Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) runs regular adoption events across NSW, and now in the ACT too. Photo: Greyhounds As Pets.
Is your life missing a “lanky goofball”? If so, you should probably get down to the ANU this Saturday (22 March).
Not-for-profit greyhound rehoming organisation Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) is temporarily reducing adoption fees this weekend to give Canberrans the opportunity to meet – and hopefully claim as their own – one of more than 30 ex-racing greyhounds.
GAP was initiated by Greyhound Racing NSW in 2008 with a mission to find loving homes for greyhounds after they’d retired from racing. It has facilities on the NSW Central Coast and in Western Sydney and runs adoption events throughout NSW, usually every month.
GAP director of rehoming Jamie Palmer says this Saturday represents their first time partnering with the ANU for the event, and she promises lots of staff, as well as “jumping castles, face-painting and kids colouring stations” to make it “a real family event”.
Jamie was a detective with the NSW Police Force, and while she never used canines much in the job, she came to love greyhounds while investigating animal abuse in the racing industry.
“I also had a really personal interest: I have an absolute love for dogs.”
Greyhounds are known as a registered breed, meaning they can only be bred by individuals or companies registered with the government. This also means they’re almost always destined for racing.
“Some of ours have run, some of them haven’t, but because we’re a greyhound-specific adoption agency, all greyhounds – well, a large portion – come through our facilities and programs eventually,” Jamie says.
“Once they’re retired, they’re desexed, and then we do assessments with their previous owners or trainer to work out the personality traits of each dog and their sociability in different environments.”
Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) director of rehoming Jamie Palmer. Photo: Greyhounds As Pets (GAP).
Anyone can apply to adopt a dog through the GAP website and be sent a “dogalogue” that lists those currently available.
“They can do the pre-adoption paperwork, or they can come down to our events and meet them, and we do a matching process to see if there’s a specific greyhound that matches their lifestyle and their requirements, and we can process the adoption on the day.”
Saturday’s event also deliberately (nearly) coincides with the International Day of Happiness on 20 March.
“We have lots of cohorts in the community,” Jamie says.
“They’re great companions for everyone, but the retired population really love them because they’re low-energy dogs, and we also have a lot of families come through because they’re really good with kids.
“They’re a very calm breed – a 20-minute walk in the morning is generally all they need – they like to sleep a lot, they rarely bark, they’re a single coat breed, so you don’t get that doggy smell, and they’re low shedding … and they’re used to travelling around in cars.
“They just lanky goofballs.”
Jamie’s greyhound, Murphy, also gets along just fine with other animals like chickens, birds and cats, as well as other dogs.
“He’s just very excited about everybody.”
GAP has recently started a program to help people with PTSD, which has been “very successful”.
“Some of these recipients are first responders who have been medically discharged, and the commonality between them all when I first speak to them is, ‘I just want to get back out into the world’. Our greyhounds are really well suited for that as well.”
Jamie says GAP’s last Canberra event drew more than 200 people, with many choosing to adopt even before they’d seen the dog in person.
“Absolutely there’s real interest in the ACT community to bring a greyhound into their homes.”
Previous adopters often bring their dog along too, sometimes to get another, but more often just to “showcase how happy they are”.
The GAP Large Greyhound Adoption Event will be held at the ANU Willows Oval, Barry Drive, Acton, from 9 am to 12 pm on Saturday, 22 March. The standard GAP adoption fee has been dropped for the event to $150 (usually $250), while seniors pay $75 (usually $150).
To register to receive a ‘dogalogue’ and to view all available dogs, visit GAP NSW.
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