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Spooky shoot in support of greyhounds





LYTH-based model Natalie Oag and her friend Eleanor Hargrave are using Halloween to highlight the issues surrounding greyhound racing.

Natalie is a keen supporter of animal rights and campaigned on many issues in her role as Highland representative for the organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta). She organised a photo-shoot with her friend Eleanor who owns two rescue greyhounds.

Eleanor, left, with Natalie in their Halloween themed photo shoot to support rescue greyhounds. Jess the greyhound, at front, is dressed as a ghost while Tess sleeps at Natalie's feet and Louis Vuitton on her lap. Pictures: DGS
Eleanor, left, with Natalie in their Halloween themed photo shoot to support rescue greyhounds. Jess the greyhound, at front, is dressed as a ghost while Tess sleeps at Natalie's feet and Louis Vuitton on her lap. Pictures: DGS

According to the Greyhound Trust, approximately 8000 greyhounds retire from racing each year and the organisation finds loving homes for around half of them. The majority of greyhounds retire from racing between three and five years of age, so they are still relatively young dogs with a long life ahead of them.

Two of these lucky hounds are Billy and Jess who were rehomed by Eleanor and her family in January.

Eleanor said: “Greyhounds are the ultimate low-maintenance pets – two short walks and they’re quite happy to spend the rest of the day sleeping at your feet. Billy and Jess are no different. They love nothing more than a quick walk and then home for snuggles.

"Sadly, not all of them get to experience the sweet life, with many being illegally exported from the UK and Ireland to countries such as China where they are raced to death, put into breeding programmes or killed for their fur. There are also no welfare laws to ensure the fair treatment of these intelligent animals.”

Natalie said: "It's time we ended this cruelty. I wish people could take a step back and see animals have emotions and feel pain. We are meant to be the superior species but we seem to be destroying our planet and every living creature on it – all for money and greed."

Natalie Oag with her faithful friend Chihuahua Louis Vuitton.
Natalie Oag with her faithful friend Chihuahua Louis Vuitton.

She said that the dogs can spend up to 23 hours a day in cramped cages or kennels and the racing industry treats them "like machines" with many of the animals sustaining serious injuries while racing including broken legs, broken backs and trauma. Peta estimates that more than 1000 dogs have died on tracks in the US since 2008.

"Thankfully in November 2018, Florida residents led the way by voting in favour of banning greyhound racing in the state by 2020 which will leave only six operating race tracks in the US," she added.

"I really hope the other thousands of greyhounds end up as happy and lucky as Eleanor’s Billy and Jess who have found their forever homes."

A spokesman for the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), which regulates licensed greyhound racing, said: “The health, wellbeing and happiness of racing greyhounds is paramount in our sport. Indeed, the protection that registered racing greyhounds receive far outstrips that of many pet dogs. At all GBGB licensed stadia, greyhounds are inspected by vets both before and after racing and their welfare is closely tracked and monitored to ensure they receive the care and attention they need. Annual, independently verified data has confirmed that welfare standards in British greyhound racing are currently the strongest in the world.

“After their racing careers, we strongly believe that every greyhound that can be rehomed, should be. We work closely with our animal welfare partners, including the Greyhound Trust, to ensure that wherever possible every greyhound goes on to enjoy a long and happy retirement. We are pleased that, of the greyhounds that retired in 2018, 88 per cent were successfully found new homes – whether as pets or retained within the sport. Through our Greyhound Commitment, and initiatives such as our Injury Recovery Scheme, we are committed to increasing this even further.

“As a welfare organisation and the sport’s regulator in Britain, we abhor any cruelty to greyhounds and take the strictest action if mistreatment is ever found. We have no evidence of GBGB licence-holders sending greyhounds directly to China – if this is ever found to be the case we would intervene to the full extent of our ability. Unfortunately, we are restricted in our powers to act in the case of third-party sales – this is beyond our remit and ability to intervene. Nevertheless, we have very strict guidelines on what is acceptable practice in terms of animal welfare and we continue to work closely with the UK government, and our international counterparts, to understand and maintain an accurate picture of welfare standards not just in China but in many other countries.”


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