Willow, a former greyhound racing industry discard and now rescued loved family member has been targeted by Glen Eira City Council in Victoria, and has received multiple fines for being off leash in a designated off-leash area.
Greyhounds for a long time now have been constantly oppressed by Victorian city councils, implementing strict rules on a breed of renowned loving nature. Seemingly greyhounds have a separate set of rules than every other breed, which are harshly implemented by council.
Willow, after being discarded from the racing industry was advertised on gum tree as ‘free to good home’, where she was noticed by her current family who immediately brought her home.
Feeling anxious and frightened to be introduced to a new family with cats and chickens, Willow happily settled in to her new home and family life. Only 2 months after her adoption, due to her loving docile nature and ability to bring a smile to every face, she was certified as a therapy dog at her local hospital where she loves the interaction of helping others.
As they regularly do with all their other furry family members, her pawrents began walking her to exercise and socialize with other dogs, however this took an unexpected turn for Willow as she was faced with multiple fines for roaming free at the park in an off leash area, just like all the other dogs.
It appears that Willow is condemned to live a life at the end of a leash in Victoria, purely for being born a greyhound.
It seems the question should be asked of Victoria, why they are so far behind the times, when Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania have all rebuked these archaic laws.
The RSPCA considers that “any dog of any size, breed or mix of breeds may be dangerous and thus dogs should not be declared dangerous on the basis of breed or appearance. Each individual dog should be assessed based on their behaviour. The RSPCA does not support dog management legislation that discriminates against specific types or breeds of dogs.”
It is assumed that pet parents of other dog breeds are responsible enough to determine whether it is appropriate or safe for their pets to be off leash, so why should it be any different for parents of greyhounds?
A petition against Glen Eira City Council requesting them to create designated off-leash areas where greyhounds are welcome has been created with the hopes of reaching 7,500 pledges.
Should you wish to help, you can find the link here:
https://www.change.org/p/glen-eira-city-council-justice-for-greyhounds
A Go-Fund Me page has also been created with a goal of reaching $5,000 to help cover costs for their legal support and fight against the fines with the council.
The link to donate, should you wish to, is located here:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/Therapy-dog-targetted-by-council
