Partners for Change
We proudly support The Greyhound Trust….
The Greyhound Trust was founded in 1975 and since then has found over 100,000 loving homes for greyhounds. Each year, they home approximately 3,500 retired racing greyhounds through volunteer led branches. The Greyhound Trust is committed to helping secure a bright future for Britain’s retired racing greyhounds.
Greyhounds make Great Pets….
Greyhounds make great pets for all kinds of individuals and families. They are low-maintenance, gentle and laid-back dogs that don’t need lots of exercise. Greyhounds will gladly spend the rest of their time dozing quietly next to you (often on their backs, with all four legs in the air!).
The majority of greyhounds retire from racing between three and five years of age, so they are still relatively young dogs with a long life ahead of them. At any one time, The Greyhound Trust has around 800 greyhounds of all ages and temperaments available for adoption, so they may have one that’s perfect for you!
Greyhounds are very adaptable and The Greyhound Trust’s homing policies are flexible. Their dedicated volunteers work hard to match the right greyhound with the right family; even if you work, have children, can’t walk very far or have other pets, they consider all circumstances and look at all situations individually, so it’s always worth getting in touch with your local Greyhound Trust branch.
Greyhound Q&A
Q. Are greyhounds good with children?
A. Greyhounds are as good with children as any dog breed and better than most, because of their characteristic gentleness. They have been around people all of their lives and are usually very people-oriented.
Q. How do greyhounds get on with other dogs?
A. Most greyhounds get on well with other dogs and many live with other breeds. Common sense and careful introductions are the key. If you have another dog, speak to our volunteers who will usually recommend that you bring them down to the kennels to help pick their new greyhound friend.
Q. Can greyhounds live with cats and other small pets?
A. Greyhounds are sighthounds and it is their instinct to chase. Despite this, some greyhounds can be trained to live happily with cats and other small pets (and sometimes, they even become the best of friends!). If you have a cat or another small pet, make sure to discuss this with your local branch who will be able to let you know if they have any greyhounds that they think will be suitable.
The Greyhound Personality….
The greyhound has a very gentle and quiet disposition. As it was necessary for the greyhound to hunt and run in groups, aggressiveness toward other dogs has almost been completely eliminated from the breed. The dog does have a strong prey drive, however, and may not be suitable for homes with small pets such as rabbits.
The greyhound is often tolerant of children and, being non-aggressive, will usually walk away from annoyance rather than snap or growl. In spite of his great athletic ability, the greyhound is quite happy to spend most of the day sleeping. The greyhound does not have a lot of endurance and actually requires less exercise time than most dogs.
The greyhound has a short and smooth coat, which is easy to maintain. The coat comes in a wide variety of colors including white, fawn, red, gray and brindle. The greyhound has virtually no body fat, and owners must be certain to provide the dog with soft places to rest and sleep.
A Short History of the Greyhound….
The Greyhound is an ancient breed that originated in the Middle East and North Africa. Greyhounds have been mentioned by Greeks, depicted in art by Egyptians, praised by Roman poets, and are the only breed of dog mentioned in the Bible!
Greyhounds found their way into Europe during the Dark Ages. They were so respected for their hunting prowess that the laws of the time protected royal game reserves by forbidding anyone living within 10 miles of the king’s forests from owning a Greyhound.
The Greyhound’s popularity continued to grow in England, thanks to the popularity of coursing and racing. Spanish explorers and British colonists brought them to the Americas where they also thrived.
In recent years, a concerted effort to find homes for retired racers has increase awareness of the breed’s suitability as pets and most of the greyhounds we now see in our daily lives are ‘rescue greyhounds’ who have been re-homed after racing retirement.