‘They have done nothing wrong’

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 22 Februari 2015 | 23.08

Quick! Call Bondi Rescue! We're just drowning in those eyes ... Source: NewsComAu

IT'S not the dogs' fault. That's the first thing you need to know in the wake of the awful Four Corners report last week.

The second thing you need to know is that greyhounds need your love — and a home. Far from the vicious image portrayed, these are beautiful, placid animals with wonderfully silky fur. They actually feel a lot like cats to the touch. And you know what? Plenty of greyhounds actually get on with cats too.

Most kittens are way more likely to injure you. Source: NewsComAu

There are several agencies out there who love these beautiful, sweet natured dogs, and work hard to help them transition to life as pets.

Our favourite is a group called Every Greyhound. It's run by two Queenslanders who simply like to be known as Angela and Sharon because they're not after any publicity. They just want the dogs they fell in love by accident (they have no background in greyhound racing) to be loved and cared for.

Sharon and Angela have spent thousands over the years setting up the website, paying for spots on Facebook, and of course feeding the many dogs that end up on their respective doorsteps. Like we say though, they're not after publicity.

"This site is not about the people behind it, it's about the dogs in front of it," Angela tells news.com.au.

Though the breed is called a greyhound, grey greyhounds are actually known as blue. Just cos. Source: NewsComAu

Every greyhound is active on Facebook and you can also follow them on Twitter. There's also a website. All three sites are full of heart-melting hounds.

Every Greyhound aims to be Australia's directory of greyhounds looking for homes as pets. She calls it a "one stop shop" for potential adopters. It's also one of the few places where owners and trainers can list their dogs for private adoption.

Sadly, most greyhounds never get the opportunity to be rehomed. Many pups are deemed unsuitable for the track and 'disappear'. Let's just say that doesn't mean they go for a walk one day and never come back.

Greyhounds make great fielders in beach cricket. Source: NewsComAu

"Dogs that are injured in racing are often destroyed, because they're not financially viable to treat. Thousands are put down when they are too old and slow. There are no reliable figures, but the percentage of greyhound puppies born each year that ever make it to life as a pet is probably in the single digits," Angela says.

One of the concerns many people have about greyhounds is that dogs subjected to barbaric training practices might turn on humans later in life. Experience shows that such instances are very, very rare. Indeed, a US study found that greyhounds are the most docile dog breed. Yep, you read that right.

Greyhound lovers will tell you that what makes this breed so amazing and versatile is their ability to leave their past behind and adapt to new loving surrounds exhibiting no signs of old behaviours. They truly are wonder dogs.

They might drown you in drool, but that's likely to be the worst of it. Source: NewsComAu

The Every Greyhound ladies haven't engaged in any such emotive arguments this or any other week. They call themselves "racing neutral". They won't comment on news stories and they don't and won't play politics. They just want to find homes for beautiful animals.

"We exist to help and support the people who do the real hard yards, the people who take these dogs in, love them, teach them how to live as a pet, and find them new homes," Angela says.

But this week has not been easy. Some people have equated the cruelty of certain humans in the greyhound racing industry with the nature of the dogs themselves, leading Sharon and Angela to be trolled on both Twitter and Facebook.

"Some of the comments are deeply hurtful," Angela says.

But the organisation and its good works continue, albeit on a bit of a shoestring.

My friends Sharon and Angela don't deserve to have had such a ruff week! Source: NewsComAu

"Our website is a wreck in technical terms," Angela says. "Sharon and I would love to get it redeveloped, and we wrote specifications last year for our dream site.

"But there never seems to be time to do the paperwork to become an incorporated association, which would make us eligible to apply for small grants. So we make do, and just keep going.

"Because it's worth it, if it helps one dog to find a loving home."


Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

‘They have done nothing wrong’

Dengan url

http://bakterimakanan.blogspot.com/2015/02/athey-have-done-nothing-wronga.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

‘They have done nothing wrong’

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

‘They have done nothing wrong’

sebagai sumbernya

0 komentar:

Posting Komentar

techieblogger.com Techie Blogger Techie Blogger