A Kiwi greyhound charity has apologised after a social media post suggested Bound, a retired racer who’s nervous around men, would be best suited to a lesbian home. 🐕🌈 Cue backlash, a deleted post and a whole lot of opinions.
Meet Bound, The Girl At The Centre Of It All
Greyhounds as Pets (GAP) shared a post suggesting that Bound, an eight-year-old retired racer, would be more suited to lesbians, reports the NZ Herald.
The post, which has since been deleted, prompted some backlash from followers, and an apology from the charity soon followed.
GAP Says Sorry
GAP manager Lisa Philp told the Herald the charity had been trying to find Bound the right match.
“Bound is more at ease around women, and we have been working to find her a home that suits her,” Philp said. “However, the way this was expressed was poorly judged.”
She said the post hadn’t gone through the “careful review we expect for our public communications”.
“The wording was inappropriate and unnecessary. We recognise that it may have caused hurt and concern, and we sincerely apologise,” she said.
Philp said the charity had removed the post as soon as it became aware of it, introduced extra approval steps for all social media content, and was addressing the matter internally.
Not Everyone Was Barking Mad
Greyhound owner and advocate Dawn Glover said it’s “not unusual” for some dogs to be more afraid of men than women.
She pointed to a viral post from American animal rescue STAB Rescue, which used the same playbook for a pup called Tommy: “TOMMY IS SEEKING A LESBIAN HOME. THIS IS NOT A DRILL… We don’t make the rules. Tommy apparently does.” 😂
Glover called the GAP controversy “unfortunate”, saying the focus should be on the dogs.
“I think the vast majority of people saw it, kind of went ‘Ha ha’, and moved on,” she said.
“I think their marketing person was doing something that was both true to the dog and a clever way to get attention for her. That was a good thing. And, unfortunately, it’s been turned into this situation.”
Hundreds Of Hounds Still Need Homes
There’s a serious side to all this. New Zealand’s ban on commercial greyhound racing came into effect on 1 August, and the Greyhound Transition Agency said about 1076 dogs were still looking for homes at the end of September.
“Rehoming them well is our focus,” Philp said. “We assess each dog’s temperament and match them carefully with a home that suits their needs, so both dog and family can thrive.”
She described greyhounds as “gentle, affectionate and calm”, and encouraged anyone thinking about adopting to get in touch.
“There is a greyhound to suit almost every household, including the right home for Bound,” she said.
So whoever you love, if you’ve got a comfy couch and a soft spot for a gentle girl, Bound might just be your next great love story. 🐾🏳️🌈
