Meet beautiful Kaas

We want to introduce you to the gorgeous Kaas. She was raced across the UK, including at Glasgow’s former Shawfield Stadium, until she was saved from death and rehomed with her loving family five years ago.

This is Kaas’ story.

Kaas’ life was saved by a vet and independent rehoming charity five years ago, when her trainer took her to the vet to be put down at two years old, despite her jaw injury being completely treatable.

Her trainer claimed her kennel mate attacked her, however a specialist vet concluded that Kaas’ injury couldn’t have been caused by a dog, but rather was caused by a direct blow to her jaw.

SIGN TO END DOG RACING

Knowing Kaas’ injury was completely treatable, the vet phoned a Scottish independent rescue charity and asked if they would take her into their care for treatment and rehoming.

With just ten minutes before closing, the charity agreed to take Kaas in and saved her life.

Kaas’ trainer was disqualified for doping

Kaas and her kennel mate were both discovered with drugs in their system just a few months apart. Their trainer was reprimanded, fined £400 and disqualified for twelve months. While the committee did not think Kaas’ drugging was deliberate, they concluded that the drugging of her kennel mate had to be, and as it was the second instance in a matter of months he was reprimanded.

During the case, her trainer said that Kaas wouldn’t race again and that she had been rehomed. If it was up to him, Kaas wouldn’t have raced again, not because she’d been rehomed, but because she would be dead.

Kaas’ treatment cost £8,000 - her ‘trainer’ paid nothing

The independent rehoming charity covered the £8,000 surgery and dental treatment costs required to treat Kaas’ jaw injury (Kaas’ very talented mum also made dog enrichment dogs to sell to raise money towards her bills!)

Her trainer did not pay anything towards her treatment. If it was up to him, she would’ve been dead at two years old.

Kaas had ongoing treatment for six months and is now a happy, healthy girl that rocks her signature ‘squinty mouth’!

A happy girl in her loving home

Kaas’ mum, Fiona, says:

 

"She was the perfect foster dog – slept all night, clean in the house, walked well on the lead and ate her special soft food. She was also always polite to my adopted rescue greyhound Bami and comforted her as she had many fears especially fireworks and loud noises. So very quickly she helped us all decide she was staying and was adopted into our family!"

Her sister Bami, sadly passed away last October, but Kaas continues to be the most wonderful foster sister to the many greyhounds that have lived with her on their way to their forever homes! Kaas is also very altruistic and enjoys visiting the vet to donate blood to help her fellow dogs in need. She has just donated her 19th pint!

Kaas’ loves to sleep, and her mum says she’s the laziest greyhound you’ll ever meet! Greyhounds sleep up to 18 hours a day so that is an achievement.

She will regularly settle herself down for a wee nap in public, whether it’s when her mum is having a chat with friends in the park or attending anti-greyhound racing demonstrations.

Friends with Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil!

When Kaas is not napping, she’s hanging out with one of her best friends, frontman of Biffy Clyro, Simon Neil (pictured with the icon that is Kaas)!

She’s a very big deal in the music scene as a friend to many rock, pop and metal bands. And it’s not just the music world! Fiona explains when Kaas is out and about in her custom-made wonder woman jumper and collar people often stop and exclaim "I’ve seen that special face before!"

Kaas needs you to help her friends

Had the vet not called the independent rehoming charity, who took Kaas in immediately, Kaas would not be here today. It is heartbreaking to even consider that Kaas’ life could’ve ended there just because she was no longer of value to the trainer.

Kaas is one of the ‘lucky’ ones. Many dogs haven’t been and won’t be so lucky. 2,718 greyhounds died and 22,284 injuries were recorded between 2018-2022 across the UK. That doesn’t even include the unregulated tracks that have no obligation to record figures, such as the last remaining track in Scotland- the unlicensed Thornton Stadium in Fife.

And just a few weeks ago, it was reported that a GBGB trainer, Rebecca Perkins, left 38 dogs starving and suffering in filthy conditions. One greyhound is even pictured lying beside his dead kennel mate. The images from the rescue are extremely upsetting.

SIGN THE OPEN LETTER

Please help Kaas’ friends and sign the Unbound the Greyhound coalition’s open letter to the Scottish Government calling for an end to greyhound racing in Scotland. An end is within a paw’s reach!

Thanks so much for your support. Together we can do this!