*** A VERY EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!!! ***

You may have noticed we have been dropping a few hints lately! We have been posting a lot more greyhounds available for adoption on our page!  Many of you may know that we have always worked closely with other dog rescues both in Ireland and abroad. We strongly believe that reputable rescue charities working together creates a better world for rescue dogs.

So, on that note, we are very EXCITED TO announce that WAGI (We Adore Greyhounds Ireland) will be joining forces with MADRA!

For those of you who might not be aware of their life saving work, WAGI began as Clare Greyhound Project by Eileen Toomey and Deirdre Ryan, over seven years ago as an emergency safe haven for greyhounds at risk in the county pound in Clare. Thanks to a very small but hugely dedicated team, WAGI have since helped more than 700 greyhounds and lurchers to find deserving forever spots in family homes as cherished pets.  The plight of the Irish Greyhound is still very much a welfare issue here in Ireland with recent reports showing that 6,000+ greyhounds are surplus to the racing and coursing industry each year. They are no longer useful when they are injured, at the end of their ‘career’, no longer able to breed or simply not good enough at a young age.

WAGI is currently led by Eileen, an incredibly inspiring woman, though we know she would very quickly shrug off any praise or fuss about the work she does. She is just one of those people who quietly gets on with things, making many personal sacrifices, in order to help the greyhounds and lurchers who need her the most. A true rescuer, who always puts the dog’s needs first. She is practical, knowledgeable and most importantly, compassionate towards all the dogs who need her assistance. She also knows how to have a laugh and believe us, having a sense of humour is absolutely essential in the tough world of dog rescue.

The success of WAGI’s re-homing to date meant that it has become too big for a small team to manage. We really didn’t want Eileen to have to step back from the incredible work she was doing, where the dogs are at the heart of everything she does, so we suggested joining forces with us.

MADRA has a very similar background having been set up in 2005 when founders Marina Fiddler and Tara Nic Dhiarmada saw the number of healthy, rehomeable dogs being put to sleep in the Galway and Mayo pounds and set about changing that. MADRA has successfully rehomed almost 10,000 dogs in the years since. We have no doubts that MADRA will only be strengthened by having Eileen join us on this wonderful new chapter for all of us. While we say our goodbyes to WAGI and celebrate all the truly incredible outcomes they have achieved for rescue greyhounds and lurchers, we are utterly delighted to welcome Eileen on board to join our MADRA family. We are sure all our amazing MADRA supporters will give Eileen the warm welcome she deserves.

Welcome aboard WAGI! Xx