Jonathan: Just as a drop of water will wear away a stone, Denise has over the past few months been dropping regular hints about greyhounds.  D: Wouldn’t it be lovely … ?  D [a few mintues later, pointing at website photo]: Look  – Isn’t he cute …?! J: Hmmm.  D: You’re not even looking! J: Hmmph! You know the sort of thing.  Well the stone must have got so thin you could see through it, because this morning I gave way to the inevitable and said okay, in principle – you can look into it.

By this afternoon we were already down to names and possible dates. ‘Gary’ has been cat-tested and is considered ‘safe’ (safe that is for the dog, a cornered cat is easily a match for a gentle, slow-brained if quick-limbed greyhound); possible never been raced (so how come, I ask fatuously, he’s with the Retired Greyhound Trust) and so less likely to suffer arthritis. 

Denise: Anyway we first have to be vetted as suitable adopters, and Gary might have been snatched away by someone else by the time we get to the point. But, for the record here’s a photo of the cute Garry the Greyhound.

Jonathan: Retired greyhounds for adoption are shown a cat to see their reaction, and determine what kind of a adoptive household would be suitable.  Apparently they may also undergo chicken testing, but that might be just to find out whether they are fussy eaters ;~)