Marilyn Chalkley jokes that despite how skinny her greyhound Swifty may look, she's still a pig.
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In the time since Marilyn adopted Swifty 18 months ago, the greyhound has been known to steal and demolish cannolis, baguettes, cake and even a meat pie.
It's an impressive feat, especially since Swifty has no teeth. She had them removed because they went rotten after she used to gnaw on her cage while she was a racing dog.
But it's Swifty's post-adoption life (food theft) that inspired Chalkley to write a children's book.
Swifty the Greyhound, Where is my Pie?, illustrated by British illustrator Jane Ostler, sees a little girl describing what makes her rescue greyhound happy.
"It is a story of rescue and the story of safety," Chalkley says.
"Swifty was a rescue dog ... there's something about giving a dog another chance.
"When I think about when Swifty arrived how skinny she looked and how she is now - she looks so fit and healthy and she enjoys her life so much.
"I think that's great for owners as well. It's a lovely feeling to do that. And so I wanted to convey that a little bit in the book."
Chalkley is donating 10 per cent of the book's proceeds to help Greyhound Connections.
The Canberra charity rehomes retired and rescue greyhounds, making sure each dog is adopted out with a bed, a collar, a coat and some toys, after being health checked and trained to be a pet by foster carers.
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"Greyhounds don't know how to be a pet," Chalkley says.
"One of the things that greyhounds can't do usually is walk upstairs because they've never been up any stairs. So you have to teach them if you're in a house with stairs and they don't like it at all."
During COVID-19, when everyone was purchasing pets to help them get through the lockdown, Greyhound Connections ran out because the demand was so high. At any one time, Greyhound Connections has 12 to 13 hounds needing homes and this year they have rehomed a record 138. They now have more greyhounds to rehome.
"Greyhound Connections is a voluntary organisation, so we need your help. But we also need more people to adopt greyhounds, many of which are cat friendly and children friendly, and readily adapt to living in apartments," Greyhound Connections chair Martina Hughes says.
"We have a saying about greyhounds adapting to life as a pet - three days, three weeks, and three months. In the first three days they start to relax and their personality shines through, after three weeks they are finding out what they can get away with, and at three months they have become your best friend."
This Saturday, Greyhound Connections will host pet photos with Santa from 9.30am to 2pm at the Animal Welfare Hospital in Fyshwick. Sunday will also see the Greyhound Connections Christmas Bazaar at 26 Ashton Calvert Street, Casey from 4pm to 6pm where you can buy dog-related presents. Swifty the Greyhound, Where is my Pie? will be at both events or you can purchase it from brogobooks.com.