DOG RESCUE, DUBLIN, Eire…

...the Greyhounds In Need connection.

By Founder and Organiser, Bernie Wright.

I have just put the kennel lights off, with the exception of a red heat lamp in the corner. The big black bundle on the pink blanket basking in the heat is Jack. We met just last week when I collected him with Flynn from a rural dog pound. Being optimistic, I felt the worst was behind both of them, I had them now, at least they were safe from the 'needle', the fated end that befalls the majority of ex-racers in Ireland.

Life seems to frequently remind us that nothing is simple, yet again this was the case.

A prominent lump on Jacks right shoulder left me with a sinking feeling, you know the one that won't go away. I had dreaded hearing 'Lets get him to surgery' as it reminded me of another dog that I had rescued and subsequently lost some time before. Molly had been terminally ill when I had bought her from the pound. Sadly her days were numbered. A few weeks of love and comfort were all I could offer her. At least she'd escaped from the cold noisy dog pound where she was surrendered and callously left to die by the family she had trusted.

Thankfully, Jack's luck held out, the lump was a bone infection and not malignant. The operation last night left him stiff and sore but a few weeks rest should have him fit and ready for his new life ahead. This brings me back to what I should really be writing about here, the last six dogs like Jack that I helped along the way. This is where GIN and Anne Finch came to my rescue.

For my part, over the past few years I have concentrated my efforts on saving Greyhounds. To get them homes I had no choice but to send them abroad, mainly to the USA. Contrary to the negative attitude that prevails here in Ireland towards these gentle dogs, the Americans understandably love them. I sometimes travel with the rescues to the States or ship them by cargo to rescue groups in Boston and New York. Once there, the dogs find caring families to adopt them, a long drawn out costly process but a positive one.

I send about 20 -25 Greyhounds a year to the States. They go, usually in lots of four or five as I gather them. This is about my limit as I work alone and survive on proceeds from Junk sales and sparse donations. America too has its own unwanted greyhound problem, so sometimes there are no spaces there for my 'Irish dogs' (I really need to keep the dogs moving as I have to free up the kennel spaces for the next ones waiting, I rescue all sorts of dogs).

Anne of GIN on hearing I had no outlet for the latest 6 dogs generously stepped in to help…

So we had Walter, my favourite, so named after Walter Matthau, a cheerful young 12-year-old geriatric who loved to play. Kelsey was found straying by an old lady in Dublin City, a shy brindle lurcher pup that would put the March hare to shame. The others, both Dog Pound rescues, had to stay at the Vets, having been spayed, due to my kennels being full. Suitably named China and Pepper. Both were two years old and sisters as it turned out. Named by Gina in Paws, she helped by collecting them on the day of departure. Paws themselves also had a big lady called Diana, She had been dumped at their Sanctuary gate and also deserved the chance of a home. I had already sent Pepsi, a beautiful brindle Greyhound girl over to Anne in advance of these, a few days before. The news that Anne had organized spaces for my latest group was music to my ears. They were off to Bell Mead kennels in Old Windsor (01784 432929), the country annexe of Battersea Dogs Home in London, a step further on the road to their new brighter futures. As I write this, China, Pepper, Diana and Pepsi (who is now Megan) are settling in with their new families. The families, two Siamese cats, are bossing Pepsi around. Sucking shoes and shredding paper are her latest pastimes, so it appears, life is good for this ex-racer. I hear now that Kelsey and Walter have been adopted too which is all of them! But four more are coming over to you! - to Doreen's-a 4-month old greyhound pup, a brother and sister, and a blue male!

From Bernie and the dogs…thank you ANNE

*If anyone can help me with Jack and Flynn and 4 other greyhounds I would love to hear from you. My phone number is 00-353-1-8642968. Email berniew@esatclear.ie

Dog Rescue is a Registered Charity no. 13313, C/o P.O.Box 4734, Dublin 1. Ireland. Donations welcome.