Work of Mullingar greyhound re-homer Caitriona highlighted
The work of a prominent Mullingar volunteer has been recognised in a new campaign highlighting the work of the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust.
‘Our People, Their Stories’ is reminding people that greyhounds make fantastic pets who transition from the track to the couch with ease.
Greyhound re-homer Catriona Ní Duill, based in Mullingar, was filmed with her own retired greyhound Billy for the campaign in Belvedere House Gardens and Park (pictured).
Catriona has raced and re-homed greyhounds for years. Her son is a greyhound chiropractor and had heard Billy – racing name Tynwald Bish – was available for rehoming after finishing second in the 2015 English Greyhound Derby.
Catriona became Billy’s owner and Billy then became a blood donor – he has saved an incredible nine lives of dogs of all breeds so far.
Catriona said: “I’m a third generation greyhound owner, my grand uncle was the first to get into them all the way back in 1926. My father was one of the biggest greyhound exporters in the country back in the day.
“I have around 20 dogs in my care in Mullingar, including Billy. He’s incredible, he’s saved nine lives of dogs of all different breeds so far. I’ve recently re-homed two more greyhounds to Seattle in the US and four more have their passports now, so they’re ready to go and be re-homed to a loving home too.”
The IRGT has helped to rehome over 5,300 racing greyhounds since 2008, with 853 re-homed between January and October of this year. The Irish Greyhound Board contributed over €100,000 to the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust in 2017.
The main source of funding for the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust continues to come from greyhound racing owners, through a 2% deduction of all winning prize money which is then matched by the Irish Greyhound Board.
A further 58 greyhounds are on the IRGT’s rehoming list between now and the end of the year. These greyhounds will be rehomed as pets in homes in Ireland, the UK, Sweden, Italy, the Czech Republic and Belgium.