Celebrating 30 years with some facts!

This month, Forever Hounds Trust is celebrating its 30th Anniversary – that’s 30 years of rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming sighthounds in need. To mark this special milestone, we’ll be sharing 30 fun facts about these amazing dogs and Forever Hounds Trust.

To start, here are 10 fascinating facts about the graceful greyhound!

1. They are one of the fastest dog breeds in the world. Greyhounds can reach speeds of around 45 mph (72 km/h) over short distances.
2. They have ancient origins. Greyhound-like dogs appear in artwork from Ancient Egypt, dating back thousands of years.
3. They are built for sprinting, not endurance. Their long legs, deep chest, flexible spine, and powerful muscles help them accelerate rapidly.
4. They have excellent eyesight. Greyhounds are sighthounds, meaning they were bred to hunt by sight rather than scent and can spot movement from great distances.
5. They have very little body fat. Their lean build helps them run fast, but it also means they can be more sensitive to cold weather.
6. Their heart is unusually large. Greyhounds have a larger heart relative to body size than many other breeds, helping to support their athletic performance.
7. They use a unique “double-suspension” gallop. During a full-speed run, there are moments when all four feet leave the ground twice in a single stride cycle, similar to a cheetah’s running pattern.
8. They can accelerate extremely quickly. A greyhound can accelerate so rapidly that it can outrun many horses over very short distances.
9. They have unique blood values. Greyhounds naturally produce more red blood cells than most dog breeds, allowing their blood to carry more oxygen to working muscles.
10. Their stride can exceed 6 metres (20 feet). At full speed, each bound covers an extraordinary distance compared with most dogs.

Bonus Fact… They are extremely adorable as illustrated by our black beauties below!

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Known for their speed, intelligence, and affectionate nature, lurchers make wonderful companions and are a firm favourite with many of our adopters.

Here are 10 fascinating facts about lovely lurchers!

1. A lurcher is not a specific breed.
   A lurcher is usually a cross between a sighthound (such as a greyhound, whippet, or deerhound) and another type of dog.
2. Lurcher vs Longdog.
   A cross between two sighthound breeds is often called a lurcher for ease. In fact, the correct term is longdog, named for its long, lean appearance.
3. They were originally bred for hunting.
   Lurchers were developed to combine the speed of sighthounds with the working abilities of other breeds.
4. Every lurcher is unique.
   Because they are crossbreeds, lurchers can vary greatly in size, coat type, appearance, and temperament, even within the same litter.
5. They are often very fast and have excellent eyesight.
   Most lurchers inherit the speed, agility, and keen eyesight of their sighthound ancestors.
6. They can have smooth, rough, or broken coats.
   Coat type depends on the breeds involved in the cross.
7. They tend to excel at dog sports.
   Their speed, intelligence, and athleticism can make them successful in activities such as agility and canicross.
8. The name “lurcher” comes from an old word meaning “thief” or “rogue”.
   Historically, these dogs were sometimes associated with poachers who used them to hunt game quietly.
9. They often have two modes.
   Many lurchers seem to switch between “full-speed rocket” and “sleeping on the sofa”. Their combination of athletic ability and relaxed home life is one reason they are such popular companions.
10. They are famous for their “zoomies”.
    Lurchers often enjoy short bursts of high-speed running before returning to a relaxed state. Rigsby is demonstrating this perfectly in this video!

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Now, we’re turning the spotlight on…us!

Here are 10 facts about Forever Hounds Trust!

1. Forever Hounds Trust was incorporated as a charity on 9 July 1996, having operated as an unregistered not-for-profit organisation before this date.
2. Since 1996, until our anniversary date of 9th July 2026, Forever Hounds Trust has rehomed 10,734 dogs, giving thousands of hounds the chance of a happy new life.
3. Of all the dogs rehomed by Forever Hounds Trust, 61% have been greyhounds and 29% have been lurchers or other sighthounds.
4. The dogs we rehome are almost evenly split by gender, with 54% male and 46% female.
5. Of all the greyhounds rehomed through Forever Hounds Trust, black is by far the most common coat colour.
6. Forever Hounds Trust is supported by 98 dedicated volunteers, who help in many different areas of the charity’s work.
7. The furthest a dog has travelled to reach the safety of Forever Hounds Trust was approximately 11,500 miles, making the journey from Macau to the UK following the closure of the notorious Canidrome.
8. This year, the furthest distance one of our hounds has travelled to their new home is approximately 340 miles, to Cumbria.
9. It can cost anywhere from £400 to more than £4,500 to rescue, care for and rehome a single hound, depending on its individual needs.
10. As at our anniversary date, Forever Hounds Trust has facilitated 15 Home from Home adoptions, enabling those dogs to go directly into their new homes without needing to stay in kennels significantly benefitting these dogs.