Saturday, February 09, 2008

Looking for Dennis

I took Holly on a long expedition this afternoon, to see if we could spot Dennis. He's a black greyhound who was in a car accident last weekend on the way back from a track. His trainer's vehicle was hit on the A64 near Copmanthorpe. Three greyhounds were killed outright, a vet had to put down a fourth at the scene, and Dennis ran off, still with his coat, lead and muzzle on.

The last item is a real worry - a greyhound can live off the land better than most, being able to catch rabbits and smaller wildlife, but with a muzzle on, his chances are not good. It wasn't until the end of the week that the notice went onto DogLost and some of the greyhound forums. He was spotted several miles away from the crash the day after, but since then, there's been nothing.

The area he was seen in, Sherburn-in-Elmet, has a fair amount of woodland close by, so he could be hiding locally. Greyhounds can cover a lot of ground, though, and by now he could be anywhere. It was worth a try, and we met some nice dog walkers who promised to keep an eye out. Other people on DogLost have already postered the area, so now all we can do is wait and pray for another sighting.

It's a long way from me, but Holly enjoyed her trip out. Herbie stayed home to guard his bone. I hope Dennis is still alive, and turns himself in.

5 comments:

Ari_1965 said...

This is beside the point because the important thing is that Dennis be found, but why was he muzzled?

I hope he's located soon and in good condition.

HandH said...

Racing greyhounds are muzzled for races, because they're quite competitive and liable to nip each other. Greyhounds have thin skin, and a little nip quickly turns into a big tear that needs stitches. Likewise, if you're travelling with a bunch of hyped-up greyhounds, going to or from the track, you keep them muzzled to prevent accidents. They can drink through a wire racing muzzle, and pant, and bark, but they can't kill prey animals.

Fiona said...

I hope Dennis is OK. My prayers are with him. Well done for looking for him

Anonymous said...

WHat an awful thing to happen - I do hope they find him in time. Hope you & Herbie are doing OK!

Ari_1965 said...

Thanks for the explanation about the muzzle. I know two dogs who wear basket muzzles. One eats tennis balls and the muzzle is much cheaper than the THREE surgeries he's had after swallowing tennis balls. The other is a pit who is aggressive towards tiny dogs. She can't come to the park unless she has the muzzle on.

Btw, I've posted one of my favorite songs in my Fun Monday post. Please come listen, if you have a moment (or 2:55 of them). Here's my Fun Monday