Greyhound Adoption: What to Know Before Adopting a Greyhound

Greyhounds can make calm, quiet companion animals, and in New South Wales you can adopt one through the Greyhound Adoption Program (NSW) Inc. (GAP NSW), a non-profit charity that rehomes Greyhounds and educates the public on their care. Adoption is a good fit if you want a companion dog and are prepared to go through an application process, meet available hounds, and follow NSW's muzzling rules for pet Greyhounds. This guide covers how GAP NSW works, what the muzzling regulations require, and how to start.

What GAP NSW Does

GAP NSW describes itself as a non-profit organisation incorporated with the NSW Department of Fair Trading and registered as a charity. Its stated primary purpose is to educate the public on the benefits and care of Greyhounds as companion animals and to find permanent homes for them.

Two funding points are worth noting if you want to understand how the program operates:

• It relies on memberships and donations for funding.
• It states that it does not accept Greyhound Racing industry funds.

On the GAP NSW site you can find out about Greyhounds with a view to fostering or adopting, see which Greyhounds are available for adoption, and find out where you can see a Greyhound in person. The contact address given is [email protected].

Is a Greyhound Right for You?

The site frames this as an open question rather than a sales pitch, with dedicated pages on whether a Greyhound is right for you, why a GAP NSW dog, cats and Greyhounds, and payments. That structure tells you what to weigh before applying:

• Temperament and home fit — Greyhounds are presented as companion animals, and the program treats suitability as something to assess rather than assume.
• Other animals — there is a specific "Cats and greyhounds" page, which signals that homes with cats need particular consideration.
• Cost — a "Payments" page exists, so expect adoption to involve payment; the site does not publish amounts in the material available here, so ask GAP NSW directly.
• Muzzling obligations — covered below, and relevant to every NSW owner.

Muzzling Rules for Pet Greyhounds in NSW

This is the most concrete regulatory change on the site, and it affects anyone adopting in NSW.

On 1 July 2019, the regulations on muzzling pet Greyhounds changed:

• Greyhounds registered on the Companion Animals Register no longer need to wear a muzzle, except in an off-leash park.
• Greyhounds that have passed the Greenhounds muzzle exemption assessment do not need to be muzzled in an off-leash area either.

GAP NSW links to the regulation change and to information on the Greenhounds assessment procedure. If you plan to let your Greyhound run off-leash, the Greenhounds assessment is the route to doing so without a muzzle.

How to Start the Adoption Process

The site's navigation lays out the practical path. To move from interest to adoption:

1. Read the suitability pages first — "Is a Greyhound right for you?", "Why a GAP NSW dog?", "Cats and greyhounds", and "Payments".
2. Look at the available hounds — the "Available Hounds" section shows Greyhounds currently up for adoption.
3. Submit an application — application forms are provided on the site.
4. Meet a Greyhound — use the "How to Meet a Greyhound" page and the "Greyhound Walk" listing to see hounds in person.
5. Ask questions directly — email [email protected] for anything the site does not answer, including current costs.

Fostering is also offered as an option alongside adoption, so if you are unsure about committing, fostering is a way to start.

Ways to Meet a Greyhound Before Committing

GAP NSW points to several ways to see Greyhounds in person rather than deciding from photos:

• The "How to Meet a Greyhound" page.
• Greyhound Walks, listed as an event.
• Events generally, from the main navigation.

Meeting a hound first is the practical way to test the temperament question against your own household, especially if you have cats or other animals.

Other Things the Program Offers

• Merchandise — GAP sells merchandise, including a limited number of decorative collars described as fitting all Greyhounds (with the possible exception of one named Hector). A shopping cart is linked from the site.
• Support for owners and trainers — there are dedicated pages for trainers and owners, plus "Fast Facts", "Medical Facts", and "Testimonials".
• Ways to help — a "How can you help?" page covers memberships and donations, which fund the program.
• Member login — the site has a member area, so membership is a distinct option from adoption.

Quick Reference

The single most useful next step is to read the suitability and payments pages, then check the available hounds and arrange to meet one. For anything specific to your situation — costs, cat compatibility, or the Greenhounds assessment — contact GAP NSW at [email protected].