Ex-racer finds happy home with Blue Cross fundraiser

Forced onto the commercial racetrack at 18 months old, greyhound Lucian had only ever known the life of a racer.

Sleeping on a cold, hard concrete floor had left him with a large abscess on one of his legs.

Wary and unused to loving human touch, Lucian needed to go back to basics to learn how to be a pet.

Brought to Blue Cross when he retired from racing, three-year-old Lucian was given all the support he needed to give him chance to enjoy life in a happy home.

The sweet fawn greyhound blossomed in the care of the team at Blue Cross Burford, in Oxfordshire.

And it wasn’t long before his loving nature captured the heart of a special new owner.

“As soon as Lucian came up to me I could tell that we had a connection, and I think he felt it too,” explains Hozzerino, who came to visit our Burford rehoming centre after raising more than £13,000 for Blue Cross through online gaming challenges.

“For the rest of the day I couldn't stop thinking about that sweet little greyhound and by the next morning I had decided to adopt him.”

Despite his adorable personality, Lucian had a challenging journey from ex-racer to much-loved pet.

The fluid-filled pressure sore on his leg needed regular draining and vet care to help it to heal while the young dog got used to sleeping on a soft bed.

Lucian had never socialised with any dogs other than greyhounds, so he needed to be slowly introduced to new friends.

And even daily activities like climbing stairs and walking on carpets were all new for ex-racer Lucian.

It was a huge adjustment for Lucian to overcome his past life and grow used to living as a pet.

Our team worked on Lucian’s body awareness, as well as communication skills.

Rachel Hazley, Rehabilitation Trainer & Behaviour Advisor at Blue Cross, explains: “Greyhounds are excellent sprinters but outside of that they have poor body/leg coordination, lack confidence in interaction with the everyday physical things they will encounter in homes.

“These include simple things like a step down to the garden, or moving from carpet to lino. They are often moved, lifted and manhandled as racers so have little choice or understanding about how their body works off the track.”

Building up Lucian’s confidence with humans was another priority before he headed into a new home, as Rachel continues: “Ex-racers tend to lack meaningful human relationships which results in a lack of communication skills and outward expression.

“To work on this at the centre we start with really basic exercises such a teaching eye contact as a positive thing, and teaching a good response to name.

“We try to encourage greyhounds to express themselves and then respond to them in a way that gives the dog confidence that they will be listened to and have some control over their interactions.”

After 29 days at Blue Cross, lovely Lucian was ready to start the next stage of his life in a loving new home.

When a group of online content creators came for a tour of Blue Cross Burford during the charity’s Hallow-Stream online fundraising event to meet some of the pets they’d be helping, Lucian and Hozzerino made an immediate connection.

Now Lucian can enjoy relaxed walks, cuddles on the sofa and sleeping on a soft bed in his new home in Wales.

“It didn't take long for him to settle into home life, and after a couple of days of learning how to use the stairs he was suddenly upside-down on my bed and has been there ever since,” adds Hozzerino, who has continued to fundraise for Blue Cross through online events since first taking part in 2022.

“The swelling from the abscess on his leg soon disappeared with a few weeks of sleeping on soft beds, and he'll never have to sleep on concrete again.

“Having a dog has helped me to get outside more, and we've made friends with other greyhounds and their owners.

“Now we meet weekly for walks and help with looking after each other’s dogs while we go out to run errands.”

Seeing how Hozzerino has used a mixture of digital art and games to stream to supporters is a good example of the different ways of fundraising, according to Blue Cross Virtual Events Officer Thomas Martin.

“They set a great example of how creators can make a difference for our cause and how it doesn't always have to be about tiring marathon streams and lots of games,” explains Thomas.

“Simply incorporating Blue Cross into their regular art streams during our Hallow-Stream and 1897 Challenge events and talking about us on stream to their viewers goes such a long way to raising awareness.”

Find out more about online fundraising for Blue Cross as part of our Hallow-Stream event from 1 October to 7 November.