Behind the scenes at Greysland
Greyhound ‘Ezekial’ waiting to be adopted. Photo: Madi McKinley
Greyhound Rescue is giving a voice to greyhounds through education and advocacy, saving animals that previously would be abandoned or euthanised. The not-for-profit organisation focuses on rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming greyhounds that have been neglected by the dog racing industry. Their newest centre, also known as Greysland, is based in Bargo, New South Wales and has been operating for almost two years.
The centre can hold between 30-40 greyhounds at a time, also accommodating those with special requirements such as medical conditions and behavioural issues. Each greyhound is individually catered for including exercise needs and dietary requirements. The greyhounds are sent to Greysland from across Australia, with the centre currently having a waiting list of dogs.
According to the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds, currently Australia has seen 3996 greyhound track injuries and 63 track deaths for 2022.
The driving workforce behind Greyhound Rescue are primarily volunteers. Greysland currently has a registered list of 250 volunteers, their roles involving looking after the welfare of the greyhounds as well as training them, ready for their adoptive families.
Emma, one of Greyhound Rescue’s team leaders, sees the work volunteers do as invaluable. “Often, they don’t know much about being a dog. That’s where we come in and we start to see them playing and becoming more confident,” she says.
A selection of paintings created by the “Kennel Kids” as part of the ‘Greyt Masters’ series. Photo: Madi McKinley
The operating costs of Greyhound Rescue are significant, particularly heading into the winter months. Heating and medical bills are the organisation’s top expenses, relying on fundraising and donations from the community.
Currently, Greyhound Rescue is auctioning artworks as part of its series, ‘Greyt Masters,’ with all proceeds going directly back to the Rescue. However, these artworks are like no other, being created by the “Kennel Kids” themselves.
More information about Greyhound Rescue can be found here.
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