London, Paris, New York... coming to a city near you? Plus our competition!
At the beginning of the month I highlighted three lonely boys. I'm sorry to say Freddie is still waiting for his chance to become someone's forever dog.He's had quite a few disappointments in the past, but he's ever the optimist - like most dogs.
He needs an urban home (away from sheep) and no cats. He gets on fine with other dogs - but best if they're not too small and cat like! Neutered, civilised apart from his sheep obsession. About 4 or 5 years old.
If you think you and Freddie could be made for each other, please call Anne on 01341 241238. He is in Wales at the moment - but he really could do with moving to somewhere else where sheep are less of a temptation, so please don't be put off by his current geography. Freddie should not be a difficult dog to home as he his affectionate and good in the car, but as he needs to relocate that is the tricky part of this particular rehoming.
Another factor is that Anne at Home-a-Dog is obviously poorly as she has terminal cancer. At her request we ran a successful appeal to find someone to take over her vital work with death row dogs a little while ago. The wonderful Demelda takes over Home-a-dog on May 1st, but I do think it would be a tremendous morale boost if Anne could see Freddie finally settled as he isn't enjoying kennels and would really thrive in a home. His previous attempts at happiness have all come to nothing - through no fault of his own.
So does anyone have an urban fireside with a little empty space next to it? Anne thinks Freddie could even suit someone living in a flat.
Please post this one far and wide. Let's put a smile on Anne's face and find Freddie his dream home.
I didn't want Freddie getting overlooked - so I've taken the odd decision to also include our regular competitions on this same blog!
Caption competition:
HURRY - ENTRIES CLOSING SOON!
First prize a comfy square Rosewood sleeper bed in chocolate brown Faux leather and five runners up get a soft comfort squeaky toy called a Dishy Dog Banger from the Chubleez collection.
Email your captions to: comps@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk
And please, don't forget Freddie... !
STOP PRESS:
And I thought I'd share a really upbeat story about Staffies...
Comments
It is shameful, that the Emma's diatribe was allowed to be printed in this way. What evidence has she that greyhounds 'attack' other dogs? I know scores of greyhounds and have 3 of my own. Pretty much without exception they are the gentlest, most patient dogs I've ever known. In fact, when out for a walk, there are plenty of dogs I watch out for for fear they will attack my gentle greys - not the other way round!
Those of us interested in animal welfare, which your writer obviously isn't, have been working very hard for a long time to raise the profile of the plight of these beautiful, patient, loving and gentle creatures, and in one swift and stupid article, you have undermined so much hard work.
If Emma has any 'evidence' to support her ridiculous claims, I suggest you publish it. If not, I suggest you apologise for libelling this beautiful breed.
I've already responded to you directly by email.
I must say I was very surprised, too when I saw Emma’s column.
I've already asked if we can print your email in postbag. I am expecting plenty more! I’d write in too if it wasn’t my own magazine.
I’m hoping we can all educate Emma into another point of view on Greyhounds, I have to say I didn’t expect her to hold such odd views on this subject. She’s been writing for us for years and this is the first time we’ve seen even a hint of these extreme views.
For the last 18 years we’ve never said anything that wasn’t supportive of greyhounds and rehoming them, so Emma’s latest column came as a huge shock to us, too.
Best wishes
Beverley
But can I just pick up on your comment that you were surprised when you saw the column. Surely as editor of the magazine you have the final say so on what is published in it?
I suspect she had just a dreadful day at work and wrote what she felt at the time. It is always very distressing when dogs fight badly and one is ultimately killed, but you can't write off an entire breed because of one incident.
I plan what goes in the magazine, what goes where and choose any new features, but people who write regular columns don't usually tell me what they are writing about in advance. And I have to say I normally agree with Emma, so I'm surprised to be in this situation. I've had other columnists in the past that slipped into breedism, actually another vet, but this time it was making generalisations about Akita owners that caused offence.
I try to read every page before we go to press but last month was also Vat return time so I confined my reading to anything more usually contentious or potentially libelous.
