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Step 1
- Request a Greyt Friends information packet, Is a Greyhound
Right For You?
Step
3 - Complete your application (found on the last page
of the packet) and return it to Greyt Friends Greyhound
Adoption.
Step 5
- Come to the adoption appointment. This meeting usually takes
from one to two hours and should be attended by everyone who will
be living with the greyhound. (If you have another dog, please
bring him/her with you, too.) You will meet the greyhounds that
would be the best addition to your family. If you decide upon the
adoption, the $175 fee will be payable at this time.
Step 8
- Come join us! Greyt Friends Greyhound Adoption is always
looking for volunteers to help spread the word about greyhounds as
pets and to help place greyhounds in adoptive homes. Staffing
special events, acting as a foster family for a greyhound fresh
from the track, writing for our newsletter, fundraising -- we need
you!
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Adoption Process for When you are Ready
Our Adoption Process The goal of Greyt Friends is to place the right greyhound in the right home. You are making a lifelong commitment with this adoption and we want to make sure we get it perfect. In order to assure we make the right match we work through a 6-step process. Step 1: Are you Ready? Have you met a greyhound? Read about greyhounds? Heard about them from friends, co-workers or acquaintances? The first step is to meet a greyhound or two and be sure that is the kind of pet you want. You can set up an appointment with one of our volunteers to meet some already adopted greys and at times greys that are in our foster care. When you decide a Greyhound is what you need as part of your family, move right ahead to Step 2. Step 2: Need an Application? Greyhounds are wonderful companions and work out in most situations but each greyhound’s personality is different and we need to make sure we get the right greyhound to fit your lifestyle. We do this through our application. Our application asks specific questions on what you are looking for as well as what your life is like. By knowing this information we can make a better placement. We ask for a $50 non-refundable deposit. The deposit will go towards your adoption fee once you adopt. The deposit tells us that, yes, you're ready to adopt a greyhound and you want to work with us. You can print the application from the website or one can be sent to you. If you need an application sent to you please send in a self-addressed stamped legal size envelope to: Step 3: We're looking for you.
Once we receive your application, we will start looking for the perfect greyhound for you. We often have greyhounds in our foster care that are ready to be adopted but not every greyhound will fit into every situation. If we don't have one that will fit the bill, we may need to find another from our sources. This can take some time as we only have a limited number of foster homes and if we don't have room to bring another in to evaluate for you there may be a wait to get the greyhound for you. However, the Greyhounds in our foster care are of all types so that normally we will have one that will be perfect for you.
Step 4: Meet the Greyhound and Home Visit.
We do a home check for the safety of your household. We want to see if there would be dangers encountered by the greyhounds. Our area of concerns are improper fencing, stairs, and the yard, etc. One of our volunteers comes to your home with the prospective greyhound to see if he/she will be comfortable in your situation (some greyhounds are scared of walking on vinyl or hardwood). We want to make sure the greyhound will be comfortable in your home as well as you are comfortable with this particular greyhound. There is no time limit for this appointment. Sometimes everyone gets comfortable right away - other times it can take quite a while to make sure that everyone is comfortable. Our goal is to determine that this particular greyhound will be "right for both grey and family"
Step 5: How we Evaluate.
When the greyhounds come to us we evaluate them and teach them about being a part of a family and how to live in a home. The greyhounds are fostered through their initial medical care and during acclimation to life in a home situation. During recovery through spaying, neutering, dental care and routine shots the greyhound is taught how to go up and down steps, watch out for plate glass windows and to interact with other pets and children. We give them opportunities to ride in the car, get accustomed to hand-fed snacks and to learn the boundaries of a fenced in area as the time they spend in a crate is decreased. Considering that their life has been limited to in and out of a crate about four times a day, a certain kind of diet and a turn out wearing a muzzle with several other dogs, all the sights and sounds of a home environment are certainly new experiences and strange experiences to the dogs.
In the meantime, as the greyhound’s personality becomes apparent, applicants are screened for the prospective family’s needs and preferences. Consideration is given to gender requests, level of activity, the need to get along with children and other pets, as these are all important!!! Requests for a certain color, on the other hand, are not considered and may be a “red flag” indicating the wrong reason for wanting a greyhound. The primary goal is, of course, the placement of a greyhound in a mutually satisfactory situation that will be lasting! Greyt Friends does not promote casual adoptions. Dogs that are not placed well are returned. If a second home has to be located the dog not only experiences the stress of too many changes but other dogs awaiting placement have to be placed “on hold” while the returned dog is fostered once again. Our goal is the best home for the greyhound and not a first come, first served attitude.
Step 6: Adoption Day.
On adoption day the paperwork is completed, more questions are asked and answered, instructions are given on the individual grey, the way the collar is fitted and emphasis is made on safety and the importance of “never letting the greyhound off-lead” or being without identification! The adoption contract is read over and signed. Your newly adopted companion is already a member of OUR family. Our adoption contract protects their rights. Our adoption fee is $175 - $275 - this amount helps with all of the expenses involved with the dogs (i.e.: transportation, spay/neuter, health care, food, shelter, etc.) until they are adopted, as well as a Premier collar and lead so that they can't easily get loose from their collar.
After adoption new owners are encouraged to keep in touch and to use Greyt Friends as a source for answers to questions or concerns. We hold annual gatherings and activities, which help keep our organization Greyt fun.
Our Adoption Fee:
Our Adoption Fee covers all the Transportation, Healthcare, food and shelter, Spay/Neuter and dental care as needed up until the point they are adopted. All greyhounds are current on vaccinations, have recovered from their spay/neuter surgery, are HW negative and on prevention for Heartworm as well as Fleas and ticks. The adoption fee is different however for different dogs.
Young and Adult Greys (under age 7) - $275 Mature Adults (age 7-10) - $225 Senior Greys (10 and up) - $175
We understand adopters concerns about adopting a mature or senior dog - "I'll get attached and then they'll leave me", "I want a dog that can grow up with my children", "Older dogs are already set in their ways". Greyhounds live on average 12-15 years, however we do know of some living at 17 years. A more mature greyhound is a greyt companion for another dog, they are much more mellow than their younger friends and all they want is to know that they are loved, cared for and have a place to spend the rest of their lives. Consider adopting a more mature greyhound into your lives - your children will love them too - they still love to play but can calm down very well - which is great for the younger kids too. GREYT FRIENDS PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO PLACE THE RIGHT GREYHOUND IN THE RIGHT HOME TO ASSURE THE PERMANENCY OF THE NEW FAMILY MEMBER. |
