The WA Greyhounds As Pets program has recruited a high-profile ambassador with the State’s top cop joining the ranks of greyhound ownership.

Karl O’Callaghan, who has been the WA Commissioner of Police for the last five years and is a widely-known Perth identity, recently contacted GAP Co-ordinator Kerry Vernon in search of a canine companion. And it didn’t take too long for a suitable couch potato to be selected and introductions arranged.

‘When the application landed on my desk I thought is this “THE" Karl O’Callaghan and sure enough it was,” Kerry said.

“We soon matched him up with a little black bitch that raced as Molly Warmflash and I am pleased she has behaved herself impeccably, in fact she has taken up permanent residence in the entry hall of the Commish's house."

Since becoming an owner Mr O’Callaghan has been a strong public advocate for GAP and active in voicing his opinion that changes should be made to legislation that still requires GAP approved greyhounds to wear muzzles in public places.

In July he appeared on ABC TV’s Stateline and endorsed that greyhounds not only make great pets but they should be treated just like any other dog.

“I was surprised when I adopted a greyhound that the greyhound actually had to wear a muzzle. I am not aware of any attacks by a greyhound in WA, particularly when other breeds have been known to attack. So I don't see any need for the greyhound to wear a muzzle at all,” Mr O’Callaghan said during the programme.

Having an advocate the standing of the Police Commissioner can only help Kerry and her staff to lobby the appropriate authorities in the hope to bring WA into line with what is happening in other states.

“Having to wear a muzzle is a major drawback to many potential adopters as they automatically think that the breed is vicious,” Kerry said.

“The most asked question we get from “Joe Public” is why do greyhounds have to wear them, and our standard answer is that there is some archaic law in place that says so but we’re working on getting that changed!”

Western Australia’s GAP program has re-homed over 600 since the program was founded by Kerry in 1998 and 164 adoptions were achieved in the past 12 months.

Our ongoing lobbying regarding the Muzzle laws has continued but GAP has fingers crossed that an end may be in sight.

A meeting in August with the Principal Policy Advisor for the Minister for Local Government gave GAP the opportunity to present our argument and the precedent laws in other States.

GAP Manager Kerry Vernon, GAP Coordinator Tammara Olds, Animal Behaviourist Dr Garth Jennens, RWWA Vet Dr Peter Symmons and GAP Owner and Foster Carer Gordon Golby attended the meeting and were able to offer well rounded and strongly founded argument as to why removing the muzzles for GAP Greyhounds was a good idea.

At the time of the meeting the Department for Local Government had hoped that the Dog Act would be presented in the November sitting. However it appears that the sheer amount of legislation and debate occurring in the parliament for this sitting has resulted in the Dog Act being held over, with it now likely to be presented early next year.

In the mean time, keep your fingers crossed and keep muzzling your dogs. Hopefully this really is the short part of the road…

Don’t forget this weekend GAP has a display at the Canning Show! The Show itself is on Friday night and Saturday. However the GAP stall will only be manned on the Saturday between 9 – 5 and the GAP greyhounds will be leaving before the racing starts on Saturday night, so come down for a pat and a cuddle.

The Show activities will continue into the night and there is a full card of greyhound racing action. Thanks to the great volunteers who will be “manning the stand” for GAP.

Given the ongoing support that the Shenton Park Dog’s Refuge Home offers GAP by hosting the monthly GAP playgroups, it was also great to receive a call from them asking if GAP wanted to participate in their WAGs day festivities. Shenton Park WAGs day is an open day to showcase their facilities and seek support from the community.

The WAG’s day provides a jumble sale, cake stalls, pot plants, dog training, agility displays, pet accessory sales, dog bed sales, a BBQ and the all important Coffee Van!

Volunteers needed to help man the GAP stand.

Where – Shenton Park Dog’s Refuge Home, Lemnos Street Shenton Park

When – Sunday 15 November

Time – 10 - 3pm

If you can come down for a few hours please email Kerry.

GAP is increasingly being asked to attend festivals and displays and so we’ve decided to develop a North and South display kit so that we can be at more than one location on the same day.

Although Kerry and Tam are finding it harder to personally be at each of these displays having the kits should make it easier to operate multiple displays run by all of you lovely volunteering members of the bigger GAP family!

We really do appreciate your support with the displays and you have no idea how much it means to us.

If you're willing to assist at a GAP display please email Kerry.

A fantastic new website specialising in products for greyhounds and their owners has been started by local GAP Adopter and Foster Carer Julie Moreton.

Dog Kingdom has a bunch of gorgeous leads and collars, dog first aid kits, and dog tags for your hound and then there’s the quirky book marks, aprons, bags, tea towels, signs, magnets and stickers for the owners. Just in time for Christmas, check it out for the perfect pressie ideas!!

Visit Dog Kingdom.

In addition to running the new Dog Kingdom, the lovely Julie Moreton has also volunteered to manage the sales of GAP Merchandise. We have now given Julie all of the stock and she manages the ordering and shipping on our behalf. All of the proceeds for sales of GAP Merchandise still come directly to GAP but now you can shop for your GAP Merchandise online at Dog Kingdom.

Don’t forget the 2010 GAP Calendars are still available and selling like hotcakes. They’re really wonderful and contain more than 55 images of gorgeous greyhounds.

At $22 they’re a great Christmas pressie and an especially wonderful idea if you’re posting a gift.

Available at Dog Kingdom.

GAP’s latest merchandise offering is a pack of 10 Christmas cards containing 10 terrific Christmas designs.

Hot off the press and with only 100 packs produced they’re limited and sure to be well received. So for $10 you’ll get 10 unique greyhound Christmas Cards and you will be supporting GAP but you’ll need to get in quick!

Coming soon at Dog Kingdom.

Introducing Dana Shaw!

Dana is set to start at GAP mid November for two days per week. Dana has been a GAP Foster Carer for a few years now and she and husband Adam have also been involved in the broader Greyhound Racing industry as owners of race dogs in recent years.

Dana will be bringing her generous administrative skills and dog savvy to join Kerry and Tammara assisting with the general operational duties; displays; liaising with trainers, foster carers and new adopting families and temperament assessing the new GAP greyhounds.

Given the timing of the year and the increasing temperatures it is timely to remind people of the heat policy in relation to the playgroups. This was bought in earlier this year with the welfare of our greyhounds in mind as we don’t want to create any opportunity for developing heat stress in our dogs. Some information on Heat Stress can be found at RWWA's website and it details the RWWA Greyhound Heat Stress Policy.

After consulting with the Greyhound Playgroup Coordinators it has been decided that if the temperature is expected to be over 33˚ C at the time of the playgroup it will not go ahead for that day. Anyone not sure is welcome to call the respective playgroup coordinator for that week for confirmation. Playgroup details and Coordinators phone numbers are listed on our website.

We have purposely written “if the temperature is expected to be over 33˚ at the time of the playgroup” to ensure that we are able to apply the temperature equally to all playgroup venues. Had we used the “forecast” temperature’s we would be unfairly applying the Heat Policy to the West Coast Petcare Playgroup that operates in the earlier part of the day, from 10am – 12pm, and is more likely to experience cooler temperatures at that time of the day.

Playgroup attendees will need to use your own judgment and common sense to determine the temperature, or call the Playgroup Coordinators for confirmation.