An Amazing Greyhound Rescue Video: Thanks To The National Greyhound Foundation

I regularly have a look at YouTube for greyhound videos to keep up with what is going on in the world of greyhound rescue. A number of charities and foundations often post videos to advertise what is going on in their worlds. It is usually fundraising activities or rasing awareness of greyhound rscue work and the plight of the hounds themselves, but I found this one to be really touching.

There are inmate programs that encourage rescued dogs and prison inmates to rehabilitate each other up and down the US now because they have had a great success rate. However, this is the first time that I have seen it occur with greyhounds. Please watch this video to see what good can be done by ANYONE adding their voice to the fight for these beautiful creatures' lives!

Cases Of Greyhound Abuse

I recently received an email from a young woman who had read my blog and felt inspired to help the greyhound cause. She had attached an article that she had written but had never been able to publish because her family works in the greyhound industry in the USA. She asked to remain anonymous butalso requested that I published her take on the greyhound industry. Here is her article for all to read:

There is nothing quite as sick as someone who is an abuser of a human or an innocent animal. Unfortunately, there are some sickos out there who do abuse animals, even sweet, lovable greyhound dogs. Greyhound abuse is a serious matter and if you detect someone is abusing them, you’d be wise to report it.

Sometimes greyhound abuse can be difficult to detect. Especially if they are racing dogs for a track and you are just a spectator. However, if you have any affiliation with a dog track, you should be able to investigate greyhound abuse. According to greyhounds.com, many of these wonderful greyhound racing dogs have been abused and mistreated. One track in Alabama gave 40 greyhounds away for medical experimentation. When these greyhounds were found, only 20 percent had survived, that’s only 8 dogs! If you think that is bad, there are many many more cases just like this one that show abuse and neglect of the animal. In another case a group of greyhounds were deprived of food and water. By the time a medical team could see them, one was need death, unconcious of kidney failure. All of these dogs were 20 to 25 pounds underweight and were starving to death. Its really sad when you can’t trust a race track who is suppose to care for these greyhound welfare.

However it’s not just the tracks that abuse these dogs, private owners abuse them too. Why on earth they would adopt a wonderful greyhound just to abuse them does not make sense. It is sick to think people could cause such cruelty to the greyhound. Even in a home, people beat there dogs or starve them. It makes you wonder what kind of a world we must live in where people find it necissary to abuse animals, especially the lovable greyhound.

Such cruelty should be prevented for the sake of these greyhounds. Do the part you know you should. If you suspect someone of abusing a greyhound, please report it. Greyhounds are loving, affectionate dogs who do not deserve this kind of treatment so take a stand. No more dogs need to die, help make sure they don’t.

Support Adrian And Greyhound Gap!

A wonderful man by the name of Adrian Whitehouse is getting a special mention today. What he plans to do in the name of greyhounds everywhere is very special, if a little insane! He is climbing... Mont Blanc! One of the most dangerous mountains in the world! And all in aid of Greyhound Gap.

Greyhound Gap is one of the many charities that is set up to help rescue and rehome greyhounds and does a fantastic job. It deserves all the support it can get so Adrian deserves a massive pat on the back and a good few kisses from the hounds! For more information, go to Greyhound Gap. The naews article is highly entertaining and you can get to the rest of the site from there. If you want to make a donation then go to the Just Giving page here.

Mad! Absolutely mad, but the guy has a heart of gold!

An Awesome Greyhound Adoption Group To Support

Hi all!

Just a quick update on the Stop The Greyhound Slaughter Facebook cause today - It really is doing incredibly well! As of this minute, we have 1,163 members. Please keep on inviting everyone you can and take a look at the aims if you have yet to join.

There was another great comment written on the wall a few days ago from a wonderul lady called Karen. It is written below in full:

Hi, I have 2 ex racers and they are fab, I also volunteer for a trust that works hard by trying to educate the public what wonderful pets they make when they have finished their racing career. The trust also has tight guidelines on how the dogs are kept and their welfare whilst in the racing enviroment. Also we dont put dogs down they can stay in the kennels until a 'forever' can be found. We are also do homechecks and follow up visits and phone calls.

Please support the cause of re-homing more greyhounds and hopefully the suffering of greys may stop one day.

This is close to my heart as Perry Bar is local to me. It is located in the West Midlands just a few miles up the road. Take a look at the great work RGT does day in, day out and you'll see just how much they need our support.

