Family Adopts Master the Greyhound Before His Race Is Run

It takes some imagination to picture this dog as abused, particularly if you see him at his Northridge home in repose.

Master is likely to be found on John Collins’ sofa, with Bo the cat snuggled up nearby.

His favorite posture: lying on his back with all four legs in the air.

John and Marlene Collins adopted the dog because they felt sorry for greyhounds in general and this one in particular.

Now they think of him as the resident couch potato.

“My husband and I have identical house slippers, and we took a picture of Master in his four-legs-in-the-air pose after we’d put the slippers on him,” Marlene says. “To look at him now, you would never know he was a champion racer who was destined for the dead racing-dog heap. That’s what happens to greyhounds when they are too old to race anymore. They are put to sleep.”

John, 55, an actor, and Marlene, 44, a medical secretary, have always had dogs and cats at home, but Master, the greyhound, is special.

“We are like millions of other people who saw the television programs and magazine articles about the abuses of racing greyhounds,” Marlene says. “Those pictures of the animals being starved and dying and put to sleep stayed with us a long time.”

The Collinses decided to adopt one of the dogs. Their vet put them on the trail of several organizations who rescue greyhounds bred for racing.

“We went to Operation Greyhound in El Cajon, which is run by Bruna Palamatier, who has made greyhound rescue her life’s work. She charges $150 for each dog adopted after it has been spayed or neutered and has been checked by a vet. I’m sure the money doesn’t cover her costs,” Marlene adds.

“We went down expecting to find something more sterile and antiseptic, but Bruna runs a dog hotel. The greyhounds are all over her yard and house, including the furniture. That’s just the way she is. She rescues dogs who are about to be put to death from several states and just loads them up in her vehicle and brings them to her home,” John says.

Before the Collinses were allowed to adopt, they were required to fill out an application and were interviewed by Palamatier.

They told her about their two old dogs that had recently died, their two cats and their most recent addition, Schatzi, a young German shepherd who had flunked Guide Dogs of America training school for seeing-eye dogs because she was too shy.

“Bruna told us she had a cute, little female greyhound she thought would be right for us, but when we got down there I saw my husband with this big, male racing greyhound,” says Marlene.

That was all she wrote. The bonding was instant.

“Master was looking at John as if he were saying, ‘It’s about time you came to get me. I’ve been waiting for you,’ ” his wife says.

Schatzi, who was along on the trip, seemed to agree.

Which is how the Collinses came to share their home with two stray cats, one guide dog school dropout and a greyhound who doesn’t race anymore.

John Collins says the greyhound adoption has worked out well, that it’s an experience he recommends.

For those who might be interested, he says greyhounds are sensitive dogs, better off in a home with no small children. And they need a fenced yard because of their speed and chase instincts. “If they see something to chase, they are off,” he says.

Outside of that, John says Master is just like any other companion pet but for his earlier life experiences.

“I don’t know how to say this exactly, but greyhounds really are sensitive,” he says. “Master seems to understand that we rescued him from something bad that could have happened to him, and he always acts so loving and grateful. He’s such a wonderful dog, anyway, it just breaks your heart.”

Valley Schools Will Benefit From Annual Taste of Encino

Yes it is time again to taste Encino.

The annual benefit will be held Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Courtyard Shops of Encino, 17401 Ventura Blvd.

This year, according to Jan Sobel, the executive director of the sponsoring Chamber of Commerce, there will be more fun and games for the children so the parents can stay longer.

As in the past, this year’s Taste of Encino will include the fare of seven more-or-less local wineries, as well as food from 25 upscale and middlescale restaurants.

Most of the eateries are from around Encino, but the tony Studio City Bistro Gardens will again be dishing up morsels of its renowned chocolate souffle.

Adults pay $2 admission and then between $1 and $4 for generous tastes or sips of whatever they chose to taste or sip.

A portion of the proceeds goes to buy needed supplies for participating Valley schools.

About $20,000 was contributed last year, according to Sobel, for computers, software, public address systems and other items. The philanthropy takes some of the sting out of overindulging, since one is, of course, only doing it for the kids.

And then, according to Sobel, there’s the how-dee-doo factor.

“I’m always amused to see neighbors introducing themselves to each other and hanging out together, when they have lived next door, or in the same block, for years and never spoken.”

Overheard

“I was getting uptight about what I thought were all the girls crank-calling my two teen-age boys, until I realized it was probably just Princess Di up to her old tricks again.”

Woman diner to friend at Hamburger Hamlet in Sherman Oaks.