The GAP office will be taking a short break between Christmas and New Year with the office closed from Christmas Eve to Tuesday 5th January 2010.

From all of the team at Greyhounds As Pets, we wish you and your furry friends a very merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

New for 2010, Elizabeth, owned by Mensarka, has kindly offered to host a new walking group. To be held on the fifth Sunday of each month, where one occurs. The group embark on a leisurely walk with a group of other greyhounds and their owners. What a sight it should be!

Please note that the Wanneroo playgroup will NOT be held in December. All other playgroups will continue over the festive season, but as always are subject to the heat policy. The Greyhounds As Pets heat policy is designed to consider the welfare of your animal in the summer heat, and can be found here.

While the first and third Sundays of the month at Pampered Pooch continue to draw big crowds we thought it might be time to give a bit of a reminder to people that the North of the River Playgroups are being held on the second and fourth Sundays of the month.

Second Sunday of the month - Shenton Park Dog's Refuge Home, Lemnos St Shenton Park, allow all GAP people to use one of their exercise paddocks between 3.30 and 5pm. For more details call the Coordinator Belinda Gault 0424 440 508.

Fourth Sunday of the month - West Coast Pet Care, 49 Adams Road Mariginiup is on in the mornings from 10 - 12pm with more details available from the Cordinators Margaret and Ron Hay 0420 963 766.

With many of our foster carers taking a well earned break over Christmas, if you ever thought about trying fostering, now is truly the time we'd love you to give it a go!! We still have about 20 applications to fill and are expecting to remain at this level over the summer holidays. While we need any foster carers, we typically have trouble assessing the dogs for their suitability to live as an "only" dog in a household with no other canine companionship and for their "cat tolerance" and ability to live in a home with cats.

GAP supplies collars, leads and coats for dogs in foster care and thanks to our National Sponsor we can supply Advance dog food biscuits for the dogs nutritional needs.

So if you're interested in giving fostering a go, even if you only foster over this busy time frame, please don't hesitate to email or call Tammara Olds on 0411 152 686.

The new 2010 Calendars are still available but running out very quickly! This year was WA's first year at producing the National GAP Calendar and we're really pleased with it so we hope you'll all love it too.

At $22ea they're great value, contain tons of gorgeous photos and make terrific Christmas presents.

This year was also GAP's first attempt at creating some beautiful Christmas cards, and we are so happy with the result. We have printed a very exclusive 100 packs for just $10 each, and they are available at Greyhounds WA or online at Dog Kingdom but get in quick because they are both selling like hot cakes!

As many of you will now be aware, most boarding kennels are already fully booked over Christmas. If you are going away, you might need to consider calling Chris on 0419 150 748 to find someone on the dog sitting regsiter who may be able to help out by looking after your greyhound for you while you are away.

Please also consider whether you'd be able to look after someone else's dog over this period if you are staying home over Christmas. Just let Chris now whether you are willing to help out and she'll put other owners in contact with you to look after their gorgeous greyhound.

Greyhounds As Pets is a not for profit organisation that could not operate without the wonderful support of its volunteers and essential service providers. For all of your help in 2009, GAP wishes to thank the following:

Major Sponsors