Every day in a shelter is too long, and it’s heartbreaking to see our Hounds waiting for a home. Recently, one Hound spent 460 days with us, missing out on the comfort of a loving home. Despite Tasmanians’ generous response to other dogs in need, our Hounds remain overlooked. Imagine a Hound, like Murray, howling from the depths of despair, his cries echoing a profound longing for a family. These dogs aren’t just waiting; they’re suffering in silence.

Greyhound racing industry reforms passed in the state’s Legislative Council last week ensure “business as usual for the industry … with the word ‘integrity’ tacked on”, a leading Greyhound welfare advocate says.

While Racing Minister Jane Howlett hailed the reforms as “critically important”, Let Greyhounds Run Free advocate Fran Chambers said the organisation was “far from happy with the proposed legislation”.

Leonie, one of the Dogs’ Homes most generous supporters, wrote to us in loving memory of Sher, a “foster fail”. “Precious Sher,” she writes. “We fostered you three years ago, fell in love with you and adopted you six days later. We loved every moment we had together, and crammed so much fun into your life with us.”

Tasmanians have added their voices to the call for urgent law reform to end puppy farming in the state, after the high-profile seizure of more than 250 dogs from a property in the state’s north. An e-petition presented to Parliament by the RSPCA, which was supported by the Dogs’ Homes of Tasmania, gathered 6566 signatures in three weeks. “This was an appalling chapter in animal welfare for our state and we cannot ever let this happen again,” principal petitioner and RSPCA Tasmania CEO Andrea Dawkins said.

At Dogs’ Homes of Tasmania, we’re committed to keeping pets with their families. As proud members of Australia CAN, we support the Rent with Pets program, which promotes pet-friendly rental policies. With more dogs being surrendered due to rental restrictions, it’s crucial to create housing solutions that benefit both tenants and landlords. Together, we can ensure that no pet loses their home due to restrictive rental rules.