Greyhound charity in sanctuary campaign

A FUND-raising appeal for Scotland's first greyhound sanctuary has been launched.

Volunteers who aim to find new homes for 300 dogs in the coming year are appealing for public help because, they say, the charity is near "breaking point".

The sanctuary is being planned by the Greyhound Awareness League (GAL) as a haven for homeless dogs that have retired from the racing track. A sanctuary would also help to raise public awareness of the value of greyhounds as pets, say supporters.

Dogs already in the care of the GAL include one handed in by her trainer as he would not pay for treatment for liver damage, said the charity.

Another dog, Conor, has been in kennels for 15 months at a cost of 2,000.

"He is a fantastic dog with a great nature, but the charity has not yet found the right owner for him," a spokesperson for GAL said.

"Conor still thinks he needs to chase small, rabbit-sized animals, but this can be lessened with training."

To kick-start the fundraising, the charity is holding a "greyhound awareness day" today at kennels at Langbank, Renfrewshire.

David Melville, a GAL spokesman, said: "In the last six weeks, we have found new homes for 35 dogs, but we still have so many other dogs desperate for homes.

"We've also recently had ex-racing dogs handed in to us in awful conditions and in urgent need of veterinary care.

"All this drains our scarce resources, as we always ensure each dog gets proper treatment to see them on the road to recovery.

"At the moment, we have to place many of these dogs back into various kennels, which isn't cost-effective, good for the greyhounds or useful for prospective new owners, who want to learn more about the dogs.

"It's for this reason we are now starting a three-year fund-raising scheme to establish a new, dedicated sanctuary for greyhounds."