At Greyhounds as Pets WA (GAP) we offer two adoption pathways to help match you with the right greyhound for your lifestyle:
Foster to Adopt or Straight Adoption
Foster to adopt is our most recommended pathway for anyone considering welcoming a greyhound into their home. It lets you bring a greyhound home, get to know them and see how they fit into your lifestyle before committing, all with full support from our team. We cover dry food and medical costs during the foster period so you can simply focus on the experience.
It can be a little more hands-on as these hounds typically have not spent time in a home before, but it’s the best way to ensure a perfect match and to start building that bond from day one.
Straight adoption hounds have spent time in foster care, learning how to navigate home life, human routines, and other animals. Due to limited foster homes, the number of straight adoption hounds available at any one time can be limited and a waitlist may apply. This option is especially helpful for people living in rural areas or those seeking a dog that may require less initial guidance.
No matter which path you choose our team is here to support you through every step of the journey!
Find out more about the two options below.
Adopting a greyhound is an exciting and rewarding journey and our team is here to guide you along the way.
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Complete an Application
Start by filling out our online application form. It covers important details like your activity level, alone time, the ages of people in your home, and whether you have other pets. You can even let us know if a specific greyhound has caught your eye. This helps us get to know you so we can match you with the greyhound best suited to your life.
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Matching Time
Once we have received your application, our adoptions team will begin the process of finding the right greyhound for you. Matching can happen quickly or take a little longer depending on your application as we want to ensure the perfect fit.
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Meet + Greet
When we’ve found a potential match we will send you the hound’s profile with an invite you to come meet to see if there is a pawsitive connection! (For rural or remote adopters alternative arrangements may apply.)
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Take Your Greyhound Home
Head home with your new furry family member! If you’re adopting via the foster to adopt pathway, we will help support you and your greyhound through a four week transition period. At the end of that period, our team finalise the adoption with you.
- Once you’ve officially adopted or are starting the foster to adopt period, you’ll receive a collar, lead, worming treatment, muzzle and a comprehensive introduction to training and transitioning your greyhound.
- If you’re doing foster to adopt the muzzle must be worn during the foster period whenever your greyhound is in public. After adoption you may choose to use the muzzle in new or busy environments. All GAP greyhounds are conditioned to wearing muzzles and they can still drink, pant, and take treats comfortably
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Ongoing Support
You won’t be doing this alone. GAP provides a high level of support both during and after the adoption process. This includes access to our experienced animal behaviour team and check ins along the way to make sure everything is going smoothly.
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Join the GAPWA community!
Becoming a GAPWA greyhound adopter means joining a passionate and friendly community. You’ll get access to our closed Facebook group full of fellow adopters, helpful tips, and shared experiences. You will also be invited to attend special greyhound events across WA and connect with fellow hound lovers.
If at any point in the future you find yourself needing help to rehome your greyhound, please reach out to us.
GAP is committed to supporting every greyhound throughout their lifetime.
Foster to adopt is a great option if you’re new to greyhounds or simply unsure how a hound will fit into your life, family, or with other pets. It gives you the chance to welcome a greyhound into your home for a four week trial period before committing to adoption. During this time, you’ll get to know your greyhound, help them settle into pet life, and start building a bond from day one. Foster to adopt is the most common adoption pathway at GAPWA as we have a limited number of foster homes available.
While foster to adopt hounds may need a little more initial guidance, most settle in easily and adapt quickly to their new routines. This option doesn’t make them any harder it simply offers you the opportunity to help guide their transition. In fact many people love the chance to shape their greyhound’s pet experience to suit their home and lifestyle.
Throughout the foster period you’ll have access to experienced behaviour support, ongoing check-ins, and practical guidance whenever needed. We also cover all essential costs during this time including food, medication, and any emergencies that may arise.
You’ll receive a muzzle which must be worn in public during the foster period. All of our greyhounds are conditioned to wearing one and they can still pant, drink, and take treats comfortably.
Once the four weeks are complete and you’re ready to make it official we will finalise the adoption and welcome you fully into the greyhound adoptee family!
If you’re interested in becoming a foster carer and helping a greyhound on their journey to pet life, click here to learn more about
The straight adoption pathway is ideal for people looking for a greyhound who has already had some experience living in a home environment. These dogs have typically spent four weeks in foster care and most have passed their green collar assessment. While not every dog has a green collar at the time of adoption, they’ve all been individually assessed and are considered ready to transition into pet life.
Straight adoption is a great option if you:
- Live rurally and may not have easy access to our support team
- Have specific home needs that require a dog with a bit more exposure to different environments
It’s important to know that straight adoption greyhounds aren’t “better” than foster to adopt dogs, they’ve just had different experiences. Some foster to adopt hounds simply haven’t had the chance yet to experience life in a home and thrive just as well once they do.
Whichever path you choose, you’ll still have the full support of our team. Our behaviour and adoption staff are here to guide you through settling your greyhound in and are available if you need help after adoption.
You can download a copy of the comprehensive manual all adoptees receive as part of the adoption process here.
