The Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP) allows GAP to advertise and match a greyhound to the most suitable home, while the greyhound remains in their participant’s care. Adopters looking for a pet greyhound will see photos and biographies of greyhounds in the ARP on GAP’s website and can apply to GAP to adopt these greyhounds.
This program aims to expediate greyhound adoptions, directly from the participant’s care.
At times, GAP kennels may be full or close to capacity, but this does not mean that all of the greyhounds are currently available or suitable for adoption. The ARP allows GAP time to continue to work with greyhounds needing a little extra behavioural help whilst continuing to adopt greyhounds into loving homes.
Greyhounds taking part in the Assisted Rehoming Program are also eligible for GAP’s regular Intake Program at the same time, increasing the greyhound’s rehoming options.
The Process
The greyhound will undertake two assessments upon arrival at GAP’s Seymour kennels. The first assessment will comprise of a health check, followed by a behavioural assessment. Participants must remain at the kennels while these two assessments take place.
If the greyhound does not pass the health check, the behavioural assessment will not occur and the participant will need to leave with the greyhound. Regardless of the outcome of either ARP assessment, the greyhound’s place on the GAP Intake waiting list remains.
GAP staff will also photograph the greyhound and compile notes on their temperament for the greyhound’s biography for GAP’s website. The dog should be clean and presentable, ready for their photoshoot.
GAP envisage the whole process to take 60-90 minutes.
The greyhound will return home with the participant after the health check, behavioural assessment and photoshoot and will remain in their care until GAP has sourced a suitable adoptive home. During this period, GAP will advertise the greyhound on its website with the aim of matching the greyhound to a suitable home. Adopters can apply directly to GAP to adopt any of the ARP greyhounds – GAP’s priority is to place the right dog in the right home.
Once GAP have a potential home for the greyhound, the participant will be required to deliver the greyhound to either of GAP’s kennels, in Seymour or Tullamarine, seven days prior to the adoption date. A final health check and behavioural assessment will occur for the greyhound who will remain in GAP’s care until the adoption appointment takes place.
Throughout this process, up until the time the greyhound is adopted, the dog will remain in the participant’s ownership. Like adding a greyhound to the GAP Intake Waiting List, a transfer of ownership form is required with the transfer only taking place just prior to adoption.
Criteria
- The greyhound must be desexed, have had dental care, and have a current C5 vaccination at the time of first assessment;
- The participant must be prepared to take the greyhound home after the first assessment, and the greyhound is to remain in their care until there is an adoption appointment or the greyhound’s place on the regular GAP Intake waiting list is reached, whatever comes first;
- If the greyhound requires further health care after the first assessment, the participant must be willing to undertake this as directed.
- If at the adoption appointment the potential adopter does not wish to adopt the greyhound, the participant must be prepared to take the greyhound back and either collect the greyhound or have someone collect the greyhound within four days of being notified that the adoption did not take place.
What to do now
GAP has places for approximately 15 greyhounds a month in this program. If you would like to be involved, please email [email protected] with your greyhound’s racing name and ear brand. If you have multiple greyhounds, please include your order of preference.
Once selected, you will be provided a date and time to bring your greyhound to GAP’s kennels in Seymour for their initial health and behavioural assessments.
FAQs
This program has been operating in other States with great success. At GAP, we are always looking for opportunities to place more greyhounds into homes. We strongly believe in matching the right greyhound to the right home, therefore the more greyhounds we have available for adoption, the greater chance we have to match the perfect greyhound to a potential adopter.
At times, GAP kennels may be full or close to capacity, but this does not mean that all of the greyhounds are currently available or suitable for adoption. The ARP allows GAP time to continue to work with greyhounds needing a little extra behavioural help whilst continuing to adopt greyhounds into loving homes.
For those who have entered a greyhound through GAP in the past, the assessment will be very similar. GAP staff will assess the behaviour of the greyhound in a controlled environment to see how the greyhound interacts with staff and GAP helper dogs. We want to see positive interactions from the greyhound. You can use the waiting time to further prepare your greyhound for adoption with ongoing handling and socialisation.
The Vet will perform a nose to tail clinical exam of the greyhound to detect any underlying medical conditions. This will include but not limited to a temperature, heartrate and respiratory check, a check of eyes, ears and mouth and a full musculoskeletal exam.
It is important that greyhounds are in optimum health, and this is a requirement for ARP.
Unfortunately, we need to ensure that only fit and healthy greyhounds are adopted through GAP as this is a requirement of the Code of Practice for the Management of Dogs and Cats in Shelters and Pounds. Therefore, we would not be able to continue with the greyhound being eligible for the program at that point in time. Treatment of any injuries or illness during this time will be at a cost to the participants.
As with most adoption programs, the length of time to have a greyhound adopted will vary. GAP continue to promote the breed through various platforms to increase demand. GAP will do everything possible to make sure the greyhound is adopted to the most suitable home available. We want the adoption to work for everyone.
GAP will contact you to arrange a time for you to drop the greyhound off at GAP’s kennels at either Seymour or Tullamarine 7 days prior to the adoption date.
GAP will contact you to arrange a time for you to pick up your greyhound within 4 days of the failed adoption. You, or someone on your behalf will need to collect the greyhound.
If you have further questions that are not answered above, please email [email protected]