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George's Story

I am a retired racing greyhound from Ireland. I started racing in England just before my second birthday and was retired at the age of four and a half. I did quite well, although my career was plagued with injuries so even at my peak I was only able to race once every three to four weeks.

On my retirement I was moved away from my trainer with another dog to different kennels. I was here for nearly eight months before I was moved again, but this time to a home with a new family. I was very happy about this because I have always loved people and am naturally a very friendly fellow. This tends to put some people off, because they don't like six stone of greyhound trying to get onto their lap. I can't imagine why.

Anyway, at my new home the people soon discovered I had a few phobias which they thought were a little unusual. Personally I think it is perfectly reasonable to be afraid of things in the sky such as aeroplanes, hot air balloons, clouds and the moon, after all you never know what might happen. Being a pretty laid back chap I was quite happy to lay about for most of the time with the odd mad burst of enthusiasm around their flat. They however had other ideas, and often tried to take me out when there were scary things in the sky. Still we got on well, and I liked it there a lot.

The most fascinating thing however was a strange smell and noise, which sometimes came from the bedroom. The door was always shut and I was never allowed in there. One day when everyone was out I was looking around and discovered the bedroom door had been left open. Well I had to go in for a quick look and I discovered a cage with a small moving animal in it. When I jumped up for a closer look the cage fell off the table and frightened me so I ran back to my bed and waited until my owners came home. When they did and went into the bedroom they became very cross and shouted at me about hurting their animal, which I found out was called a rat. I didn't mean to do any harm, but they didn't understand and took me outside and tied me to some railings.

This wasn't as bad as it sounds because lots of people kept walking past and some of them made a fuss of me. Eventually a man came and put me in his car to take me back to kennels. I was taken to different kennels as the ones I had been in before had been closed down. These new kennels were much nicer and there was a grassy paddock to run around in, and everyone made a fuss of me. I impressed them all with the tricks I had been taught and every now and then someone came to walk me and give me a Mars bar.

Over the next six months I went to two other homes but they didn't last very long because people said I was too exuberant and big. I never minded coming back to kennels though because as long as there was someone willing to make a fuss of me I was happy.

© Travelling Light Photography

One hot day in the middle of the summer one of the kennel staff came to get me because I had a visitor. I was very excited because you never knew who might have a Mars bar. I bounded right up to this lady and immediately did my best trick; I leant against her and lifted my front leg in the air so she could rub my belly. She made a big fuss of me (although she didn't seem to have any chocolate) and then took me off to her car. I was quite happy to jump into the back and then we went on a long drive so I had a lot of time to look at her with my head resting over the back seat. She had a friend with her and we went back to her house where I was given a drink and taken out for a walk. While we were walking in some lovely fields her friend appeared in the distance with two more greyhounds. I was very happy and excited at the prospect of two new friends to play with and we all walked together for a long time. The best bit was seeing these other dogs all running around free, and that there were lots of lovely streams for us all to lie in when we got hot.

Eventually we went home and I was put in a large comfortable kennel in the garden and the other woman who had come to collect me from kennels went away. She said she had another dog to look after but she would come back and see me tomorrow, so I followed her to the gate and tried to look sad and skinny so maybe she would remember to bring me a Mars bar.

I found out that the woman who was looking after me was called Alyson and she was to be my foster mum. I didn't really know what this meant, but when she went into the house with her two dogs leaving me in the kennel I felt really lonely. For that whole first night I howled and howled, and that was the only time I slept in the kennel, after that I slept on the sofa inside.

The next day the other woman came back and made a huge fuss of me again and this time she had bought treats. I was really happy to see her and after a while she went back inside and let her own dog out to meet me. Well, although she couldn't have known it at the time, I recognised him immediately. His name was Jack and we had been with the same trainer, raced together for two years, and retired at the same time. Jack recognised me too and we immediately started racing round and round the garden barking at each other. My foster mum and Jack's mum seemed pretty amazed as they had been standing around holding the hose for some reason.

Anyway after that we went off for more long walks through various wonderful woods and fields and pretty soon even I was allowed off the lead. After two days with my foster mum I started going round to Jack's house and staying there instead. I didn't mind at all as long as there were soft places to lay and lots of food. Actually I liked being with Jack because it was just like the old days when we were kennel mates. Even though I am a bit older than him, I am still much faster when we run off the lead. Jack of course would never admit this so sometimes when we are running he will stop and pretend he wasn't really trying, but we all know the truth.

Muddy water? Yummy!

Jack and I do have a lot in common though. We both love water, and regardless of the weather if the opportunity arises we both like to lay down in streams or ponds. Sometimes if neither of these is available then we will lie in either a puddle or just a bit of mud. The funniest bit is watching mum leaping about at the edge trying to entice us out. We both like chasing each other, especially through long grass so we can stalk and pounce. I also like saying hello to other dogs and their owners, and chasing squeaky toys (my new mum bought me lots and my favourite is a pink hedgehog called Horace).

We still all meet up with my old foster mum and her dogs at least three times a week and all of us can play together. Since I arrived she has had several other dogs, but all of them moved to new homes eventually, so I guess I must have been pretty special to be allowed to stay.

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