Greyhound Gaps Official News Blog

And so into Winter........

2008-11-04T23:56:00.000-08:00

I promised to Blog more often didnt I? I really tried but through the Spring into the Summer the Autumn and finally pushing into Winter things have been tough.
This year has probably been the hardest yet in Gap's history. So many dogs, so little time, so few places and so so much to do.
We have had some sad losses, some wonderful happy endings and some beautiful dogs make their way into our care! We have also had a large hand dealt of mischief makers or dogs so badly abused that on goes their rehabilitation and a longer stay with us than envisaged. Due to our ongoing commitment to offer as much rehabilitation work as possible for the hounds in our care as you can imagine we are now stock full of harder to rehome dogs.

If you have sighthound experience and feel you could offer a home to a more difficult dog with full support of course from Greyhound Gap as an organisation please do telephone Lisa on 01782 544728 for an informal chat.

Beautiful Missy Mini Lurcherette

2008-04-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

Well.... anyone who knows Gap well will know that every once in a while they put their neck on the line for *borderline sighthounds* and sometimes just plain not sighthounds. When your involved with rescue, especially pound rescue its only natural for other dogs to cross your path not just sighthounds. Occasionally those dogs are also in serious risk and you just cannot ignore the danger and have to step in. This has happened numerous times and again just recently.

On the day that we went to collect Bod and Cookie (yes Cookie one of those accidents) the pound mentioned two other dogs. Littermates around 7mnths old who had been brought in together labelled sheep killers. Due to this label they were due destruction. Meep Meep Meep Meep! You can hear the alarm bells ringing, talk about red rag to a bull. Hmm..... deep breaths and off I toddles asking to be shown the perpertrators.

Bless them, I was led to a kennel where two of the most terrified lurchery *type* dogs I had ever seen in my life were cowering. We will we take them! It was out of my mouth so quickly that I actually remember feeling shocked and almost looking around to see who said it. They were reluctant to release them as of course the worry that when they had done it once they would do it again was there hanging. I took a deep breath before reasoning that half the dogs that came into our care would do the same given the chance, the difference was we find homes with people who understand NOT to give them that chance.

They were granted bail and moved that day to our kennels.

When we got to spend time with them that weekend it was obvious to see that the two of them were virtually semi feral, they had never it seemed known a kind hand, never been shown how to walk on leash and were fearful and reactive with all other dogs. Their first three weeks walks werent walks they spent the whole of their time crawling on their bellies urinating, hiding under parked cars anything they could to get away from the world and the people and noises in it.

We kept them together in kennels for a couple of months whilst they gained confidence, weight and condition. Soon they were learning to walk on the leash and learning how to interact with the other dogs at the kennels, they still showed nerves and at times fearful reactions that half manifested in aggresion to the other dogs but we could see it was all based around the unknown.

Last week after the sad loss of Lady we had a space here to bring in another number 8 short term on a foster basis. Myself and Trish decided that the pups had had long enough in kennels and were now ready to make the transition albeit gently into the big wide world. We decided to pick them up with Chief heading to Trish and Missy coming to stay here with us.

I cannot tell you what a joy these babies are turning into. They are eager to please, loving, both after just a week walking like angels on the leash and adore the company of the other dogs. Both are still wary of men but coming on in leaps and bounds. They are clean in the house, quiet, good to be left for short periods of time with the other dogs (apart from one brain fart from Chief after Trish left him lose and went to carry out a fundraising car boot sale but we wont mention that!) All in all steadier and easier than most well balanced pups of 9mnths who have known nothing but love and kindness.

Today the wonderful Missy had her first run off leash with Scarlett and Tzar. She was beaming. To see that little girls face glow with happiness humbled me more than I can ever explain. The fear I feel in my heart when I think that both of these angels lives could have ended at such a young tender age because of some *story* used to justify being rid of them fills me with fear. I am only glad that they both now have a second chance.

Missy and Chief are both looking for homes with other dogs for company and to allow them to continue building their confidence. They would make fabulous little agility dogs and good all round family companions.

I really hope their forever sofa isnt far away.

For more information or to offer the beautiful Missy and Chief homes please call Lisa on 01782 544728 or Liz on 01473 623343.

Missy enjoying her run.......

and the beautiful Chief

Its time to play the music, its time to light the lights..

2008-04-28T09:06:00.001-07:00

Well almost anyway.....

Thanks to Marc Doyle we now have this years official show poster ready to head off to press.

I cant believe its only a month away and look forward to those of you who can make it joining us on the day.

Sad Times

2008-04-27T06:03:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of blogging but its been a sad time at home.

In the early hours of Sunday 20th April we had the sad task of allowing Lady a nearly 13 year old lurcher to visit the vets for the last time to make her journey to the Bridge.

I hadnt gotten around to introducing Lady to you all through the blog yet and very much hoped we would have more time but sadly it wasnt to be.

Lady came to us on 20th January 2008 a week after I sadly lost another of my own hounds Queenie.

Lady had been found wandering in Sherwood Forest. She was under weight, in poor condition and with a huge goitre in her neck nearing the size of a tennis ball. Her teeth were also in a horrendous state.

We took the call on the Saturday to say she had been found and taken home by a family but had spent the night outside in a holding pen. As there was no dog warden working myself and Trish another volunteer headed over to collect her. On seeing her our hearts broke and we realised that the growth in her neck was most probably cancer. The next day her *owner* I use the term lightly was traced having rung the dog warden regarding her missing status. It turns out that he had been working away for three months so Lady had been living alone with someone coming in to feed her and turning her into the garden lose for a few hours a day, she must have been desperatly unhappy and cold. This had resulted in her escaping 5 times in just a couple of weeks. When told of the condition she had deteriorated into their only worry was whether *they* would be taken to task as my vet felt a prosecution could well be in order. Thankfully the dog warden negotiated a handover without repurcussions to allow us to make Ladys time more comfortable and with a family who loved her. Had a prosecution been drawn she may have been *retained* in holding kennels as evidence. We didnt want her days to end like that.

Lady settled in well here and soon started to rule the roost. So happy was she that she sailed through the surgery to remove the goitre and clean up her teeth and settled into gaining 7kg, condition and muscle tone. Her favourite thing in the world was to run off leash with the others and my god for an old girl could she run. The wind in her ears, bottom tucked under and dropping down into first gear. My heart filled with joy everytime I saw that look on her face, the fact she had been given a second chance and the gratitude in her eyes every single time she looked at me, it said quite clearly "thank you". She adored us and us her.

On 22nd March we took Lady away with us on holiday to Swallows Dance in Pembrokeshire. She went as one of 8 dogs and ran like the wind on the beach, she chased into the sea, danced through the garden chasing squeeky hedgehog toys and frisbees, playing football with the kids. She was so animated every pore of her body was tingling, she had the time of her life.

We already knew that sadly the cancer had spread to her blood capillaries and lymphnodes but found it so hard to accept. Lady wasnt a dog who knew she had cancer and remained so consistantly well gaining weight that we were in awe of her sheer determination. She was an inspiration to everyone who met her or read about her adventures "live every minute as if its your last, make it count, be greatful for those around you and the love they instill on you and offer it back ten fold as you never know when it just may be too late".

Sadly 3mnths to the day of collecting her it was too late. Our hearts are broken. Our beautiful special girl began to swell abdomonally and she gave me "that look". Its a look I know well and one ive seen in all our precious babies eyes when the time has come to say our final goodbye, to share that last kiss, that last hug and that last I love you. An x ray and ultra sound confirmed the worst possible news, a tumour had spread and formed in her liver and ruptured her abdomen swelling was caused by blood. We had no choice but to give our angel eternal sleep. Hard to imagine when just that day she had eaten both meals with gusto, enjoyed her walk and licked me gently on the nose whilst enjoying a cuddle. Id have held her so much tighter had I know it was to be one of the last.

As Lady was already sedated because of the tests we left her be, we said our goodbyes to her whilst she was sleeping gently, im sure she knew we were there, brushed her gently with kisses and allowed the vet to grant her her freedom, allowing her to be whole and young again and free to run like she so loved. She passed away peacefully in our arms.

Our only gratitude through the heartbreak is that our girl went out on a high. She never knew cancer, she didnt linger, or suffer, she left quickly, gently and gracefully like everything she did in life.

Rest easy my girl, true spirit, sheer grit and such an overwhelming teacher I have never had the pleasure to meet before in my life. I hope the 3 months we shared righted all the bad times that came before. You will be eternally loved and missed, walk with us each day until we meet again.

Love and kisses your pack x

Lady on arrival in our care 20th January 2008

and sharing the good times the beautiful fun loving vibrant girl she turned into

Standing proud with the youngsters

Enjoying the sea

One last Sunset

We also said a sad farewell this week to another Gap legend the beautiful Billy.

Billy was another of those hounds who found us into his senior years. Before landing in Greyhound Gaps care Billy hadnt had much of a life and finally between 11-12 years of age found himself in rescue after his owner first dumped him onto a neighbour who then passed him onto us.

It was most definatly there loss. So many people fail to see that these special seniors are just pushing into their prime. They seem to follow the "when I grow old I will wear purple theme". Everything they do is done with such cheekiness, enthusiasm and the odd slight quirk. Billy we affectionatly referred to as *bovvered* because he wasnt much.
Billy was a lucky boy and went on to find the most fantastic home with a wonderful couple Dave and Jo. Neither had had a dog before and sensibly as they worked chose to offer their sofa up to a dog of an older age, I dont think they will ever believe how lucky they were to find Billy in their lives. Billy would run, would play, would misbehave and would love life like any puppy. They gave him many adventures and he in return gave them a few of their own. He qualified for Scrufts where last year they all headed to Earls Court and took part in the countrys biggest National show for crossbreed dogs and came home with his pretty ribbons and an exceptionally proud Mummy and Daddy.

Billy was part of Dave and Jo's family for 3 wonderful years and we know now just how much their hearts are breaking in two. To find the love of a dog like Billy is a legacy that im sure they will take through their life and before long remember every single second with smiles and laughter.

Dave, Jo you are very much in our thoughts.

Billy Bovvered rest easy old boy, although I very much doubt it and im sure you and Lady will be launching your very own Derby and Joan set up at the bridge, chasing, playing and dancing in the sunshine.

Love you lad x

My Mr Wonderful

2008-04-15T15:19:00.000-07:00

Browsing back through the blog today from the start I realised that I hadnt actually introduced you properly to my own pack of hounds. Considering I post so much about the rescue and they are a huge part of it fitting in and around it bless them I felt that quite rude on their behalf.
Over the next few weeks in between other posts I will aim to try and rectify that. So today I thought I would start with Tzar.
Tzar is the first of my current pack to make his home here. He is 6 years old and we know that his Mum was pure greyhound (she was a resident here also but sadly now at the bridge). We think his Dad was probably Shepherd x Collie, we definatly know that the Shepherd is there as he has thrown so strongly to the Shepherd genes. Tzar was actually hand reared from 3 hours old by myself alongside his 1o siblings as Mum was unable to feed them. We never meant to keep a puppy but the others were all confident and bolshy and although the biggest Tzar was always shy and reserved. He stayed because we recognised these qualities in him and knew we could help his confidence to grow
Now he is the most fabulous dog. He is friend to all who pass through the doors, gentle, considerate and loving and the first to make a neglected or upset rescue feel safe and sure that they are in a good place. He is an excellent teaching dog for those with aggresive tendancies as his doggy language is so good, and he will not retaliate even when they unleash their worst. He has taught so many fearful aggresive dogs that its okay, he has also taught many a rude dog how to mind their manners.
Tzar is loving, loyal and can be a bit fretful when he isnt around his humans, he settles when we are out but never really relaxes if anyone is away from the home. He needs to know that ALL his pack is safe and where they should be. The love this boy gives is so hard to explain, he truly is my little big guy.
Even 6 years on he is still a bit of a wuss, his recent booster injection bless him had to be administered through a needle used to treat hamsters. The only time we ever see another side to Tzar is when matters medical are concerned, then we get the collie alien face and a very clear leave me alone. He is such a wimp.

Tzars favourite things in the world are playing, running, eating and sleeping and although he is a fun dog to have around he is just as content snoozing his days away amidst the dog pile that regularly occurs on our sofa.

A True Gentle Giant!

Good Luck Little Man!

