Greyhounds, galgos and lurchers are PETS and amazing life companions!
This event – to which you are all warmly invited – is borne of the need to get the message out loud and clear that greyhounds, galgos and lurchers are not racers and hunters, i.e. money making machines to be got rid of by abandoning them or killing them when they are of no further use.
They make amazing pets, and are wonderful all round life companions. Contrary to popular belief they don’t need a lot of space but, like all dogs, they do need care and attention, a healthy lifestyle and a deep relationship with human beings. A relationship that should include walks and spending time together but also activities that allow them to express their intelligence and their potential, like mental stimulation games and mobility dog activities. They are docile, gentle and very intelligent dogs, and are also used in pet therapy and in projects with autistic and dyslexic children. In fact they are very good with children generally. Contrary to popular assumptions, they can often live with cats, as long as the introductions are handled correctly.
When Pet Levrieri was founded the word ‘pet’ was chosen on purpose. ‘Pet’ means a ‘domestic animal kept for company’ and that is exactly our objective. Not just getting them adopted.
We hope that in a not too distant future adoption programmes will no longer be necessary, because all the racing tracks in all countries (where racing exists) will have finally closed, racing for profits and hunting with sighthounds will have been declared illegal and criminal abuses will be punished everywhere.
We are working to build such a future alongside all the groups and rescues who fight on a European and international level in defence of galgos, lurchers and greyhounds in order to obtain laws that protect them, and then to get those laws applied.
To inform people with facts and figures about what happens to the greyhounds exploited in the racing industry and by hunters; to help those fighting for them in the front line in Ireland, Great Britain, Spain, USA and Argentina; to show people what wonderful pets greyhounds, galgos and lurchers make, and that they are absolutely born to be our family life companions: these are all the prime objectives of our work.
Irish rescues have great difficulty in rehoming greyhounds and lurchers in Ireland because they are considered hunting dogs. Coursing greyhounds are seen on TV chasing a small live hare, attacking it and sometimes killing it. People see greyhounds out walking, sometimes 4 greyhounds with a handler, and they are always muzzled in public places. So this gives the impression that they are dangerous dogs.
It’s even worse for lurchers, who are the most destitute dogs in Ireland. You cannot find a dog any lower on the social ladder that a gypsy’s dog. Actually lurchers are lovely dogs and they are usually very good with other dogs and children. They are also highly intelligent and are wonderful endurance dogs. They were known in old Gaelic as “the faithful hounds” – the Cu Dilish.
Things are not a lot different in Spain. Galgos are considered working dogs, hunting machines, not life companions.
This is why we would like everyone to become aware of who these splendid creatures really are: members of our families.
So please send us your photos with your greyhounds in moments of everyday life, having cuddles, at play… Put your dog’s name under the picture, whether he/she is a greyhound, a galgo or a lurcher and the year you adopted him or her. You can send us more than one photo, so go crazy!!!
We will publish them on our page and on the website, and we will share them with the groups we collaborate with in this struggle.
So our motto is…greyhounds, galgos and lurchers are PETS, and amazing life companions!
Everybody’s help will be much appreciated!
Tags: adopt galgos, adopt greyhound, adopt rescue dog, adopt rescue greyhound, adoption, adotta galgo, antiracing @en, pet levrieri, Pet levrieri @en