By Cam Lucadou-Wells
The buy of pets has fallen out of trend after a increase throughout Covid lockdowns.
The scarcity of latest pet homeowners has now reached a “crisis point”, in keeping with Olinda-based rescue group Amazing Greys.
The charity is struggling to search out foster houses or everlasting houses for about 100 ex-racing and rescue greyhounds a 12 months.
With staff returning to the workplace or travelling overseas since lockdowns, a rising variety of pets are being returned or deserted.
“It was a bit fashionable to have greyhounds for a while,” Amazing Greys founder Martina says.
“But the adoption queries have considerably slowed down now. They have reached a saturation level.
“It’s reached a crisis that is affecting a lot of other breeds. There’s a high abandonment rate for cats and dogs.”
Like many charities, Amazing Greys can also be battling dwindling donations and volunteer burnout.
Since 2011, its volunteers have rehabilitated greyhounds which were surrendered by trainers and breeders.
It all began after Martina was first besotted by her good friend’s mom’s greyhound – “the most beautiful dog I’d ever seen”.
This led her to adopting her first as a pet.
“I might both undertake from the greyhound adoption business or one other organisation funded by the greyhound business.
“I wanted something independent and not affiliated with racing.”
And so she began Amazing Greys.
“We’ve got great relationships with breeders and trainers but no funding from the racing industry. We rely on donations and volunteers to do the work.”
In the previous decade, the widespread view on greyhounds had modified from an “aggressive” breed to a “gentle”, “chilled out” pet, Martina says.
“They’re bred for pace, so they have an inclination to expend all of their power rapidly and in a single go.
“They like to have a comfortable life on the couch.”
Martina reckons that the majority surrendered greyhounds are slightly below a wholesome weight.
And that greyhound welfare within the racing business has not a lot improved regardless of some initiatives.
“The canine ought to have enrichment and never simply seen as a racer.
“There should be thought about what happens when they get off the track.”
With so many dogs needing houses, Martina says there also needs to be breeding caps.
She says there was a increase in greyhound breeding as a result of racing being allowed to proceed throughout Covid as an “essential industry”.
At Amazing Greys, the canines are cared for in a foster home till a everlasting home has been discovered.
During that section, they’re de-sexed, vaccinated, given dental cleansing and if essential, remedy for damaged bones or muscular accidents.
Their temperaments and desires are assessed to assist match them to their adopted households – akin to these which might be good with youngsters, different greyhounds or cats.
Martina says half of the foster households find yourself adopting the dogs completely.
For adoption households, there’s a three-week trial interval.
To enquire about volunteering or adopting, electronic mail [email protected]
