Border Life: Charity celebrates re-homing 2,000 dogs since launching 20 years ago

• Fiona Armstrong meets the former police officers behind Dumfriesshire and Cumbria Greyhound Rescue

It’s been 20 years since two former police officers set up a charity to find new owners for ex-racing greyhounds.

Since then, Dumfriesshire and Cumbria Greyhound Rescue has re-homed nearly 2,000 dogs.

Once used for hunting, greyhounds are bred and trained for speed, and it can be difficult to find another life for them once they’re run their last race.

"At one time they were just put to sleep or disposed of," said charity founder Arthur Robinson.

"Now, it’s easier for the people who race dogs to give them to us rather than put them down."

Charity Chairman Kevin Hugill says one of his main aims is co-operation with the racing industry.

"Trust has built up between the likes of ourselves and the trainers whom we work with, because ultimately we are all interested in the welfare of the dogs that we look after," he said.

The charity says greyhounds are actually easy to keep as pets because they like a good run or walk, but more often or not they can be found lying in front of a fire or cosied up in their beds - living up to their nicknamed as "40mph couch potatoes".

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