The Greyhound Trust is a national UK charity, founded in 1975 with the vision of "A day when all racing greyhounds retire to loving homes and are treated with compassion and kindness. Originally founded as the National Greyhound Racing Club Retired Greyhound Trust, and known for many years as the "RGT", the charity has found homes for over 100,000 greyhounds, and currently homes around 4,000 a year. The Greyhound Trust is governed by a Board of Directors, chaired by Professor Steven Dean and led by the Charity's Chief ExecutiveLisa Morris. An incorporated charity, registered with the Charity Commission in England and the OSCR in Scotland. The Trust operates a network of over 50 branches across the UK, with homing led locally by over 1,000 volunteers. Most branches have kennels with retired greyhounds that the public can meet and that are available for homing. The branch network is supported by a small team who operate from the Trust's National Support Centre in Surrey.
Charity history
In 1975 a small group of greyhound owners and trainers from the NGRC formed the Retired Greyhound Trust, a charity dedicated to finding homes for racing greyhounds after they retire. The early years of the charity saw hundreds of greyhounds homed, and the establishment of local homing centres around Britain where dedicated volunteers would oversee the transition of racing greyhounds into family pets. Over time the charity became known within greyhound circles as the 'RGT' as it became an independent charitable organisation. It established a national office in Surrey and increased its branch network, particularly in areas popular for greyhound racing, such as the Midlands and South East. The charity underwent a refresh of its national branding in 2017, becoming known as the 'Greyhound Trust'. The Head Office is in Worcester Park in Surrey and the Chief Executive is Lisa Morris-Tomkins. The Board of Trustees, who oversee governance of the charity, is chaired by Professor Steven Dean. As of 2020 the Trust is reportedly on the verge of insolvency following a move to new offices that has cost somewhere in the region of £1.7 million. Since its formation, the Greyhound Trust has homed more than 100,000 greyhounds, and continues to home around 3,500 greyhounds a year.
Funding
The Greyhound Trust is an independent charity, funded entirely by donation. The Greyhound Board of Great Britain is the primary donor, contributing £1.3 million per year, via the British Greyhound Racing Fund, which is derived from a voluntary levy paid by a selection of bookmakers. The remaining donors are the general public, through national and local level fundraising initiatives and around 20% of the Trust's funding comes from gifts left to the Trust in wills.
History of the greyhound
The Greyhound is one of the oldest breeds in existence, and has been traced back thousands of years to early cave drawings. It is also the only dog mentioned in the Bible. The greyhound was the dog of the pharaohs in Ancient Egypt, the dog of the kings of Ancient Greece and of the landed gentry and nobles in England. According to H Edward Clarke, greyhounds can be traced back 4,000 years. Originating in Southern Arabia, the greyhound was introduced to Britain via the Romans. Greyhound racing itself became popular from 1926 following the first greyhound racing track to open at Belle Vue Stadium in 1926. Since then greyhounds have become synonymous with greyhound racing and its popularity increased as a gambling pursuit. Despite a decline in recent years, there is still a significant number of racing greyhounds that retire each year and require homing.
Greyhounds as pets
A greyhound is the original low-maintenance companion animal. Despite their well-deserved reputation as formidable athletes, they do not require large amounts of exercise: the vast majority are perfectly content with two short walks a day and they just love to relax on a comfortable bed. They are short haired dogs and require little grooming. Many people who suffer from an allergic reaction to dogs in general may find that greyhounds do not have this effect. Greyhounds are placid animals and therefore are particularly good with children; they also make excellent pets for the elderly because they do not require large amounts of exercise. Contrary to popular belief, some greyhounds can live with cats and other small animals. Older dogs, whilst perhaps not as appealing as younger dogs, still make excellent pets.
