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1. Make sure greyhounds are the breed for you.
Adopting a greyhound is a significant investment of time and resources. Please be sure that you have the time for a dog, and that you have researched greyhounds to determine if they are the right breed for your family before you enter into the adoption process. There is a wealth of information on our website to help you make those decisions. We also suggest that you read Lee Livingood's
Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies
and/or Cynthia Branigan's
Adopting the Racing Greyhound.
2. Pick an adoption agency.
Once you have determined that you want to adopt a greyhound, you should find the best adoption group for you. That's right; shop around! Every group has it's own personality and since you will rely on your group to find you the best dog for your lifestyle, and to provide support after you've adopted, it's important that you find a group you can work with. Almost all groups have regular meet and greet events where you can get to know volunteers, or you can contact them and make arrangements to visit them in their homes or their kennel.
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3. Submit an Application
Once you've made the decision to adopt a greyhound, we ask that you send in an application. There are a variety of ways to do this; using the links below, you can fill it out online or download one in either Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat formats and then e-mail it in, or you can print one out and mail it in to our main PO Box. You can find all of our contact information on our Contacts Page. Or, you can attend one of our Events and pick up or drop off an application with one of the volunteers. If you see dogs at multiple agencies that interest you and you decide to put in applications with more than one group, please let the groups know that you have done this. Our adoption fee is $500, and includes a greyhound and an Adoption Kit.
Below you will find the link to our application. Submitting your application online is secure and fast and should be your first choice for getting your request to us quickly. Greyt Expectations Greyhound Rescue respects your privacy. Our online application system is password protected and restricted to GEGR administrators. All applications submitted online are automatically acknowledged via email. If you are unable to access the online form, please get in touch. Our Contacts page has all the information that you will need. If you do not receive acknowledgment, please check to make sure our email did not go into your spam folder and then contact us to confirm that your application was received. Click on link below, and the form will pop up in a new window.
*PLEASE NOTE: We are experiencing a shortage in sourcing adoptable retired racers. If you are interested in adopting one of the available dogs on our website, please send us an email. . | ||
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4. Keep in Touch
Once you turn in your application, the group takes over for awhile. You need to remember that we are all volunteers, and sometimes family emergencies come up, or we are just plain busy with our "real" jobs at that moment. We do our best to assign applications to volunteers who are available for that week so that the process flows smoothly. Feel free to e-mail in and ask for a status, you won't be bothering us. We need to check with all of your references and chat with you, and then the volunteer's write-up is sent to the Board of Directors for review. Another volunteer may contact you at that time to schedule a home visit or chat further to get more information. If everything looks good, then your application will be approved.
5. Make Arrangements to Meet Some Dogs
When your application is approved, it is turned over to the group's "dog matcher." This person will use all of the information on your application, the volunteer's write-up, and the Board of Director's write-up to see if we have any dogs on hand that will suit your family, and contact their foster families for concurrence. The matcher will then call you to chat with you about those dogs, and to make arrangements for you to meet the ones you find appealing. Remember that sometimes we have dogs that have multiple people interested, so we work on a "first come, first served" basis, meaning that the applicant who applied first will have first right of refusal on their top choice. If they do not decide to adopt when they meet, other people will be able to meet the dog. Occasionally you will have your heart set on a dog that just isn't a match for your family. Please trust us if we tell you that the dog (or your family) just won't be happy with that match.
We ask that all of our first-time adopters come to our central location in Lusby, MD, to meet our available pups, and we encourage the whole family to come and participate. We also encourage the resident dog(s) to come along and help pick out their new buddy. Choosing a dog can be a difficult decision and we have lots of information to share with you, so please plan to spend a couple of hours with us on adoption day. Our adoption events are "by invitation only" for our approved applicants, and we try to hold these events on the second Saturday morning of every month. If we have enough available dogs and approved applicants, we may be able to add an event that month. Sometimes we're able to do an "out of cycle" adoption but those are the exception rather than the rule. Please let us know when you apply if you're unable to meet on Saturdays due to work or travel restrictions.
6. Prepare for your new arrival
While you are waiting to meet your dog(s), prepare your home for your new arrival. Make sure that there is space for a crate if you'll need one, and that you have nice, soft dog beds available in strategic places around your home. Take a look at our Resources Pages for other suggestions of items you'll need.
7. Adopt a Greyhound!
When you are invited to meet suitable dogs, be prepared to take one home with you! If you fall in love, we don't believe in making you wait. If it isn't a convenient time, the foster family may keep the dog for a few days to a week until you are ready, but we will require you to put down a deposit to hold the dog exclusively for you. We do not allow people to put down deposits on dogs they have not met; sometimes there is no chemistry and you won't know until you meet. During your adoption, you will be given your Adoption Kit and a lot of information about your dog and his required care. You will also be given contact information for after-adoption support and you will be assigned an adoption buddy for any questions you may have. A lot of the information you will be given is also available on this website, so don't feel stressed if you can't remember everything.
8. Stay a Part of the GEGR Family
GEGR is a very "family" oriented group and we'd love for you to be a part of that. Your foster family will miss the dog, and the person who did your adoption will want to know that everything is going OK. You will be assigned a Buddy who will follow up with you 24 hours after you take your dog home then weekly for one month but please feel free to keep in touch more often. After you adopt, you will be given access to our exclusive message board forum that is for our adopters only. This is a great way to keep in touch and share problems and successes as your dog grows into your family. You are also invited to attend our Meet and Greets with your dogs (greyhounds LOVE to stay in touch with other greyhounds), or any of our other impromptu events. Use the forum to set up a walk in a park near your house and you will be surprised how many adopters will join you!
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Greyhounds aren't just dogs, they are a way of life!