2008-04-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

Today is the day that Bod heads down to Leominster Eye Clinic for the initial consultation with his surgeon. Bod will be having surgery to rectify his current blindness caused by cataracts. They feel that behind the cataracts the retina is functioning. The procedure called phaecoemulsification we have to hope is succesful. The procedure means that a 2mm hole will be cut into both eyes and a special machine made to break down the cataracts, a teeny hoover type device will then be used to remove the broken down material before finally two false lenses are inserted and the eyes stitched. The whole process is estimated to cost around £2500 for both eyes. To give this little man who really is a joy the gift of sight back and to make his life so much richer will be worth every penny.

Good luck Bod I will be waiting with baited breath to hear the outcome and get the all clear for the surgery to go ahead as scheduled on 14th May.

Hugs also to your foster Mum Trish. Trish I know how apprehensive you are about tomorrow and im just so so sorry that we couldnt work it so that I had a sitter for this rabble to come along with you. Will be thinking of you both and willing the phone to ring.

We should also get a *definate* costing tomorrow so no doubt my darling treasurer Angela will be heading to work with her paper bag to help with the hyperventilation lol! Im only sorry I havent been able to keep the blog up dated the last few months because you wouldnt believe the amount of scarily expensive special cases we have had in the last few months.

With Bod possibly around £10,000 has been spent on just FOUR dogs since the end of last September!!! Scarlett our little greyhound pup has cost around £3000, Bear our oldie lurcher who had a billateral hernia repair was around another £3000, Lady our oldie girlie with cancer £1000 and after operation costs Bod around £3000.

*Faint* *Thud* when you see it written down like that it really is scary and we have to constantly thank ALL of our supporters for their continued help in raising such vast amounts to allow us to give these very special dogs there lives back. You are LIFE SAVERS literally!

Good weekend and thanks to many

2008-04-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

Well as per usual the Gap weekend was hectic. First up Saturday morning and the usual mammoth kennel dog walking session and then changing of beds, toys, dishing out pigs ear et all. We currently have 14 dogs in kennels so to give them all the individual attention they need we need lots of people on hand.

Jessie the little bedlington whippet girl has now moved into foster care. She has gone as an only dog to assertain her capabilities at being left after having some issues with another female dog in her last home. So far so good she is settling well.

We also welcome a new arrival who came to us via Hope Rescue, Rigsby. Rigsby is a 5 year old deerhound x greyhound probably collie boy who up until the weekend lived alongside an english bull terrier and a cat. Sadly the owners have to move into rented accomodation and are only allowed one dog. They knew that Rigsby would be easier to rehome than the bull terrier hence his arrival. I havent seen him yet but first reports from the kennel staff are he is a happy albeit somewhat bouncy boy and I look forward to seeing him.

Other news.......

On Saturday a group of our volunteers held an off leash socialisation session for hounds down in the Hampshire area. They hire an indoor riding school and its somewhere that those dogs with issues OR unable to run safely off leash elsewhere can stretch their legs and have a good play with dogs of their own kind. The sessions are always a huge success, the dogs are muzzled to ensure no mishaps or overly rough playing.

Aswell as having a fabulous time they managed to raise a wonderful £130 for the rescue. So thank you to everyone who attended and Corinne for arranging it.

Photos courtesy of Ali .......

This weekend also saw a two day Meet & Greet held in York at Pets at Home by other volunteers.

They had a hugely succesful weekend raising awareness of these beautiful dogs, had some interest in homing and also managed to raise a wonderful £300 over the course of their two days.

Thank you so much to Frances for arranging this on our behalf and those who attended for turning out for us on the days.

We also have in our care currently a little blind lurcher boy Bod. Bod came into our care along with Cookie a staffi x labrador a couple of months ago. Cookie has since been succesfully rehomed and Bod has moved into foster care.

Bods sight can be restored but it will need a specialist operation that will cost us £2500. We are currently working on raising this money with seperate fundraisers so as not to take money away from other aspects of the rescue ie money needed for kenneling, neutering and other medical expenses.

Thanks to some very kind people we have already managed to raise £1647 but are still working hard to make up the shortfall before the 14th May when his operation is scheduled for.

Yesterday myself, Trish, Hilary and Tia decided to attend a local car boot sale to try and swell the coiffers. We managed to raise £102.43 which for a mornings booting is a great amount.

We also have to thank Scarlett (who is a new permanant resident here, will save her story for another day for her excellent supervision skills.

Scarlett is an 8mnth old greyhound puppy and as you can see from the pictures below we would never have got anywhere without her organising of us and the day.

Scarlett says that just now and then in life to get to where you want to be (this time her adoring public) that you have no choice but to occasionally walk all over people! She does to me regularly. Auntie Hilary did tell her though that she should be careful because she may just meet this people one day on her way back down!

You can read more about Bod and keep up to date with his fundraising by visiting the link below.

Incase anyone would like to help with a donation all details are listed on his page.

http://www.greyhoundgap.org.uk/newsdetail.php?ne_id=15

Tired at the end of the day and no where for a Princess to lie other than in a diguarded empty fruitbox! Its no life for a celebrity hound.

2008-04-11T05:32:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update on one of our beautiful rehomed hounds Moth. Moth is a young whippet x saluki girl who came into our care after her owners who had used her for working purposes could no longer keep her.
Moth is a delightful girlie who went on to her new home with a wonderful family. Moths new Dad is actually household cavalrey and Moth heads off to work with him everyday alongside her Brother a terrier whom she has settled down with straight away and they get on exceptionally well. Moths Dad Alex says that from the first day she has landed its like she has always lived there. They totally adore her as does their 2 year old daughter.

Lewis heads to foster.

2008-04-10T13:46:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce you to the beautiful Lewis who recently landed in our care from a stray pound environment.
Lewis we think is a Saluki Greyhound Collie cross. Lewis is a beautiful lad with the most wonderful nature and although entire before landing in our care was kenneled with a teeny entire male terrier in the pound and got on with him fabulously well.
Lewis is going to be a wonderful addition to any family and today he starts that journey by moving into foster care.
Huge thanks to Rose Marie his new foster Mum and Ben and Kizzy his current canine companions and also Nicky for collecting him from the kennels and getting him on his journey

Good luck beautiful and im sure you wont be waiting long! In fact if Lewis proves to be as well behaved in the home as he has been at the kennels and around other dogs we may just already have a home in mind!

2008-04-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

The very beautiful Tasha.

Tasha is a Greyhound Collie Bedlington cross who also came in from a home environment for falling out with the other female dogs in the home. Again Tasha is a beautiful girl with all good basic commands and would love a home as an only dog with someone around all or most of the time or with a male companion.
Tasha is currently in the kennels in Stoke on Trent and we are also willing to consider a foster home for her.

Jessie

2008-04-09T19:57:00.000-07:00

For now let me leave you with a couple of the new arrivals.

Jessie is an 8 year old Bedlington Whippet girl who recently landed in our care from a home environment after starting to fall out with the other resident female dog.
Jessie needs a home either as an only dog with someone around all or most of the time OR with a male companion. There was a male dog in the home and she has always got on with him well.
Jessie is a beautiful girl who will be a wonderful additon to her new home.
She is currently in the kennels in Stoke on Trent and we are also willing to consider a foster home for her.

Time flies when your having fun... erm!

2008-04-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

Well I cannot believe that I have neglected the blog for so long!

The last twelve months in the life of Greyhound Gap have been hectic and this blog has remained somewhat neglected and alongside that means so have you the readers of both this and the website. For that I duly appologise!

I hope to endeavour to blog and update from now on at least once a week. I really do not think that I can manage as many posts as I was hoping to make beforehand but will try to keep you all update as regularly as possible with the comings and goings of the rescues day to day occurances.

Lisa x

Mad few weeks!

2007-06-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks have been soooooo busy so I will try to add a big blog post now whilst I have five minutes!!

Beauty our lovely girl landed safely in our care and then promptly had 9 puppies! The pups are now nearly 4 weeks old a6 girls and 3 boys and are ALL doing well. They will hopefully be heading to foster at six weeks old as Madam Beauty isnt to be fair Mother Earth and is already getting a bit fed up with them. They are just about starting to wean and are playing around in their food having the time of their life. Photos will follow in the next couple of weeks promise!

The Show!

Well..... erm, madness, mayhem and caos are the only words to describe the day and that was just the weather! If it was anything it was persistant!! 8 hours solid it threw it down with no let up! At one point we very nearly cancelled but on arriving alot of loyal volunteers were already there and waiting.

By 11pm when registration was due to start we were thinking eep! What if no one comes? Come though they did in droves. Everybody stuck with the weather and more importantly us.

The day was a HUGE sucess and we managed to raise a fabulous £3000.

We cannot thank all those who turned up on the day enough. Its because of the dedication and loyalty of you all that Gap is the rescue it is!!

Alot of people expressed their upset as they didnt set out for the day thinking we would be forced to cancel sooooooooo. WE ARE DOING IT ALL AGAIN!

We have set a date for a second show this year on September 16th same time same place. We look forward to seeing you on the day.

Some photos will be added to the blog shortly and also an article on the newspage.

General day to day comings and going are the same many dogs have joined us in the last few weeks and many have gone off to fabulous new homes.

I promise now these last few weeks are over and done with to try and blog again more regularly starting with some pictures of the kennel hounds this weekend!!!

Thank you all again for your continued support and for reading this blog.

Buy one get some free!

2007-05-16T15:56:00.000-07:00

Frustrated : defeated: disappointingly unsuccessful; "disappointed expectations and thwarted ambitions"

Sometimes its hard to know how honest to be on a blog. After all its an insight into the rescue but do you keep up the upbeat front or give out a true definition of exactly how things are on a day to day basis? I dont even know if people log on and read the blog there isnt often comments left on the entries so that can lull you into a false sense of spill your guts type scenario. Maybe I should find the time to keep a real personal to me blog so as not to allow it all out here. But would people appreciate that or would they more appreciate the truth just how things at the moment seem to be?

Well the truth at the moment is its hard, frustratingly hard, in fact mind blowingly disatisfying hard and its scary! The calls are coming in more and more the amount of dogs in serious danger seems to be ever on the increase and everywhere I turn its the same answer no room! Once again Gap have had to close the doors to intake, its not just us, all the other rescues we work closely with and have an admiration for are all at the same stage, it did seem to clear a little a month or so back but now it just seems even more desperate than ever before.

The harsh reality yet again is that with 37 dogs and babies on the way (more about that later) we just cannot take on anymore both due to finances and manpower. At the moment we have a fabulous group of dogs, alot of them are easy and laid back, alot need a more specific home but im a big believer in that perfect home is out there for everydog. At the moment though we seem to have an owness on people looking to home small whippety x or cat friendlies which we dont have them many of. Greyhound homes seem to be low on the ground.

The last fews days have been horrendous there has been a permanant knot in my stomach and feeling of impending doom although lol some of this may be due to the fact the show is now only a week away and im already doing the what if that happens what if this happens routine. I do it every year and every year it goes as well as can be so really I need to get over it.

I still think that that as far as rescues go we are blessed, I have one of the strongest main teams behind me that any rescue founder could possibly have and the most sincere hard working volunteers in the world. Our dogs although still waiting for that perfect home are indeed lucky to be surrounded by such true love and dedication.

So onto the main week in general......

On Saturday we once again headed to the kennels to have a nosey and interact with some of the new intakes. The new intakes being three puppies and a female whippet who were left tied up in a village locally to us the week before. They are all beautiful. The whippet heads to foster tomorrow but as said earlier we have an owness of homes waiting that she will suit so now its time to find the right one after assessing which would best suit her. The puppies have all headed off to foster now so thank you to the transporters for stepping in once again at short notice and helping us get them safely instilled.

Sunday saw us heading off to Coventry to attend the Canine Capers day in the Memorial Gardens. It was lovely to catch up with people again and although sadly it got washed out by 2pm we managed to still raise a staggering £120 towards the continued bills and care of the dogs.

Intake wise we have one new arrival. The carrier of the babies mentioned earlier. Beauty if a sweet little lurcher girl who is heavily pregnant but still was up for sale on front row of a well known *animal sanctuary* thankfully for her a vet nurse visited got her out and had the good sense to call us for help. Beauty is now settling into foster care over in the High Peaks and we are just waiting for the call to say that her precious cargo is on its way. We are hoping that she doesnt have to many and is able to cope with her brood as she isnt in the best condition herself and is currently a very confused little girl. How can anyone offer her for sale.... Buy one get some free? It just totally beggars belief to me.

Having a housefull already meant that Beauty wasnt able to head over to myself so the mad dash panic was on to find her somewhere safe to be with someone with previous whelping experience! Thank you so much Sharon for stepping in at short notice and taking this baby home to the safety of your home. You do not know how greatful we all are your a star! More updates on this lady as the pups arrive.

