Whippet Rescue: Everything You Need To Know

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Whippets are a wonderful, caring dog breed that originated here in the UK. It may come as a surprise to whippet owners, but many of these adorable pets get abandoned by their owners.

This is sometimes down to them being ex-racing dogs that are unable to compete, or they’ve been left with an owner who wasn’t yet ready to own a whippet.

Rescue centres around the UK are sadly teeming with whippets, but this gives anyone interested in the breed a chance to rescue a whippet and save a dog’s life.

Rescuing a whippet is easy and there are plenty of options, a simple google search will bring up many rescue pages or social media pages online for you to speak with and discuss your options.

Then you can visit and meet the whippets in person and complete the rescue process.

If you ever considered getting a whippet from a whippet rescue, you are in for an experience of love and excitement.

Whippets are intelligent dogs and the breed has a long history that makes it unique. Getting your dog from a whippet rescue is a great way to show care and love for the breed.

In this article, you will find all the information you need to know about the whippet rescue, the breed and dog’s personality, benefits of a whippet rescue, the pros and cons of your decision, and steps to take in rescuing the whippet. It will be fun to make an informed decision. So, let’s dive into it!

Overview of Whippet Rescue

A whippet rescue is what some people call a dog shelter, it will help you select a whippet that matches your needs.

You may want a regular dog to love and take care of or a highly active dog to try sporting with. Whippets fit into any of these categories, and so your local whippet rescue is a viable option.

So, what happens at a whippet rescue? Volunteers and animal lovers find dogs that are in destitute circumstances and try to find them shelter.

The whippet rescue has a lot of whippet lovers that understand the breed and the dog’s profoundness, and they will be eager to meet you and help you find the perfect pet.

In looking for a proper whippet rescue, there are a few things that you may want to consider. First, you should try and understand the rescue’s mission.

Some dog shelters may have themes or goals for their rescue operations, and you are not likely to find a negative objective, but this can help you find the best rescue centre in your area.

So, how do you go about selecting a good rescue or dog shelter that has a great message or objective to adopt a whippet? The answer is simple but with a caveat. You can simply make a list of the rescue centres in your vicinity, and a simple internet search may show you where they are located.

The problem with focusing on a random search for a rescue centre is that what you see may not reflect the reality on the ground.

A rescue shelter means well for the dog, but they may give you inaccurate impressions that make it necessary to dig deeper. In your search, look for reviews from past visitors.

After you have found several whippet rescue centres, read through their online posts to understand their message.

One great example is the Whippet Rescue UK, which is a top result for people that live in the United Kingdom. The organisation provides a site that links to its Facebook page.

When you land on such a page, you can always look for the “About” tab or link, which will show you the message that they seek to convey. The message will highlight or reveal its overall mission.

You may even get to know whether they rescue pure breeds or any whippet breed.

Looking at Whippet Rescue UK’s page, you will see that the organisation rescues abandoned whippets and crossbreeds.

You will also see that the rescue has been operational since 2012, which is long enough to find reviews about it. You can view pictures of the whippets and their surroundings.

When you proceed to look for reviews about whippet rescue organisations, don’t rush to judgment.

Go through several submissions by people that provide enough details about their experience. Some people may not have as much interest in the dog breed as you. Reading several reviews will inform you better.

Now you need to make the real effort of contacting the whippet rescue and visiting the shelter.

As you make this decision, your love for this dog or dogs, in general, may overwhelm your thinking. So, next are the benefits of rescuing a whippet, pros and cons, and how to make a final decision.

Benefits of Whippet Rescue

At this point, you know how to find and assess a whippet rescue, and the need to contact or visit them. To help you make a good judgement on if a whippet rescue is right for you, here are the benefits of rescuing a whippet.

The benefits range from its history and personality to your need for showing care and love to whippets.

The whippet came around in the mid-1800s, and it quickly became a dog for sport. The owners would engage in snap dog contests with other dog owners.

In fact, you can find breathtaking videos of whippets engaging in steeplechase, obstacle games, and following very intricate instructions from owners with a simple search of Youtube or Google.

The fact is that whippets are highly intelligent dogs. So how did the breed come about? The British bred terriers and later refined greyhounds to produce a whippet.

You may be wondering whether the dog’s personality is the same as that of a greyhound or terrier. To some extent, yes, but the whippet is a very unique dog that will adapt to your personality and habits.

So, rescuing a whippet increases the chances of you getting a dog that is compatible with you.

Other than the amazing history and intelligence of the breed, the other benefits of a whippet rescue include getting a highly affectionate, friendly, and quiet dog. The dog will love you and adore you, try to learn your body language, and always monitor your moods.

Rescuing an affectionate dog is a profound act of love because they never stopped loving people. People abandon whippets for various reasons, including poverty, personal problems, or the lack of knowledge or support.

In some cases, mental health leads to homelessness for dogs and their owners.

When you rescue a whippet, you may be making a former desperate owner’s wish come true. Since a good deed is always repaid, you will immediately realise that your gesture leads to an immeasurable experience of affection, love, and happiness with the whippet.

If you love dogs that have accurate eyesight and a high level of awareness, rescuing a whippet will be perfect for you.

The whippet breed was and is used to hunt with sight and a very high speed, so you can always count on it for an amazing outdoor experience. Most people will be amazed by your dog’s speed and agility.

