When a Greyhounds racing days are over
Many prospective greyhound owners and curious members of the public regularly ask us here at Great Mates about how each greyhound transitions from racing life to pet life. The truth is - it really depends on the hound! Some settle in immediately, while others take a little while longer to get comfortable and form connections with their owners. This was true for Heather Cunningham and her GAP adopted Donald, and as she explains, the wait was well worth it!
The track slips away beneath their flying feet or hooves, legs a blur in the final stretch as the finish line comes into sight.
Breeding and training have brought them to this point – the singular goal for an animal built for speed.
But one day it’s their final race and what then for those whom the winners’ circle beckons no more? For the lucky ones like Donald the greyhound, it’s Heather Cunningham’s couch.
The successful racer was born and competed in Australia before being brought to New Zealand. However a tumble in a race knocked the confidence a greyhound needs to be competitive and Donald’s racing days were done.
Heather and her greyhound, Donald (photo by Christel Yardley, Stuff)
Cunningham was semi-retiring and wanted a dog for company, so around three years ago she applied to adopt a greyhound.
“I have always had a thing for greyhounds because they look so elegant. They’re not particularly elegant, but they look it.
“I knew the breed, they are very laid back, very chilled, sleep all day, they're no problem, they don’t bark, they’re not aggressive.”
She applied through Greyhounds as Pets (GAP), an organisation which finds homes for retiring dogs. Cunningham asked for a trainable dog able to live with cats – an important consideration among dogs who have spent their careers being encouraged to chase a furry mechanical hare.
Donald on his very luxe bed in the boot (photo by Christel Yardley, Stuff)
Cunningham was introduced to Donald, a white and brindle greyhound, three months later
He had previously been homed with someone else, before their health reasons forced them to give him up.
Cunningham admits it wasn’t love at first sight, but she’s now besotted with the seven-year-old.
“He's perfect for me. He doesn’t need a lot of exercise, 15 minutes in the morning and at night and a good run once a week is really, really easy.”
Donald has some quirks, one being that he loves having a bed in the boot of the car, so when the hatchback is parked at home that is generally where he’s found.
Greyhounds are the dog equivalent of a thoroughbred horse, meaning each dog comes with a full pedigree detailing their lineage back generations.
This means a pedigree dog for a low cost, explains Cunningham.
“You get a purebred dog for $380. It’s desexed, it’s vet checked, it’s had its dental, it’s registered so for $380 you couldn’t buy a purebred for that kind of money.”
Built for speed, Donald weighs about 34kg and it’s not unusual for Cunningham to get remarks from people who think he’s too skinny. It’s just his breed, she says and while aware of criticism of the sport over animal welfare issues she’s happy with how the dogs are treated during their careers.
But not all dogs find a new owner and comfortable hatchback bed at the end of their racing lives.
Greyhound Racing NZ’s 2019 annual report showed 293 dogs were euthanised that year due to the industry being unable to rehome them, while a further 54 were euthanised at the track due to racing injuries.
The 2020 report showed 34 dogs were euthanised at tracks and 165 put down for undisclosed reasons.
But rehoming rates now outnumber euthanising, with the ratio continuing to improve.
Greyhounds as Pets points to a record year for adoptions in 2020, having found 368 dogs a new home, up from 280 in 2019.
Marketing and communication coordinator, Daniel Bohan, said they are a nationwide programme and while independent of greyhound racing, they do work alongside the industry.
He describes greyhounds as “canine unicorns”, something different from other dogs.
“They have a number of qualities that are quite unique and quite special. It’s not unusual for people to meet a greyhound at an event or walk down the street and just be bedazzled by them.”
Greyhounds experience a different upbringing to most dogs, living as a family unit until they’re about 12 months old. It means people tend to get an older dog, although one with a life expectancy of 14 to 16 years.
“Greyhounds are around three to five years old when they’re adopted, but all they know is the racing life, they haven't been exposed to the world at all,” said Bohan.
“When I brought my greyhound home, he turned four about a week later, and in all other aspects he was a puppy because he was discovering the world for the first time. He was just able to cope with it in a more mature way.”
Article written by Jo Lines-MacKenzie, Stuff.co.nz
January 21, 2021