No love for the Hounds
Why are these dogs still waiting?
Every day in a shelter is one too many. Recently, we had a Hound spend 460 days with us — far too long for any dog to wait for the love and comfort of a home. This Hound, like many others, hasn’t had the chance to learn what it means to be a dog outside of the shelter walls. His journey of recovery and adjustment to life in a home will be challenging, but it’s a journey he never should have had to make. Every dog deserves a safe, caring home, not a prolonged stay in a shelter.
We know Tasmanians have the space in their hearts and homes for dogs. The overwhelming response to the recent promotion of a large volume of puppy farm dogs showed this clearly — Tasmanians were eager to open their homes to these dogs. But our Hounds continue to wait, sitting in shelters, some of them deteriorating in behaviour and mental state, making their chances of adoption even slimmer.
These dogs are literally howling out loud for love. Murray, one of our long-term Hounds, used to climb onto a viewing platform in one of our yards and howl out to the world in moments of frustration and sadness. He was over it.
He wanted out. His cries echoed the longing of all the Hounds who are desperate to leave the shelter and find a loving home.
The Dogs’ Homes of Tasmania is deeply concerned about the extended stays of our Hounds, who are topping the charts for the longest stays in our care.
It’s true, Hounds can have their quirks — some may be strong on a lead or express their displeasure when left alone, and they might prefer a property with room to roam rather than a city setting. But these generalisations don’t define them. Each Hound is unique, with its own personality and preferences, just like people.
Our staff and volunteers work tirelessly to address any “less desirable” behaviours, such as lead work, because we believe in every dog. We never give up on them, no matter how long it takes to find their forever home.
And there have been some beautiful success stories. Hobart Hound Murray, who was becoming quite dejected after a long stay, found his plea answered when Tasmanians, true to their kind and generous nature, shared his story far and wide on social media. Just five days later, Murray was adopted.
This is what our community can do when we come together. But there are still many Hounds waiting. We urge you to consider a Hound when you are next looking to adopt, or to help us find them new homes by promoting their adoption in any way you can.
