Sunderland Stadium shows its support to retired greyhounds

The Newcastle Road venue has partnered with three local homing centres with a view to educating more families about the breed and helping them consider owning a greyhound as a pet.

It's working with registered charities Darlington Retired Greyhounds CIC, Durham District Retired Greyhounds and Maxi’s Mates to find loving homes for ex-racers when their careers end.

Among those who homed a greyhound last year was the stadium’s Duty Manager Lucie, who welcomed Sadie – aka Ardevan Sienna – into the family home.

Lucie first worked at Sunderland Stadium in 2000 and has adored the breed since.

Now married to husband Andy with three children, the 41-year-old wants to spread the word further about the easy-going nature of greyhounds and recommends families in search of a four-legged friend to consider the breed as a companion.

“Greyhounds are so loving and gentle – and they’re fantastic with children,” said Lucie. “There’s a huge misunderstanding that they require lots of exercise, when in reality they are the ultimate couched potato.

“Two short walks each day is plenty and typically Sadie will sleep for 20 hours each day.”

During her racing career, Sadie raced 31 times and won seven races including three A3 contests, the third highest level of graded greyhound racing in the UK.

As with all greyhounds participating at Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) licensed stadia, Sadie’s retirement was supported by the regulator for licensed greyhound racing’s Greyhound Retirement Scheme (GRS).

The scheme helps with costs associated with a greyhound’s retirement via a £400 bond – paid jointly by its owner and the GBGB – which goes towards kennelling, feeding and caring for each greyhound until a suitable home is found.

Since its launch in 2020, the GBGB has paid out nearly £3million to support its network of approved homing centres like Darlington Retired Greyhounds CIC, Durham District Retired Greyhounds and Maxi’s Mates.

Lucie added: “Sadie definitely chose us. She’s very loving and demands cuddles all the time which my youngest loves.

“My husband and I are often moved to the end of the sofa too, which didn’t take her long to find when she first moved in.

"They're such affectionate animals. Hopefully our work can inspire more people and families to consider homing a retired greyhound, providing they can commit the time required to be a responsible owner.”

Anyone interested in learning more about homing a retired greyhound can contact Sunderland Stadium direct via 01915 686200 or email [email protected]