Kennel News - 13 June 2010

A great week of cheques and cash arriving at the kennels for our £'s 4 Hounds campaign.  Today’s total is £3525.15 so we are well on the way towards last year’s total of £5800.  If you have raffle ticket books at home, please remember that we need them back for the end of the month.  

The date for the golf tournament in support of our £’s 4 Hounds campaign has been moved from Wednesday 23rd June to Wednesday 21st July due to the World Cup.

What a week of showers!!  We’ve been grooming the hounds inside the barn and getting them out in the paddocks in between the downpours.  On Tuesday Nick, one of our volunteers who loves to walk all the hounds on the field, was so pleased when the rain finally knocked off so that he could do some walking.  Meanwhile Andy and Kay H were getting the tombola table ready for the weekend and getting on with the other daily activities of treatments of the hounds that had recently been neutered and changing all of the hounds’ water bowls. 

It was a relatively quiet galloping session today so the families who did come along had extra time in the buttercup field.  We also have an ongoing tombola at the kennels so bring some cash along with you next time you pop up.

Next Sunday, 20th June, is the National Greyhound Walk and our branch will be doing its very own ‘fun walk’ at Brindley Heath, Cannock Chase.  The trailer will be there, so you can’t miss us!  We will meet at 10am and Carole will lead the walk.  Again we will have a tombola and treats for the hounds.  Nail clipping will also be available.  The aim of this walk is to highlight just how great it is to own a beautiful retired greyhound and to show what wonderful pets they make.  The meeting point is outside Brindley Heath Visitor Centre, Marquis Drive, Cannock Chase, WS12 4PW between 10.00 am and 10.15 am.  The walk will begin at 10.30 am and will take approximately 40 minutes; the walk is mostly flat with only one steep section.  Please note it is ‘Greyhounds only’ at this event, all of whom must be on leads.  If you would like to come along and join us with your handsome hound(s) you will be made very welcome.   

We have a new foster family.  Craig, Chrissie and their children have recently lost Ted and decided to help the Trust by taking a hound who is not settling to kennel life.  Jack, an unraced lad, is on foster with another greyhound, a Jack Russell and a cat.  He will be there for about 2 weeks but in the meantime if anyone is interested in him they are welcome to contact the kennels and we will arrange a visit to the home.

Finally, many volunteers who visit the kennels meet the old ex-racers belonging to the family.  It is with great sadness that we have to report that Timmy was put to sleep on Thursday.  It followed an x-ray which revealed he had a cancerous tumour in his wrist and 5 small ones in his chest.  Mike and Al went to the vets and Timmy was happily wagging his tail and licking their faces as he went into a long pain-free sleep.  His ashes will be back at the kennels on Monday and will eventually be scattered down the field with his running mates to chase those rabbits and foxes.