Grey and proud

Makes me proud to be a greyhound when I see stories like this one in the Birmingham Mail about a greyhound called Chicken who is brightening the lives of older folk in a care home.

No-one knows why he's called Chicken apparently, but like me he looked very sad as he waited in kennels at the Blue Cross animal adoption centre in Bromsgrove for a new home.

But now that he's out and about he's a happy chap and making others smile too.

Home manager Margaret Hook told the Birmingham Mail that his presence is highly therapeutic for the 60 residents.

"He will just sit there and they make a fuss over him and they love it. Some of the residents remember their own pets and they start talking about their lives. It helps bring them out of themselves."

The Girl Of The House is having a lovely birthday and asked me to say thank you for all your kind wishes. She would send you all some cake if she could but perhaps you can enjoy it virtually instead. I'll just get the Man Of The House to cut you a slice........

Twiggy shows some greyhound love

Disappointing news from the Retired Greyhound Trust that in 2010 they re-homed 500 LESS greyhounds in the UK than the previous year.

Lots of people work really hard to find just the right forever families for dogs that have finished their racing careers - but the work never stops.

There are nearly 1,000 dogs right now in RGT kennels across the UK waiting for new homes and lots and lots more waiting just for a place in the kennels.

Last year the RGT did find homes for 4,200 greyhounds (including me - yay!!) but they really need to find more.

Now the RGT has got a famous face spreading the word for them that greyhounds make great pets - the famous model Twiggy. The Lady Of The House says Twiggy is a great animal lover. (The LOTH also says it's most unfair that Twiggy never seems to look a day older, but we're not going to hold that against her).

There's this lovely picture of Twiggy and two friends on the RGT website today.

Twiggy said: "I am devastated to hear about the Retired Greyhound Trust's struggle with homing figures. I would urge anyone who is considering a dog to think greyhounds. 

"The sooner the charity can find good homes for those in kennels then the sooner they can free up space for the many more who are on the waiting list." 

I'm crossing my paws that more people come forward in the UK to offer homes to greyhounds - after finding out that we're not really lots of hard work like some people think.

We can't really share our home with another greyhound because I'm afraid I wouldn't like it. But many many greyhounds get on really well with other pets (including cats).

Anyway, since we can't re-home another greyhound, the LOTH has been on the phone to the RGT today (she thought I was asleep but I was listening really) and she and her friend are planning an RGT fund-raiser for later in the year - which I'm sure she'll get me to tell you about some time in the future.

Small world - where just one person can make a difference

Since I started blogging, when I arrived here at my new forever home in August, it's been lovely to find out how the Internet brings new friends into your life that you would never have met otherwise.

I love getting comments on my blogs from Bunny and my other new dog friends in America. And it's lovely to hear about the wonderful people in America who work just as hard as the Retired Greyhound Trust does in the UK to find new families and homes that are a perfect match for retired racers.

I spotted today the lovely story and pictures about a great-looking greyhound called Slammer who's now got a family - and a couch - to call his own thanks to Greyhound Adoptions of Florida.

But there was sadder news from Florida were more than 30 greyhounds were found dead in kennels at Ebro Greyhound Park. The tragedy came to light after someone took some seriously underweight dogs to the Greyhound Pets of America re-homing organisation. They raised concerns that led to investigations that revealed the neglect and cruelty.

When I hear sad stories like that it just makes me glad that there's more good people than bad out there and that individual families, like mine, and Bunny's and Slammer's are doing what they can across the world to make a difference by loving their dogs and sharing that love around.

Justice for Jack

The cruelty some people can inflict on dogs seems to know no bounds.

Take the case of "Jack" - whose emaciated body was found bundled into a blanket at the gates of Whitehall kennels and rescue centre in Wakefield.

Brian Wheelhouse, who works at the kennels, found the dog - who he named Jack - and believes the poor thing died soon after it was left there in the dark between midnight and 5am on Friday 17 September, 2010.

Jack's tribute on Lost and Fond

It's heartening though to see the response, though, as dog lovers across the world unite to find those repsonsible, to support the great work Whitehall rescue centre does and to try and enforce harsher punishments on people found guilty of such cruelty in future.

A reward of £1,000 is on offer for information leading to the conviction of those who starved and neglected Jack for months leading up to his death.

If you can help, or want to lend your support, you can:
* donate or volunteer to help the rescue centre through its website
* join the Facebook group Justice for Jack and sign the anti-cruelty petition you will find there
* contact Wakefield police if you know ANYTHING about where Jack was before he was taken to the gates of the rescue centre.

Dogs looking for homes in Sheffield

Thought I'd throw the spotlight on greyhounds looking for homes from MY old stamping (or should that be racing) ground today.

