Welcome to GRV’s Greyhound Care & Standards site
Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) is the statutory body responsible for promoting and controlling the sport of greyhound racing in Victoria. Only by maintaining the highest levels of greyhound welfare day in day out, will we ensure a strong and sustainable future for the sport.
Supporting, enabling and encouraging a culture of ongoing learning and personal skill development is a key component in GRV’s strategy for success. One of GRV’s roles is to help guide and support participants to meet their various obligations and responsibilities.
This website contains a wealth of information on a variety of topics relating to the care of racing and pet greyhounds:
- becoming involved in the industry and registration
- regulatory requirements including the Code of Practice, requirements for greyhound facilities, planning and council permits and the rules of racing and policies
- greyhound health and wellbeing,
- greyhound injury and illness management,
- retirement, preparation for re-homing as pets and
- greyhound breeding, education and training
The welfare of greyhounds must be the number one consideration at every stage of their lives
Breeding (0-3 months)
Breeding is producing the next generation of racing greyhounds. Breeding involves important decisions about the choice of sire and dam, understanding the costs and resources needed, and ensuring dams and their pups have a suitable environment and care to produce good racing dogs.
Rearing (3-13 months)
Rearing is a critical period of the greyhound’s life where they learn to respond appropriately to their environment. This period is important for socialisation, regular galloping, human interaction, chasing balls, learning to walk on the lead, and meeting other dog breeds and animals.
Education (13-22 months)
Education is the greyhound’s first exposure to training and racing environments. Education is the gradual and positive introduction of adolescent greyhounds to chasing lures, travelling, race kennels, start boxes etc. By the end of their education period, greyhounds can enter and exit a start box safely, confidently chase a lure and are comfortable in racing kennel housing.
Racing and training (22 months – four years)
Greyhounds generally begin racing between 24 and 30 months of age. They race about 30 times per year until they are about four years of age.
Retirement (four years+)
All greyhound retired from racing and breeding must be rehomed to a suitable pet home. Retirement is the responsibility of the owner and should include desexing and dental care, a period of wind down and transition to pet life, and an introduction to living in a home as a pet and part of a community.