NB - This is more of a personal request because the people that work there do a great job of looking after the greyhounds and finding homes for them. However, The RGT in general is responsible for misrepresenting figures to suit their own ends and support greyhound racing. Anyone wishing to help should be aware of that on a more national level. It pays to remember that you should hear all "facts" from both sides before making your own mind up.

Another Horror Story...

It never fails to amaze me that, despite repeated reports of greyhound slaughter and greyhound abuse, owners and trainers continue to dispose of "unfit" greyhounds for research purposes and expect to get away with it. Daniel Foggo of UK newspaper The Times has uncovered yet another kennels that sells perfectly healthy greyhounds to a research facility for £30, and sometimes actually gives them away, to be dissected.

This time it is the University of Liverpool that is accepting the "gift". What was the problem with the greyhounds that were sold? They were too slow for the tracks and therefore could not make their owners money.

This greyhound abuse has got to stop! How many more perfectly healthy animals have to be put down for no apparent reason before something is done about it? You can find the full article here.

The breeder mentioned, Mr Pickering, gives away his greyhounds for slaughter when they are as young as one year old. Please read this article on greyhound abuse and pass on the link. The more people that are educated the better!

Adopt A Greyhound!

It's been a while since I updated you all on the progress of the Facebook cause, Stop The Greyhound Slaughter, and I am delighted to say that it is going extremely well. We now have 1,136 members, which is the highest number of any of the greyhound causes on Facebook at the minute! We have also recently taken the cause onto MySpace as well so no matter which social networking site you are on, you can join! Just click on the links for the relevant one: MySpace or Facebook.

A comment was posted on the wall of the Facebook cause a few days ago to highlight a fantastic website that is concerned with greyhound adoption. Here was the post:

I used to volunteer for and still support 'Greyhounds in Need' in the UK. Galgos are adorable dogs and its just so sad and heartbreaking how they they are treated. I've had the pleasure of meeting one Galgo called Pedro, such gentle dogs - it truely is heartbreaking. I now work for this charity - Adopt A Greyhound. I still fully support and love Greyhounds in need. Galgo's 4 ever!

I've taken a look at the site and it is definitely worth a few minutes of your time. The work they do for greyhound adoption is fantastic! Thanks for the link Kelly!

In Memory Of Rusty

Something different for today's blog is definitely in order as a result of an eventthat occurred four years ago. A greyhound called Rusty was found barely alive in the Welsh mountains after being tourtured and shot after sustaining a toe injury that meant his greyhound racing career was over. Rusty is one of many, but he touched the hearts of all greyhound lovers that knew him or heard his story.

As such, he deserves a fitting memorial. This poem that was sent through to me by Trudy at Greytexploitations fits the bill perfectly. It is by Sue Stoddart and tells you everything you need, but probably don't want, to know:

His owners paid ten pounds to end poor Rusty's life,
His killer took the money, he didn't think twice.
He was raced three times that week with an injured toe,
Because of the injury, his racing times were slow.
His owners said, "get rid of him we can't do with this",
The trainer said "just leave him here, I will do the biz".
Poor trusting Rusty went along with this man,
He thought he was going home, and jumped into the van.
Little did he know this was to be his last day,
And that his poor mutilated body was to be dumped so far away.
With both his ears hacked off, a crude bolt gun to his head,
His killer turned his back, and left poor Rusty for dead.
A lonely walker found him lying in the grass,
It was poor Rusty's whimpering that stopped him walking past.
In spite of his misery and injuries he still continued to wag his tail,
Not once did he show aggression, or even admit a wail.
Even now he still showed trust in the human race,
The vet shook his head sadly, as he looked at Rusty's gentle face.
So the vet inserted the needle, that would end Rusty's suffering at last,
He knew his abuse was over, he would not have to remember his past.
But your death will not be in vain dear Rusty; we will keep your memory alive,
And your murderer has been caught and punished, and brought to the public eye.
So rest well dear Rusty, free from suffering and pain,
No more will you know abuse, or ever race again.

*Dedicated to Rusty, who was mutilated by Andrew Gough and left to die on a lonely welsh mountain on the 4th April 2004

You can find the full story at Stop The Greyhound Slaughter, but be warned that it does make for extremely gruesome reading in places.