As many of our followers will know we held our AGM on 6th March 2014 in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, Ireland and we thought it was an appropriate time to look back at 2013 and remember the key events.
A HUGe thank you to all of our volunteers, donors and rescue partners, we couldn’t do any of it without you!
Since HUG is all about homing greyhounds we should start by saying that HUG secured the future of 110 hounds through homing in Ireland, UK, Belgium, Germany and Canada.
Some of these hounds our regular followers will remember well:
- Tully – a super nervous girl
- Hope – 10 month old pup saved from being put to sleep
- Monty – young pup with particular walk and a heart murmur as was later discovered
- Millie – our greyhound cross who stayed with us for over 12 months until a home in Italy transpired.
- The Blues Brothers – a trio of male blue hounds, one of which was blind in one eye. The trio were also litter brothers to two other blue/blue and white hounds that HUG had homed in Northern Ireland earlier in 2013. So that was five litter mates saved by HUG.
- Flyer – who left in a jet plane to begin a new life in Canada.
HUG also held a number of street collections; locations included Killarney and Kenmare in Co Kerry, Macroom, Co Cork and Grafton Street, Dublin. Again HUG would like to thank all the volunteers for arranging and assisting with the collections and to the people who donated to our cause.
On 18 July HUG held its annual Gig for the Greys at Kate Kearneys cottage. This is a great family friendly event and the party atmosphere was enhanced by the lovely weather on the day.
On 21 September HUG volunteers participated in the 3rd annual Walk for Greyhounds in Dublin, organised by Greyhound Rescue Association Ireland (GRAI). In fact both the Marshall Supervisor and the front of walk Marshall were from HUG.
Pet Expo returned to the RDS this year. HUG volunteers really enjoyed the opportunity to talk to all who stopped by our stand especially those who brought their adopted hounds back to say hello.
HUG featured on a number of radio interviews at First Online radio which is based in Limerick.
HUG was also please to partner with a new adoption organisation based in the UK, Swanton Abbott Greyhound Adoption or SAGA for short.
Unfortunately we had to ‘retire’ the HUG van as the cost of keeping it in roadworthy condition did not make economic sense. HUG launched an appeal for funds to buy a replacement and we are please to say that a new vehicle has been purchased. It now just needs to be kitted out for the greys and then HUG really will be back on the road.
Looking forward to another busy year in 2014!
Follow us on facebook to keep up with all of our upcoming events, available dogs and stories of greyhounds enjoying their forever homes: www.facebook.com/HomesForUnwantedGreyhounds