Help Your Britain - Retired Greyhound Trust

Continuing with our Help Your Britain campaign, today marks the 11th user-nominated charity to be showcased on Bing.

There are more than 187,000 registered charities across Great Britain with a story to be told, many of whom will never be heard due to the lack of resources at their disposal. We’re shining the spotlight on these unsung British heroes as part of our long-term campaign, enabling you, the British public, to nominate the charities you would like to see via www.bing.com/HelpYourBritain.

Today is the turn of …

The Retired Greyhound Trust is a national charity that works extremely hard to support an extensive network of 70 branches and more than 1,000 volunteers to find “forever homes” for retired greyhounds. In addition, they help care for the dogs during the rehoming process, raise funds and provide on-going support for the new owners.  With kennels spread across England, Scotland and Wales, the charity has found more than 60,000 homes for retired racing dogs since it was founded in 1975.

A few words from Peter Laurie, Chief Executive of the Retired Greyhound Trust:

Did you know that greyhounds make great pets?  It’s not news, it’s history. The greyhound is one of the oldest breeds in existence and some scholars say they can be traced back about 4,000 years to early cave drawings.  Greyhounds are the only dog breed mentioned in the Bible. They were the chosen pets of the Pharaohs in Ancient Egypt, the Kings in Ancient Greece, and even our very own Henry VIII and Queen Victoria were greyhound owners. 

Even though our ancestors understood and loved this breed, what do we really know about greyhounds today?  Is your ‘greyhound knowledge’ based in fact or do you believe the old common myths? 

1. Greyhounds need a lot of exercise.
a. This is a myth. Greyhounds may be fantastic athletes and the fastest dog breed but they do not need excessive exercise and are actually quite relaxed. The vast majority are happy with two 20 minute walks a day, but just like you, they can go further with training.

2. Greyhounds cannot live with cats or other small animals.
a. This is a myth. Not all greyhounds are interested in chasing… some can live perfectly at home with other small creatures such as cats, rabbits or even chickens. Just like other dog breeds, however, there will be some that do not like other animals and are best as the singular family pet.

3. Greyhounds are low maintenance animals.
a. This is a fact. Greyhounds are the original low-maintenance companion animal. They sleep a lot, their hair needs little grooming and they don’t need much bathing. They should have their teeth looked after with a cleaning treat or a quick brush with toothpaste, but don’t we all?

4. Greyhounds don’t ever feel comfortable in a home environment.
a. This is a myth. Anyone who thinks this has never surrendered their sofa to a greyhound! They are incredibly adaptable dogs that quickly adjust to a new home. They love human companionship and in no time you will be happy to share the sofa with your new best friend.

Now that you’ve got the facts, why not find out for yourself? With 70 rehoming branches in Britain there is certain to be one nearby.  The Retired Greyhound Trust takes pride in matching the right greyhound to the right household to ensure that you are just as happy with the adoption as the greyhound itself.  Visit www.retiredgreyhounds.co.uk to find out more, and why greyhounds have been cherished pets for 4,000 years. 

If you would like to see your charity of choice take over the Bing homepage, you can nominate them here:

www.bing.com/HelpYourBritain Don’t forget to get involved with the conversation on Facebook and Twitter #HelpYourBritain