by Laura Simpson From Care2

David Brennan has always loved flying, but in just a few days he’s going to try jumping straight out the open hatch of an airplane with the hopes that his leap of faith will inspire others. David’s stunt isn’t one he takes lightly, but instead it is a sincere gesture to bring aid to the rescuers of 74 greyhounds who recently survived two mudslides.

The dogs are in the care of Pepis Dog Refuge in Seville, Spain. David’s wife Beryl, who organizes campaigns and petitions to instigate reform for greyhounds, explains why David will make the jump.

“In the last 10 months, Jane and Alan Brian, founders of the Pepis Dog Refuge, have gone through a parvo virus outbreak, had poisoned dog meat thrown into their kennels and suffered two separate mud slides,” Beryl said. “In January, Alan was ill, then Jane was admitted to the hospital and then their home was declared unsafe to live in because of the mudslides. Their old electricity generator broke down and spare parts are unobtainable. They have so many dogs needing food, veterinary care and rehoming and they need to fence off an area at the top of the hillside to move the refuge away from the risk of further mudslides.”

Jane Brian unties two greyhounds left at the Pepis Dog Refuge gate.

David and Beryl have both grown up with dogs, and now devote themselves to their role as champions for greyhounds. Beryl explains that an estimated 150,000 greyhounds in Spain are “destroyed” at the end of each hunting season so that hunters won’t have to pay the cost of feeding them for another eight months. While there is no benefit to providing the graphic details of how the dogs are killed, rest assured that places like the Pepis Dog Refuge offer love and safety to dogs who would otherwise have met a terrible end.

Today, after a year of such financial hardship, natural disasters, health scares and attacks by neighbors, Jane and Alan need a miracle and that’s just what David has in store for them.

“I wouldn’t say I’m nervous, more apprehensive,” explains David who has enjoyed the soft rise of hot air balloon journeys but never anything as intense as sky diving. “I want to raise 6,000 Euro to pay for the new fencing so the dogs can be moved to safety and to also buy a new generator before winter.”

David Brennan, shown here, will jump from a plane to benefit greyhounds in need.

David’s jump will be dedicated not only to the greyhounds but also in memory of his recently departed friend Charlie who was scheduled to make the jump with him, just shy of his 80th birthday.

“Once I’m out, I’ll raise my arms to the sky and shout, ‘That was for you Charlie!” David said, contemplating his now solo mission to jump for the dogs (there will be an instructor helping him through the tandem jump).

Feel free to visit their website at: http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/parachuting-for-dogs-/72450

For more on this story go to:

http://www.care2.com/causes/greyhounds-most-saved-from-hunters-now-devastated-by-mudslides.html