I do remember one of my team saying she thought we'd get letters about Emma's column, just as we did a couple before where she came out strongly against feeding the raw meaty bone diet. But having a strong opinion about diet is one thing, advocating genocide for a whole breed is quite another!
If I'd read it before we went to press I'd have pulled it - or at least put something next to it to balance it out.
I regret putting Vat before content. Sometimes we juggle and we drop the ball. This is one of those occasions.
I will be running lots of letters on this subject in next month's mag and instructing my team to let me know if anyone else starts advocating euthanasing any other sectors of our canine population well in advance of press day!
Sorry for any offence caused.
We've just held our 40th Greyhound Walk in an area we've not been to before, we promoted it and got newspaper coverage to bring together pet greyhound owners and raise the profile of greyhounds as pets to the public. We had a huge turnout of including some potential owners and hope that we may, though our walk, have found homes for some of the hundreds of greyhounds waiting for homes in Essex & Suffolk.
For every walk we do our volunteers and rehoming kennels put in a huge amount of time and effort to make them happen and yet this can be so easily swept away by a loose comment from a 'professional'.
Perhaps Dogs Today and Emma would like to come with us on one of our future walks and really learn what pet greyhounds are like?
Janet Peacock
www.greyhoundwalks.org.uk
I have three greyhounds, covered in scars, pretty toothless, but patient, playful with other dogs, gentle and loving as I suspect I could never be if I had been treated like they were.
The problem is so horrific and so big that most people will not believe it: my husband is a vet and his professional magazines often carry harrowing articles relating the dreadful treatment meted out to these animals.
One of the many touching things about the greyhound's personality is his ability to forgive. It is something I shall find hard to do vis-a-vis your magazine.
Shame on you and shame on Dogs Today.
i feel that including e.mails and letters within your post bag is really not enough an dthat Ms Milne needs to publicly apologise for allowing her trauma and emotion to overshadow the article and that as a magazine you need to do much more for thsi breed thatn a few letters in the post bag.
You really need to show the true nature of these wonderful dogs with letters and photographs from owners and rescues. Plus an article about rehoming a greyhound; maybe a day in the life.
The damage could be massive. I had more faith in Dogs Today and its good, interesting, informative articles.
Can you not stop this getting onto the shelves?
I am glad that Dogs Today are disowning it (although it begs the question regarding who allowed it to go to print in the first place?....)
Emma's comments are so inaccurate as to be laughable ....
She freely admits she has only been personally involved in one such instance. How can this article therefore constitute a balanced and accurate portrayal of a breed that she freely admits she has no experience of, having only being involved in ONE instance of fatal aggression. Has she involved herself with sighthounds, and learned about the breed through practical interaction and long-term association? ..... NO.
"Over the years I have heard of Greyhounds and Lurchers that have killed squirrels, rabbits, cats and small dogs"
Since when do dogs (ANY dog) rationalise which species is appropriate to chase - and which is not ...... ? We, as responsible owners need to socialise those dogs that could be regarded as keen. We are able to rationalise and correct anti-social behaviours, the dogs are not - therefore the onus is entirely on the owner!!!!
"I am sure that there are thousands of greyhounds that have been rehomed successfully and I am by no means suggesting that they are all bad, but do the good justify the actions of the bad?"
JUSTIFY WHAT?! How can anyone justify if a breed is "good" or "bad" by simply weighing up the "actions" of the majority vs the minority. Such a sweeping statement simply should not have been put into print. It makes no logical sense!!? .....
"Is is morally acceptable to breed a dog with this purpose in mind? ......."
Is it morally acceptable to breed any dog whose physical appearance causes it health problems ....?
Bulldogs = breathing problems
Bloodhounds = eye problems
Shar Pei = skin problems
GSD's = hip dysplasia ......... the list is endless ........
Is is morally acceptable to enhance any characteristics that may be useful in some instances - yet be problematic in the hands of an irresponsible owner?
Guarding instinct (possible aggression)
Herding instinct (problems associated with livestock)
Ratting instinct
Chasing instinct
MAN enhanced all the above physical and mental characteristics into MANY breeds. Therefore MANY breeds can cause problems in the WRONG hands. It is RIDICULOUS to VICTIMISE sighhounds based on ONE (sadly fatal) experience - and thus jepordise the future of many, many dogs whose fate relies on the CORRECT education of the general public!!!!!
