Last updated: 21 Mar, 2023
Published on: 14 Jul, 2022
Meet author Kylie Miller’s creative inspiration 🐶
We absolutely love happy tails at PetRescue, and they’re even more exciting when they come in the form of an adorable kid’s book!
Kylie Miller, based in regional Victoria, is the author of the new children’s book ‘Albert the Greyhound Who Loves to Run’, illustrated by Karen Erasmus. It’s the fictionalised story of a flighty greyhound. Kylie and her partner Brett adopted Albert from Country Kats and K9 Rescue via PetRescue. But, Albert escaped his new home when he was spooked by the cat and was on the run for nine long weeks! After the community rallied together he was finally lured home by the delicious BBQ smells coming from the balcony. The story of the great search for Albert travelled far and wide across the internet - there were even people in other countries reaching out to ask whether they’d tracked him down!
Kylie and Brett now have two rescue greyhounds Teddy and Dotty, as well as their feline friend, Molly. We sat down to hear all about the couple’s happy tail and why two is better than one!
Growing the family
For Kylie and Brett, the decision to adopt came about after experiencing the heartbreak of losing their furry friend. Kylie and Brett had two beloved small dogs, who both passed away within weeks of each other at age seventeen. They didn’t want to adopt a similar, small dog and feel they were replacing them, so they decided to search for a large dog to adopt. After reading a lot in the media about how many greyhounds are looking for homes and how they’re wonderful pets, they quickly made up their mind!
Soon after Teddy joined the family, they decided to adopt a friend for him and quickly came across sweetheart Dotty. Kylie took Teddy along for a meet and greet, and the two of them became instant friends.
The biggest worry was introducing them to the cat, Molly! Both dogs give Molly a wide berth, and they’re kept in separate areas of the house when the humans are out to ensure everyone is happy and comfortable at home.
Teddy and Dotty
A few years on, the two dogs absolutely love each other and are the best of friends. Dotty is much younger and more energetic, bouncing around the place, while Teddy prefers to snooze on the couch. Dotty’s confidence has grown and she’s blossomed into a happy girl. Teddy was a little uncertain at first but has an ‘air of entitlement’ now - he definitely knows how handsome he is! He shows all his emotions in his face and has a huge personality, keeping everyone entertained.
‘’Everyone talks about giving a pet a home, but they give so much back to you as well. I think it’s more than a two-way street - I feel like I get more back from them; I just love them so much. Our two look at us with love and gratitude and I feel so happy, because I can tell they’re happy!’’
Kylie says about adopting a greyhound;
‘’There are a lot of things I didn’t know about greyhounds that I didn’t learn about until I had one. They generally don’t need much exercise, and quite often, they don’t want much exercise. A fifteen-minute walk once or twice a day is often enough for my greyhounds. Also, many greyhounds are very happy to live in apartments and don’t need a lot of space - they’re usually just lying around somewhere! They’re so gentle, and many people can wrongly assume that this isn’t the case when they see them wearing muzzles.’’
Twice the love
Kylie is a big advocate for rescue pets, and has helped a number of her friends find their new furry friends. She says to anyone considering adopting a second (or third!) pet;
‘’If you can do it, why not? If you can afford it and have the time and space, and can commit to it, adopt as many pets as you can! I’ve been lucky enough to be able to do this myself, and I have no regrets at all. Having two dogs is better than having one - double the love, right? I’d take home a bonded pair in a heartbeat if I could!’’
Ready to start your search for your new BFF? Click here.
Want twice the love? Start searching for bonded pairs.
To find out more about Albert, the Greyhound Who Loves to Run, and where to purchase, please click here.