Former racing greyhound settles in with new Gunnedah family

The ex-racing greyhound was rehomed by Pam McWillams almost to the day news broke of a state-wide industry shutdown.

“It’s the biggest coincidence of my life,” Pam said. “My son joked we should have called her ‘bandwagon’.”

The Gunnedah resident had been researching different dog breeds for months when she stumbled on adoption agency, Greyhounds As Pets.

After a few emails and agency checks, Pam was offered the lovable Dani, much to the delight of both owner and pooch.

“She has a beautiful temperament and personality,” Pam said. “And I just love black dogs.”

She dismissed greyhound’s stereotype as “vicious” or “attack dogs”. In fact, she found greyhounds quite the opposite.

“They have such a gentle nature,” she said.

Greyhound owners are by law, still required to muzzle their dog when walking in common areas but public perceptions were changing, Pam said. Soon she hoped to qualify Dani for her “green disc” which pending some simple tests like walking on a lead, temperament around other dogs and people, will entitle her to be in public without a muzzle.

On track, Woolgoolga Dani as she was also known, held a formidable record.

She accrued more than $20,000 in prizemoney from 44 starts and was a regular on metropolitan race tracks in NSW and Victoria.

Dani also had a fruitful breeding career before retiring to the country where she now enjoys the odd walk and “zoomsies” around Pam’s backyard pool.

It’s a good life and an especially restful one according to Pam, who said her new housemate can sleep up to 15 hours a day.

But whether it’s a better life than racing, Pam wouldn’t be drawn. She also preferred not to weigh into the industry shutdown debate either.

“I don’t have an opinion one way or another,” she said. “There’s a lot of emotion on both sides.”

Pam was just happy to have Dani in her life.

“Greyhounds make beautiful pets, I’m astounded how lovely they are,” she said. 

“I love this dog and I’m seriously considering getting another one.”