DEEL Sighthound Rescue

18/06/2026

🏡❤️ Happy Home Update: Nikki (now Roo) ❤️🏡

There are some stories that remind us exactly why rescue matters, and Roo's is one of them.

When two dog lovers sadly lost their first rescue hound far too soon, they were left with a heartbreak that only those who have loved a rescue dog can truly understand. Having always had puppies before, they never expected that a stray with no known history could leave such an enormous mark on their hearts. But that's the magic of rescue dogs – they don't just find homes, they become family.

For a long time, no photo seemed to spark that feeling again. Then they saw Nikki.

Just one photograph was all it took.

Something quietly said, "She needs to fill that space."

And so Nikki packed her bags, crossed the water to the UK, and began her new life.

Of course, not everyone in the household was quite as enthusiastic.

Their resident Patterdale Terrier had been enjoying life as an only dog and had become rather comfortable in her role. Enter Nikki, bringing youthful lurcher chaos, endless enthusiasm, and apparently a firm belief that dragging terriers around by the scruff of their necks was the perfect way to make friends.

The friendship negotiations took approximately nine months.

Thankfully, Nikki eventually learned that not everyone appreciates being treated like an old teddy bear, and these days peace has been restored. Well... mostly. Dinner times are now accompanied by full-scale wrestling matches under the table, much to everyone's amusement.

Now known as Roo (because she bounds through the hay fields like a kangaroo!), she spends her days enjoying four glorious acres of countryside. Her terrier sister has become considerably fitter too.

Being part Saluki and part Collie, Roo initially took some convincing that humans were worth listening to. Her recall has improved from "absolutely not" to a somewhat more encouraging "I'll think about it." She also maintains very high standards when it comes to finding the perfect outdoor toilet location, often requiring lengthy inspections in torrential rain before deciding conditions are suitable.

On the other hand, she quickly mastered one very important life skill: sitting politely. Breakfast? Sit. Walk? Sit. Cuddles? Sit. Roo understands that good manners open doors.

She also enjoys winding up her terrier sister whenever food is involved, launching herself over her, nipping playfully, and generally pushing her luck. When the inevitable warning snap arrives, Roo suddenly transforms into the world's most tragic victim, limping dramatically towards her humans while the long-suffering terrier stomps off in disgust after being thoroughly provoked.

Roo's mammy says she's firmly on the terrier's side. We're not so sure. 😉 😂

From an unwanted lurcher with an uncertain future to a beloved family member living her best life in the UK, Roo's journey is everything we could hope for.

Thank you to Roo's new family for giving this beautiful girl the second chance she deserved, and thank you to our friends in Norfolk Greyhound Rescue for helping make stories like this possible.

Roo may never realise just how lucky she is. But we certainly know how lucky we are to receive updates like this. ❤️🐾

🐾❤️

14/06/2026

🎸 WIN 2 TICKETS TO SEE AMBLE LIVE IN CORK! 🎸 (kindly donated by one of our supporters - this concert is sold out, so here's your chance to get tickets!)

We're delighted to launch a special raffle in support of Deel Sighthound Rescue 🐾❤️

One lucky winner will receive:

🎟️ 2 Tickets to AMBLE
📅 Friday 26 June 2026
📍 Virgin Media Park, Cork

Every ticket purchased helps support the incredible work Deel Sighthound Rescue does in rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming sighthounds across Ireland.

🎫 Raffle Draw
📅 Tuesday 23 June 2026

Your support helps provide:
🐕 Veterinary care
🐕 Food and shelter
🐕 Rehabilitation
🐕 Safe, loving homes

Thank you for helping these beautiful dogs get the second chance they deserve.

🔗 Enter via the link in our bio

14/06/2026

We ar fundraising at the Milk Market
Come and say 👋🏻

13/06/2026

Yesterday we were delighted to welcome our friends from Pet Levrieri, who travelled to visit and photograph some of the wonderful greyhounds Rowan, Ciaran, Pacino and Whisp, that will be leaving for their forever homes in Italy this August.

While it is always heartwarming to see these dogs taking the next step towards a loving family, it is also a stark reminder of a sad reality. Thousands of Irish greyhounds rely on foreign rescue partners for a lifeline because the greyhound racing and coursing industries continue to breed far more dogs than there are homes available for here in Ireland.

Without the support of organisations like Pet Levrieri and adopters across Europe, many of these gentle, affectionate dogs would have nowhere to go.

We hope that by championing greyhounds every day on our page, sharing their stories and showing what wonderful companions they make, we can help change perceptions and encourage more people in Ireland to consider giving one of these beautiful dogs the loving home they deserve.

Thank you, Pet Levrieri, for standing with Irish greyhounds and helping to give them the future they deserve. ❤️🐾

Adozione levrieri - Pet levrieri ETS

11/06/2026

💔 FUNDRAISING APPEAL 💔

We have had the most difficult start to 2026 of any year in our rescue’s ten year history.

January alone brought six successive emergency cases, every one of them requiring major orthopaedic surgery. These were not routine cases. These were dogs whose lives depended on immediate intervention and specialist veterinary care and the emergencies kept coming throughout the next 6 months until now.