Also an update on our current newest oldie arrivals......We are pleased to report that the beautiful Vixens surgery went well. She has now undergone her spay and had the lumps removed and the news is good her lumps were nothing nasty and not anything to worry about. Its hard to imagine that tumours the size of grapefruits could be nothing to worry about but we are so greatful that they arnt. The news is looking very positive and she will shortly be able to look for her special forever home.

ALL at Greyhound Gap would like to take the time to thank everyone who wished her well, helped with donations and allowed us to give that beautiful girl that others had given up on the chance to safely, happily and more importantly in GOOD health continue on with the rest of her life. Her gums are healing nicely and fingers crossed we may not need the third lot of surgery to remove more teeth. We are all over the moon to have been able to give this girl a fresh start.

How much better does she look now?

Our latest oldie ..... A couple of weeks ago we took an old girl from another pound situation. They werent sure whether we would want her or not as they aged her around 8 and with a mouthful of rotting teeth. Well Wonkey Wendy as she has been affectionatly named by her foster family has now also undergone her surgery. Sadly for Wendy she has had to have all her teeth removed meaning that now she is totally gummy. Still she will be better off for it as they really were foul and some had you been brave enough you could have pushed out with your fingers. She has also bounced back remarkably well and is making a full recovery. Amazingly since the removal of the teeth all other poor bits seem to be getting better and she now has a new spring in her step bless her.

Look at that little face.

Wonkey Wendy.

I find it so sad. We found out that Wendy isnt actually 8 she is 11 years old in June. She is housetrained, does stairs and had already had some of her teeth out so she has been a pet before and at sometime obviously been loved. How on earth did this girl end up as a stray picked up and then placed in a council pound?

Mayhem Madness & Hysteria!

2007-05-09T06:33:00.000-07:00

Well at least that is what its starting to feel like since last time I blogged!! With only three weeks to go till the show, homing slow and dog intake as fast as ever somedays it feels totally insane and as though everything is going on around you.

There has been so much happened in the last two weeks so I will just try and do a quick run down.

We seem to yet again have a pile of new arrivals landed with no sign of other dogs already waiting moving on out. The kennels are once again stuffed to the gills, dogs in foster homes have more specific homing needs so that is backing stuff up, and general gridlock seems to have set in. We have been fortunate enough though over the last week to move another five *more level* dogs over into foster so fingers crossed it wont be long till their perfect home comes along and others can go in behind them.

The show season has now started with a bang and we have had quite a few general fundraisers on this weekend.

Sunday saw us all at Halewood RSPCA where a fabulous £200 was raised to this months bills, Monday a tabletop sale added another £72 and the Beastly Beasts hit Salcey Forest for a 2 day event raising another fabulous £190.

We currently have in our care 3 young puppies deerhound crosses who were found tied up in a village in Derbyshire at the weekend and they are hopefully shortly moving to foster homes! What on earth is wrong with people? They were left alongside a pedigree whippet bitch who is currently serving her 7 days before moving over.

Vixen today goes in for her second round of surgery to remove the mammory lumps and spay a little sooner than we hoped but there is more lumps looking to be developing so better sooner than later.

Will update later when she is back from the vets.

I will try to update more regularly on the blog over the next few weeks but things are just so mad busy! The website is though being kept up to date and the Special appeals and current homeless was done yesterday.

Gearing up for the weekend....

2007-04-27T04:39:00.000-07:00

How on earth can it come around again so fast? I just have no idea where this year is going and have to keep pinching myself to believe we are almost into May!

This weekend yet again is going to be manic! I thought last weekend was more manic than usual but how wrong could someone be!
There is all change yet again on the dog front. The lad that was due to arrive with us from the Northern pound has now gone to Dogs Trust thankfully.... this is because we needed to make way for another poundie girl who is estimated to be over 8 plus and buzzing yet again with a serious mouthfull of rotten teeth she is landing tomorrow. We are also welcoming a young lad from Lancaster way this weekend who is coming as a boarder on behalf of Lurcher Link. www.lurcher.org Kaye and I work very closely and she is as full as we are yet again! Sadly the doors are going to have to shut again and its heartbreaking but we once again have no room. The vets bills and kenneling bills this month are horrendous and we have to work out away to raise yet more funding than we are already busting our gut with our fabulous team of fundraisers and supporters to try and bring in. Its so frustrating! People are fantastic and they only have so much to be able to give and we totally understand that and need to push forward and find more unique ways of getting us out and about into the public eye. Any suggestions please someone let me know!

On the fundraising note though we do have a couple of thanks you's to say! Last weekend a group of our girls including Vixens foster Mum held a two day Meet and Greet at Pets at Home Stafford.

During the course of the two days and thanks to public generosity they managed to raise a fabulous ....

£245.72 pence

Thank you ladies and gentleman!

Also on a more painful note.... out on a transport run last week I got a text from Laura who along with her husband Pete adopted a dog from us a beautiful collie x lurcher called Marley.

The text simply said " Pete has started Marathon Ok if he completes it should be about 350 coming to Gap!"

Horrified I rang her! I hadnt realised he was running it, after asking her if he was mad she confirmed that yes indeed he is but he would be fine.

We got news later that poor Pete had had problems with a weak knee at 8miles but with sheer grit and determination he carried on and finished bless him. Pete you are a bit of a hero. He he is gritting his teeth and waving to the crowds. Also the next morning refusing to move out of bed with Marley slapping a helpful paw on his face trying to get him to change his mind. You can also see Tyler Marleys full collie brother assisting!

Also a massive thanks have to go out to Kate Davis and the team at Npower Stoke on Trent for helping to raise a fabulous £50 with help of the training department your all stars! Npower also supported us at Christmas with a wonderful donation of food and bedding for our homeless hounds.

This weekend is going to pass by in a whir of dog walking, homechecking, transport runs and fundraising and is going to be just as busy weekend for the team as usual!

Vixen Update - Round One

2007-04-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

Over the course of the week we had been running tests to make sure that Vixen was up to health to undergo the first round of her surgery. Her water showed she had a slight urine infection which we suspected and her bloods showed that her creatin levels were slightly raised to 160, 150 was normal on the vets machine but nothing to overly worry about.

After speaking at length to Jessica the vet we decided to place her on a drip an hour before surgery and keep her on it throughout the duration. Her treatment actually started on the Monday with the first of her injections to stop her progressing if she is indeed in whelp, the second being done after surgery Tuesday.

Poor Vixen had a bit of a time and it was necessary immediatly to remove 14 teeth in one go and 14 teeth in one go indeed Jessica did remove. Naturally she was a little wobbly yesterday, very sore and forlorn and generally tired and feeling sorry for herself. She did the right thing though and rested up well.

Speaking to her foster Mum today though it seems that you really cant keep an old dog down and her spirit is already shining straight back through. Edie one of Vixens foster Mums permanant dogs was out spinning and playing in the back garden and Sandra had to go and get Vixen out of the fray when she decided she might like to chase and spin too! Way to go Vixen glad that the spark we knew was in there is still flickering and igniting!

She needs time to recover now before we remove the tumour and undergo the spay. One things for sure as said before if any dog will come through it without fuss or drama its her.

Other news.....

Brodie the brindle lad tied up in a field wont be joining Gap as he has had a fabulous home offer via the dogs home. An elderly gentleman has lost his companion and he will be going to join him.

The black whippety boy still has three days to go but his transfer up to us once his time is up if not reserved has already been managed so we may see him Saturday.

We are also welcoming a black greyhound male from a pound up North into the fold shortly and another girl with a bit of a colourful history......

A few weeks ago we got sighting reports of a black greyhound girl wondering in Warrington living rough in fields. To cut a long story short she was finally caught by volunteers from three organisations and has since been with WAW (Warrington Animal Welfare). The owners were notified but hadnt bothered searching for her (she was wearing a tag) and it transpires she has been out there since January can you believe it? She has to be one of the fattest hounds ive seen so no wonder the local farmers were getting a little cheesed off!

Other new arrival Stan is settling in well in foster care. Stan also a WAW dog has been languising in private kennels but needed a foster based rescue to progress him to a new home. Stan is a spooky boy who it was reported by his owners urinated himself everytime they had visitors to his home. Thankfully we arnt seeing that. Poor boy is a typical overly spooky hound but is handling all that is thrown at him well. The only time we have seen him wet himself is out on a walk when some idiot threw a repeater firework towards them. Mind you, Caroline his foster Mum said that she nearly wet herself too as did her hounds who are usually bomb proof with fireworks so we cant hold that against him!

On the leaving us point. Selwyn left for a new home Monday and reports are that he has settled in fabulously well. Cleo went today and reports are that she is keeping her new brother in line laying down the law and showing who is boss so fingers crossed for that!!! Robson is moving onto a new home in Overseal tomorrow. He is proving to be a little clingy and whiney but his new home has experience with difficult dogs, they dont need to leave him till we have worked through it and he is comfortable and if all goes well although ive said foster now so we can support them through it I dont think he will be leaving. Friday see's Bengy one of our current hounds head up to WAW as he has more chance of finding a home with a mixed breed rescue! Bengy looked like a lurcher when he was sent over by the dogs home but now looks more like a fat pointy lab since he has got back up to weight and health. Saturday also sees Sadie heading to a permanant home back where she started in Stoke can you credit it? This little girl is an angel and her new family are going to be so in awe of what a sweet little girl she is. She will have a new hairy brother called Oscar who is so going to love having a new friend to play with.

Also..... YET AGAIN! We are pleased to announce that Sue who recently failed at fostering with Jake putting her up to five has caved and said she wants her current foster oldie Sasha to stay! As Sasha is such a wonkey donkey and a little bit of a Madam she is staying on a foster hound basis with us continuing to look out for her medical care. Sue yerrrrr mad and Sasha behave sweetie!

Busy week all round again then for a change!

Here, There & Everywhere!

2007-04-23T15:12:00.000-07:00

Sunday was yet again another busy day with another early start!

First port of call was kennels at 9.30am to pick up Jade! Jade was due to make her way down to foster with Liz in Ipswich and so her mammoth journey began.

Nicky and I safely arrived with her at 11am at Donington Park Services where Jackie met us to take her onto Cambridge Services to meet Liz and Kev for the last leg of the journey! Jade travelled like a dream and has settled into Liz's with her hounds like she has always been there. Thank you all for your transport help it was greatfully received.

Then saw a mad dash back to Stoke! It should have all timed perfectly for our 1pm homevisit but sadly well as usual things went a little cock eyed. Whilst at Donington I received a call about a dog that needed help so thankfully due to the internet wonders I was able to get online from the service station area and sort it. It was nearly 12pm when we left.

Thankfully we were only 15minutes late after having whizzed into the house grabbed Lottie and whizzing straight back out. That was closely followed by a 3pm homevisit and then yet another trip back up to the kennels to deposit towels and donated bedding.

I finally got back into the house around 5.30pm and was norty! Myself Nicky Carl and my son sneaked off to the Hollybush Inn in Denford for tea! I really couldnt face cooking lol.

Arriving home at 8pm I followed up that evenings phone calls and crashed into bed about 11.30pm. Suprisingly I went out like a light...... that was till 2am when my son woke me up as he was really unwell. Bang went the rest of my sleep!

Farewell Littlest Bear!

2007-04-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

On a sadder note Saturday saw us saying yet again a sad farewell to one of our own.

Last year two lurchers landed in our care, both were elderly and hadnt had a good life thus far. Tipo is one of our current sponsor hounds and Merlin was her companion! Merlin went into foster care and soon became a much loved member of Nicky and Rich's family. He joined Penny and Ed as their new brother and was renamed Ron.

Ron was a batty old boy very much saluki collie cross and although his little cloudy eyes and his gangly legs sometimes let him down he was a game old fella! Sadly on Friday evening his legs let him down for the last time, by Saturday morning he was no better and the vets and Nicky agreed he was tired and scared. With all the love she could offer in her heart Nicky stayed with him whilst he made his final journey.

Nicky & Rich you are in our thoughts, we know just how special Littlest Bear Ronnie Barker was to you both.

Sleep tight lad, you will live on in the hearts of many until we all meet again x

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Did someone say Terrier?

2007-04-23T14:32:00.000-07:00

Someone remind me if I say im ever taking a holiday again ... DONT! Its been mental since I got back and both myself and Liz gather to take stock late at night and dont know whether to laugh or cry!

This weekend has been busy even by usual weekend standards!It started at 10 am Saturday after sorting my own hounds I headed up to the kennels with Sue and Andy who collected Robson as a foster. Once there we met up with Jackie and Mark two more volunteers so the three of us could set about the mammoth task of walking everyone and changing bedding followed by walking out two other visitors who I will tell you about shortly.

