As East Maitland expectant parents Lauren and James Le Mesurier browsed animal rescue service websites, the dog that would complete their young family was plodding across the finishing line at a greyhound track in the final days of a mediocre racing career.
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The dog had costs thousands of dollars to buy, rear and train and her trainer had finally thrown in the towel on her racing career and enlisted Greyhound Rescue NSW to rehome her.
Sitting at home, the Le Mesuriers were visiting the Greyhound Rescue NSW website after its adoption service was suggested by a vet-nurse friend.
The first step was to foster a greyhound for a night to see if the rumours about their low maintenance and easy-going disposition were true.
They settled on Derek, a large but malnourished greyhound.
“He was so lonely and needed someone to take him in, but with our rescue cat and a baby, he seemed a little too much for us at the time,” Mrs Le Mesurier said.
After they returned to the service the couple fell in love with a washed-up former racer – Lilah.
“She was in pretty bad shape when we got her, she was so thin,” Mrs Le Mesurier said.
However, Lilah quickly made herself at home with the East Maitland family.
She exhibited no interest in chasing the rescue cat or in barrelling over the new baby, Sidney.
“She was so gentle and happy to just sit on the lounge with us,” Mr Le Mesurier said.
The Le Mesuriers put Lilah through the official Greenhound program so she could be cleared for life without a muzzle.
They now hope she can serve as an ambassador for the rehabilitation of greyhounds and inspire would-be adoptees to consider the much-maligned breed.
“We were never fans of the racing and we were hesitant at first due to the reputation of the breed as vicious – but nothing could be further from the truth,” Mrs Le Mesurier said.
“Lilah is a diva and a beautiful soul and we sieze every opportunity to get her out into the community to show others how good life with a greyhound can be.”
