Romeo is one of IGRF's hospice foster dogs. He was surrendered to Rescue with two other dogs, while his owners struggled, and lost, their own health battles. He has Stage 4 skin cancer with tumors, and he is under the care of an amazing foster mom for the rest of his life.

Romeo's pain is alleviated by Ellevet CBD oil -- pricey, but it seems to work for him. He wears a special soft harness (that doesn't rub the tumors on his belly) when he goes for his morning walk. He enjoys meeting people and getting out and about.

Understandably, Romeo suffers from some separation anxiety. His foster mom has set up a camera so she can speak to him and soothe him when she's not home, and he appreciates the sound of a loving voice.

Hospice fostering is one of the hardest tasks we undertake in Rescue. We all want happy endings and loving new homes for our charges, but that's not in Romeo's future. So we do what we can to keep him comfortable, until there is more pain and little joy, and it's time to send him on to a peaceful end. It always breaks our hearts, but it's the compassionate outcome we would want for our own pets if needed.

We can provide this because our supporters understand that granting ease is a worthwhile objective, and they allow us to minimize the pain and comfort them while distressed. We couldn't be more grateful that we have the opportunity to help IGs in need, and can say goodbye to those good boys and girls knowing that their last days were the best we could provide. Thank you for whatever help you can offer towards this end.

IGRF began as the Rescue arm of the Italian Greyhound Club of America (the AKC parent club for Italian Greyhounds) and later separated into a nonprofit organization to better serve our mission. Our goal is to provide education and support to current owners, and to be a resource for purebred Italian Greyhounds in need of rehoming.

All our dogs are vaccinated and spayed/neutered before placement with new families. We also provide necessary veterinary care for both emergencies and long-term needs of our foster dogs, as well as beginning training so the foster gets a good start on becoming a beloved family member. Our dogs range from seniors that have lost an owner to death or serious illness, to puppies that broke a leg their owners can't afford to repair, to dogs sent to us by local animal control after being seized from puppy mill operations. Every dog lives as a pet in our network of foster homes. There are no shelter facilities -- just a group of representatives and volunteers all over the country who open their homes and hearts to dogs in need.

We ask for financial assistance because the cost of vet care has skyrocketed in the last five years. We have no paid employees in our organization and except for a few minor administrative costs (insurance, postage, governmental filing fees, etc.), all donations go towards providing vet care and medications for the dogs.

Easing the path to the Rainbow Bridge