What is SHUG?

The Sighthound Underground (SHUG) is a 100% volunteer multi-breed rescue formed to rescue, rehabilitate, rehome, and support Sighthounds around the world. Sighthounds are ancient and specialized breeds that respond to prey they see (as opposed to smell) and which they can chase down with their incredible speed. Greyhounds are perhaps the most well known of the Sighthound breeds, which also include the huge Irish Wolfhound and the tiny Italian Greyhound.

Many breeds have dedicated rescue groups, including those dedicated to re-homing ex-racing Greyhounds, and many of the volunteers with SHUG are also active in such groups. But SHUG has a broader mission – dedicated to filling in gaps in the canine safety net and providing a safe place for Sighthounds of all types. A large part of SHUG's mission is moving dogs from where they have been abandoned – and where they face obstacles to adoption due to a lack of community awareness or support – and bringing them to foster homes and then to forever homes in other communities. This relocation, fostering and rehoming is especially important for the Spanish sighthounds, the Galgos and Podencos, which are often undervalued in their native country and depend on international adoption.

So who is SHUG helping? Registered racing Greyhounds, non-registered Greyhounds, Italian Greyhounds, Galgos, Borzoi, Saluki and Afghan hounds, as well as “lurchers” and other sighthound mixes usually bred for sport hunting in rural communities.

Where is SHUG helping? SHUG brings in dogs from around the US and across the world, but only adopts to homes in the US and Canada. Our ultimate goal is to build a network of rescues throughout North America and around the world to move dogs into safe foster and forever homes.

How can you get involved?