Connor – the luckless hound from Devon who has been homeless for more than a year

The huge increase in demand for pets during the pandemic hasn’t helped one lonely dog in Devon.

Connor, a three-year-old greyhound currently in the care of dog rescue charity Forever Hounds Trust, has been waiting for the right forever home for more than a year.
While there have been lots of home offers for other dogs at the charity’s Centre for Homing and Welfare, which is based near Cullompton in Devon and opened in December last year, Connor has not been one of the lucky ones chosen for a home of his own.

Connor has some special requirements of his adopters, which is making his quest for a home harder than for some of his canine pals. Connor needs a home with no other animals or any young children. He also needs someone to be at home most of the time, and he likes to be walked somewhere away from other dogs, particularly those that are off lead and might run up to him.

Caron Lane, Centre Manager for Forever Hounds Trust in Devon explains: “Connor had some physical problems early on which meant he was very under-nourished. This led to some behavioural issues around food and him stealing non-edible items and trying to eat them. After some veterinary investigations we have found the right diet for him and he has now put on weight and his behaviour around food is much improved.

“He is a really lovely, affectionate and excitable boy and will make a wonderful companion for the right person. He loves people and is always keen to meet visitors. He is clean in the house, happy to go on car journeys and walks well on the lead. Connor really is a very sweet boy who has struggled due to physical issues. But now that these problems are under control, he really deserves a second chance with patient and understanding adopters who will love him for his quirks!”

Forever Hounds Trust has been dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming greyhounds and lurchers for 25 years, and are experts in caring for these special dogs. The charity rescues dogs from some dire situations, which mean that some of the animals need a lot of physical or emotional rehabilitation to ready them for life as a much-loved pet. An expert team work at the newly-opened Centre in Devon, putting together individual training programmes for the dogs and ensuring any veterinary needs are met.

The charity also offer excellent support for all their adopters. Caron says: “We really want to see all our dogs in a forever home and we offer comprehensive post-homing support to help achieve this. Our team of behaviourists are on hand to help with any difficulties, not just in the first few days and weeks, but for the lifetime of the dog. Our dogs go home with everything they will need, including a training plan, advice on what diet best suits them, and even a correctly fitted harness and lead.”

If you think you could be the right person to adopt Connor, or one of the other greyhounds or lurchers being cared for by Forever Hounds Trust, please contact the charity by calling 03000 125 125 or emailing enquiries@foreverhoundstrust.org