The other advantage of a sighthound breed is that it provides security and will spot danger from far. The dog will alert you of any intruders and stand by your side should there be an intruder. However, don’t expect a whippet to be your guard dog as they’re really not up to the task. A whippet will more likely lick an intruder than strike!

You can never exhaust the benefits of a whippet rescue when you also realise that many shelters work as a community of dog lovers, and they will accommodate your needs. You may find shelters that allow you to visit and acquaint yourself with the dog.

In most cases, rescuing a whippet will give you the opportunity to select and try relating to the dog. When you contact the rescue center or dog shelter, be open about your needs.

The rescuers will be kind enough to give you more options or even guide you based on past experience.

The other great benefit of a whippet rescue is that you help to prevent the social problems caused by puppy mills.

Puppy mills are bad businesses that over-breed rare or highly-loved dogs, which causes distress and suffering to the dogs. Your rescue mission helps to reduce the demand for their puppies.

When you rescue a whippet, the shelter may give you information on how to get a trained pick.

Trained whippets may have stayed at the shelter for some time and benefited from the services of volunteers or they may have come with skills. You will be surprised at some of the dogs’ abilities.

Rescuing a whippet may open up opportunities to get very good support from some former owners or the rescue centre.

If a former owner brought the dog to the shelter, you may get a chance to keep in touch with them and understand the dog more. The staff at the centre will also give you as much support as you need.

Your relationship with rescuers is another benefit that will bear fruits in your long-term relationship with dogs.

The people that take part in pet rescue missions understand some of the most problematic issues about dogs, and they may help you in the future. You will also enjoy sharing stories on the dog’s progress.

Overall, the benefits of a whippet rescue are immense, and you will find several reasons to use a dog shelter or rescue rather than buy a dog.

Your act will be contributing to the love for animals, their safety, wellness, and longevity. You will also be part of a loving community of rescuers.

There is no obligation when you go to a whippet rescue, so having a look around and seeing what dogs are available won’t cost you a penny.

You never know, you may find the next dream dog you’ve been waiting for but you’ll need to reach out to them to find out.

Pros and Cons of Whippet Rescue

Now, the pros of a whippet rescue include getting a chance to understand the dog’s past life and needs, getting an amazing breed, avoiding inconsiderate dog sellers, and getting acquainted with the rescue missions in your area or region.

You will feel the satisfaction of showing love and care to animals in the shelter who need it most.

Without understating or overstating the pros, you may already see that rescuing a whippet is a win-win situation, especially when you get the dog that matches your needs.

When you go through the rescue process, you will get a lot of knowledge and may build life-changing relationships.

The advantage of knowing a dog’s needs when it is in an extreme situation is that the experience can only get better as you make it more comfortable in your home.

You will be starting at the dog’s lowest point and the chances of a happy-ever-after relationship are very high.

When you rescue a whippet and get to know other people that do the same, you will gradually become a master in the whippet world. Your colleagues that rescue other whippets will enjoy following your story if you build a relationship with them. Most rescuers become part of the community that rescues whippets.

Now, are there any cons to a whippet rescue? You won’t find many disadvantages or drawbacks in rescuing an animal, but you should be aware of the major problems.

The problems include underlying health conditions, some shelters’ bureaucracy, and you may lack the time to adapt to untrained dogs.

The first con of underlying conditions may bother you if you’re unprepared to deal with a deteriorating health condition.

If your dog has a visible but stable condition, this should not be a problem. If the dog turns out to have a terminal condition that you cannot handle, you may want to return it to the rescue.

The second problem of bureaucracy lies with specific shelters that select to not trust newcomers until you prove your intentions and abilities to take care of the dog.

The shelters do well in protecting the animals, and you may decide whether the bureaucracy is something you are willing to handle.

The final con is untrained dogs. If you expected your whippet to possess some skills or refined behavior, you may be disappointed in getting a dog that lacks any training.

The problem is not big and you can easily learn to train it or search for volunteers and paid professionals to do it for you.

Making Your Final Decision On Rescuing A Whippet

Your first decision should focus on your home. If you have enough space and can accommodate a dog, you can go ahead and rescue a whippet. You should also have time to care for the dog.

The next decision should focus on your personal feelings. If you love whippets, you probably will feel great in using a whippet rescue or shelter to get a dog. Rescuing a whippet will also help you learn more about them and you will be doing good for the breed.

The last decision should focus on the whippet that you want to rescue. You should decide whether you can take care of any whippet or only focus on trained dogs with no serious health condition.

You can talk to the staff at the rescue shelter to understand the options that are available for you.

Final Thoughts

Rescuing whippets is the best way to show love to this breed and understand the dog’s needs, and a whippet rescue is a great option.

When you decide to rescue the dog, you won’t lose because you will be acting out of love… You may also get support and information that makes it easier.

Yes, rescuing a whippet can be hard work. You’ll ultimately be taking a risk on a dog that may have health conditions or present other problems down the line, but giving you time and hard work to save a dogs life is more rewarding than anything you can ever imagine.

What have you got to lose?

Finally, you should be open about your needs at all times and talk to other whippet lovers. If you loved this guide, you can tell us about your experience and what we should write about to enrich your knowledge of pets. Good luck with your rescue mission!

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