make sure that us humans are respectful towards wildlife. For example, they’ve helped end elephant rides in third world countries that use wildlife as a source of income. They help educate tourism operators on how this practice harms the animal, convincing them to stop their practice.
In 2017, the organization made it known that wildlife should be respected, especially in a world where social media is so prevalent. Their campaign, ‘Animals, not Entertainers’ showed tourists how to interact with wildlife – such as not to get too close to take selfies (Global Review, 2017).
The use of wildlife for tourism has become a growing problem in the digital era, and it’s important that organizations like the World Animal Protection address it. Recently, National Geographic have been working to release caged wildlife that has been used as props for tourist photos.
Outside of community engagement, the organization also provides relief to vulnerable animals after natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis. They have veterinarians on site to provide care, to reduce the spread of disease, and ensure that sensitive habitats are preserved even after these natural events. Check out the scope of World Animal Protection’s work here.
Finally, the Cheetah Conservation Fund Canada is one of the other organizations we support.
Their work is more than just about advocating for the species – they support research and intervention in countries where cheetahs are becoming extinct. For such a majestic feline that’s known as the world’s fastest land mammal, it can’t outrun extinction – not without the intervention of organizations like the CCFC.
A lot of times, cheetahs are being killed due to human-wildlife conflict, such as when they approach farms to hunt livestock. The organization helps educate farmers in these countries to reduce the number of cheetahs killed, and teach local communities ways to trap and release cheetahs so they aren’t in harm’s way.
They also have biologists and specialists on the ground to help rehabilitate injured cheetahs so that these majestic felines have a fighting chance to avoid extinction. Read more about the Cheetah here.
Canadian Mattress Recycling Inc. is Metro Vancouver’s leading mattress recycler. Since 2011, we have recycled over 25 million lbs of mattresses and furniture, reducing landfill waste. We have also supported over 90+ organizations involved in community engagement and environmental conservation, and are always eager to help make the world a better, sustainable place.
In 2020, we have donated $3,000 to this charity.
In 2017, we donated $ 500.00 towards the Youth Wellness Centre operated by Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows Community Services, where children and youth in Maple Ridge can go for mental health issue help.
Since 2018, we’ve contributed $840 towards the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. The Giraffe Conservation Foundation, as its name suggests, advocates on behalf of these long-legged creatures to ensure they can thrive in their natural habitats. Giraffes are critically endangered animals. They’re so rare that it’s easier to spot an elephant in the wild. Just in the last few decades, the giraffe population in sub-Saharan Africa have dwindled. There are less than 97,000 giraffes in the wild now.
The extinction of these creatures is “silent”, because we normally don’t think about giraffes. We think about tigers, lions, and cheetahs, and the struggles they face surviving in the 21st century. However, not much thought have been given to giraffes. That doesn’t stop the Giraffe Conservation Foundation however, from fighting to keep these animals from extinction.
Through their on-the-ground advocacy, GCF has worked with communities in Uganda to relocate giraffes into one of three national parks. There, these creatures will be protected from poachers. They are also able to receive medical treatment if needed, once there. This is just one of their projects – be sure to visit their website to learn more about their conservation efforts.
At Canadian Mattress Recycling, we’re delighted to support conservation programs such as the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. In 2018, we fundraised $840, all of which will go to the GCF to protect these fragile creatures.
We’re delighted to donate to the Canucks Autism Network on behalf of our Employee of the Month Kurt. At Canadian Mattress Recycling, we believe in supporting our employees and the communities around us.
Kurt, our February employee of the month, wears many hats at work. He’s been a helpful employee for the year he’s been with us. As a great addition to our team, Kurt’s help in recycling mattresses and furniture haven’t gone unnoticed.
For his charitable donation, Kurt asked that we donated to the Canucks Autism Network.
Read on about the Canucks Autism Network.
Founded by the Aquilinis, co-owners of the Vancouver Canucks, the organization aims to help children with autism thrive. Play through sport has always been one of the most engaging ways children connect with each other. Since 2008, the organization has delivered hundreds of programs across British Columbia, engaging thousands of children with autism and their family through the collaborative play of sports. Through activities such as hockey, these children develop lasting friendships.
