History of GPA/CA OC&GLA

The California chapter of GPA was led by Joan Headland and Carol Osborne for several years, until they moved to Arizona and became members of GPA/Arizona. Darren Rigg took over the leadership of GPA/CA. In 1991, Joyce and Tom McRorie began working as volunteers with GPA/CA. They had adopted their first greyhound, Robber, in 1990 and a second, Max, in 1991. Rigg asked them to do a home visit to prospective adopters in Fullerton (Orange County), and they suddenly found themselves the greater Los Angeles area Placement Representatives.

The McRories began organizing GPA events in the Los Angeles area, gradually collecting a merry band of volunteers. Joyce was named to the GPA/CA board of directors in 1993, and became President of GPA/CA in 1995. She resigned her position in August.

In September Joyce shared the idea of starting a new sub-chapter of GPA/CA with the LA volunteers and explained how she believed it could succeed. The volunteers unanimously supported the idea and went on to elect an interim board for the new group. They included Dan Sullivan, Karen Charpie-Elton, Joyce McRorie, Ron Stolte, Paula Otteson, Carol Simpson, Kathy Mooney, Pat Lynch, and Joanne Kally. The interim board served until February, 1996. Greyhound owners living in the Los Angeles area were enthusiastic about the new organization. They formed the Orange County & Greater Los Angeles sub-chapter of GPA/CA on October 1, 1995.

The new group's first official action was to pick up four greyhounds from Caliente. It successfully placed about 100 dogs in its first eight months of existence. On June 17, 1996, GPA/CA--Orange County & Greater Los Angeles was granted full chapter status by a vote of all GPA chapters.

The response of area residents and the track kennel operators has been overwhelming. Organizations and individuals interested in the welfare of the greyhound have been very supportive of the group's efforts. Kennel operators are happy for the dogs to go to a home rather than be destroyed. In fact, they have coined a phrase for it at the track. When the dog's racing career is finished, they now "pet them out". The day a greyhound leaves the track to become someone's pet is a very happy occasion for kennel operators and GPA volunteers alike. The greyhounds' happy excitement suggests that they know something very good is happening.

The folks of this chapter experienced a number of positive changes in 1997. They purchased a dog trailer through the generous donations of the Hintzkes and others. They worked with the Caliente track to set up a pet kennel on the track and to make it accessible to all organizations involved in greyhound adoption. They organized and ran a second annual Renaissance Faire, expanded from one  to two days. They saw the number of veterinarians offering gratis and reduced-fee services grow. And of course they continued to place greyhounds in loving homes. The year also brought a number of challenges. Foremost among them was the unusually large number of dogs requiring extended medical treatment.

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