How to Adopt from Greyt Expectations Greyhound Rescue

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 its 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.

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 on-line 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 base adoption fee is $250, and includes a Greyhound and an Adoption Kit. Our Application Below you will find links to our application. You may fill it out online, or you may download an application in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat to fill out and send in via e-mail or U.S. Postal Mail. Click on your favorite below and it will pop up in a new window. You may e-mail, mail, or fax (e-mail us for an appropriate fax number) your application; all of the information can be found on our Contacts page. We try to acknowledge receipt of your application within 24 hours, so please do contact us if you haven't heard from us (check your email's Spam or Bulk folder first, and be sure to add our email address to your "Friends" list). On-Line Version Word Document PDF Version
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 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. If there isn't a suitable dog in foster care, the matcher will call up to the kennel and work with the kennel temperament tester to see what dogs up there may be suitable. The matcher will then call 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. Whoever meets the dog first will have first choice at that time, but 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. 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. We will contact you one day, one week, and one month post-adoption at a minimum, 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 suprised how many adopters will join you!