Helping Hounds the most Hooman thing to do
In our increasingly fraught global society, sometimes it seems like little good can be done in the face of hatred, fear and neglect. Our shared humanity doesn’t save us from our inhumanity.
But there is a light: people still willing to do their very best, and not just for our fellow humankind. Hoomans Helping Hounds is one such light.
Joanna Smith was instrumental in a small community group’s successful fight last year to stop TasRacing’s proposed harness and Greyhound racing track at Wesley Vale.
The Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal upheld the appeal by North-West Coast residents to the Latrobe Council last October. How that came about is a story in itself.
“One arvo over a beer, my neighbour planted a seed in my brain about how horrific dog racing was and she didn’t want the track in her (our) front yard,” Jo says. “She told me to go research dog racing. I did. I cried.”
Galvanised into action, and with the support of animal welfare organisations including Dogs’ Homes of Tasmania, the group, in Jo’s words, “kicked their butt” and the track did not go ahead.
“During that battle I spoke with Mark (Dogs’ Homes CEO Mark Wild) a few times for support and encouragement,” she says. “I decided clothes and puppies made sense and I would open a recycled clothing boutique.”
The result was the Hoomans Helping Hounds boutique at 1 Club Drive, Shearwater. There’s also an online shop featuring specially curated designer clothing, a page to sign up as a foundation member, and even “About a Dog” fundraising toilet paper to buy. Go to www.hoomanshelpinghounds.com.au/ to find out more.
“My initial thought was with the intention of doing it just for the Dogs’ Homes but it has morphed into more and will now also support Greyhounds nationally and other dog welfare charities. Mark is a fantastic supporter of mine and the shop!” she says.
Jo is humble about her achievements. “That one seed from my neighbour has grown into an amazing tree with lots of branches connecting amazing people along the way.”
She also shows no signs of slowing down. Jo and her canine best friend, Max, will soon start volunteering with Delta Therapy Dogs, a national non-profit organisation that helps animals and people “bring joy to each other”. Watch those branches grow longer and stronger.
