ADOPTION in the early 1930s

Harcunda* & Victor Gates

Harcunda* & Emma Gates

I remember my grandparents' stories about their beloved adopted greyhound Harcunda and how fondly my grandmother, in particular, spoke of him.

You see she didn't care for dogs. Then again, Harcunda wasn't a typical 'dog'. He was a Greyhound!  

The story goes... a friend of theirs brought his retired racer & stud to their home asking them to give Harcunda a home.

They could not race him, nor could they breed him and he was never to be allowed to run free. Harcunda was to be kept as an indoor pet.

Initially, grandmother was not pleased at the thought of having a dog in her house - but since grandfather was a wonderful man who didn't ask much she could see by his response to the dog and the request that she really had no say in the matter. Within no time Harcunda was my grandmother’s heart dog.

Harcunda slipped out the back door one bright sunny day and ran from my grandparents' home down the road about 1/2 a mile where my grandfather's younger sister finally caught him.

Many years after my great aunt passed away I was going through a box of old photos and found the two photos above. In my grandfather's handwriting, written on the back, each photo was identified. Unfortunately undated but I recognized my grandparents' garage. I estimate the photos are circa 1930s.

Researching Harcunda's name on the Internet I couldn't find any trace of him so I posted to Globalgreyhounds' forum, sharing what little information I knew.

A couple of people searched old stud books and found his records for me!

I then shared this information with Greyhound-Data. They inturn did some additional research and discovered Harcunda had a female littermate named Wilwinit (pet name ' Haroona')! Harcunda & Wilwinit's family tree can be viewed at: http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?i=905468

Harcunda did sire two dogs with dam Bell Ewart in Aug 1932- Cheerful Dick and Galway Lass. Sometime in the 1930s they also produced a female Northmount Betty. It appears the line ended in the 1940s.

Who would have thought 70+/- years later I would adopt my first grey... a dark brindle like my grandparent's.

I too would fall head over heals for this breed! Now approximately 85 years after Vic & Emma adopted their Grey, I'm still adopting and fostering Greys!

Back To Top

2018 (C) info@littermateslist.com OR joinlist@littermateslist.com