STORM
Sex/colour: Male White with black patches
D.O.B: approx 2007
Breed: Lurcher Greyhound-Border Collie mix
Came to AfG: May 2010
STORM came into our care with his litter brother Floyd (see: FLOYD-Other Sighthounds). One month earlier, we had rescued their mother (see: BELLE Greyhounds).
We had already met the two brothers when we picked up Belle but at the time sadly, we were not able to take them without their ‘owners’ permission.
Although all three hounds were left to fend for themselves for the past year whilst their ‘owner’ was detained in a mental health facility and their ‘care’ left with the neighbors to put down food and water and shut them in night times into the dilapidated caravan which was their only means of shelter.
Luckily we were contacted by a social worker, concerned of their welfare as they had started wandering off further than usual chasing deer and being at risk of being shot by landowners or seized by police.
We feel the reason the hounds were wandering afar was to search for their mother (which is what we were afraid of when we could only take her at that time and she was probably the only security they knew).
So luckily both hounds were signed over to AfG and we could go to pick them up. We were told they were born Spring 2007.
It was very urgent we collected them straight away and were lucky to have emergency boarding available for them in an isolation block with their own kennel and paddock until their vaccinations were complete.
The hounds seemed to trust us but were reluctant to be put on a lead so with some tempting with treats, we finally carried them to the van.
We met the neighbors who gave us an insight to what had happened with the hounds.
They said Storm and his brother Floyd were a result of a mating with their Border Collie male as he was the only un neutered dog they had.
They said the man had been breeding Lurchers for a long time and Storm and Floyd were one of many litters dear Belle had produced and the last 2 the man had kept from that litter.
On the way to the kennels we had a vet appointment and once our vet saw the state of Floyds face she decided it was best to clean the would and stitch it (meaning General anesthetic) so we decided to leave both hounds at the vet to be neutered too.
So two days later after their stay at the vets, they went to the kennels.
The kennels must have seemed like luxury compared to how they had lived for three years.
AfG provided coats, jumpers soft quilts and outdoor beds for them, provided their food and as the kennels were away from the main boarding block, the owners allowed us to visit in the day times to groom, socialise and lead train them.
Two volunteers collected them Fridays and had them at home for the weekend and once we felt they were more confident they accompanied us on a couple of awareness events with other rescued hounds.
Luckily Summer was impending so the hounds had plenty of time outdoors to lay in their paddock on their beds.
At first, we thought Floyd was the more confident out of the two, as he was the first to allow us to pick him up and put him in the van but over time we realised Storm was always the first to accept new experiences with Floyd always following his lead.
Both were happy in the isolation kennel (there were no imediaite plans for it to be used) and the set up was good for us to be able to pop in and out to collect them for walks, vet visits etc.
We soon managed to find separate homes for each.
Storm found a great home with a retired couple who had recently lost their elderly rescued Lurcher.
Their daughter contacted us after seeing an article with Belle, Storm and Floyd needing homes but as we had already found a home for Belle we decided Storm the younger hound would be more suited.
Which he was, perfect in the home always snuggling with his carers, lovely long walks and enjoyed visiting the couples daughter who had acres of land horses and Labradors, so Storm never missed out on human and hound company with plenty of freedom and adventure.
Storms name was chosen by one of the AfG volunteers who picked the two brothers up as it was like a ‘storm’ trying to catch him when he was constantly running around, hiding under the caravan, coming out for treats, then hiding again, eventually allowing us to pick him up and once he noticed his brother Floyd was already settled on beds in our van, he calmed down.
Photos below, show our 1st meeting with Storm (Floyd and mother Belle) the dilapidated caravan which was their so called ‘home’, followed by the day we were finally able to rescue them, their stay in kennels and their journey until their homes were found.
The photos at the top of the page, shows the stunning hound Storm transformed into and meeting up with his mother Greyhound Belle when both were photographed for a page on the AfG 2015 calendar, photographed by William Moore.