One of the organization’s latest achievement is making Rogers Arena an “autism aware” facility. With the support of the Vancouver Canucks and the Canucks for Kids Fund, the Aquilinis introduced sensory kits and quiet rooms for the stadium. In addition, this initiative have also provided staff with training, so that they know how to engage and help those with autism at family-friendly events.
If you live in Vancouver, or the Lower Mainland, chances are you’ve probably heard about Critter Care Wildlife Society.
A registered charity, Critter Care has served the British Columbia community by rehabilitating wildlife. It is also known for its educational programs, helping residents learn more about wildlife around them, by accepting them as volunteers.
Located in Campbell Valley Regional Park in South Langley, the wildlife shelter treats and cares for hundreds of animals. As reported in Abbotsford News on May 29th 2019, the shelter is caring for about 150 animals right now!
One unique aspect of the charity is that it cares for mammal species native to British Columbia. In other words, its staff helps nurse injured wildlife back to health. Other times, orphaned wildlife come to their rehabilitation centre in the Township of Langley. Often, they receive animals including:
Critter Care’s rehabilitation programs makes sure that injured and orphaned wildlife are cared for and nursed back to health. Some of them return to the wild once they’ve recovered. By focusing on animals native to BC, Critter Care helps preserve the delicate ecosystems found in our province.
Image Source: Critter Care Wildlife Society
In other words, animals such as deer and bears are super important for our wildlife. Even mammals such as skunks, raccoons, and marmots have their place in natural habitats. By partnering with conservation officers, Critter Care provides a much needed service almost entirely run on volunteers for BC, Canada.
It’s safe to say that it’s not easy nor cheap to care and treat injured wildlife. It’s equally as difficult to provide the food necessary for these animals, too, when they can’t forage or hunt for prey themselves. Even equipment and supplies come from donors and sponsors.
And at certain times of the year, they receive an influx of animals. In May, they often receive more baby animals. Baby animals require bottle feeding, while older ones can eat kibble.
Although the wildlife shelter is closed for visitors for most of the year, there’s an annual open house that may be of interest to you. Every year, Critter Care hosts an open house, raising funds to help the injured and orphaned mammals in their care. On other days, the charity organizes fundraisers, and seeks sponsorships and donations. You can even volunteer at the shelter.
Be sure to visit their website for more information.
Since 2015, we at Canadian Mattress Recycling have donated over $900 to the society. Our donation ensures that they can keep their operations running, so they can keep caring for wildlife. To be exact, our donation provided food for 17 orphaned bear cubs!
Since Critter Care Wildlife Society runs almost entirely on volunteers, we feel delighted that our monetary donation will be going towards a good cause.
Canadian Mattress Recycling Inc. is a recycling centre located on Annacis Island, Delta BC. Since 2011, we have helped Metro Vancouver residents recycle over 25 million lbs of mattresses and furniture. We have also supported over 90+ organizations through donations and our blogging efforts. Read about the other organizations we have supported in the past. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more.
The Fraser River Discovery Centre is a modern museum featuring the communities living by the Fraser River. Their exhibits and programs highlight those that live and work along the Fraser River, which supports exhibits and programs celebrating the communities that live and work along the Fraser River. Over 60% of BC residents live within the Fraser Basin – this translates to roughly 3 million people. The river is part of the basin, home to the world’s most productive salmon river systems. As keystone species, salmon support diverse wildlife to make the unique ecosystems in BC thrive.
By salvaging cushions from furniture we receive at our facility, we’re able to donate them to the FRDC for use by their visitors. In 2018, we donated $330 worth of cushions. At Canadian Mattress Recycling, we take great pride in supporting communities in the Lower Mainland. We also enjoy reusing, repurpose, and salvage materials that come through our doors. Together, we’re reducing landfill waste one piece of mattress and furniture at a time.
The FRDC is open to the public. They showcase different exhibitions throughout the year include their newest engagement program BioDiversity. The BioDiversity speaker series invites residents on walking tours, with guided speakers who are biodiversity experts. If you haven’t heard of FRDC, though, you may have heard about River Fest. River Fest is their annual celebration of the Fraser River, which is held in September.
Facebook: @thefrdc
Twitter: @thefrdc
RiverFest: @RiverFestNewWest