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What do EBONY, HARRY, MILO, BONNEY, RUBY , LAYLA and MAGGIE MAY have in common ?

A story by Carole Mountain, with help from Jane Foreman,
and Danny and Veronica Despard
with a postscript by Kerry Moderz

( scroll down for photos )
All of us live on this Island of ours and have one thing in common.

We might well be described as lovers of Greys……. That’s Greyhounds for the uninitiated.

As we walk our dogs we invariably get asked,….. : “ Why Greyhounds ?? “

A little background about ‘Greys’ ( as told by Carol)
  “In Australia, as in other Western countries where Greyhound racing is popular, the dogs are only bred for racing, never as pets. They are very expensive to buy as puppies - a minimum, as I understand it, $2000 for one from very average stock. Danny would know much more about this than I do. Maybe he can add a few comments.
(Editor : Islanders Danny and Veronica Despard own 4 of the above mentioned dogs and sometimes race dogs. )

One of the questions we get asked is what their personalities are like.
            They are very gentle and extremely lazy and, unlike some breeds of dog, not food greedy.
           They have thin coats and very little superficial body fat so cannot survive in the outdoors without shelter.
            I would say that they are indoor dogs although, obviously the racing kennels do not do this. They live to about 12 or 14 years. They do not shed hair very much and do not smell doggy.
            They are hopeless as guard dogs, except for their size which must be some sort of deterrent. When someone comes to the house they are more inclined to grin and wag a tail. They can bark but rarely do.
            They have a higher haemoglobin than most dogs, which do not have blood groups as humans have, so they are used as universal blood donors for all breeds of dog.
            My Ebony, who must have been hopeless as a racer, unlike Harry whose racing name was “ Black Regent”, she has no race name. Instead she spent 4 years at Werribee Veterinary Research University as a blood donor and very occasionally helps at the local vets when they are desperate, as does my current dog Sox - whose race name was " Wendy's my mum "
            Adopted Greyhounds are all tested to make sure that they are suitable for domestic life - I am told that about 95 % are. Like other adult dogs who have not grown up with cats, they are rarely cat safe .
            They are good with children and other dogs. They are all very good at ‘counter surfing’ in the kitchen. It makes you very tidy and organized or the food is gone!
            They should not be walked off lead as, should a chase of a small animal occur - the only thing they have been trained for - they focus on that and will be deaf to any commands. They are obedient, in the main, but anatomically, cannot sit with ease or by choice (Their femurs are too long to allow their bottoms to reach the ground) but some have been taught to try. Sox can be persuaded to do that for a treat.

            Why did I adopt a greyhound? I wanted a large dog - a ‘proper’ dog - a dog that was not busy or yappy and that did not require too much grooming. I did not want to go through all the puppy training. They require very little exercise. Mine have an amble each day but at speed over 500 meters, generally they are finished for the day. When Greyhounds first come into a home it would appear that they have spent a lifetime on beds and chairs - not allowed in my house. They can’t do stairs but can manage a bed easily as if they were born to it. They are the original couch potatoes. They all walk well on a lead and travel well in a car. I have never had an accident in the house with mine.

Where to get one. ?  In Victoria there are two organisations  (that I know of):
 



Greyhound Safety Net -

www.greyhoundsafetynet.org

greyhound_safetynet@yahoo.com.au

0431 747 130




Greyhound Adoption Program - GAP -
(Sponsored by Greyhound Racing Victoria)

http://gap.grv.org.au/

gap@grv.org.au

03 5799 290




             The cost to adopt a dog is about $250 which is about the same as buying a dog from the RSPCA. It covers the cost of neutering, micro chipping and inoculation before they go out for adoption . All dogs are neutered before adoption.

            Away from the home they MUST wear a muzzle unless they are adopted from GAP. (See their link above) This is not because the dogs are vicious but because the law decided this in Victorian times (Queen Victoria that is).

            If anyone is interested in adopting a Grey I would be very happy to introduce them to Sox. I would suggest fostering a dog initially to ensure it meets your own individual needs and I can arrange for transport of a dog from the Melbourne organizations to East Gippsland.

Carole Mountain   5156 7788        0439 670 743
Here is a postscript by Kerry Moderz.
( a volunteer involved in the adoption program of the “ Greys “ ):
It is great to read your story on the “Greys “. We are always looking for ways to promote the adoption of Greyhounds as so many thousands ( fifteen to twenty thousand ) are destroyed each year in Australia. It's just heartbreaking when you know how lovely they are. Fortunately things are slowly starting to change for these poor animals and it's wonderful to be part of that change. Only about 4% at this stage are being re-homed as pets, but it's better than nothing, and it can only increase as more people join in to help them. 
There are a few more points I want to add:
Not all of the dogs counter surf for food. If the food is on a kitchen bench or table it is usually safe, however if left unattended on a coffee table it might be considered free for the taking. Greyhounds usually only see food that is meant for them, they don't understand that it could be for someone else, and so it's better not to put temptation in their way.
Also they can sit and do obedience work if trained. The GAP program is now running a very successful training program in a few prisons; the dogs are being trained by the prisoners as therapy and it has proven to be extremely beneficial for both prisoners and dogs.

Finally I must mention I now do most of my work with Greyhound Safety Net which is a self- funded group and not attached to GAP which is run by the racing industry. I am happy to bring down a dog for a foster carer or adopter as I make frequent trips to the Island, however GAP don't have any transport arrangements like this in place.

Also any dog that is adopted through Greyhound Safety Net can be assessed for a small fee for a green collar at the GAP kennels. If they pass the safety assessment with small dogs they then are no longer required to wear a muzzle when out in public.  All the dogs that go through the GAP program have the same assessment done prior to being adopted.

If anyone wants to talk to me feel free to call me at home on 03 9569 5646.
Kerry Moderz
Island Identities
Carole Mountain passed away Novemver 2011     click here   also see NOV.  issue RIM