Three-year-old set to take her bestie on the annual greyhound walk

By Darren Cartwright 

She’s sensitive, shy and doesn’t mind a pedicure by a doting three-year-old girl. 

And come Sunday, Sparks Fly will be among dozens of retired racers taking part in one of two Queensland Great Global Greyhound Walks.  

Leading Sparks Fly, who is now called Jane, as she sets out from Decker Park, Brighton at 9am will be owner Sarah Hartge. 

She cannot speak highly enough of a “misrepresented” breed and how the nine-year-old greyhound is her young daughter’s bestie.  

Sparks Fly never finished better than sixth in her six race starts, before she was rehomed with the Hartge family who already had three cats and an ageing cattle dog cross bull terrier.  

“People said to us, you're going to get a giant cat and we thought, that they were downplaying these dogs,” Sarah explained.  

“We have three cats as well and she is the laziest. Lazier than cats.  

“She is such a sweet dog, such a sook and with a beautiful personality. I've never met another animal with that sensitivity.” 

It was Sarah's husband Adrian who suggested they adopt a greyhound although there was some apprehension about how ‘Jane’ would fit in at their Everton Park abode.  

After all, greyhounds were perceived as athletic, and chasers and they had a clowder of cats at home.  

“They are such a poorly misrepresented breed and such a uniquely wonderful dog,” Sarah said.  

“Since adopting Jane, we’ll never not have a greyhound.”  

Sarah will be at Decker Park with her family and ‘Jane’ while the other greyhound stroll is being conducted at The Strand, Townsville, starting at 8am.

As part of proceedings, Queensland Racing Integrity Commission’s (QRIC) Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) representatives will hand out water bottles and doggy-dropping bags while officers will also be available to handle adoption inquiries.  

The Brighton walk starts and ends at Decker Park and GAP officials will have an information booth to handle inquiries, said QRIC Commissioner Shane Gillard.  

The walk in itself was a promotion of the breed and displayed their relaxed and placid nature in a public envronment, he said.

“The walk is a circuit, so people can meet with the GAP team at the start or end of the walk to chat about the adoption and foster processes, or to learn more about greyhounds and greyhound care,” Mr Gillard said.  

"The Great Global Greyhound Walk is a chance for us to encourage more people to see the benefits of adopting a greyhound."

Sarah is expecting to exchange gushing stories with other greyhound owners while her three-year-old Everleigh will have painted Jane’s nails, with specially formulated non-toxic nailpolish,  just for the occasion.  

“Without doubt, they are best friends,” Sarah said.  

“Jane sleeps mostly in our playroom and they often have their nails painted the same color, although we use a children's non-toxic nail polish as regular nail polish is dangerous for dogs.  

“She has just slotted on so perfectly and she was around before we had our children. 

“Everleigh believes she is the best thing in the world.”  

Possibly the only person Jane never quite lived up to expectations with, was Adrian.  

Not that anyone, nor Adrian, was complaining.  

Given greyhounds are bred to run and Jane was only about three years old when she arrived at their house, Adrian thought he would take her along for one of his exercise jogs, Sarah said.  

“When we first got her, Adrian was like, ‘I am going to go running with her’,” she said laughing.  

“He came back from their first run together and they never made it to the end of the street.  

“She basically said, ‘I've had enough’, and he never took her for another run. It showed they're exceptionally different from how they are perceived.  

“She's just so perceptive of emotion and just there for you. I just adore her.  

“She is such a wonderful dog.” 

To register your greyhound for the Great Global Greyhound Walk, at either Brighton or Townsville, click here.