Greyhound rescue services are calling on residents of Maitland to adopt or foster a greyhound as the controversy engulfing the racing industry compels trainers to surrender their dogs.
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Greyhound Rescue NSW was already at capacity before the ABC Four Corners investigation became a catalyst for trainers to surrender dogs they may have otherwise kept.
Volunteer Nora Anderson-Dieppe said there had been a dramatic increase in the number of trainers who contacted the service to rehome dogs before they resorted to euthanasia.
“We’re bracing for a further increase, but we’re glad the awareness has risen,” Mrs Anderson-Dieppe said.
The rescue service began in 2009 and was outfitted to rehome only 10 greyhounds in a year.
However, that number ballooned, with 250 dogs cycling through the kennels last year alone.
“Generally the dogs we get are from trainers giving us an ultimatum – take the dog or it gets euthanased – and we’ve simply got nowhere to house them,” she said.
Greyhound Racing NSW’s official adoption program, Greyhounds as Pets, has rehomed numerous greyhounds in the Maitland area.
GAP operations manager Lori McKern said since the Four Corners program there had not been a noticeable increase in the number of dogs entering the program, but there had been an increase in the number of dogs being adopted.
She said there were two categories of trainers.
Those willing to fulfil the fairly stringent criteria for a greyhound to pass through the GAP program and those who simply dumped unwanted dogs on adoption services such as Greyhound Rescue NSW.
“We’ve been pushing for a more proactive program that involves registering dogs while they’re still racing and housing them until a vacancy in the program becomes available,” Ms McKern said.
“Anyone who rehomes a greyhound is doing something honourable, but the unfortunate side effect is that irresponsible trainers will use other adoption services as an easy way out.”
Greyhound Rescue NSW has called for donations to expand their facilities to cope with the influx of dogs, as well as for people to adopt greyhounds as pets.
Ms McKern said that the recent events would be positive for greyhound racing in the long term.
“There is no room in Greyhound Racing NSW for trainers who engage in abusive behaviour and we’re pleased to see that more and more trainers are embracing practices that will be better for the wellbeing of the dogs,” she said.
Visit http://greyhoundrescue.com.au.