Venatrix is not my first hound as mentioned in my previous post ‘ Venatrix and Coco’. Prior to adopting Venatrix, my parents and I adopted our first two family dogs, Tia and Lola.
It was actually my Mum who suggested adopting a rescued greyhound as she had watched a programme in which Annette Crosby (Margaret Meldrew from One Foot in the Grave), talked about her experiences with owning an ex-racer and discussing how many of them are overlooked as potential pets.
For those of you who are unaware, there are currently around 26 racing tracks in the United Kingdom. The standards of racing greyhounds has greatly improved since the horror story headlines of the 90’s and it is regulated by the GBGB. However, like all industries, there are some handlers that slip through the net and these are the ones that should be closed down and prosecuted.
Once a greyhounds racing days are over, the luckiest hounds are taken by rescue charities such as http://www.greyhoundtrust.org.uk, to sanctuaries and rehoming kennels across the United Kingdom. Greyhound rehoming sanctuaries are able to rescue these dogs, provide veterinary care for them, provide a temporary bed and food for them until they find ‘forever families’. Rescue kennels rely heavily on fund raising and adoption of the hounds in their care in order to provide for other hounds in the future. There is a need for more people to consider owning a hound as they are often overlooked as a breed, meaning there are a lot of greyhounds now needing homes.
Many potential families dismiss the idea of adopting a greyhound due to their size and false belief that they require a lot of exercise. In reality, greyhounds take up minimal space, because they reside on the sofa for the majority of the day. The breed are known for being couch potatoes and will sleep all day if allowed. They require 1-2 20 minute walks daily as their stamina is usually very poor. Yes, they run fast, but not for prolonged periods of time and so they run out of steam extremely quickly.
In America, greyhound rehoming shelters encourage the adoption of this breed for those who live in apartments due to the fact that they are house trained upon adoption, take up very little space and have a laid back/placid temperament. So long as you are able to take them for a walk or run around a local park, you don’t even require a garden. This isn’t as easily recognised in the UK but hopefully rehoming kennels will look into this further.
If you are considering adding a canine to your family, please consider a greyhound as they are loyal, sweet natured and loving dogs. You will be in for so many quirky experiences only greyhound owners can understand and appreciate, for example roaching, chattering, noodle snoots and ghost legs.
Although they are big in size, the only huge space they will take up is in your heart…and possibly a large proportion of the sofa.
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