Aged Care Insite Issue 104 | Dec-Jan 2017 | Page 23

practical living Peter Flann at a Greyhound Rescue market stall. Photo: Supplied join with the community and volunteers in providing homes for ex-racers. Greyhounds which are not adopted or kept as pets by their trainers are usually destroyed when their racing days end. Sadly, this means thousands of dogs die every year in our country. Believe it or not, formal government inquiries have shown that the greyhound is the most widely bred dog in Australia. While this appalling situation exists, there is no reason Australia can’t become a world leader at placing greyhounds in aged care facilities. There is certainly enough evidence on the web of the positive impact greyhounds make in these places. And don’t worry about the muzzle that Australia’s old-fashioned laws require greyhounds to wear – they don’t apply at ‘home’, so aren’t needed inside aged care facilities. The RSPCA says “compulsory greyhound muzzling is contrary to RSPCA policy which states that the use of muzzles should be based on the behaviour of each individual dog”. So, if you’re looking for new ideas to make your facility even better in 2018, look no further than a pair of big brown eyes at your local greyhound rescue. You may light up the soul of someone in your care – especially those who are alone and lonely – just like Australian greyhounds.  ■ Janet and Peter Flann are the founders of Greyhound Rescue, which re-homes greyhounds in Sydney, Canberra and the Illawarra region. SUBSCRIBE FOR LESS THAN $2 A WEEK THE LATEST NEWS AND RESOURCES FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS Nursing Review is essential reading for anyone involved in the healthcare sector in Australia. It provides unrivalled coverage of specialist topics from features and opinion pieces, to international news and profiles. • Latest news and resources for all health care professionals • Comprehensive coverage of a diversity of topics • Analysis of the major issues facing the health sector as a whole • Delivered free of charge • 6 issues per year • Only publication in the country dedicated to reporting issues important to nurses Please call 02 9936 8666 or email [email protected] to find out more. agedcareinsite.com.au 21