Today, Hunny died peacefully at home in my arms. Her sweet breath smelled of forbidden Lindt chocolate, and her beloved Dr Bec was by our side.
Our beautiful, almost fourteen-year-old girl battled Cushing’s disease, but was taken from us by cancer. Once considered worthless by the racing industry, she became the most famous greyhound who never won a race.
Hunny had made her feelings about racing clear and that she wanted no part of it. She could have been someone’s beloved dog then. Instead, she was locked in racing kennels for another four solitary years. Four years that wore down her spirit and took the joy from a young dog who should have been discovering life.
When she was finally released for adoption aged five, she was guarded, frightened and withdrawn. It took a full year before she trusted us. Learning to relax, to let her guard down and believe she was safe took longer still.
We couldn’t give her back those first five years. But we could give her patience, a home and the freedom to find her own way into the life she should always have had.
She taught us how much that matters. You cannot hurry a dog into feeling safe. We can only keep giving them reasons to believe they are.
Our company bears her name because it began with her. Looking for ways to make her life more comfortable became our work, and that work reached dogs around the world.
Dogs she would never meet have walked more comfortably because of her. Dogs with sore paws, corns and sensitive feet. Dogs needing protection from hot pavements or help finding their footing on slippery floors. Greyhounds, whippets and other breeds whose families were searching, as we were, for something that would help.
Behind everything we make is our girl.
To us, she was the dog we loved, worried over, made room for and organised our lives around. To people around the world, her name came to mean help for a dog they loved just as much.
We will never know all that those first five years took from her. But that reserved little girl, who had known so little of the world, found her way into more hearts than she could ever have known.
We will carry on the work that began with her. Her name will keep travelling to places she never went, helping dogs she never knew. And we will always wish she were here beside us.
Bless you, Bec, for helping her leave peacefully, at home, held and loved.
Sleep well, darling girl. You had nothing to prove and no race to win.
Look what you did, Hunny.
Love Dad.
I learned about Hunnyboots many years ago, likely close to the beginning. It was a small company from Australia, and shipping to the US was expensive. I bought a set for my guy, Benson, and he was okay with them when they were needed.
When I adopted Leeloo as a companion to Benson, and she had The Incident that made her afraid of hard floors, a set of these shoes saved her. She started with V1, with the tougher to use fastener and slightly looser fit, and upgraded to the V4, which were perfect. Her shoes meant she was going places with me, so she loved them. She became well known in my area for her bright pink shoes contrasting her white coat. It seemed like her walking along in her pink shoes disarmed people from being afraid of such a large dog and they needed to meet her. And she loved the attention.
Hunny provided something to Leeloo that allowed her to experience the world fearlessly and with love.
Leeloo passed due to cancer almost exactly a year ago, October of 2025, at the age of 9 years old, 6 months after Benson, who passed at the age of 14.
I now have Sam, a 4 year old blue from Australia. She’s smaller, but Leeloo’s bright pink shoes fit her with socks. She’s still learning how to wear them. But, much like Leeloo, when she finds it means something good is about to happen, she loves whatever it is.
I learned of Hunny’s passing because I was coming back here for Sam. Her legacy will continue with us. My pack is thinking of yours.
To Hunny’s Family, I am retired US racing greyhound who was adopted at 2. My parents found your company and spared no expense in shipping from Australia so that I could have shoes, snow boots, snow parka, socks, and slippers. I have needed them all and despite never having worn shoes, Hunny taught me how through her videos. We are all forever greytful for the work you do to help us hounds (with particular feet). We all cried reading your message and are so very sorry. But Hunny lived a full and wonderful life with you. We say her name daily when I gear up. And we spread her name everywhere we go because people ask about all my stylish accoutrements. Hunny lives on this way across the world. That is the race she won. 💜 Kingsley
Share a memory
If you would like to share a memory or message of condolence, we welcome you to leave it below.