Retired racing greyhounds go back to work

MEDIA RELEASE
21 June 2011

Retired racing greyhounds go back to work

Retired racing greyhounds around New Zealand will be going back to work on Friday 24 June – international Take your dog to work day.

The dogs will be ‘working’ in many settings, including schools, bridal shop, building centre, car workshop, early learning centres, a speech therapy clinic, library, sports organisation and shops. But, as their owners will tell you, they are not the most energetic of breeds and are likely to be found asleep under the desk or nuzzling up to the nearest person to be patted.

Teacher Jane Speers has been taking her greyhound Bruno to work at Hawke’s Bay’s Flaxmere Primary School for the last six months and says he is the perfect ambassador for charity Greyhounds as Pets, which finds homes for retired greyhounds.

“Bruno always has a child hanging off him at school. He is so tolerant with all the attention. Even when he’s not on a lead, he just stays with his class.”

Greyhounds as Pets was established in 2006 by the greyhound racing industry to find pet homes for greyhounds no longer able to race. Since then, more than 600 dogs have found loving new homes.

Greyhounds make great family pets, do not need excessive daily walking, grooming or special diets. Greyhounds as Pets has an extensive dog matching system to find the right pet for the right home – whether it is with a family, working couple or retiree. Dogs available for adoption are listed on the website: www.greyhoundsaspets.org.nz.

Take your dog to work day started in 1996 in the UK to show what good companions dogs make and to encourage the adoption of dogs needing homes.

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