The first walk saw us taking out Tess, Bengy, Binky, Twirl & Maddie, basically all the shall we say quirkier or more high energy hounds. We followed that with the more sedate walk of Billy, Foxy, Angel and Jade. This takes around 2 hours as each walk last just over 1/2 an hour 3/4 of an hour depending on what pace we take and what we encounter on the way then we have 15minutes or so outside the kennels on the grass for cuddles. After the main munch bunch we walked we took out the guests! Currently we have the pleasure of the hugest Rottweiler male Boris and Rupert the Staffi x Rottie who our kennels are greatfully boarding on behalf of Hope Rescue. Both of the boys are lovely and soft as a brush with people but Boris isnt the best with other dogs which walking the lanes based round a kennels can make for an interesting time! He does though love to cuddle in lean on you and then.... well full sit on your legs for hugs. He is the sloppiest beast I know and its a pleasure to spend time with him as I grew up with Rotts and they are one of my preferred breeds. I just adore them!

After that we headed down to the local dogs home. They have like us had a ridiculously busy week with dogs hitting them left right and center and are just full to the brim struggling for any empty kennel space its so heartbreaking! I would say only about 15 of the dogs were even crossbreeds all the others being pedigrees. You wouldnt believe there were the usual Rotties, staffies, but also a bedlington, a wire haired fox terrier, a St bernard, yorkshire terrier! You name it they had it! Why oh why oh why.

Vicky took me down to meet a lurcher girl who had finished her time. I couldnt believe it when I saw her she has to be Tigs litter sister! Same age same cross only darker brindle and much much hairier and cheekier! Her name is Phebe and she is currently as mad as a box of frogs this girl really needs a good run!

We reserved her and went off to look at the other two inmates who were still doing there time! There was a beautiful brindle whippet x greyhound male and the most adorable little black whippet x greyhound male also. The brindle boy is so thin and was found tied up in a field! Somehow I dont think anyone will be coming back for him! Both are now reserved to us and will come over once they have finished their time.

Just as I was about to leave I wondered into a block I dont often go into usually as its where the pups tend to be but this time I did. STUPIDLY! I found the teeniest tiniest little old terrier man who just looked so damn miserable bless him. He had pulled his blanket out of his plastic bed and was just lying on the floor so folorn and sad. Everybody was passing him by and coing and ooing over the puppies. That was it! Suckered once more what could you do? Toby as he has now been renamed is happily in foster and has to be the gutsiest little monkey ive met!

So without further ado meet the newbies!

Phebe Shepherd Cross lurcher, and the brindle and black whippy boys and not forgetting teeny Toby Terrorist! Could you have left him behind?

The Most Lucious Phebe!

Brindle Babe

Beautiful wee whippet x boy!

Teeny Toby Terrorist!

After that we headed back up to the kennels with Toby Terrier in tow and also Phebe to deliver her safely into our kennel block. She settled well straight away. The kennel staff had a good laugh about our newest little arrival but I think they know aswell as anyone dont be suprised at what Lisa lands with. I did try to tell them that he actually had really long legs honest and that we walked back from the dogs home so they just sort of shrunk on the way!

By then it was around 3pm and after a short break for lunch Tanya and Mark arrived about 4pm. Tanya and Mark are a lovely couple who we homevetted last week as they saw we were desperate for foster homes. They came to collect the delectable Tess. Current news is she is settling in well with them, their lurcher girl Meg and their four year old Son Arthur! All being well I dont think she will be going anywhere once we have gauged just how well she will fit.

Good luck Tess!

Wanna meet the newbie! YIKES!

2007-04-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

Okay so not a sighthound but well...... erm..... yes I am a sucker for a sorry story as you all know!

Crossbreed anyone?

YES! Before anyone starts! I am WELL aware that Patch is NOT a sighthound! However what Patch is is a wonderful crossbreed boy who at just 18mnths old has had a hell of a few weeks and needs a good loving forever home

Patch and his companion (sadly who we cant get signed over) were recently taken from a free ad in Pets At Home by a woman who wasnt able to commit to them and should never of had them. She was lodging at a *friends* house for a short period of time not even having a home of her own. One of my foster carers was asked to take Patch for the weekend until she had the keys to her new property on Monday. This never materialised and Patchs companion is now living in a tent with this lady and her two late teen sons!

In two weeks Patch has been taken from his home by strangers, moved in with other strangers then handed to yet more strangers and enough is enough!!!! Patch is now signed over to Greyhound Gap.

Patch so far is proving to be a great little dog! He is currently co existing with 2 labrador bitches and 1 greyhound bitch and 1 grumpy greyhound male ALL have accepted him and he gets on well with them all. Patch is thoroughly housetrained, good on the leash and is a cracking off leader also, he is good with all other dogs and people he has met.
Patch ideally needs a home with a companion preferably a young female who will play with him as he loves to run play and also likes his toys.

Poor Patch has been through so much and we would really love to allow him a second chance and find him a wonderful new home.

Patch will be treated in exactly the same way as our sighthounds and will be vaccinated, de flead, wormed, microchipped and neutered before rehoming.

Although Patch is quite a comical looking hound with short legs and large looking head he really is a dog in a million and will make a fabulously loyal companion.

So if anyone who has a friend looking to home a wonderful little non sighthound man for more information or to offer Patch a home please have them call Lisa on 01782 544728 or Liz on 01473 623343.

Meet the Newbies & Vixen Update!

2007-04-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

You may remember a few weeks ago we took in a 10 year old greyhound girl who was in a hell of a mess bless her! She was found wandering the streets thin and in season covered in scars with a mouth full of rotting teeth, a horrendously broken nose and mammory tumours. Since then Vixen as she was named because despite all this she was a cheeky little minx has been lounging around in one of our foster homes!

Today I spoke to the vets and now she has settled in and gained some weight its time to undergo the massive amounts of surgery needed to get this happy go lucky girl a happy go lucky body to hopefully enjoy and prance around in for the we hope remaining few years!

The vets Vixen is under arnt the cheapest but they are one of the best and serve the area of care she is in and the costing isnt going to be pretty!!!! We are hoping to hold one of our speciality online auctions to help with the costs which we estimate are going to be anything up to around £1000.

First stage of operations will start next week when she will go in for a very evasive dental surgery as her teeth are so bad they are affecting her whole body sending poison coursing through it from the infection. She will also receive a jab that will hopefully end any pregnancy should she be unfortunate enough to have been caught in whelp. She is too old and too unfit to be worrying about going through motherhood bless her, the second injection will be administered 24 hours later.

We then need to give her a couple of weeks to rest between surgeries before we progress onto the next stage which will be spaying and mammory tumour removal. The tumour is huge and she will feel much better without it we can just only hope its nothing sinister and is benign so good thoughts for that would be appreciated.

Once all that is out of the way a month after we may need to consider more dental work.

Vixen is a trooper with a huge zest to live and love and we know that if any dog will just take the surgery in her stride appreciate its merit and take the time to reap the benefits it will be here. She is such a special girl, deserves the best and we hope we can give it. We will keep you updated.

Now meet the newbies.... Today myself and Trish headed up to the kennels early doors to get photos as we knew you would all be waiting to see them.

So with no further ado here there are

Allow me to introduce

Billy, Foxy & Angel

and last but not least the beautiful but somewhat shy Jade

All of these dogs are looking for foster homes. If you think you can help please call!

Another bit of good news..... after yesterdays appeal the beautiful Robson will now be heading to foster at the weekend. Massive thanks to Sue & Andy who normally only take in our oldies but are willing to help this lad out as he is doing so badly in kennels.

Gap News the week of my holiday - update

2007-04-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

First of all have to say a massive thanks to the Gap team for holding the fort whilst I took the break and especially Liz who took the strain of all the phone and email work on which we normally share between us so she handled two peoples calls!

The day before I left for holiday Tess who landed in our care the week before was taken very poorly. There was something not quite right with her that I couldnt put my finger on but she seemed too quiet for a young beddy x girlie. Thankfully she went in for full health check and spay and our vets took the decision to open her up and see what if anything else was going on! Thank god they did! Tess had a seriously enlarged spleen that had just ruptured, probably from a trauma before landing in our care poor girl! Her insides were hideous and the next 48 hours were critical, being a young girl Tess thankfully pulled it back quickly and has now made a full recovery. Dogs unlike humans dont need to take any medication and can live happily without her spleen so she is expected to have a normal happy life now we are over the moon!

On the intakes front this week saw lots of new arrivals need in whilst I was away! Roxy a black greyhound female landed from her trainer owner, Molly another black bitch originally rehomed via Cheshire dogs home but once again needing out arrived, also a very nervous RSPCA case girl Jade the lurcher and three more greyhounds Billy a handsome Brindle male, Angel (snort more like fallenangel!) a cheeky quirky happy smiley blue girl and Foxy a beautiful deep red. At the moment I only have photos of Molly as you can see below she is a little darling but will update with pictures of the others as soon as!

Aswell as the ones expected to leave us we are also happy to report that both Mork, James and Murphy have also found their forever homes! Be happy boys xx

I would also like to use the block to issue a plea! On return from holiday ive found that Robson our gentle giant broken coated boy is not doing so well in kennels! He is dropping weight quickly and urgently need to find him a foster home. Robson is a very quiet boy and isnt vocal or destructive in the kennels just quietly pining away! He gets on great with all other dogs and seems fine with people he is however not cat friendly.

IF ANYONE CAN HELP WITH A FOSTER HOME FOR ROBSON PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP THANKS!

.....And a great time was had by all!

2007-04-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

Well back from our holidays and what a holiday it was! We headed down to Swallows Dance in Pembrokeshire run by friends Carol and Trev who are very very dog friendly www.swallowsdance.co.uk they also have another cottage Little Dumpledale www.littledumpledale.co.uk . The cottage is very self contained and has a garden around 1/4 of an acre. We went with Anna & David and between us took 12 hounds! I have to say for two different groups of families the dogs all got on remarkably well. The weather was almost too good to be true and although we did visit some places locally like Broadhaven and Freshwater to be honest most of the time we spent in the cottage garden enjoying the company, the hounds playing good food and beer! We also partook in an evening with Carol and Trevor and the other guests staying in the caravan and cottage and reciprocated the next evening by inviting everyone over for a BBQ at Swallowsdance. Hello to Chris, Jen & Tom if you read this it was lovely to met you and your hound thank you for the donation and look forward to seeing you if you can make it to the show!

You can see on the piccies a mocked up fence hurridly put up by Trev! Although the garden is totally secure one of Anna's new additions Arthur was a little bit mind blown by the view across the surrounding fields and was liable to do himself an injury trying to find a way by hook or crook to get out! In true Trev style nothing to much there was a mocked up safety feature installed within an hour of us heading out for the afternoon. Thanks Trev your a hero.

Anyway some piccies of the hounds enjoying the sun!

Two of my own beauties Queenie Bea and Tzar enjoying the garden!

Myself and Tzar enjoying a cuddle in the afternoon sun!

Duchess (brindle) & Lottie (cream) two of our current homeless hounds enjoying playing with my Tzar and Maggies Ruby!

and a group of hounds enjoying the garden!

Getting away from it.

2007-04-05T03:57:00.000-07:00

Well Saturday see's me heading off on holiday for a week so a quick Gap blog update before I go! I say getting away from it but im actually taking two of my current fosters Duchess and Lottie with me aswell as three of my own dogs Tzar, Bea & Rodney. Sam is heading into kennels as after 18mnths of being in our care he is still undergoing severe behaviour issues based around the outdoors and the frustration it envokes, it also gives us the chance to allow a behaviourist friend to come and put a couple of days work in with him. Henry my third foster is also heading back in kennels as he has only been out of them for a short time and again has alot to learn before he engages as one dog in twelve out and about. Anna is coming with us along with her husband David and the seven Revitt hounds!! Wonder how much of a break we will have with twelve dogs in total who cares I cant wait. I have no idea if Duchess and Lottie have ever seen a beach before and am really looking forward to their feet hitting the sand.

Today we have another new arrival landing within the folds a 3 1/2 year old black bitch called Roxy. She has been with her owner since retiring from racing but she is such a happy go lucky girl she needs a family and sofa to call her own retirement pad. Im sure it wont be long before she finds her perfect home.

