MINI (named for racing as: Gobby Cobby)
Sex/colour: Female Black
D.O.B: June 2011
Last recorded owner: Paul Garland
Last recorded trainer: Paul Garland
Races contended: 1 failed trial
Stadium: Brighton & Hove
Last recorded race: December 2012 (a failed trial)
Came to AfG: June 2013
MINI came to the attention of AfG when a stray kennels asked us if we could take a young, small timid Greyhound who had done her statutory 8 days at the kennels.
We had a suitable foster home so were able to arrange to pick Mini up.
The kennels told us, Mini was picked up in a field alongside of a major motorway in Norfolk.
A microchip was found and the registered owner was contacted, he told the kennels he would make arrangements to get her picked up as he lived many miles away from Norfolk but the Greyhound had recently been homed in Kings Lynn, Norfolk.
The kennels heard no more and were unable to contact the registered owner and by law, any dog unclaimed after the statutory 8 days can be signed over to a suitable rescue.
Mini was named by AfG as she was such a petite Greyhound.
Mini had obviously suffered a bad experience and was bewildered, underweight and generally in poor condition but we could see she was a friendly little hound.
Mini first had her arranged vet check and was treated for parasites, then she met her companion hound over the park, who she would share her foster home with.
Her little companion was Charlie, a senior Jack Russell and both bonded straight away, so not only did Mini have a loving comfortable foster home but also the companionship of another canine friend.
Her foster carer had grandchildren visit and Mini adored all of them.
Luckily although her fate could have been unsure, she was fortunate to be spotted on the field and picked up unharmed by the dog warden to be brought to the safety of the kennels but at least she escaped the racing industry.
Once Minis ear tattoos were checked, we were able to find her racing details.
A member of AfG contacted Paul Garland (the last registered owner/trainer) who told us Mini had no racing history except 1 failed trial and that his kennel hand had found a home for her and taken her to Kings Lynn.
Apparently both Garland and the kennel hand were happy to offload Mini to a young adult with learning difficulties and mental health issues, whereby his carer had assured them he would be “keeping an eye on the situation, making sure the dog was properly looked after”.
Obviously this was not the case, which is why a few days later, after they decided to let the Mini off to run on the fields she went missing.
Garland told AfG he knew nothing of this until he was contacted via the microchip via the dog warden and that the kennel hand had informed the ‘ so called adopters’ to contact the stray kennels to pick Mini up!! obvously they did not.
Garland seemed suspicious when we asked him when Mini was due to come in season as he thought we wanted to breed from her, so we informed him we needed to know because of arranging for her to be neutered.
Mini settled in very well to her new family life and was soon able to be neutered.
Mini enjoyed so many adventures and was adored by everyone who met her, she transformed into a happy go lucky hound and was so bonded with her foster care and little Charlie that she was able to be off lead on the parks and beaches where she enjoyed so much freedom.
Mini was the perfect hound for the foster home and her foster care decided to adopt her.
Photos below show Mini when rescued, settling in with Charlie and with Greyhound Zyri (see: ZYRI Greyhounds homed) photographed together during a shoot for one of AfGs cinema awareness films.
Photos above show Mini happy and healthy, she has featured on 2 AfG calendars (photos by William Moore) and an AfG cinema awareness film.