At the same time, we were struggling desperately to find foster homes. As a result, our kennel bills soared and many of these patients had prolonged hospital stays because there simply was nowhere suitable for them to go. Kennels were not an option for dogs recovering from major surgery who needed round-the-clock care, medication, rehabilitation and monitoring.

And that was before we even began dealing with the day-to-day costs of rescue. Every dog requires vaccinations, microchipping, worming, feeding, transport and neutering. On top of that, we have public liability insurance, accountancy fees, fuel and maintenance costs to keep our rescue van on the road, and an average monthly kennel bill of approximately €3,500.

Those first few months knocked us to our knees and, truthfully, we have not been able to get back up.

We are acutely aware that people everywhere are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. Asking for help never comes easily. But we have to keep asking because the dogs need us to.

We are a volunteer-run rescue. We have no paid staff. We rely entirely on foster homes, private boarding kennels, fundraising and donations from the public.

If you think you could foster, please get in touch.

If you can donate, no matter how small the amount, we would be incredibly grateful.

If you can do neither, please share this post.

If you would like to run a fundraiser on our behalf, please contact us. If you have a birthday, anniversary or special occasion coming up, please consider running a fundraiser for the dogs on your social media. There are so many ways to help.

📍 OUR CURRENT POSITION

Rockhall Veterinary Hospital, Henry Street: €16,017.96

Adare Veterinary Clinic: €7,535.95

All Paws Veterinary Clinic: €2,811.70

Outstanding Kennel Fees: €3,500.00

😱Total Outstanding Bills: €29,865.61

Current AIB Balance: €150.76

Current PayPal Balance: €148.06

😭Total Funds Available: €298.82

Less than €300 available to meet almost €30,000 in bills.

That is the reality facing us today.

For anyone who would prefer to make a contribution you can do so through our idonate link below 👇🏻 or directly to the clinics below and quote our rescue account DEEL Sighthound Rescue. 🙏🏻

📍 Rockhall Veterinary Hospital, Henry Street
☎️ 061 314 203

Outstanding Balance: €16,017.96

📍 Adare Veterinary Clinic
☎️ 061 396 390

Outstanding Balance: €7,535.95

📍 All Paws Veterinary Clinic, Limerick
☎️ 061 603 800

Outstanding Balance: €2,811.70

Every euro paid directly towards these accounts helps us continue providing life-saving veterinary treatment to dogs in need.

Last year, our rescue received €25,500 through the Department of Agriculture’s Animal Welfare Grant Scheme. This payment was spent the day it hit our account, with outstanding bills. It accounts for one fifth of what we realistically need to run our rescue.

While we are grateful for every cent of support received, the reality is that animal welfare charities across Ireland shared a total of just €6 million between 101 organisations.

At the same time, Greyhound Racing Ireland received €20 million in State funding in 2025 alone.

Think about that for a moment.

€6 million divided between more than one hundred rescues, sanctuaries and welfare organisations trying to rescue, rehabilitate, feed, treat and rehome vulnerable animals.

€20 million allocated to a single industry that kills healthy dogs.

Animal rescues are left attempting the impossible task of cleaning up the fallout from abandonment, neglect, overbreeding and welfare failures with a funding pot that is less than one-third of what is provided to one State-supported industry.

The gap between what grants provide and what it actually costs to save lives is filled by ordinary people — people who donate €5, share a post, foster a dog, organise a raffle, run a fundraiser or simply refuse to look away when an animal needs help.

Every dog we save is only possible because of you.

To everyone who has donated, fostered, transported, fundraised, shared our appeals, offered a bed, bought a raffle ticket or stood beside us when things felt impossible — thank you.

From the bottom of our hearts, and on behalf of every dog whose life has been changed because somebody cared enough to help, thank you. ❤️🐾

If you can donate, please do.

If you can foster, please get in touch.

If you can do neither, please share this appeal far and wide.

Together, we can ensure that when the next emergency call comes, we are still here to answer it.

** please see bills posted in comments below 👇🏻

DEEL Sighthound Rescue

11/06/2026

💙 Danny's Story 💙

When Danny first arrived into the care of Deel Sighthound Rescue from the pound, life had clearly not been kind to him.

He needed extensive veterinary treatment before he was even ready for foster care, and his recovery continued long after he moved into his wonderful foster home. Despite everything he had been through, Danny was always friendly, but trust was another matter. The scars on his face and body told a story we could only guess at.

His foster mammy was completely smitten from the start and describes him simply as "a pure pet."

Danny wanted to be close to his people, but at first he wasn't quite sure how. He'd sit at the far end of the couch with his back turned, keeping a careful distance while still wanting company. During playtime he put on a bit of a tough-guy act too, all barking and grumbling while throwing play bows, as if he wasn't entirely convinced that he was safe enough to let his guard down.

But slowly, something beautiful happened.

The stiffness disappeared. The bravado melted away. The playful wrestling became bouncy, carefree fun. He started moving closer on the couch. Then one day, he rested his head on a lap.

And eventually...

His tail wagged!