I mentioned earlier Henry. Henry is a big male greyhound who has been in our kennels for a while now so on Saturday I brought him home to see how he did with the others. He is turning into a dream, im going to bring him back here after our holiday and hope he finds his perfect home quickly. He still needs some leash socialisation but has been spotlessly clean from day one. He is getting on so well with the others and has already started to play and is a little bit in love with Lottie as the pictures below show. Who could resist this boy? I also find it hard to believe that the lucious Lottie has now been with us since last October. We just dont seem to have found the right home for her. She needs somewhere without young children 10 + would be fine, no cats but other dogs and not left more than a couple of hours at a time. The right home just hasnt come along!

Henry & Lottie

Spring has Sprung

2007-04-03T03:01:00.000-07:00

and that means another busy week in Gapland.

There has been intakes and outgoings galore this week. Its fabulous that we are homing so well and the dogs seem to be settling fabulously and am getting good reports back from all the adopters.

At the weekend we said goodbye to Daisy, Macey, Loafer & Jake. Roscoe is leaving us for his new home today, Tig is leaving Friday and Savannah's new Mum is collecting her early next week. So great news all round.

This week also saw the adorable Sadie move into foster down South with Corinne. Sadie is a cheeky little whippety cross girl who on first test seems cat friendly we will though be putting her more extensively through her paces. This girl is so happy and loveable and although a little giddy doesnt seem to have a nasty bone in her body.

On the welcoming side this week we say hello to Robson. Robson was found straying and taken to the local pound, we have no idea how this boy has found himself homeless. Robson is a big deerhound x broken coated boy. Other than not being cat friendly he is such a loving sensitive boy who looks at you with such adoration in his eyes. After spending just a couple of hours with him at the kennels it was easy to see the bond he had already formed with myself and how he looked to me for guidance. I cant wait to find this boy a foster home because it will be lovely to see him settle and then go on to find the wonderfully lucky family who dont yet know he is their heartdog.....

Robson

Then Saturday also saw the arrival of the beautiful Tess. Tess is an 18mnth old Deerhound, whippet, beddlington, greyhound. She was a worker but unfortunatly went to visit one of the local sheep and the farmer knows who she is. Tess isnt cat friendly but is a really steady girl, walks well, gets on with other dogs. We dont envisage she will hang around long!

Tess

On a very sad note Monday saw me taking a call from heartbroken adopters. At the end of November last year one of our beautiful hounds Pye was rehomed with a fabulous family in Gloucestershire. Dave & Jacqui fell instantly in love with the boy at first sight. Pye at just coming up to 3 years of age went to join their elderly lurcher girl after she lost Jasper her greyhound companion. Pye settled well and soon became a much loved part of the family.

On Sunday evening an old stress fracture possibly from his racing days we knew nothing about gave way. Sadly the fracture was in his neck and left him paralysed there was nothing that could be done. Pye made his way peacefully to the bridge leaving his family heartbroken and shocked.

Pye was a big Gap favourite who was adored by his foster carers Dave & Kirsty and much adored by myself and especially my son Jack who spent hours on the beach playing chase.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to Dave, Jacqui and the family, thank you for taking him making him a Rudge and giving him four wonderfully happy months. Taken too soon but knowing all too well what love was all about.

You think you have seen it all....

2007-03-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

When you realise you havent and you probably never will.

This weekend saw the intake of probably one of the most messed up yet still beautiful in looks and soul little girl you could ever imagine.

Vixen is a 9 year old greyhound girl who is in the most terrible state. Two volunteers brought her to the kennels on Saturday and I couldnt have been prepared for what I saw. Once I had her safely home the tears just came for this beautiful girl. When her wonderful new foster family Sandra and Will came over to collect her the tears came yet again.

Vixen had been found wandering the streets of Bury, whatever has happend to this girl over the last 9 years just doesnt bear thinking about. There isnt an inch of her body that doesnt have scars old and new, lumps, bumps, tumours you name it. Her beautiful elegant nose has at some point been severly broken leaving it leaning to one side of her face, her teeth are green, puss riddled and oozing and so so sore. Her poor feet are so badly blistered that to walk on hard surfaces leaves them bleeding she is also in season. Despite all that she is still a canny little girl and we think probably an ex coursing hound considering the way she ran on her little bleeding feet across my garden to smack the resident stone squirrel knocking him flying!

After a vets visit they are confident that once she has a bit of weight on her if we can deal with the teeth, mammory tumours and get her spayed there will hopefully be life in the old dog yet! We really hope so and cant wait to see the turn around tlc can achieve.

Vixen.

On a happier note this week saw yet more hounds head off to fabulous homes.....

Orla, Kyka, Harriet & Honey & Hobo all left with their new families. We cant wait for updates on how they are all doing and wish them and their new found forever people lots of love and luck.

Savannah, Loafer and Macey are all also now reserved.

Two more of our current homeless also headed off for foster and are so far settling well...

Roscoe our big deerhound x cat friendly gentle giant boy has joined Caroline in Warrington till a new family can be found.

and

Selwyn a beautiful 4 year old greyhound boy has currently landed at Lynne and Colins in Leicestershire to build up a bit of weight and condition before we find him a new family.

Arnt they both just gorgeous?

3 months into a new year!

2007-03-14T07:14:00.000-07:00

And.... who would believe it the first chance there has been to add a new blog entry!

The year has started worse than ever. The amount of dogs in danger the length and bredth of the country is heartbreaking.

At Gap we are doing all that we can to help as many but that has meant all work and no play and keeping on keeping on.

We have already rehomed around 40 dogs this year which is double this time last year. The numbers piling through the doors are astronomical and at the moment we have 43 dogs in our care. 36 are in foster homes and that alone is hard work to juggle keep on top of everyone and make sure dogs and humans alike are happy. We cannot keep running at this rate though as funding isnt particularly increasing more than other years and indeed last year Dogs Trust were good enough to give us 50 spaying vouchers an offer sadly this year they cant repeat. Its even more crucial now that we try and bring in more money to allow us to continue to neuter all the dogs in our care. We wont rehouse animals un altered so our only other option is to cut down on numbers rehomed. Being totally self funded is such hard work.

We hope though to level it out and although we need to get numbers down we are hoping we can handle around 30 dogs at anyone time which is an increase from 20 at this time last year.

Everyone is the same, every rescue we speak to is so highly in demand with no sign whatsoever of it easing off.

Also on a very sad note..

The beginning of the year saw us saying goodbye to Noggin the Nog our old sponsor boy as he made his way peacefully to the bridge. Our thoughts are with Dawn his foster Mum who loved him and cared for him so well in his last remaining 10mnths.

Sleep tight Nog the Dog.

Famous Last Words!

2006-11-15T13:10:00.000-08:00

Okay once again I eat my hat! Phone call this evening gentleman dies leaves 19 senior dogs behind what do you do?

Sooooo it looks like Gap can look forward to welcoming 3 x 11 year old lurchers, 1 x 12 year old lurchers and 1 x 13 year old lurchers.

36 dogs! Not sure where they will be going yet but we will find somewhere hey ho.

Now What?

2006-11-15T05:28:00.000-08:00

Sitting here writing this blog entry right now im feeling desperate, low, worried. Yet again with 6 weeks to go till the Christmas turn out we have once again been forced to close the doors.

The phones are ringing off and sadly its not with great home offers for our current hounds but with people wanting rid of their dogs again, pounds ringing with pts problems, trainers, you name it they are coming from everywhere.

Were full! Sad fact and I have always prided myself and Gap on finding a solution there is always a space somewhere right? Wrong! All other rescues seem to be in exactly the same boat, no one seems able to squeeze that last little lurcher, or that one final greyhound in anymore. Rescues who have helped us in the past are now having to turn to us for help. Some are openly admiting they have never known it this bad and could never understand why we were always so pressured. Most are rescues down South who are now experiencing just how bad it gets the further North you head for the first time in a longtime. Non of us anymore can see the wood for the trees.

At the moment we have 21 dogs in foster, and another 10 piled up in kennels moving no where fast because the dogs in foster arnt moving on. Its a sad state of affairs but once again the country seems to be at gridlock.

We were full at the beginning of the week but since being full we have taken two lurchers due euthanasia as the council facility they were in were full, another rough coated lurcher, his pound should have only kept him the 7 days but held on for 21 to try and keep him safe, a little 6 year old greyhound girl coming to us who has already lost one eye to glaucoma, her family were moving and dont want to take her with them and so had placed her up for homing in the free ads, with a condition like hers hanging over her head, and then a call from another rescue yet again with a young lurcher male. How can you say no to these dogs? Sadly next week will come another list similar to this and next week we have to say no!

Kenneling costs are now over £1000 a month that is without routine vet treatment, we could raise more money, we could then offer more places of safety. However, the dogs then sit and wait longer and longer in kennels, without dogs moving out of foster homes we cant get on with the assessments, some of these dogs are way to young to be in kennels for a length of time and some are too old. Prioritise them then you get the middle of the roader stays being increased longer and longer and its happening. There is just no easy answers!

Fly one of this weeks intakes.

Prancer

Mortimer

For more information on this weeks intakes and if you feel you could offer any a foster place please visit the current kennel hounds page on our main website
http://www.greyhoundgap.com

We also need to say a massive thanks.... to all who donated and participated in our big online auction held on Greyhound Gaps forum. The auction ran for a week and managed to raise a staggering £2,599. That will go along way and will cover this months bills in its entirity. Thank you all without this continued support we couldnt do what we do! Thank you.

Lazy Blogger!

2006-10-29T11:22:00.000-08:00

I am so sorry for those if there is anyone out there who does pop by to visit and read the Gap blog. The last few weeks have been an awful time with so many dogs in danger. So many have landed so many have gone home and so many I have forgot to thank and mention in the blog.

To give you an idea of the way the last month has gone here is a post I typed for our forum....

I felt the need to thank as many people personally as I could...

Hope this gives you an insight into the current weeks we are having.

Well normally I would just put a broad spectrum thank you to everyone on but this week has been so bloody awful but with so much achieved and so many lives saved im going to try and remeber to thank everyone.Monday morning saw me telephoned out of bed at 8 am by the pound. It says it all I knew that we and more importantly alot of dogs were in trouble and so begins the tale of a miracle week....

I need to say thank you firstly to the transporters....

Monday -Trish for taking me from Stoke to Wolverhampton to the pound for dogs and the list and back to Stoke and kennels with Ted, Mork, Cooper and Sally

Nicky (Cadbury) Wolverhampton to Milton Keynes to Stoke then back to Wolverhampton with Duchess

Vicky for collecting Ralphie the last pointie poundie and moving to hers

Tuesday -

Karen and Colin from Widnes to Stoke to collect Ted and back again

Carl for taking me from Stoke to kennels to Uttoxeter to meet Jackie (Fenjas Mum) who came from Leicester to Uttoxeter back to Nottingham then Leicester

Wednesday -

Dave from Stoke to Wolverhampton back to Knutsford then Stoke with the English Bull Terrier. Allie from Rochdale down to Knutsford then back to Wythenshawe to drop him off then home.

Nicky for Wolverhampton with a poundie to Stoke and then onto kennels with me to Collect Morris and then the local to me pound to collect Daisy and Toby and then back to Wolverhampton.

Anna from Sheffield to Stoke to collect Morris and the poundie girl to head to Kaye at Lurcher Link and the girl to Dogs Trust Leeds. Kaye for coming out when she is so busy herself and collecting the girl and Morris.

Friday -

Liz from Ipswich to collect Lady and take her home from Colchester

Fran for collecting Sandy from Wombwell and taking her back to hers

Mandy (Spikesmum) for travelling to collect Bobby and take him back to hers

Saturday - Mandy (Spikesmum) travelling from Newcastle down to Leeds with Bobby to meet Jackie Fenjas Mum and bring him down to Donnington and Trish for going with me to collect him there and take him to kennels.

Dawn and Lisa for collecting a poundie from Wolverhampton and taking to meet Phebe in West Wales, Phebe (owl) for then getting said poundie onto Xaraworlds and Donna (Xaraworlds) for collecting poundie and taking safely back to Aberystwyth.

Sunday -

Nicky up to meet Jasamines new owners Liz for travelling from Ipswich to take Lady to foster and Wanda for collecting her to take as a foster

In advance I would also like to thank Amy and Missysmum for the mammoth run they are about to perform on Tuesday from Birmingham to Newton Abbot thank youTo every single transporter thank you you are bloody life savers literally

Fosterers -

Karen and Colin for Ted thank you
Vicky and Chris for Ralphie thank you
Trish and Mark for taking in another one Evie thank you
Fran for taking Sandy thank you
Kaye at LL for taking Morris thank you
Corrine for taking Inca thank you
Wanda for taking Lady thank you
Nicky and Rich for Daisy and for Dawn and Lisa for juggling her for a couple of days thank you

Kennels -
Trish and Mark, Nicky and Colin (Skires) and Carl for help making sure all dogs are walked safe and settled. Not to mention my ever patient, happy and obliging wonderful kennel staff who so many of our dogs owe their personal wellbeing, they do all they can with what they have to make sure our dogs are loved, bathed, fed, kept warm and watered and I cant thank them enough.

