Consistently, predictably, dependably, unwaveringly ERRATIC

So the Big Red Greyhound did not prove cat-friendly upon further assessment and he's probably be better with another confident dog in the house anyway.

We didn't make it to the GAP adoption day nearby but they didn't have any cat-friendlies that day. We might have gone just for cuddles but Mum has been helping Roz with a huge clear-out project and they were coming up the deadline to the council clean-up pick-up.

There was another GAP adoption day the next weekend at a different location an hour away and a possible boy there but it was pouring rain and Mum wasn't comfortable driving up the freeway in that. He was adopted quicky - and so were the two cat-friendly puppies! A 4-month-old boy, blind in one eye, and an 8-month-old boy with growth plate issues in his front legs. We cooed over their photos - all legs and nose, absolutely adorable - but we were resolute. Not a puppy. Greyhound puppies are just as insane as any other breed.

I was deeply disappointed not to at least get some cuddles - I have't even seen a greyhound since Miss Shadow died - but we talked to Tina again last week and she picked up a cat-friendly girl on Sunday and we're going to visit her at her foster home tomorrow. I have a dentist appointment and said foster home is about two minutes away. Hound is young and unraced and very affectionate, so we'll see. I was leaning towards a boy but this girl looks nothing like Miss Shadow, which helps. I do like the big, rangy boys but Mum feels our new place is just too small for a bigger hound.

Very greyhound! First Christmas with ours, they just stared at us like we were nuts but the lure of the living room rug was too great so they settled down, watched closely until our actions were deemed weird but harmless then they napped. As greyhounds do.

( Money woes  )

It was stinking hot today, my sinuses are giving me hell and I'm blowing my nose much I look like I've been weeping.

Not a great day. And my GR just took over a dozen new greyhounds, they are crammed full and there are so many more they can't take. Trainers are shedding dogs after the live-baiting scandals - but they love their dogs, right? I desperately want another one but we can't even afford to foster a third right now. *sigh*

Here's a happy thing. I know the person who adopted this adorable boy after he'd been waiting for months, shipped around to different RSPCAs trying to find him a home. He has a lovely home now with a greyhound sister.

I continue to feel like hell and decided not to go at Nephew #2's birthday party on Saturday due to a vicious headache (I would have been willing to put in a brief appearance but Mum wanted to stay longer, so she went by herself.) It's supposed to cool down somewhat tomorrow which I'm looking forward to! But however lousy I may feel on Thursday, I am determined to make into the city for a couple of hours to attend an anti-greyhound racing rally, Gone Are The Dogs.

When I adopted Miss Shadow I was ambivalent about greyhound racing; I didn't know much about it. Obviously there were some lousy owners who dumped their dogs but given all the dogs of other breeds that wind up in pounds, those owners were hardly unique. Now that I know more about the 'sport', the racing industry in NSW and Australia and worldwide, and the ghastly abuse of so many of these gentle, trusting dogs, I am adamantly anti-racing.

Some information from Gone Are the Dogs:

•Over the last 10 years there have been approximately 90 000 greyhounds born in NSW. In 2013 there were only 2550 greyhounds registered as companion animals. Approximately 6100 were registered as racing greyhounds. This means that over 80 000 greyhounds are GONE.

These figures DO NOT include litters disposed of from accidental matings or puppies unsuitable for racing. These numbers are simply unknown. Greyhounds are usually disposed of because they won’t chase, they are too slow or as a result of injuries.

•Greyhound Freedom collect death and injury statistics from Australian tracks and have compiled the information below. Keep in mind GRNSW only have stewards reports available from 14 of the 34 tracks and GRNSW have stopped reporting deaths on the tracks. WA do not record deaths and SA do not record injury types. This means the number of deaths and injuries is considerable higher.

From Jan 2012 - Sept 2013 :
•321 greyhounds died at the track as a result of injuries from racing.
•An additional 532 greyhounds suffered broken bones at a track from racing. Most of these will have been put to sleep at the track or days later.
•The number one injury that resulted in the death of a greyhound from racing is a broken hock. Greyhounds also die from heart attacks, spinal injuries, head traumas, pulmonary oedemas and reasons ‘unknown’.
•There were 32 073 injury events.

A recent article from the Sydney Morning Herald : Large numbers of dead greyhounds are being donated for veterinary teaching - a practice that reveals many healthy ex-racing dogs are put down because they suffer from ''slow runners or non-chasers disease''.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/destruction-of-greyhounds-distresses-vet-students-20140201-31tvt.html#ixzz2sGXHm2GI

More information from Gone Are the Dogs Facebook page

Greyhound Action Australasia

Saving Wilma - slow, broken, old, Greyhound Racing's dirty little secrets talks about the recovery of a traumatised New Zealand greyhound with information on NZ and Australian action. At the moment her owner is also taking about galgos (Spanish Greyhounds) for World Galgo Day (which was February 1). Be warned there are so some very distressing images on the galgo website and on Wilma's page right now. (The worst - BE WARNED - is the photo of two hanged galgos and the sadistic fuckhead owners grinning at the camera, giving a thumbs-up.) The plight of the galgos is horrific and there is very little animal welfare culture in Spain to help them. Dumped and abused galgos are more likely to be seen as vermin than as animals in need of help. GRIN (Galgo Rescue International Network) has some shocking photos and articles but also some happy rescues to share.

We may not hang greyhounds to death here but they're legally killed by bolt gun in the UK, shot, dumped, have their ears cut off to prevent tattoo ID, turn up at the pound with every rib showing, drugged to win then left to deal with withdrawal ...

Miss Shadow and Mr Nosey got lucky. Miss Shadow never even made it to the track but was surrendered for adoption along with one of her brothers. We looked up her litter - out of eight pups only three made it to the track at all. One of them only raced once, I believe. Mr Nosey raced ten times with three thirds, no wins and got out with no apparent injuries before his fourth birthday. His sire has fathered hundreds of litters. These two are very much in the minority. I'm so glad they're here - but where are all the rest?

To sign up for the rally - http://www.gonearethedogs.com/rally-information/
To sing a pledge of support - http://www.gonearethedogs.com/pledge-support/
To donate - http://www.gonearethedogs.com/donate/
To change you Facebook or Twitter profile to advertise the rally - http://www.gonearethedogs.com/help/