Alec Swan
...
I was woken at 06:00 by the keeper's dogs from across the fields barking, which is unusual. I ignored it. At 07:30 our friend and neighbour from just down the road rang to say that one of her rescue greyhounds had gone awol. Apparently the wind had blown the gate open, and Sadie had taken her self off.
Now Sadie is a curious creature, and not one that I like. She pretends to be nervous and she wont have anything to do with anyone. She doesn't even like her new owner (New by about 4 months). Sadie is a scheming little madam, and there is not an ounce of generosity in her. She's just a horrible dog. Still, I console myself that the miserable bitch isn't mine.
Off I go to the yard, and there in the road is the apple of my neighbours eye having the time of her life killing my beloved bantams and chickens. Currently we know of 3 dead, but 5 missing.
I drove towards Sadie, and carrying a still alive bantam, she bolted in to a field, from which she was unlikely to escape. I shut the gate whilst she bolted off to finish her murder. My neighbour had gone to work, so I had my OH go to the neighbours house and collect the other rescue greyhound, as she may come back to Bertie. I'd walked around the field, called her and she'd come to me, but always just at the end of my finger tips, and any attempt to offer the lead and away she went. Anyway, having Bertie worked and she came alongside, she was snared with a lead and the pair of them were taken home. My OH 'phoned our neighbour and friend, told her what had happened, and she's mortified. I calmed down when I saw just how upset the owner was, and didn't have it in me to press home my anger. I did however point out that if Sadie is even in the field with my ewes, at lambing time, then she's dead.
An hour ago, my OH went into our heavily fenced garden to feed her pair of Call Ducks which were a birthday present from 10 years ago. She took a torch with her, and called me out and both of the ducks were in separate flower beds, and both dead. They'd been dead for sometime. Is it possible that the dog hopped over the garden gate, came in, killed the ducks and then ran off? We'll never know, but I can't think of any other explanation.
I've had many greyhounds over the years and many lurchers too, but when greyhounds come out of racing, those that can never be let off a lead, must live lives of misery, and I honestly wonder what is the point in keeping a dog which is designed to gallop, but only ever walks, after the age of 3 or 4, and for the rest of its life. Poor sods.
RIP little quackers.
alec.
Now Sadie is a curious creature, and not one that I like. She pretends to be nervous and she wont have anything to do with anyone. She doesn't even like her new owner (New by about 4 months). Sadie is a scheming little madam, and there is not an ounce of generosity in her. She's just a horrible dog. Still, I console myself that the miserable bitch isn't mine.
Off I go to the yard, and there in the road is the apple of my neighbours eye having the time of her life killing my beloved bantams and chickens. Currently we know of 3 dead, but 5 missing.
I drove towards Sadie, and carrying a still alive bantam, she bolted in to a field, from which she was unlikely to escape. I shut the gate whilst she bolted off to finish her murder. My neighbour had gone to work, so I had my OH go to the neighbours house and collect the other rescue greyhound, as she may come back to Bertie. I'd walked around the field, called her and she'd come to me, but always just at the end of my finger tips, and any attempt to offer the lead and away she went. Anyway, having Bertie worked and she came alongside, she was snared with a lead and the pair of them were taken home. My OH 'phoned our neighbour and friend, told her what had happened, and she's mortified. I calmed down when I saw just how upset the owner was, and didn't have it in me to press home my anger. I did however point out that if Sadie is even in the field with my ewes, at lambing time, then she's dead.
An hour ago, my OH went into our heavily fenced garden to feed her pair of Call Ducks which were a birthday present from 10 years ago. She took a torch with her, and called me out and both of the ducks were in separate flower beds, and both dead. They'd been dead for sometime. Is it possible that the dog hopped over the garden gate, came in, killed the ducks and then ran off? We'll never know, but I can't think of any other explanation.
I've had many greyhounds over the years and many lurchers too, but when greyhounds come out of racing, those that can never be let off a lead, must live lives of misery, and I honestly wonder what is the point in keeping a dog which is designed to gallop, but only ever walks, after the age of 3 or 4, and for the rest of its life. Poor sods.
RIP little quackers.
alec.