General

Liz for holding the fort so admirably with the phone calls and homechecks arranging and incoming reports. I know it got a bit hairy during the course of the week and I nearly drove you to both drink and a breakdown but fingers crossed we will get there Also Kevin for not barring me from phoning her

Angela for constantly holding our bank balance, thank you. I know I rib her but there has never been a time she says no, she says do it get the dog, sod the rest and money is money we will worry about it after. I am so lucky to have a treasurer who never second guesses me and is happy that every decission I make for the dogs not matter the financial implications never once questions my ethics or moral standards because well she knows me well enough to know its always for the right reasons.

To everyone else for every second they have put into either Gap, the dogs or the forum this week, keeping it going, a nice place to be where to be honest in weeks like this we all prove that miracles DO happen. Thank you all .....

We can all now welcome this weeks new safe arrivals ....

Ted
Ralphie
Mork
Daisy
Toby
Bobby
Lady
Inca
Duchess
and Sandy

10 new arrivals in a week is a hell of an achievement and im totally gobsmacked and amazed that we managed with more luck than judgement to find somewhere for them all to be.

Also other rescues for taking the poundies safely

Lurcher Link for sorting the little lab x collie girl
Bullies in Need for Oscar the English Bull
Babbington for Sally and Cooper
WAW for three two who are in our kennels in isolation
Hope for a little old staffi x boy
GRWE Newton Abbot for Tuesdays boy
and Boxer Welfare who are about to take another charge.

I know its long and it reads scary but this has been what I hope is no ordinary week So many people have bent over backwards to make such a difference to so many dogs that this long winded appreciation post was the only way I could think to say I know who every last one of you is and for pulling off what you pulled of this week you are insane but in a nice way

Another week flies by..

2006-09-18T04:29:00.000-07:00

Well it appears im turning into the Monday Blogger. Probably because Mondays are the days that I take the morning to go through all the previous weeks happenings and sort any loose ends that need tying up up!

Its been another manic week with yet two more new arrivals! I know I know dont ask! Both were desperate both were small (snigger) so both were squeezed in.

First up is poor little Della. She had been in the stray pound for a week and hadnt even received a vet check. She was so scared that she screamed if they tried to approach her and they just hadnt been able to get anywhere with her, the vet couldnt get within a foot.

She is a middle aged lady who currently is in a bit of a mess. She has kennel cough, what was thought to be mange but is indeed a very bad and mucky flea allergy. Ive never seen so many fleas on one poor dog. Her skin was blood red when she landed and such a mess, hot to touch and you could see the reason for the screaming in the pound was probably fear of pain at being poked and prodded. She has now been bathed and strongholded and ive also been using Bob Grass skin cure on her daily her skin is already 1000 per cent better just for a little tlc. We are also treating the KC with antibiotics and that doesnt seem to be getting any worse. She very quicky came around to myself and my son and is a real little cuddle monster. I just feel a little guilty at the moment as she is being nursed in the kitchen as she doesnt like my other dogs and is swearing at them repeatedly through the dog gate. Still she is better, safer, more cared for and loved with time in the kitchen than in a kennel scared and without any company.

Im sure once she gets further down the road to recovery her forever home will be literally seconds around the corner she is such a wonderful little girl.

Second in is Myrtle. Myrtle is the tiniest little whippet x lurcher at just 20 inches. She has been in the care of another rescue since July this year but has been overlooked probably because of her age we estimate to be around 9.

She is an absolute joy to have around is cat friendly, spotlessly clean in the house and fabulous with other dogs. The only problem we can see perhaps with Myrtle is that she loves her humans so much that she may be unhappy being left even with the company of other dogs at first, however we envisage once she has happily settled into her new surroundings she will be totally fine, she is just a little insecure now. She is currently in foster with Sue and Andy and their eight yes eight wonderful senior greyhound girls.

I dont think someone this little lady will be waiting long.

Thankfully we have had a good week with homing also...

Arnold left us to join his new family in Alsager where he will be living with his new family and sister Carlie. Updates so far are that he is settling in fine and all is well.

Dipsy left to join his new family in Leicestershire and again apart from peeing up the speakers (which in all fairness he did before we parted company with him lol) he is being a really good lad.

Alfie Pickles our big rough coated Hancock boy also went to start his new life with Nicky and Kim in Nottinghamshire and has settled down like he has always been there. The old cat was a little peturbed at the interlopper but Alfie did what Alfie usually does and just got on with it bless him.

This week should also hopefully see both Charlie, Hero and Bryn leave for their forever homes too but more about that once they are safely instilled and settled.

Oh and hahah we added two more failed fosters to the batch! Sue failed miserably for the second time and has decided that Amy who is wonderful was being overlooked for so long she cant bear to part with her and she is staying and Laura and her OH first time fosterers of the beautiful Twigg screamed that all the people circling could get away from their pup so I had a feeling that meant she was staying *giggle* which was later confirmed by telephone conversations. Congratulations to you all.

Other news...... Homechecks are going well and we have some lovely families looking to add a dog, sometimes it can be a little frustrating though when the homes are there and fabulous and you dont have that *just* right dog for them. We are looking with other rescues we work with so fingers crossed more hound bums on more vacant sofas should be achieved.

Also the kennel hounds.... I nipped up to visit them on Saturday to take them some new toys. They are staying a little longer than normal in kennels at the moment so we decided they needed to be occupied. We have also appealed for folks to send them more durable toys through the post... if you have any you can spare please email greyhoundgap@yahoo.co.uk for a posting address.

They were all more than made up as you can see. Baron was treated to a huge football but it was already fizzing before we left lol so that didnt last long.

As you can see they all thought it was Christmas!

Onto Sunday and the end of the week.. I met up with Trish and Nicky and we decided to take eight of the dogs including Lilly, Fallon and Sam who are looking for homes over tot he RSPCA Dog Show in Buxton.

We had a fabulous day with lots of awareness raised for the hounds and they did really well in the rosette stakes to. I think we brought about 9 home between them. Sam who can be a real monkey out and about actually had a relatively good day for him. There was a couple of episodes but other than that he was a credit to the rescue. Ive been using a dogmatic head collar with him out and about and it helps to get his attention quickly back onto me as opposed to other dogs or happenings and he seems comfortable with it and its definatly doing its job..

A couple of pictures of the day

Sam having a cuddle with me

Lilly and Bea playing

And Ice Cream time

Once again I need to thank our wonderful volunteers and supporters! The last few weeks have been a great worry to me, having so many dogs in our care and more than we have ever had in the past you start to wonder if all the current Gap hounds are receiving all they need whilst on their quest for their forever sofa. Im happy to announce THEY DO and more. So many people put so much time into making sure they are so well socialised, loved as part of a family and cared for aswell as the kennel hounds having Christmas in September its wonderful.

Being a Gap hound whilst waiting for your family in fact aint that bad at all!

What a weekend!

2006-09-11T15:07:00.000-07:00

Shattered as im sure are some of the volunteers who helped out over the weekend and put in the legwork.

Saturday was such a busy day! It started at 10.30am up at the kennels. Firstly we walked Binky and Baron and I dont know whether its a full moon but boy did they both have a Mickey on them, they were fine once out and about but talk about headlong battle to get them ready. After walking those too it was the turn of Marley to come out. Poor lad is only around 10mnths and is going stir crazy in the kennels out of them he is such a lovely laid back dog for his age but kennel life just isnt for him so starts the search for a foster home.

Whilst walking Marley, Amy arrived from Birmingham Dogs Home with our two new arrivals both of whom have kennel cough so need quaranteen. One isnt a lurcher but a lovely skinny laid back crossbreed lad but ney mind he is safe now. Hope Rescue have agreed to take and home him and we have offered to keep him safe isolate and kennel him until the KC is cured. The other lad the Hancock lurcher Smokey is a really handsome lad but again feel he will struggle and go downhill rapidly in kennels so another who needs a foster home as soon as it can be arranged.

After we had settled them in we still had little Chas who landed the day before to walk out. I also spent a little time with a beautiful 5 year old blue bitch who had landed in kennels before in the care of GRWE such a lovely but scared girl. Im sure she will be a lovely gentle little soul once she is finally into a caring forever home, bless her she really stole my heart and I was so tempted to say I will have her but there is definatly no more space left on my sofa.

The little cross breed lad yet with no name!

Smokey the Hancock Lurcher boy.

We left the kennels about 1.30pm and headed up to Knutsford services to drop little Twigg off to her foster Mum, she has gone to stay in Colwyn Bay, North Wales with Laura and family and Oz the 9mnth old Deerhound x GSD. She is settling in well and I think they may be rapidly falling in love with her, its not hard she is adorable.

After that and on to take Arnold for his second visit to his prospective new family with Carlie the Beardie. All went well and this time Carlie didnt even have a grumble at him in fact she was pleased and excited to see him.

Arnold and Carlie

We arrived back at Trishs (who with her daughter Tia had been with me all day) at around 6pm, so then it was time to take our own poor long suffering hounds out for a run bless them. We headed to Hanchurch woods and onto the bottom path where you very rarely see walkers which is great because it means all the dogs including the greyhounds can get off leash for a romp. They had a wail of a time especially my Greyhound Girl Bea and current foster girl Fallon who both rolled in copious amounts of fox poo!!! Delightful!

Lilly who is looking for a home plays frisbee with my son Jack and Lurcher Tzar

Queenie Bea my very own little Minx treats herself to some eau de fox poo!
How pleased does she look with herself?

Fallon who is currently looking for a home and fostering with myself decided she wasnt to be outdone on that expensive perfume and indulged herself!

More playing frisbee with Jack.

And .... yet more of the dogs using my son for entertainment value.

I finally got back into the house at 8.30pm before collapsing shattered and catching up on the evenings calls etc.

Sunday I took a much needed half day out! After dealing with everything we needed to deal with in the morning I headed up to Biddulph Grange country park with Caroline and Trish to take the dogs again for another long hike. Sadly it was ruined by some people who were strolling half an hour behind their off leash dogs that had no manners but other than that the dogs enjoyed it. We ended the day popping to a local pub for Sunday lunch before coming home and dealing with the evenings calls and catch up!

Famous Last Words

2006-09-08T14:38:00.000-07:00

Well today has been odd even by our usual odd standards!! So much for no more intakes.

Firstly today Nicky landed with the first of the three pound boys we are expecting today and the following two tomorrow. He is a beautiful dark brindle, small saluki cross boy. I would say around 4 - 5 years old very sweet and gentle natured. We took him over to the kennels and settled him into the isolation block, he has though been on treatment for KC for a week now and it wasnt showing, no coughing on leash or when I palputated his throat so fingers crossed its dying a death.

We have called him Chas, you can see below what a handsome boy he is......

After that, we headed to the vets with Rodney one of my own hounds, he isnt well at the moment and as suspected goes in for tests for Cushings later in the week. To be honest although Cushings is a knaff diagnosis I kind of hope it is because then at least we WILL have a diagnosis and can treat accordingly as at the moment he isnt good.

This is when the bizarre chain of events started to unfold....

Around four weeks ago when visiting the vets with Tzar for his annual jabs we saw the most beautiful little saluki greyhound girl. She was just four months old and had been purchased as a worker but had had an off lead run in with a horse and suffered damage to her eye. It was obvious that the eye couldnt be saved. I tried everything to give the owner my number but it wasnt to be. That dog has haunted me on and off the last few weeks. At the vets today I mentioned to Nicky I wondered how she had gone on.

When we left the vets we decided to call at Pets At Home, they kindly allow us to empty the charity bucket off dog food and treats, whilst there I happened to glance at the notice board which is directly above the food bucket and there she was......

young saluki greyhound with only one eye

I almost screeched to Nicky across the store that that had to be Twigg, it had to be our girl.

I took the leap of faith and telephoned the number not knowing what response I was to be met with. After explaining who I was and where I met him thankfully he agreed that the little lady could come to us to be given the chance to find a wonderful pet home, he only wanted what was best for her for her future.

We got the address and shot down to fetch her, so far she is a total joy, very sweet and very obedient and currently asleep in my livingroom crate. After a night here she is off to North Wales to join her foster home and have fun romping on the beach. Her eye is now totally healed and except giving her only vision on one side shouldnt effect her.

