featured products

Buddy Belt Dog Harness $31.50

Gold Bone Dog ID Tag $16.00

Brown Leather Dog Collar $40.50

dog blog

Greyhound Dog Rescue

01/06/09
posted by: Julie McClure

I recently returned with my youngest daughter from nearly a month in Great Britain. We had a wonderful time, touring with family and friends across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. What a craggy coastline Ireland has, but it’s beautiful in all its angry looking cliffs, deserted, dark castles and cool winds, coming right off the water.

Well, funnily enough, in all three countries, at one time or another I noticed a plenitude of Greyhounds. People were walking their hounds around the cities, small village roads and even on the beach in North Yorkshire. While in Scotland, I noticed a van parked on the side of the road with a logo mentioning a Greyhound rescue group. It appears that many people are now into rescuing these retiring racing dogs, providing homes and a loving family life for them. I think it’s marvellous.

Racing Greyhounds have a rough life to start with. They are trained to race from an early age and have a lot of it, if they are good at what they do. I don’t like to even think what happens to the ones who simply are not fast enough, or eager enough to race and put up a good show for the crowds. Many are put down right at the track, if they can’t hold up, or if they get too old... a ripe old age of 3 or 4 years old. So, it’s wonderful that these groups rescue these dogs once their racing career comes to a screeching halt.

For a veterinarian and adoption fee, which goes toward having the dogs vaccinated, examined for parasites or problems, getting them spayed or neutered and a bit of care, these dogs can be had for about half the price of buying a puppy of another breed from a reputable kennel. They also can live upwards of 12-13 years. So you can have a pet for a long time yet to come. One who does like an occasional, safe place to run, but for the most part is very content asleep on the sofa. They are quiet, dignified dogs, who tend to be good with children as well. If you ever plan on adopting one, check all the details with the rescue organization, as well as suitability to other small pets in the home etc.

These dogs deserve to be treated with dignity, not just tossed aside once they start to lag behind the younger set at the track. They do love to run, but if they were treated better, we wouldn’t mind so much. It’s just that they don’t have a decent enough life out there and no future once it’s over. However, I do believe that with the public outcry about these racing tracks and treatment of these dogs, that many track owners are starting to treat their dogs better and to help them find owners once their career has ended. I wish they ALL would do it, not just a few, but times are changing and I hope the Greyhound’s lives will now be better for it.