The Sheffield Retired Greyhound Trust has recently taken some newly-retired racers into its kennels and begun to search for new loving homes for them.

As you may remember, although I came to my new forever family from the RGT kennels at Crossing Cottage, Sutton-on-Trent, I did all my racing in Sheffield - so I still have a soft spot for the place.

If you use Facebook you might like to have a look at the Sheffield RGT facebook page as there are some lovely pictures on there that show how much fun greyhounds have in their new homes.

Some of the re-homed greyhounds on the Sheffield RGT Facebook page

Inspiring story of Ruth Boswell and Daybreaks Kennel

Over at Solihull in the West Midlands you will find the Daybreaks Kennels, home of Perry Barr Retired Greyhound Trust.

How they came to be there is an inspiring story of one woman's devotion to helping greyhounds.

Yet, Ruth Boswell wasn't even particularly interested in dogs when her husband persuaded her to give a dog a home in 2001.

The website for Daybreaks Kennels run by Ruth Boswell

But since then she's offered a loving home to many retired greyhounds and even given up her job to making running kennels a full-time occupation.

Please read her amazing and touching story here. It just goes to show how anyone can become addicted to living with greyhounds.

Getting ready for the 4th annual Great Greyhound Gathering

Just two days to go to the Great Greyhound Gathering 2010!! I'm SOOOOO excited.

Picture from retiredgreyhounds.co.uk

For a while it was touch and go whether we would make it...the Lady Of The House is in the middle of some serious car trouble (don't ask, long story apparently). But she's now lined up to borrow her dad's car and the L O T H and the Girl Of The House are going to be taking me to Nottingham Racecourse to meet up with some old friends. YAY!!!!

This will be the fourth annual GGG, and last year's event attracted about 3,000 people and 800 dogs, I'm told.

When we were at Ashbourne Show last month a few of my old friends (who were volunteers at Crossing Cottage kennels) asked if we would be there so hopefully we'll be meeting up with them again as well as lots and lots more people and dogs.

Dog walkers needed

The Lady Of The House says it's lovely having a reason to get out in the fresh air two or three times a day - and that reason of course is ME!!

I only need two 20-minute walks a day but sometimes. if we have time. we go further afield (and if it's raining we don't go very far at all, thank you very much - I HATE the rain).

The Man Of The House usually does my last walk in the evening and he does more walking at weekends when he's not at work. In fact they seem to have it pretty much sorted between them. Nice example of domestic co-operation. Well done, guys!

I get really excited when I see them getting ready to take me out (and I'm pretty well aware of what time it is and when my walk's due). I wag my tail like crazy and my ears go right back and I grin like mad and do a little wiggly dance of joy and sometimes stand up on my hind legs. The L O T H says she's not sure what there is to get QUITE so excited about. But I love my walks.

All the greyhounds waiting for homes in Retired Greyhound Trust kennels need walks too. When I was at Crossing Cottage a lovely lady used to come and take me for walks every day.

If you live in Sheffield, the RGT branch there is advertising on its website for volunteer dog walkers. They need people who can spare a bit of time on a regular basis on weekday mornings between 8.30 and 12 noon.

If you can help please give them a ring on 0114 288 8300.

Also, a BIG pat on the back to Sheffield RGT for finding new forever home for 400 greyhounds in two years! Good going!

If Sheffield's too far away for you, maybe you could look for your local RGT branch on this page of the national website and see if they need any help. It's a great way to meet lots of new people (and dogs) and walk in some lovely countryside in most places.

Two's company

Monday again, and the start of another week which will see all the good people of the Retired Greyhound Trust doing their very best to match the right retired greyhounds with their perfectly-matched forever family.

Although I am happy being an only-dog, a lot of greyhounds are happiest in pairs. Some of them may be brother and sister, others may have become firm friends in kennels and those who know and love us at the RGT kennels will always do their best to keep us together if they know that it will make us happiest.

Families who have taken on two greyhounds who want to be together find them a lot easier than you may imagine. We're an easy-going and good-natured breed and take up less space than you might imagine and for dogs who believe that two's company it does mean that we'll be happy together if the family needs to go out without us.

Today I thought I'd spotlight a couple of pairs of greyhounds which the RGT is currently trying to re-home together.

Jason and Kylie from Clark's Farm Greyhound Rescue

The first pair are called Jason and Kylie and they are five-year-old brother and sister and they currently live with Clark's Farm Greyhound Rescue which is at Wash Lane, Little Totham, Maldon, Essex. The RGT say they could both be trained to accept cats.

Heartbreaker and Teddy Bear from Harlow Hounds

At Harlow Hounds in Essex they are trying to find a home that would like to take five-year-old Heartbreaker and six-year-old Teddy Bear. They give each other confidence and would be suited to a quieter home where someone has lots of love to give them and ideally some experience.

