Lurchers? What the heck is a lurcher?
A Lurcher is a coon hound/greyhound mix. However, a Lurcher looks very much like a purebred greyhound. The differences between a greyhound and a Lurcher are subtle. Lurchers' ears tend to stick straight out to the side of their heads, whereas a greyhound's ears tend to lie flat against their heads. Lurchers' toes are generally shorter and more "stubby", and the lurcher tends to have a somewhat wider chest. A purebred racing greyhound can be identified by the tattoos inside their ears, whereas Lurchers are not tattooed, as they are not part of the legal racing circuit.

What is the story behind these Lurchers? Well, Lurchers have been turning up in shelters and abandoned along roadsides in and around Genessee County for years. For those who find these lost and abandoned animals, they are sure they have found a purebred greyhound. So, many times Michigan REGAP is contacted.

Lurchers have their own sad tale to tell. They are also mass bred by those who engage in illegal dog racing here in Michigan. The race is quite different from true greyhound racing in that they run in an open field and chase a raccoon until the raccoon is caught (and killed) by the Lurchers. The illegality occurs when money is exchanged between individuals who are betting on their dog to win. The organized crime division of the Michigan State Police have tried to investigate this underground "ring", but it has been very difficult to obtain valuable evidence.

REGAP has received numerous calls from individuals who have witnessed these dogs being trained by running along the side of a moving vehicle, with a rope connecting the dog to the vehicle. These dogs are also chained outdoors.

These Lurchers make absolutely wonderful pets, and are excellent which children. Michigan REGAP will take in these lurchers whenever the need arises, and will allow those interested in adopting a greyhound to also meet these wonderful dogs in foster care. The number of Lurchers we have placed continues to grow, and it is truly unfortunate that these dogs are also being overbred, exploited and discarded when their "illegal" careers are over. So please ask us about our Lurchers. We may have one available for adoption that you can meet!


PHOTOS OF LURCHERS