It is the tall, graceful physique that gives the Greyhound dogs something very elegant. Since the 11th century, ownership of the fastest dog breed in the world has been reserved for the nobility. With the Grays you could enjoy dog racing and sports betting at the same time. This tradition continues today, not only in England, the motherland of horse and dog racing, but especially in Ireland. Ireland, which hardly anyone knows, specializes in racing greyhound dogs. And not only that: the breeding of Greyhound dogs is also designed to produce dogs that bring profit for their owners on the racetrack. And the stakes are not small. In Ireland alone there are 17 dog racing tracks in operation, where greyhounds and Irish wolfhounds bring joy and betting profits to owners and spectators thanks to their speed. Breeding greyhounds, the breed with the “biggest heart” and running speeds of up to 70 km/h, is therefore lucrative. Word has also spread outside of Ireland: exports are booming. The animals are sold to the UK, USA, Canada and more recently China. Casino sites worldwide promote dog racing, so it's no surprise that Macau, known for having one of the largest casinos in the world, has also taken a liking to dog racing and runs its own dog racing track. Commercial dog racing is a trillion-dollar business. Unfortunately, the animals are not doing well at all.
But what happens to the dogs that do not meet the breeding requirements and are discarded after birth? Or with the greyhounds who are retiring after their use on the racetrack? If they are lucky, they end up in a foster home or an association that tries to arrange the adoption of the mostly male dogs. However, the completely healthy animals often end up in killing stations for the sake of simplicity. And this is where Kristiane's rescue center for animals in need comes into play: we work with various animal shelters and animal welfare organizations in Ireland. We have specialized in young animals and sick animals in particular, as we can draw on a wealth of experience here. We nurture our protégés back to health with loving care and then look for a suitable owner for them. The animals learn right from the start how to behave in a house, as we don't keep them in a kennel.
This greyhound puppy gives its new owners, to whom we were able to give it away, joy and, above all, the feeling that they have not simply treated the life of a dog that was bred specifically for human racing fun in a disrespectful manner. Greyhounds are very simple in their nature: if you give them love and security in their new home, they will give it back to you many times over.
The Greyhound may not be as well-known in Europe as the Irish Wolfhound, but it is one of the sighthound breeds that are said to have a number of characteristics: They are said to be difficult to train and have a strong hunting instinct. They are also said to need a lot of exercise and are certainly aggressive because of the muzzle that they only wear when racing. The nature of greyhounds is like Irish wolfhounds, but very gentle and affectionate. Keeping a Greyhound is certainly not recommended in every home given its size, but raising it as a member of the family is easy. They are often misunderstood because they are actually gentle giants. Due to their lovely character, they are very suitable as family dogs. You can go on long walks and even hikes with a Greyhound. However, he wants to exercise for at least one or two hours a day. In the meantime, he relaxes on his favorite spot and behaves calmly and reservedly. The hunting instinct is different in every dog, so you can also find dogs with less hunting instinct among greyhounds and vice versa. The dog walks very well on the leash and behaves unproblematically even towards strangers.
“We try very hard to find a suitable new home for the dogs. Our greyhounds are not simply shipped from the animal shelters to their new owners like Spanish dogs, but we first take care of the dog's health and mental state. Once we get to know him, we’ll look for the right family for him.”
Kristiane
Kristiane attaches great importance to the fact that the animals on her farm are not housed in isolated boxes, but rather live together in a mixed pack of dogs. Such a family group is made up of dogs, cats, horses and donkeys. Their new arrivals experience a life with a lot of love and care from people. They get to know everyday household noises and get used to the car rides to the vet clinic. Our animals are not afraid of a transport basket; there is always one available that can be used as a place to sleep.
Because of the loving care on the farm and the careful selection of the host families, the animals are all rehomed with great success. Also read our story about Tullja!