An unwanted greyhound stuck in a dogs’ home for more than a year has finally been rescued – and was flown to his new home in a private plane.
Five-year-old Mr T had been a long-standing resident at Battersea Dog’s home after he became too old to continue racing.
But after staff put out an appeal for a loving family to re-home Mr T, and Malcolm and Gail Hickmott, who run a greyhound rehoming centre, came forward.
Malcolm, 71, and Gail, 64, rushed over to London to claim Mr T, and then chartered a plane to fly him back to the Channel Islands in style earlier this month.
He was given the back of the Piper aircraft all to himself and seemed the attention lavished on him.
Malcolm said: “We used to catch our dogs from the UK by ferry, and it can be a nightmare.
“We now use a private plane. It was a small four seater piper aircraft, single engine. It’s quite expensive but it’s worth it as you are there and back in four hours.
“We managed to get Mr T out of their van and into the back of the plane and took the back seats out. This left seats for just me and the pilot, and we then put a duvet in the back for the dog.
“He took full advantage of the duvet, but he wasn’t quite sure about the plane to begin with.”
Mr T has now joined Malcolm and Gail, and their 16 other greyhounds, at their rescue centre in St Brelade, Jersey.
Malcolm said: “Things are going really well and we can’t understand why no one wanted him, as he is such a wonderful dog.
“He has melted into home life straight away and now loves nothing more than a walk by the sea with Gail and his new greyhound friends.”
“People misjudge greyhounds entirely. They spend their lives in public as racers and in kennels, but they make the best pets.
“When I saw this dog I thought he was lovely and I did not think he would be there for very long, but every time I looked, he was still there.
“You cannot ask for a nicer dog, he deserves a nice home.
“He was a brilliant racer who could compete anywhere in the country in the top races.
“It baffles me and my wife why no one wanted to take him on.
“Rehoming him is one of the best things I have ever done, he’s as good as gold.”
Malcolm and Gail, both retired, fell in love with greyhounds in 1995, after they rescued their first ex-racer, Chappie.
They rescued Chappie after reading an newspaper article on the plight of greyhounds after their racing days were over, and were determined to help.
They were then approached by the national organised of the retired Greyhound trust to establish a rescue centre in Jersey, and they have now re-homed more than 200 dogs.