"If we cannot justify the euthanasia of ALL racing greyhounds on the off-chance that they will kill someones pet or livestock at the end of their racing life, then the logical conclusion is that we should not be breeding or racing greyhounds at all"
Never in my life have I read something so "scare-mongering". Her views can only be described as "pro-genocide". Suggesting total extermination of a breed is harking back to the dark ages.
Statements like this are going to cost many greyhounds the chance of being rehomed into sensible, caring homes. She has done more damage with her ill-thought-out and ill-conceived article than anything else I have ever read.
RIP to all those greyhounds that will never find a home thanks to Emma Milne's irrational paranoia!
I can only echo the views of other greyhound owners. I am appalled that Emma Milne has been allowed to air her offensive views in a 2-page spread in your magazine. Her rant about greyhounds is based on a single, sad incident. She has abused her position as a regular columnist in your magazine to parade her ill-informed views to a large number of people. I dread to think of the damage this will do to the reputation of this breed. Has she never heard of "Deed not Breed"?
Can we please expect her to retract this article in your next issue? I fear you will lose a great number of loyal subscribers by allowing her views to remain unchecked. I hope you never allow this to happen again.
Like other owners of one of the gentlest breeds known, I'm astounded that a vet who is suppose to be concerned about animal welfare can by means of a ill thought out article totally condemn a whole breed.
I can understand that she's upset at seeing another dog killed; I would be too.
I would very much doubt that greyhound are the biggest killers of the dog world, but if Emma has proof of this I would be interested in seeing it, otherwise I feel that her article is pure tabloid scare mongering.
I don’t see that it presents a coherent argument against racing, it just attacks the rehoming of them after their career has finished or as in the case of many, before as so many are rejected before they even make it on to the track.
I agree with her call for the banning of racing, but I’m afraid the article comes over as an attack on the breed, not the so-called sport.
I wonder how many greyhounds will now be killed, due to this ill conceived vent.
Recently adopting a 5 year old ex-racer myself I speak from experience when I say that this gentle, trusting creature that entered our home and befriended our lurcher and JR terrier without any problems, integrating with them smoothly and easily.
Many more stories such as mine can be told across the country and an already difficult situation for greyhounds and the volunteers has just been made even harder.
I am not surprised that she sees greyhounds in a poor light. The recent article in the Sunday times inferred that the Royal Veterinary College considers it acceptable to pay for the carcasses of greyhounds for veterinary students to use. I am sure they make wonderful studies for anatomy for veterinary students and they have to learn on something, why not an18 month old greyhound thats a bit slow.
There was a report that a veterinary centre charged the greyhounds owner £30 for destroying it (just surplus to requirements-a bit slow-the odd soft tissue injury making it useless for racing)they then sold the body to a local veterinary college for £10 BINGO so even in death these fabulous creatures are jolly good moneymakers.
Many people don't bother to have the greyhounds put down properly-costs too much you see, so they just cut its ears off so people can't identify them by their tatoos and leave them somewhere remote to bleed to death.
I do feel extremely sorry for the elderly woman who lost her pet and there is no excuse for not muzzling any dog which is capable and willing to kill other people's pets.
I suspect that there will be many people who work tirelessly to assist in the rehoming and rescue of these beautiful,abused creatures who probably won't but this magazine again.
Such a shame that one incident is blown out of proportion, it is never the dog, just the bad owner!
gina and mick
Genetics is a funny thing. Here we are, the human race, busily breeding dogs for various purposes but often it just doesn't go according to plan. There are untold numbers of greyhounds that don't make it to the tracks because they literally have no chase instinct and will not pursue a small furry creature. Most are killed off. Does Emma Know this? We are lucky enough to have one such dog, rescued from a greyhound puppy farm in Wales, and then placed in Battersea where he stayed for a year. He was so traumatised by the cruel treatment he had received that he could not cope with being in contact with people (he would run into a corner and shake uncontrollably). His one joy in life? He loved the company of all other dogs and was frequently used by Battersea as a companion for many other breeds. He is still besotted with other dogs and wants to befriend every other dog we meet. Does this prove that all greyhounds are fantastic with other breeds? Of course not! That would be as irrational as Emma's ill thought out response. On the subject of dog attacks, my daughters greyhound was attacked and bitten by huskies which had also attacked other dogs but these incidents didn't have the full weight of a respected publication behind them condemning all huskies.
