Poor Lurchers aren’t the most popular breed of dog for people to rehome, so they spend an average of almost 100 days waiting for a loving new home. We want to change that!
Today, Lurchers are still commonly used for activities like illegal hare coursing. Our centre’s location in The Fens is a hotbed for this cruel sport and we see many Lurchers come in in terrible states we suspect have been caused by hare coursing. Most often they’re injured, underweight and emotionally shut down.
On average, at least one stray Lurcher is brought to us every week, and, sadly, they’re twice more unlikely to be reclaimed than any other breed.
Lurchers who’ve been involved in hare coursing have often never lived indoors before. So everyday sights and sounds like the television and the beep of the washing machine will be brand new to them. As well as getting used to the unfamiliar routines of home life, Lurchers will often need a bit of extra support with their training, too.
But rest assured, our behavioural experts are here to help with any advice you might need – what they don’t know about dogs isn’t worth knowing! From basic cues like ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ to tackling bigger issues such as recall and reactivity towards other dogs and people, they’re just a phone call away. And whilst Lurchers sometimes need more support and time to settle in, they’re worth the effort – we promise!
Lovely lad Merlin was brought into Woodgreen by a police officer who found him a stray after being used as a hare-coursing Lurcher. Our expert team spent many weeks getting him back to a healthy weight and restoring his faith in people.
Very slowly we began to see his confidence returning and we all knew what a great pet he would make.
Take a look at Lurchers like Merlin who need a new home today.
Seven-month-old Lurcher puppy Peaches came from a very loving home but after finding out they were expecting a baby, his owners were worried about Peaches jumping up at the mum-to-be.
Adopt dogs and give a lurcher a loving home with Woodgreen today.
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Every year, our teams work tirelessly to provide safe shelter, specialist care, and a brighter future for thousands of pets. And we’re here for owners in need of advice and support too, every step of the way.
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This sweet boy was brought to us in a sorry state and with so much sadness in his eyes. We didn't know if he would make it.
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