Yahoo News Plymouth's most unwanted dogs desperately need new homes after spending a year in kennels
Two rescue greyhounds who desperately need loving new owners have now spent a year at a Plymouth animal rescue centre without a single offer of a home. Staff at Woodside Animal Welfare Trust in Plympton say they cannot understand why nobody has come forward to rehome Bobby and Jock.
Over the last year dozens of dogs have come and then go again with their new families - but each time Bobby and Jock have been overlooked. The charity says it is able to count on one hand the number of enquiries received for them.
They believe this could be because their breed is misunderstood, with would-be owners believing they need a lot of exercise. Staff say greyhounds make brilliant pets and hope they race into someone's heart soon.
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Woodside manager Lisa Darcy said: “Bobby and Jock are lovely dogs but unfortunately greyhounds do not get a lot of interest, particularly the black ones. As a breed they are often misunderstood.
"The common misconception is that greyhounds need a lot of exercise, but this is not the case. Generally, they are quite lazy and easy-going. We call them sofa sprinters because they’ll have a quick race and spend the rest of the day on the sofa.
"Greyhounds tend to make wonderful pets and suit many people’s busy lifestyles. You just have to look into their eyes, they are like windows. You look at them and think ‘what have you experienced in life?’
“Greyhounds have lovely personalities. I have a greyhound and he’s probably the easiest dog I’ve ever had. We love to sit and watch the TV together and have ear tickles."
Today (Friday, May 17) marks a year since Jock arrived at Woodside. Staff say he is a gentle, sweet boy who is good with other dogs and is friendly with everyone he meets.
While he loves going out for walks, in true greyhound style Jock spends much of the day lazing around on his beds. The seven-year-old is greedy around food and will snatch what he fancies, so his new owners will need to keep an eye on him when there’s temptation around.
Also in need of a sofa to call his own is beautiful Bobby, who has been at Woodside for 16 months and is now the sanctuary's longest-serving dog resident. In that time, Woodside has received hardly any interest in him, despite staff saying he is a friendly, affectionate boy who would make a lovely companion.
Bobby loves food but can become obsessive over toys, which is something his new owners will need to be aware of.
Lisa added: “Bobby is toy obsessive and Jock is food obsessive, but these are things that you can work with. Bobby has probably never had toys so you could either work on desensitising him to them or not give him toys.
"In the same way, Jock will not have been around treats in his early life. His new owners will need to be aware of not leaving food around or turning their back on food – and make sure the bins are dog proof!
“Bobby and Jock are lovely dogs. Bobby can get so excited to see you he springs up and down. He sleeps with his legs in the air, he’s the most adorable thing.”
Both Bobby and Jock are ex-racing greyhounds so cannot be homed with cats or small furries and will need to be muzzled on walks. They are looking for adult-only homes or families with children aged 16-plus. Jock could live with another dog, but Bobby would before to be the only dog in the home.
For more information on Bobby or Jock email generalenquiries@woodsidesanctuary.org.uk or call 01752 347503.
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