A racing greyhound who lived his life in the fast lane is now struggling to sniff out a loving home – because he is always ASLEEP.
Three-year-old Jasper has been up for adoption for over six months but is often overlooked by potential owners not wanting to disturb him.
It’s thought more than 2,000 people would have walked past him in his kennel where he’s usually found getting some much-deserved shut eye after his fast-paced career.
Laura Murphy, from the Dogs Trust in Snetterton, Norfolk, said: “We take in hundreds of dogs of all shapes and sizes but I have never met a dog who sleeps quite as much as Jasper.
“He is a real character and, when he is awake, is a sweet- natured, fun-loving affectionate lad who adores people and playing games.
“Jasper is exceptionally handsome so it’s a bit of a shame he is often snoozing when he could be showing himself off to potential owners.
“He is a young happy, healthy dog who, like some people, just happens to really enjoy sleeping.”
Jasper was handed into the Dogs Trust last year through no fault of his own when his Irish racing career came to an end.
Staff are unaware what his past life held, but they know he was a runner because of a tattoo in his right ear – a mark given to all racing greyhounds in Ireland.
But while other dogs are wagging their tails and bounding over to their prospective new families, Jasper is to be found busy catching up on some shut eye to recharge after his morning run.
It is now hoped he will wake up – in his own time – in a loving new home surrounded by a loving family.
“It is a bit of a myth that Greyhounds need lots of exercise, in fact the complete opposite is true,” said Lara.
“As Jasper demonstrates daily – they are actually quite lazy creatures and though they need a few short bursts of exercise a day, are actually more than happy to curl up and snooze for most of the day.”
Dogs Trust believe that approximately 3,500 ex- racing greyhounds are unaccounted for every year in the UK, but as statistics are not published by the Greyhound industry the true scale of the problem is difficult to assess.
Many people assume that ex-racers are not suitable pets because they need so much exercise, but though Jasper may be exceptionally laid back, as a rule ex-racers require less constant exercise than the majority of breeds.
Lara added: “Jasper is a very laid back, gentle boy who could happily live with young children and other dogs. He would enjoy a garden to zoom around in and would love nothing more than a comfy bed and cuddling up on the sofa to enjoy some shut eye in the company of his new family.”
Anyone interested in rehoming Jasper, or another dog, should contact Dogs Trust 0300 303 0292.
Westley Pearson, Director of Claims at pet insurance company Animal Friends, said: “We insure thousands of rescue pets who have found their forever homes, and Jasper sounds like a prime candidate for any greyhound-loving prospective owner.
“Often animals behave slightly differently within a shelter setting, so always have a good chat with staff about what you’re looking for when you visit a rehoming centre, and keep an open mind.
“Your new best friend might not be what you first expected.”
