Hi Folks.
We're sorry to announce this, but, a lady had her two greyhounds Fire and Gaga out walking a few days ago. Both dogs were out on lead but not muzzled. The dogs saw a little old dog out walking with a lady. The two dogs saw it and lunged so heavily that they drew their owner over and knocked the leads out of her hand. They shot across, caught and killed the little dog in front of its owner.
The outcome is that the police and animal welfare officers were involved. The lady faced prosecution and the strong possibility that both dogs would be put to sleep. The alternative was to return the dogs to GRF complete with lifelong ASBOs. This has been done and the dogs are now safe back in the kennels.
The situation now is that we have two dogs ( one seven years old ) with ASBOs that mean that the dogs can only be rehomed to someone who will accept the ASBO. The ASBO demands that each dog, for life can never be let out of the owner's property without a lead and muzzle. If the dog kills again, or IS SEEN OUTSIDE IN A PUBLIC PLACE WITHOUT A MUZZLE, it will be destroyed and the owner charged by the police.
It is going to be massively difficult for these dogs ever to see a home again.
The authorities have told us that, though it is not law, hound type dogs should, to avoid such a situation recurring again, be leaded and muzzled in a public place. The Authorities take the view that stating that your dog cannot defend itself if muzzled does not justify walking your dog without a muzzle. It is difficult, but I feel that there are more chances of the hound killing than being killed. Irrespective of your viewpoint here, if your dog is unmuzzled and kills, he will probably be put to sleep and my conscience would not allow me to put my dog into that situation.
We, more than anybody, understand how you feel about muzzles, but because of our position, as advised, we must now strongly advise you to use them in public places.
Even from a rescue point of view we are now two rescue kennels short for life - we will never put the dogs to sleep - and this stops us possibly saving the lives of many other greyhounds who, in that time, could have been rescued. You can imagine our plight if we get many more such ASBOs.
Irrespective of how you feel about muzzles, please accept that we are in no position to make comment now. We cannot argue with what may condemn one of our beloved dogs to an untimely death.
Please accept the position that we are in. It is not GRF's fault and it was not the fault of the dogs, in law, but they can still be put to sleep in law by the Authorities.
So sorry and we are also desperately sorry that the lady's little pet dog died.
Jimmy and Celia.

I think it is very easy for us all to become complacent about our dogs and stop using muzzles once we have had them a while in our homes and lives. We get to know their temperament and think that they would never be likely to attack a small dog.

This incident just goes to show that this could happen with any of our hounds.

Think of how you would feel if you didn't muzzle your dog and something similar happened - especially if it ended up with your hound being put to sleep - and how would that make Celia and Jimmy feel.

When we rehome a dog from GRF we are promising to love and care for that dog and keep it safe. If that means using a muzzle in public, then so be it.

It's our worst nightmare become reality, and so tough on GRF, who have always given the best of safety advice. Friends think I am over-defensive of other animals with Bryn and Foxy, but I know their potential and I am not prepared to risk their lives, or that of another animal, by giving them more freedom. I don't routinely muzzle my dogs, but I'm careful where I walk them.
I'm sorry for Fire and Gaga's mistress - I can't imagine how she must be feeling. Many of us will have had 'close shaves' in the past and learned from them, but she has not been so lucky and GRF are left to pick up the pieces.

This is very sad ... for GRF, for Fire & Gaga, their owner, the poor wee dog who was killed, and his/her owner.

It is also sad that it is more bad press for greyhounds What we want to avoid is people being put off re-homing these wonderful dogs who, in the main, make such great & gentle pets.

I think that, once again, we must return to the Re-Homing Agreement. It MUST be impressed upon prospective owners that this is a serious document, and that the rules therein must be adhered to ... i.e. keeping the dog on a lead, muzzling, and returning to GRF if the re-homing fails. These rules are in place for a reason, and our ultimate priority must be the safety and well-being of our dogs - if this means muzzling them, and keeping them on leads, then so be it ... it is for THEIR safety in the long run.

Like Marion, we don't muzzle Bootsie because we are careful as to where we walk him, however, we will be carrying his muzzle from now on in order that it can be put on if we go into a public place, such as a park, where there are smaller dogs running free. We will NOT risk losing him. Bootsie has never, once, shown an ounce of aggression but, until that one moment of madness, I'm sure neither had Fire nor Gaga.

Better safe than sorry ...

Susan.

Omg this is so sad for everyone involved, the owner of the 2 dogs must be very sad to have her pets taken of her as will the dogs will be confused as to where ther home has went to , also my heart goes out to the lady whos poor dog was killed how awful to witness that, our greyhound girlie aka willow she is terrified of all dogs and sticks to our side when out,or trys to go in other direction if they try to approach her and the cat is boss in our house, it just goes to show how different they all are in natures xxxxx

Like Willow, Gill, Bootsie is terrified of most other dogs ... the smaller they are, the more scared he is! The same as Willow does, he attaches himself to our sides facing in the opposite direction to the other dog. There is a West Highland Terrier down the road, and he is TERRIFIED of it, and he insists on crossing the road before he gets near its gate.

I guess the thing is that it's not until something like this happens, and both the greyhounds' owner and the owner of the poor wee soul who died must have nightmares about that, that we appreciate how strong greyhounds are, hence the need to keep them on their leads and muzzled .... not only for the safety of other dogs, but for their own safety, and our peace of mind.

We can never say never ... none of us can be 100% certain what our dogs would do in a similar situation, no matter what the breed

Susan.

I totally agree susan we take willow out late at night have done for the whole time we had her so the park is empty and she is on a harness and short lead in dsy time and if i see dogs in park i go diff way to them it works for us , but early day i will now take the muzzle in day time xxxx