Some ex-racing greyhounds come to us with more scars than others. Leslie was one of those hounds. Anxiety, high prey drive, fear of men, no recall, medical conditions – beautiful Leslie had a burger with the lot. This darling boy was a long termer at our kennels because we knew he would need an extra special home with patient guardians willing to go the extra mile to keep him safe.
While Leslie would always have been safe at Greysland, in August 2021 we were contacted by Lani, a literal angel, who was prepared to open her home to our “most unadoptable greyhound”. So into the car jumped Leslie and made the journey to his new home. Little did we know how great a success the Leslie-Lani combo would turn out to be.
“Leslie was immediately renamed as ‘Leslie Lionel the Second’ because he needed a name reflecting his royal personality! Most of the time I call him Lesliewinkle or BabyWinkle,” says Lani.
“He has nuzzled his way so deep into our hearts that we cannot imagine a life without him.
“Leslie gets freshly cooked meals twice a day plus kibble (which he mostly ignores). He gets two walks a day, and on weekends, manages to negotiate 3-4 walks a day! He has such a happy demeanour.”
On Leslie’s list of loves are empty toilet rolls stuffed with treats, walks, looking out the windows at kangaroos and lamb roast, while showers, thunder and getting off Lani’s bed without a substantial treat bribe round out his dislikes.
He’s also got a pretty serious superpower – learning to operate the kitchen pedal bin!
Lani doesn’t shy away from the behaviours that make Leslie unique and in need of support. “He has no willingness to learn recall and has very high prey drive,” she says.
“He will never be able to have animal friends as he cannot distinguish between a rabbit, cat or small dog. Leslie can never be off-leash and can’t walk without a muzzle – we’ve committed to this lifelong to protect him.
“The volunteers at Greyhound Rescue did an amazing job prior to adoption to advise on his past history, health conditions and the future care and consideration he would need. It was the most wonderful and efficient adoption process.
“I always adopt dogs that do not have prospects in a normal household or family unit. My Lesliwinkle is my first ex-racing greyhound and I will do it again in a heartbeat.
“He is incredible, a lovely companion and a gentle soul. It is my job to ensure he is protected at all times.
“Thank you so much for letting us have Leslie. We are so happy to have him in our lives.”
Read more about our adoption process here. Wish you could adopt but can’t right now? Why not become a sponsor!