Kent Greyhound Rescue has turned 15! Having started as a small charity based on the Kent coast in 2008, we have grown to become one of the most successful rescue and rehoming charity oganisations in the UK focused on greyhounds, lurchers and other sighthounds as well as an occasional mongrel.
The KGR story and work so far
Since the KGR inception, we have rehomed over 2000 dogs in Kent, across the UK and as far as the north of Scotland, and even further afield in Europe. There are KGR hounds living in their forever homes in Belgium, France, Germany, Sweden and Norway.
All potential adopters and their homes go through a rigorous check prior to getting a dog, to ensure it is the right and secure environment for the dog, and also that it is a good match.
Greyhounds, lurchers and other sighthounds come in a variety of sizes and temperament, and we have dogs of all ages – from puppies to elders – so it is important that the dog is a right fit for the adopter and their lifestyle. We want both the dog and its owners to be happy, to bond easily and to settle in well. By understanding the prospective owners’ lifestyle and by assessing the dogs we are in a really good position to find a perfect match and maximise the chances of a successful adoption!
Over the years, we have found loving homes for lazy greyhounds, active lurchers, boisterous puppies, quiet older dogs, and all sorts of hounds in-between. We’ve got KGR dogs that run marathons with their owners, and those that prefer to spend their days on the sofa or potter in the garden – our 15 years of experience show there is a type of hound for everyone – couples; single people; families with older children, other dogs and even cats (yes, really!); older people; working, busy people; and others.
Although different breeds of hound vary in their temperament and abilities, they are all affectionate and loving dogs – and they make wonderful companions.
Never giving up on a dog
We never give up on or abandon a dog, not matter how difficult its case might be. In the 15 years of our work, we have come across some shocking instances of neglect, cruelty and mistreatment of animals and we have been doing everything in our power to help. Costly medical treatment and surgeries, lengthy behavioural rehabilitation – we have done it all. And we have seen first-hand the amazing transformation that care and love does to a dog.
So as we turn 15, we want to say a huge thank you to our volunteers, supporters and partners. Thanks to the people and organisations that work with KGR giving their time, expertise and resources, as well as donations and fundraising we have been able to help so many animals and also turned so many people into happy dog owners! As a non-profit entity all the money KGR raises goes towards the charity’s work.
Big plans ahead!
We are now ready to make the next step in our development – and we have big plans! We are looking to establish a new, bigger head office and operations base.
We will continue to be based in Kent and our Kent Greyhound Rescue name reflects our commitment to this beautiful ‘The Garden of England’ county. But as we have grown so much we are looking to find larger premises for our team and for the dogs we rescue.
We also want to expand our work to even more aspects of dog-owning, including education and training, kennelling, and grooming. We have so much knowledge, skill and expertise – we want to share it with the world and be of service to even more hounds and their owners.
Stay tuned for more details and updates on this exciting project as we’ll be publishing more news in the coming weeks.