So remind me again! Next time I say we are full I mean fullish, erm slightly full as in just about room to squeeze in another. Tut, who am I trying to kid, im just a sucker for a pretty face and a hard luck story. I cant help but think though that Twig finding her way into our care was fate playing more than a little hand...

Could you resist this face?

and so to bed before the start of yet another busy day!

Tommorow starts with walking the four kennel hounds then awaiting Amys arrival with the next two poundies lad and a bit of assessment time spent with them.

We are heading then to meet Laura up at Knutsford who is going to be fostering Twig and after that off to meet Arnolds prospective new family once again to continue introductions with their Beardie girl Carly.

Charlie Me Darling

2006-09-07T14:27:00.000-07:00

Well yet again another busy and emotional day that didnt get off to a great start! The alarm went off this morning at 7.45am and I fell back asleep till 8.45. I made a concienious effort to awake and before I knew it it was 11am. This is so rare for me and all day I feel like ive not been able to wake up properly. By 4pm I headed back to bed for 2 hours (me sleeping in the afternoon is totally unheard off) and was woken at 6.10pm by a fosterers call. Ive just had a bath and am updating the blog and turning in for the night yet again! Lets hope its just an off day and im not coming down with something as we are so busy at the moment I cant afford to be laid up in anyway.

Around 12noon we received a call from Birmingham Dogs Home to ask if we could help with two lurchers who are getting no interest. One is a Hancock Male the second dog by so called lurcher breeder David Hancock to come into our care within a week, the dogs are bred, sold as pups and then he doesnt take back when the owners no longer want them, they use to be rare in rescue but more and more are turning up ive lost count of how many we have had to home this year.

Both of the dogs have kennel cough so another emergency call had to be put up into the kennels, thankfully they have already had to set us up the isolation block for the pound lad arriving tomorrow and it has four kennels so all three can be safely held in isolation together and receive the needed vet treatment administered via the kennel staff. I will be going up to the kennels tomorrow to admit the first of the new lads and get them settled down.

Shortly after that another call, a male greyhound Charlie, five years old and originally homed by Lodge Hounds, sadly though they have closed and emigrated to Spain so the dog now has no rescue back up or provissions made. The ladies husband is no longer around and she cannot stay in her home so Charlie needs somewhere to be. He is said to be great to be left, good with kids and fine with cats, he was collected quickly and tonight is in a foster home so we can double check his cat status. So far he is proving a real Charlie me Darling and other than being panty is settling well.

That puts us up to 6 new intakes this week and sadly there is no more room at the Inn. We are comfortably set up to handle around 12 - 15 dogs. 20 in times of severe strife but are now sitting at 24. The culmination of kenneling costs and veterinary treatment means we have had to make the difficult and heartbreaking decission to close the doors for immediate intake. We need to try to rehome around half of the hounds we currently have waiting before we can consider taking anything other than dire emergencies. We are pushing towards Bonfire night and also the dreaded *C* Christmas word, so we need to be straight and ably available with emergency places and kenneling plus with a healthy enough bank account to see the hounds through the winter months as due to commitments the general public has over the festive period its the hardest time of year to make ends meet with funding dropping alot lower than during the Summer Show months.

Fingers crossed that good homes for the current hounds are just around the corner.

Just a quick photo of todays newest arrival Charlie...

Leggy Cleggy Lands at Gap

2006-09-06T15:15:00.000-07:00

Today saw another new arrival. A beautiful lanky oldie saluki cross boy who arrived from a stray pound situation. Leggy Cleggy or Clegg as he is to be known is around 9-10 years of age (vet estimate) and has the most sweet nature.

The poor boy is in a bit of a state at the moment, very underweight at only 25kg, with a mouthful of filthy teeth and seems to have a very sore bum and the runs and also possible worry of a water infection and what appear to be arthriticy stiff back hips.

I will be interested to see if after a couple of weeks of tlc and gentle excercise if the age estimation stays the same. Its amazing how many times we see them almost rejuvinate when into a warm loving foster environment. As he is guesstimated to be an older boy we made sure he bypassed the holding kennels and has headed straight to Sheffield into foster care.

Massive thanks to Nicky for collecting him and to Anna and David for fostering him on Gap's before. I hope its not long before we have him medically sorted and he is on his way to his forever home.

Here he is arriving at mine waiting to be collected ignore the weeds!!

and just hours later settling into his foster home looking much more comfortable and settled

Other news today this evening I did a fabulous homevisit for a lovely couple and there beautiful Beardie Collie girl. She recently lost her companion and has been mourning. However, she does have some problems with bringing new dogs into her home so we took Arnold over (who incidentally they fell in love with) and took them for a short walk together before walking them into the garden without stopping. She was fine and accepted it. We then risked moving into the house and apart from a couple of growls she actually enjoyed having him around. They will be meeting again this weekend and after a couple more introductions if she seems happy then Arnold may be heading home so fingers crossed.

The rough with the Smooth

2006-09-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

Well what can I say? Ive been a lazy blogger!

Things in Gap land have been terribly hectic the last couple of months and until the launch of the new website which finally happened this week ive ended up completly forgetting about our blog.

Hopefully now that its up and running I will remember to update you all regularly.

This last week so far has been awful. We are probably going through one of our busiest periods ever and have had four returns, four returns its heartbreaking and more than we usually have in over a six month period.

The sad thing is that non of them have been because the hounds arnt right for the home just purely circumstantial and they havent come back through fault of their own. With 14 dogs already in our care and 6 more waiting to come in this will put us up to a ridiculously high 24 dogs. Most will be in foster but others will have to be placed into the kennels.

Home offers are starting to pick up again though and hopefully some dogs will be heading off to their fabulous new forever homes soon.

On a plus side once again the volunteers have suppased themselves and its been amazing to watch everyone muck in and all hands on deck, every scrap of help is appreciated no matter how big or small.

Now we are all up and running on the fabulous new site, I really hope you enjoy it I promise to keep all this up to date with the daily comings and goings of the hounds entering and leaving Gap's care.

So much to see and do!

2006-07-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

Wow!! I cant believe another busy week here in Gap Land has passed without me adding a blog update. Sort of makes it hit home just how busy things really are around here!!

I will attemt to sum up the news in a nutshell. I feel so bad for not blogging but it has been manic.

Saturday saw two of our hounds head off to new homes. Gypsy who has headed off to Hertfordshire and Minnie who has left for a new life in Oxford. Both are so far doing well and settling in a treat. Great to see them finally finding their forever sofas. Gypsy has waited a while as we knew it was the perfect home but her new Mum and Dad were away on holiday and little Minnie came to us really poorly with kennel cough and we have had to wait for her to recover. Thanks to Mel and Brian for fostering Gypsy and Lisa and boys for looking after Minnie.

Gypsy

Minnie

Meanwhile Saturday was also the start of a busy fundraising weekend for us. I went along with other Gap volunteers Trish and Jackie to Westfest2006. West Fest was held at a local high school in Leek and was an open day with lots of live music provided by the pupils of Westwood High School. It was a fabulous day and was wonderful to see so much young musical talent in one place.

The hounds behaved impecably apart from the odd squirrel sighting, lots of awareness was raised and also a wonderful £50 to help continue the care of the dogs.

Westfest2006

We would like to thank the sixth form pupils and the school for inviting us along to attend on the day.

Sunday and back out on the road fundraising with three events being held simaltaniously. First was the PDSA Fun Dog Show and Opening Day in Worthington Park Sale. Another fabulous Gap turn out and we cant thank everyone enough for taking the time to attend. The day was a great success and we managed to raise an astounding £250. Unbelievable.

Also Dogs Trust in both Roden and Bridgend held there annual open days and again volunteers all around the country rallyed round to be in attendance. We managed to raise another amazing £200 combined taking the total for one weekends fundraising alone to £500 thank you so much one and all.

Sundays Fundraising Events..

also on Sunday beautiful Cassie left us for her new forever home in Nottingham with Lynda and husband. She is such a beautiful gentle girl and has settled in straight away. Be happy sweetheart.

Whilst out attending the fundraiser we also received a call from our kennels to ask if we would be willing to take on yet another black male hound who needed help. How could we say no? So another new arrival landed.

Monday and Tuesday were both busy days with the usual flurry of activity behind the scenes, there was lots of transports to be arranged for death rowers and thankfully through so many wonderful volunteers and fabulous rescues we managed to secure places for all that needed a safe place to be. Thank you to everyone who helped too many to name you all know who you are.

Wednesday saw yet another new arrival. One of the overdue poundies was a two year old black (no suprise there then) greyhound male. We made arrangements for him to come safely into Gaps care and to be kept safe in our holding kennels along with Hero and the Sunday dog.

Nicky grabbed him and brought him up from Birmingham collecting me on the way so we could head over to the kennels and walk them all.

On arrival at the kennels we were greeted by Hero and the new boy who im not sure is a greyhound male and I suspect has a little bit of bull in him somewhere, never the less he is a beautiful boy with a cheeky, bouncy personality who has been named Dipsy. We called the new lad Midge and headed out to walk all three. They were angels and are all lovely boys a pleasure to spend time with. Dipsy amused us by doing headstands in the local public field trying to get off his muzzle.

At the sametime Simon the kennel owner asked me to go and have a look at a little middle aged gentleman, I would say he is lurcher x he was dumped two weeks ago in the quarry close to the kennels very near to death he was so under weight and neglected. Simon naturally took him in and has done a wonderful job getting him back on his feet. However, now he needs the routine castration etc and a rescue to safeguard his future? Could you of said no? I know I couldnt. Albert as he has now been named has been happily welcomed into the Gap fold and we will be seeking a foster home for him shortly.

Dipsy, Hero & Midge

Albert

A beautiful bunch im sure you will all agree!

Friday saw Slim leave for his new home in Coventry! Slim is a beautiful boy who has been with us for around four months now. He has left to live with his new parents Andrea and Neil and their beautiful 12 year old lurcher bitch Jess. He is already settling in well and has been a good lad since landing. Good luck Slim we are so glad you finally have your forever sofa. Lots of love to Trish and Mark for doing such a fabulous job with their first foster and looking after him so well.

Saturday and the busiest day of the week quickly comes back around!

This morning we were up the kennels for 10 am we being myself and Trish. We took the four lads out for a lovely walk before it become to hot. They were all pleased to see us and lots of happy tails and smiley faces met us.

Enjoying their walk

As we were putting the hounds back into the kennels Trish caved in and decided that Midge wasnt going to make it back in there. He has now headed home with her to join her family as their second foster. Well done Trish and Mark and look forward to seeing this lad flourish.

Midge leaving the kennels with Trish

and just two hours later happy and smiling settling in.

Also early morning a massive thanks to Marion and Gareth. We had a desperate poundie who needed moving today all the way from Walsall to Bath Cats & Dogs Home. Marion or Mad Marion as we like to call her managed an epic journey right the way up to Junction 10 of the M6 for 10.30am considering she lives in South Wales this is no meanfeat. She then drove all the way back down to Bath to deliver the lad to safety. Poor boy is poorly with kennel cough but is now guaranteed fabulous care and a safe future. Thank you both im sure if this lad could he would send massive licks and kisses.

Yet again we also welcome two more new arrivals to the Gap hound clan today.

First up is a little greyhound girl called Bluebell but now changed to Coco. Coco was found straying and was due to be euthanised last Wednesday but thankfully Rochdale Dog Rescue contacted us and we were able to offer her a place. She was collected today by Alicia and Ray (thank you both) from Widnes and they made the massive journey down to Coventry with her to hand her to her foster parents Abigail and Paul. Thank you Abigail and Paul for welcoming your third Gap foster into your home and hearts.

Once little Coco arrived we were able to trace her ear number and were shocked to find that this little lady has only just seen her first birthday. She was one in June yet already the poor girl is unwanted another waste product of the racing industry. She is a lovely natured playful girl who after a good bath and de fleaing is already settling in well.

Coco

and finally our second arrival today Perry. Perry is a 4 year old greyhound male who has arrived in our care from a home situation. Sadly Perrys owner has found herself in a position where she can no longer care for his needs. He is a beautiful lad who has travelled from Rotherham to Walsall to become Lisa and the boys latest foster.

Massive thanks to Kerry and David for collecting him and transporting him and thanks to Dawn and Lisa for travelling to meet him. Fingers crossed your new forever home wont be far away.

and so to bed and ready for yet another new week. I have no idea from one week to the next what to expect fingers crossed that its all good.

The heat is on!