It might sound like a small thing, but for Danny it was a huge milestone. His entire foster family were over the moon. After everything he'd been through, seeing him truly relax and feel happiness was incredibly special.

Danny enjoyed adventures with foster brother Oscar, car journeys, beach trips, and learning all about the good things in life. Toys were a mystery at first... he wasn't quite sure what to do with them unless somebody joined in...but he was determined to learn!

Then came the next chapter.

Thanks to our wonderful rescue partners at Norfolk Greyhound Rescue, Danny found his forever home in the UK, where he is thriving alongside his new lurcher friends.

These days, Danny's cheeky personality is shining through. He has discovered that he quite likes getting his own way and isn't afraid to let his humans know exactly what he wants! If he's told "no," he might have a little grumble and stamp his feet before deciding to accept defeat. 🤣

He loves woodland walks, playing ball, digging in the garden with his canine pals, and keeping everyone entertained with his growing list of funny antics. His health continues to improve, his confidence grows every day, and everyone who meets him falls in love with him.

From a frightened boy carrying the weight of his past, to a much-loved family member with a wagging tail, muddy paws, and a cheeky sparkle in his eye. Danny's journey is exactly why rescue matters.

Thank you to his incredible fosters, to Norfolk Greyhound Rescue for helping him find his perfect match, and to everyone who supported him along the way.

We couldn't be happier for you, Danny. ❤️

09/06/2026

Thank you so much to everyone who donated at our church gate collection last weekend in Askeaton €320 was raised, thank you also to our wonderful volunteers who collected on the dogs behalf 🩷

08/06/2026

Please read

A reminder. …… if you lose your dog and it is in the care of our rescue, your call will be dealt with as soon as a volunteer can. That’s right, we said VOLUNTEER.

On Sunday, one of our volunteers dropped everything to help a stray dog and bring to safety, chipped not registered, no ID collar. Same old same old.

After canvassing the local area in an effort to locate an owner the volunteer made arrangements for the dog to stay safely overnight in boarding kennels and to drive the dog there while further enquiries continued. Once an owner was to come forward and proof of ownership was established, we would begin making arrangements for the dog’s return. As is the norm in all rescues.

Our volunteer never complained about the fact they had to spend their whole Sunday evening getting the dog sorted, they just cared that the dog was safe, fed and warm.

We rarely post about situations like this. Usually, we take a deep breath, swallow the frustration, and focus on the animals that need us. But today, this really got to us.

Every person involved in our rescue is a volunteer. We all have full-time jobs, families, and commitments, yet we remain on call for animals in need 24 hours a day to the best of our ability. We don’t get paid. We do this because we love animals and can’t bear to think of them vulnerable and in danger.

To be met with hostility after helping someone’s pet is deeply demoralising. We were sent a voice mail accusing us of cruelty and keeping the dog in a “cage” and threatening to attack our rescue on social media if the dog wasn’t handed back immediately. Ironically, We tried on several occasions to contact the owner via phone and Facebook messenger, to no avail, then the voice message. As the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished. We find it incredulous that stopping to help a lost dog would result in such a thoughtless and unnecessary response.

Thankfully, experiences like this are the exception rather than the rule. The kindness and support we receive from so many of our followers, supporters, adopters and fellow animal lovers is what keeps us going. That, and the dogs, will always be the reason we continue.

08/06/2026

This is extremely worrying... Shanakyle Bawnie’s page on GRI’s website has been deleted😱 We believe he’s the poor white greyhound who’s wearing a cruel anti-bark muzzle in the footage and photos we received from our source. He was the only white greyhound listed as belonging to Shanakyle Syndicate, so we are almost certain that it’s him.

We need your help to find out what happened to him, as we fear the absolute worst. Please share this post🙏, and also email your TDs to ask them to request an immediate update from the Minister for Agriculture on the status of Shanakyle Bawnie. You can find your TDs’ email addresses at https://www.contactyourtd.ie/
Please also email the Minister directly at [email protected] and [email protected]

Please also email the Welfare Manager of Greyhound Racing Ireland (GRI), Barry Coleman: [email protected]

As GRI is a semi-state body, which receives almost 20 million in public funding each year, we have a right to know what has happened to this gentle, sweet-natured dog. Recent figures released by GRI show that two-thirds of racing greyhounds born in 2021 and 2022 are now DEAD (as published in the Irish Examiner and Journal last week). We CANNOT let Shanakyle Bawnie simply disappear and become another horrific statistic – one of the thousands of poor dogs who are killed at a young age EVERY YEAR when they are no longer profitable to the racing industry.

Along with the other greyhounds in the dark shack on the derelict site near Parteen, Shanakyle Bawnie ALMOST had the chance to find a loving home through GRI’s rehoming service, the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust (IRGT). Those of you who have been following the Parteen greyhound case will know that after we released the footage of the shack’s interior, the public pressure we all applied led to the dogs being removed and being placed in an IRGT foster home. We were led to believe that the dogs were being prepared for rehoming, but they were sadly returned to the hell hole over a month later💔

Please keep the pressure on, until we get justice for Shanakyle Bawnie and the other poor dogs owned by Shanakyle Syndicate. Public pressure really works!!💪

07/06/2026