Kent Greyhound Resuce

Ok, we know that Greyhound Rescue doesn’t have a great deal to do with our site but I’m adding this post because I’m pretty impressed by the work they do. Sure, it’s not only Kent that has these services but I know a few of the workers and had to write this post in recognition of their devotion. For any of our regulars who don’t know, the Greyhound breed of dog is probably one of the most understood of all breeds.

When you see these pretty magnificent creatures racing around a track, all teeth and snarls, you could be forgiven for thinking that they are an aggressive creature. Nothing could be further from the truth. As someone who owns one of these dogs, I have to tell you now that they are the laziest creatures under the sun. The age old myths about them needing huge amounts of exercise is just that; a myth.

So, why do the Greyhounds need help? Every year about 35,000 of these dogs are bred in the UK and Eire but only about 40% of these hounds are suitable for racing. So what’s happens to the rest? In many cases, they end up in the river with a breeze block tied to their neck. The luckier dogs get a hammer to the head – quicker and less terrifying than drowning. That’s a lot of dogs killed just because they are no good for the track but the racers don’t fair much better – typically, they’re retired between 2 and 4 years old and if they aren’t used for breeding it’s ‘goodnight’. I’m not trying to shock you, it’s a simple fact that the Greyhound has a pretty bad time. Anyway, if you want to find out more about these dogs, and how you can help, take a look at the rehoming and information sections over at Kent Greyhound Rescue.