2006-07-05T17:10:00.000-07:00

Phew its hot and in the rescue world the heat is on in more ways than one. Yet again this week has been one of the busiest on record with dogs in danger turning up left right and center..

Its been all chop and change with dogs coming and going.

Saturday saw Beano leave for a new home. Beano is the last of the Greyhound puppies who were whelped in our care in January. We cant believe that this lad has waited so long. He is a joy to have around and such a good boy and so far seems to be settling well. He has gone to live near to Wimbledon Common. No jokes about the Wombles please.

Today he visited our treasurer who actually works on the common with his new brother Gyp and things seem to be going well...

Sunday saw another of our pups leave, Chester. Chester came to us after being surrendered into the pound at 12 weeks old he then stayed there until 5 months when he landed in our care. He is a beautiful boy who is so eager to learn and has quickly picked up all the basics of homelife. He is settling well into his home but is having a few problems with manners around other young dogs, he is being a little overly boisterous and lively on walks and not sure when to call it quits. His new Mum is planning on booking him into training and socialisation classes and limiting his freedom when out and about in the hope of gradually easing him into interacting with other dogs and nipping any social climbing in the bud. We wish them all the luck in the world and hope that Chester soon realises that wally behaviour isnt the way to go and starts to understand how to play. We will be keeping in regular touch with his new family to offer assistance and hope between us that happy little chappy that is bursting to get out begins to bud.

Also on Sunday one of the regular Gap meet ups took place. A group of us met up at Biddulph Grange Country Park in Stoke to allow the hounds a shaded walk through the woods and some fun in the lake and streams that run the length and bredth.

A great time was had by all, especially the humans after when we headed to a local dog friendly pub The Hollybush Inn, Denford for a refreshing pint and a meal. A few photos of the day below..

Monday was all change again! We have to give massive thanks to GRWE who kindly offered to take one of our current kennel hounds Max into their care to allow us to bring in another poundie on Tuesday.

As always the Gap volunteers stepped up to the mark and Max was transported safely from kennels in Stoke down to Hereford with even a stop off for a pub lunch on the way. Although his table manners leave alot to be desired lol and need some working on!
Massive thanks to Trish and Shellie for taking the time to move him.

Handsome Max

Behind the scenes also a great dane x mastiff boy who was also under threat was on the road to safety. After the pound we regulate asked us for help Hope rescue managed to secure him a place with Teckles in Gloucester. We are greatful to both. Thanks to Nicky for transport assistance.

Tuesday saw all change in the kennels day to make way for our new arrival Roo. Roo is a beautiful 3 year old Greyhound boy who was in a pts situation in the pound. He was transported to Mike and Judy on the M6 where they headed down to Stoke with him to meet up with myself.
We headed up to the kennels with Roo where the plan of attack was to bail Ice and Hero from kennels and place them both into foster care, Ice with Judy and Mike and Hero with Karen and Colin.

On arrival at the kennels though it was clear to see that Roo is so nervous and traumatised he wasnt going to fair well going back into a kennel situation and needed the sanctity of a foster situation straight away. After nipping into the kennels and running a quick assessment on Ice and Hero it was obvious that whilst Ice needed further medical care for the time being Hero was as happy as a sandboy. He grinned me with his daft grin and cheesy face and is fairing very well.
The decision was made, Ice would go to Mike and Judy but Roo would make the journey back to Widnes to foster with Karen and Colin, Hero will be going to another foster home hopefully within the next week.

Since arriving in foster care Roo has proved to be a very nervous and untrusting boy, he has seen more hardships than any dog should ever face in their life. In the 24hours he has been there he hasnt voluntarily ventured out of the sanctuary of a crate although the doors have been left open for him. He went in today for neutering because we decided we wanted to get all the nasties and upset out of the way as soon as possible. Hopefully now he can start to settle and learn to trust before he starts to make his journey to his forever home.

Roo

Our newest arrival lands!

2006-06-30T16:28:00.000-07:00

Today we aquired yet another lurcher girl! She was collected today by Anna after her owners decided they didnt want her anymore because she needed are you ready for this.... excercise.

They have had her for 18mnths and she is around 7 years of age, beautiful red fawn saluki x greyhound girl with a grey face. She is now safely in foster care in Spalding in Lincolnshire and will add photos as soon as I receive them. Apprently she is a very kind and gentle girl and has the sweetest nature you could imagine. Fabulous with kids and other dogs just not the usual cats bless her. She has been an only dog so will make a wonderful first companion hound for someone as she has been use to being left when her owners werent around. Her name is Cassie and more updates will follow in the days to come.

Elsewhere..... update on Ice.

Poor Ice went into the vets yesterday morning and has been kept in overnight returning to the holding kennels this evening late on. As I posted yesterday he had a very bad leg and was holding it up on arrival and was very precious about it and wouldnt let us near. Same at the kennels so was booked in at earliest clear oppurtunity for the vets to knock him out and have a good look easiest way as he wouldnt let us near it.

Expecting the usual cracked wrist type injury how suprised and horrified were we to find that actually he had his nails grown right the way round and back actually inside his pad. In the time this has been going on it must have given more pain to be honest than an actual cracked wrist. How can any trainer ignore this fact they must have known it was going on. My heart nearly broke in two for the poor lad, something so basic left to cause him to suffer for who knows how long. He has had the pads opened the nails dug out packed with antibiotics and stitched up. He also needed a dental and has been castrated.

Spoke to Simon at the kennels to see how he was and his words were " he is fine a little p****** off at having to wear a buster collar but other than that fine!" *giggle* poor lad. At least now he can concentrate on learning what a loving brighter future is. Onwards and upwards from here Ice Ice Baby.

News from Sat 24th to Thur 29th June 2006

2006-06-29T04:33:00.000-07:00

This week so far has been a busy week and as it appears I cant back blog I will fill you in on some of the comings and goings so far.

The busy week started on Saturday. Firstly a lovely lady from Southampton, Val travelled all the way to my home in Stoke to meet our longest staying greyhound Cash. Val made her way along with her current hound Star and Judy and Mike (Cashs foster parents) travelled him down for the meeting.

Cash came to us in August last year after being under threat of pts by his trainer on retirement from racing. He had alot of growing up to do at first but soon settled into the most wonderful hound who didnt deserve to wait so long for the right home.

The meeting went fabulously well and he headed off back to Southampton with Val and Star and has settled like a dream.

Well done lad, we are all so proud and happy for you. Judy and Mike are having a holiday in Zante and will be taking in their next foster hound on return.

Literally as Val pulled off, Amy pulled up. Amy is one of our volunteers who lives in Halesowen. She had been en route from Worcester to Stoke with our newest arrivals Ice and Hero. Both Ice and Hero were needing rescue spaces after the training yard they were attatched to in Portsmouth closed.

We were contacted by Debbie Buxcey of http://www.greyhounds4u.co.uk/ to see if we could help. Debbie herself runs a small independant rescue and had taken some of the female hounds from the closure.

The dogs were firstly got onto the road by another of our volunteers Charley who collected them from Portsmouth and made the mammoth journey up to Worcester to meet Amy.

As we dont currently have foster places open for these boys they have been placed safely in our fabulous holding kennels in Staffordshire until such assessment places become open.

On arrival it was obvious that the boys were in need of lots of tlc. Both were full of fleas and worms had terrible coats and mouths that left alot to be desired. Along with de fleaing and vaccinating we will be castrating them, taking care of their mouths and also other problems. Hero seems to have faired better and just has a sprung toe on his front paw that funnily points to the sky in a bit of an ET phone home type manner but poor Ice is not so good. He visibly has an injury to his front leg and is in some pain holding it high and choosing not to put any weight through it this needs urgent attention.

Ice is in today to have his paw checked over so good thoughts that its something relatively easy to fix and keep painfree for him would be appreciated.

The boys......

Elsewhere still behind the scenes more was going on......

In the week we had received a call about a little 10mnth old lurcher boy whos time was up in the pound. As the pounds are obliged to take the dog wardens dog via contract if they get to full then they have no choice but to euthanise to make way for more stray dogs needing to come in.

Buddy was one of those due for euthanasia.

Thankfully one of our foster careers Louise who is based right up in Keighley, Yorkshire offered to take the boy. This was fabulous news. Just the small problem of moving him from Birmingham to North Yorkshire. Once again our fabulous volunteers were out on the move and the boy landed safely just hours after leaving thanks to Richard and Marion.

Buddy

Other comings and goings this week have continued...

Sunday saw us out in force raising awareness and much needed funding.

Two events were attended on the day. I myself went to the Green Safari Day at Risley Moss country park in Warrington, the turn out of rescue support once again was fabulous and thanks to all who attended. We managed to speak to quite a few people about the plight of the hounds and raise a fabulous £114 in the process.

Meanwhile Dawn and other members of the team headed off to Dogs Trust Kenilworths Fun Dog Show http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming/our_centres/kenilworth/and held a stall. Again lot of interest in the dogs and over £80 being raised meaning in one day we had managed another £200 towards the dogs care.

It was also Nog one of our sponsor hounds first official outing. Nog came to us recently a poor old lad whos teeth were in horrendous condition but more alarmingly so is his heart. He is just 10 years of age, still with all this aside he is the most wonderful loving companion hound. He will be living out his days in the care of Dawn so that we can support his ongoing medical treatment.

He had a great day and managed to pick up a rosette in the best senior class.

Noggin the Nog

and finally.... thank goodness I hear you cry!

Today is the day that Fletch goes home! Fletch is a beautiful 18mnth old greyhound boy who has been in our care for around six weeks now. He landed from Ireland with two others (Hustler and Cole) already rehomed.

Handsome Fletch the Snowflake Hound

Fletchs new family first laid eyes on the lad at the RSPCA Derby Fun Dog Show http://www.derby-rspca.org.uk/ that was held recently. They contacted us after and arranged for a home visitor to go and meet themselves and their existing dogs. All went well with the homecheck so last weekend Fletch went to visit for the day. He settled in straight away and got on fine with their little whippet girl and old collie lady.

Good luck Fletch. Looking forward to lots of updates and huge thanks to both his new family for welcoming him home and Sue, Mark & kids his foster family.

So thats a round up of the week so far, of course much more has been happening but I hope you enjoyed the round up of the main comings and goings this week so far! I hope to update this journal three of four times a week so future entries shouldnt be so long....

Welcome to our official News Blog for Greyhound Gap

2006-06-29T04:29:00.000-07:00

As we are due to update our website soon we thought it was necessary to add a newspage but thought it would be more fun to do that in the form of blog.

So who are Greyhound Gap and what do we do?

Each year hundreds of healthy greyhounds & lurchers are needlessly put to sleep in the UK and this figure is repeated throughout many countries in the world!
The lucky ones make it into rescue, however the story doesn't end there! There are many rescues the length and breadth of the country looking for homes. There are also many potential adopters looking for the right dog to join their family. There is a "gap" between these two parties in terms of distance, the need for homechecking, transporting the dog or quite simply even knowing that each other exists!
This is where Greyhound Gap comes in. The whole aim of this site is to fill that gap by assisting rescues and new potential adopters in their quest to find the perfect home for the perfect dog. The more the rescues can home, the more lucky ones they can make way for.
We have now compiled a list of greyhound rescue centres in the UK and Eire in an attempt to provide an easy source of reference to their nearest centre for people who are looking to adopt a greyhound. The rescue list can be found on the online forum.
Please feel free to use the board to ask any questions you have regarding these dogs, as there is a vast amount of knowledge and personal opinions to be sought amongst the members there.
As well as the service we and our volunteers offer to already established rescues, Greyhound Gap also actively takes in and re-homes death row Greyhounds and Lurchers who find themselves in a PTS situation in UK pounds.
Whilst in our care, all dogs are placed in foster situations which we find preferable to kennel facilities allowing us to build up our own history on the dogs. This allows us to match each dog and each new potential adopter making for an easier and stress free homing.
All dogs that come into our care are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, de-flead and wormed before re-homing as well as receiving a full vet check and any other necessary treatment. As you can appreciate this costs us a great deal. We are totally self funded and have to work hard to raise the necessary monies required. This is made possible by fantastic support from our network of volunteers and you, the general public. More information on how you can help can be found within the pages of this website.
Homechecks will be required before we will place any of our dogs and we also pride ourselves on the fact we consider our dogs to be rescued for life. Should any problems occur at anytime and it becomes necessary for our dogs to leave their new home they must be returned to our care.
Greyhound Gap operates on a National basis so our dogs can be homed in most areas throughout the UK.

I hope that through the pages of this blog you come to understand more about why we do our work and how come its so important.