Hope you are all lucky in finding good homes soon

Crossing my claws that Milo and Betty and friends find homes

Hampshire is the latest county facing a crisis in the number of retired racing greyhounds needing new homes.

The Retired Greyhound Trust has more than 20 dogs in its kennels in Fleet needing new loving homes.

Nationally the charity has more than 1,000 dogs in its kennels waiting for home and another 1,000 dogs who have recently retired waiting for kennel space to come available.

Milo and Betty waiting at the RGT for new homes

Ivor Stocker of the RGT told the GetHampshire website that the charity is suffering as the nation tightens its belt. He said last year they announced a record re-homing figure of 4,700 dogs going to new homes, but this year numbers are well down already.

I hope all the dogs like Milo and Betty pictured above find new homes soon. Anyone who thinks they can help give a greyhound a home can ring the RGT on 0844 826 8424 or visit their website.

Thank you for the stamp support

Hello

Just a quick posting today as I'm busy enjoying the Sunday sunshine in the garden - lounging on my doggy duvet on the patio and occasionally taking myself off into the shade when the sun gets too hot.

Just wanted to say thank you to the nice people who have contacted me through the Lady Of The House to say they will pass on their used stamps after I appealed for them through this blog last week.

The Retired Greyhound Trust collects used stamps and is trying to raise £1,500 this year - the cost of keeping a greyhound in kennels for a year.

The L O T H is happy to post stamps off if you send them to her or you can send them direct to the RGT. See the previous posting for more information.

A Lovely Day

What a great day I've had today!!!!

Me in the car - I love travelling

My family took me out in the car - exciting in itself - to Ashbourne Show.

I had a great time taking in the sights and sounds and smells and met some nice greyhounds (we all had a good sniff of each other and made friends).

I saw my lovely friend John from the Retired Greyhound Trust, who looked after me with Judith at the Crossing Cottage kennels in Sutton-on-Trent....and then as we walked round the showground I saw one of the RGT volunteers who used to talk to me and visit me all the time when I was in their kennels. I was so pleased to see him I stood up on my hind legs so my face was almost level with his and we had a great big cuddle.

He was really pleased to hear that I'd settled in so well with my new family and this is definitely a forever-adoption. I'm not going anywhere else.

When we got home the Lady Of The House nipped out to do some food shopping and came back with a new bed for me - and a pig's ear for me to chew on! Can life get any better???

See you tomorrow Greyhound fans xx

No more early starts

It's nearly time for me to turn in for the night - and I do love my sleep.

A lot of greyhound owners will lovingly describe us as couch potatoes. I don't mind that.

I just thought I'd mention a bit about how I settled in when I joined the family on August 1st.

At Crossing Cottage - the Retired Greyhound Trust kennels where I was before - I was used to an early start at the crack of dawn and an early bed. So the very first night when I got here I did have a little cry at bedtime because it was all a bit strange. But the Man Of The House popped down once to reassure me and I was fine after that.

I did wake up at 5.30am next morning, and the morning after that.....but thanks to the patience of my new family who came down and let me out in case I needed "to go" and were calm and quiet I was settled into their routine by day three.

Since then I've been happy to wait till the family gets up and the M O T H goes to work.

It's well into week three of my new life here and we're all getting to know each other properly.

So if you are thinking of re-homing a greyhound, rest assured that with quiet, calm and loving patience we will quickly fit in with YOUR routine.

Night night

Save your stamps to help greyhounds

Afternoon

Hope it's been a lovely afternoon where you are. I had a great walk in the sunshine this afternoon and a few minutes ago I frightened a cat that was balanced on the fence in the back garden by standing on my back legs and doing my best Scooby-Doo impression. (I KNOW he's not a greyhound, but when my ears fly up in "I've-spotted-a-cat" mode I do look like I could be his skinny cousin.)

Anyway, enough about me, I wanted to let you know about a really easy way you can help support the Retired Greyhound Trust who do so much good work finding homes for lots of retired racers like me. The Lady Of The House was quite impressed because she says it's something they used to do to help charities in the "olden days" and she didn't know it still made money.

When your post arrives in the morning, can you spare a second to rip the corner of the envelope off, which includes the used stamp, put them to one side and then every now and then post them off to:

Retired Greyhound Trust
2nd Floor
Park House
1-4 Park Terrace
Worcester Park
Surrey
KT4 7JZ

Save your stamps to help retired greyhounds

Every kilogram of used stamps collected can then be sold in aid of the RGT. So far in 2010 they have made £300, but their target is £1,500 which is the cost of kennelling a dog for a year.

So don't bin them, please send them to the RGT!  Tell all your friends to save their stamps too, and maybe if you know anyone who works in an office they could help out too.