County falls short on greyhound re-homing

RECENT FIGURES which show that Oxfordshire residents are less likely to offer homes to ex-racing Greyhounds compared to other areas in the country have worried officials at Oxford Greyhound Stadium.

Maureen Ridley, General Manager at OGS said: ‘The Retired Greyhound Trust (RGT) successfully homes hundreds of greyhounds nationwide each year, yet despite the apparent national re-homing boom, this year Oxfordshire people have only provided homes for 17 dogs.

‘People have misconceptions about greyhounds, especially as they’re so boisterous and lively when they see them racing, but away from the track they are gentle and adaptable dogs and are generally lazy couch potatoes, happy with a couple of short walks a day. We would encourage anyone thinking about having a dog to think about a retired greyhound.’

The Retired Greyhound Trust (RGT) is the national charity dedicated to finding homes for greyhounds at the end of their racing careers. Jenny Hebborn of the Oxford branch said: ‘We have no idea why greyhounds seem to be less popular as pets in this region, because they make loving companions and can live easily with children and other pets. We have quite a few greyhounds staying in kennels ready to move on to new homes, but sadly too few people are coming forward to take them.

‘Greyhounds do make excellent pets. Anyone interested can call me to book an appointment to meet some of our lovely greyhounds and talk to current owners.’

For more information on Oxford RGT visit www.retiredgreyhounds.co.uk or call Jenny Hebborn on 01865 374792.

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