I agree with other writers. It is not enough just to print letters. Your magazine should counteract the damage this article has done with another article. Greyhounds suffer dreadfully because of the indiscriminate breeding for racing and it magazines like yours have a voice that can and should help their plight. I sincerely hope that is your intention.
Have just been alerted to a recent article written by Emma Milne regarding her appalling, ill-educated, breedist attack on greyhounds. How on earth can such an 'educated' person write such a bias, obviously personal, view on such a gentle, beautiful breed of dog.
Advocating that all retired greyhounds should be euthanased after their last race is a disgraceful, biased opinion that will have damaging affects to the future of greys that really do deserve a second chance of a happy home life.
I rescued a greyhound 7 years ago. Fresh off the track, he had previously raced both in Ireland and at Oxford stadium, his racing name was Penn Neddy. He adapted quickly to home life and integrated easily with our existing dogs, a lurcher and collie cross. With careful handling he soon learnt that there were other breeds of dogs out there, big and small, and after a period of time I trusted him implicitly off lead, without his muzzle. (I can only assume the two greys in question were not handled and properly introduced in the same manner).
Ned was attacked the first month I had him when he was on lead, by a much smaller, off lead border terrier!! He was terrified. It took alot of months of careful handling to get him to trust 'smalls' after that. So they too can be victims of attack!
As far as small furries are concerned, I breed and show rex guinea pigs - so Ned had alot of new experiences to handle when he came to us. After his initial curiosity he soon realised they were part of his new family and soon accepted them as such. He even tip toed into the shed on a regular basis. I have some girls running 'free range' on the shed floor and when it was feed time Ned would join me in a hope that he too may get a tasty treat of carrot!! Unfortunately I don't have a photograph of this, nor will I have the opportunity to take one as I lost my darling Ned last June to cancer and sadly he had to be PTS.
I hope these personal experiences will help expel some of those slanderous tales of murderous sighthounds killing anything that moves. (ps. my lurcher is afraid of cats as he was attacked by a vicious tom across the street from us!)
Please keep up the good work all you greyhound rescue centres out there. I, for one can vouch that greyhounds are the gentleless, most loyal, affectionate breed that I have ever owned and I hope that I will one day have the good fortune to own another.
I hope the magazine will have the good sense to counteract this scathing attack with some tales from the other side of the track!
Many thanks for hearing me out.
Yours faithfully, a greyhound lover through and through.
Donna.
I'm 12 and I once had the most gentle and kind Greyhound there ever was.The greyhounds that attacked the other dog was probably not introduced to other dogs before.My greyhound was called Ned and when we first got him 7 years a go he had to be muzzled and on a lead.But soon he came to realise that there are more breads out there, small and big and he was no trouble to walk near other dogs, he just wanted to play with them.
He was very soppy and kind and just wanted love and care.But sadley we lost him in the summer due to cancer in his shoulder, sadly he had to be put to sleep.
Greyhounds would never hurt a soul if they get trained in the right way.
I hope that greyhounds never get put to sleep after their racing years are over.
From Sam. (Donna's son)
Thought you may like the opinion of a child.
I am amazed this badly written and ignorant article by Emma Milne was allowed to be published. Additionally, her "putting the record straight" comments on her own website made matters considerably worse. I have always enjoyed Dogs Today but will not be buying the magazine anymore. Shame on you.
I'm not sure if you've read the later blogs and the comments but we're doing all we can to negate Emma's article and have apologised at length. The next issue is going to be an excellent one if you love Greyhounds and it will be a shame if you don't see it.
Best wishes
Beverley