Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii have a new thing to enthuse about... Well, no, this is a thing I commonly enthuse about, but more specific. And it is something that habitually bothers me, but today it had reason to come to the front of my mind.
Greyhounds. I had a friend at school whose dad was a greyhound trainer, and it really upset me when she told me about how most dogs (but fortunately not hers) are treated when they retire from racing, usually at about three years old. Yeah, go on, guess. It doesn't involve being cared for by greyhound breeders, I can tell you that. >_< Now I'm not exactly a fan of gambling in the first place, but throw in a helping of animal cruelty or neglect and you've really got something to make my blood boil.
But I went to Lincoln today, and outside a pet shop there was a stand raising money for a group called The Retired Greyhounds Trust. Oddly enough, I was drawn to the stand by the huge number of dogs around it. ^___________^ Dogs which let me pat them and cuddle them. *so happy* My reaction to the scene wasn't exactly difficult to anticipate, I know, but I was amazed by my mum's. My mum is not exactly an animal person, but she was completely taken by how well-behaved and docile greyhounds are (they are - they're incredibly lazy too, contrary to popular belief ^__^). She asked me to get a leaflet about rehoming a greyhound, and is now almost as set as I am about getting one. ^___^
The only thing we kinda disagree on is another of my "ethical" issues about rehoming. She wants to get a young dog because, obviously, a young dog is likely to live longer. But I've always thought that if I do rehome a dog, I want it to be an older one, basically because I hate the idea that there are old dogs that have to live the rest of their (already pretty crappy) lives in a kennel because nobody wants anything that isn't a puppy. I'd rather take an old dog and give it a good couple of years before it dies than get a puppy just because they're young.
Argh, the thought of dogs like that makes me really sad. >_<
On a lighter note, Trevor appears to have regurgitated that moinkey nut. I know you all wanted to know that.
Posted by Katyjag at November 21, 2004 12:35 AM