Greyhound lovers celebrate man’s best friends with international day of recognition

Greyhound lovers of Bunbury gathered together to celebrate their best friends on an international day recognising the breed. The Great Global Greyhound Walk celebrated its third instalment in Bunbury on Sunday, with owners meeting at the Big Swamp Park. The Great Global Greyhound Walk is an annual dog-walking event which brings together greyhounds, lurchers, other sighthounds and their owners to raise awareness of the breeds. Bunbury walk organiser Jules McLean said it was a great opportunity to draw attention to the low-maintenance breed, which often had a bad reputation due to their racing prowess. “They’re a very low maintenance, easy breed,” she said. “People think because they can run fast that they’re a lot of work, but they have a quick zoom and they’re done. “They’re an ideal first dog as they are very easy to handle, rarely bark and are generally well-behaved. They’re also very well-suited for the elderly or people with disabilities.” Some of the greyhounds who gathered were former racers, such as Nicko, who is a foster dog looking for a forever home. Foster carer Jacob Healey, who volunteers with the Busselton Greyhound Rescue, said greyhounds such as Nicko made excellent family dogs. “He was a bit cheeky; he only had two races and then got fired from racing because he just wanted to play,” he said. “He’s very gentle and loving — most of the greyhounds who come through our system are.” Busselton and Albany also hosted walks on the weekend. There were also three events in Perth.