National Adoption Day a success

The event on Sunday April 16, at Sydney's Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park, confirmed a recent lift in demand for greyhounds as pets from all demographics: families, couples, and singles.

"We have frequently extolled the virtues of these beautiful animals and what incredible pets they make, and isn't it wonderful that quite clearly so many people can see that, and are bringing a greyhound into their family," GRNSW CEO Rob Macaulay said.

The total of 40 rehomed greyhounds at an event is just one short of the best ever result at a NSW adoption day, behind the 41 adopted at the 2018 National Adoption Day held at Sydney's Wentworth Park. More than 180 dogs have been rehomed from the past five NSW NADs.

Stuart Henry, his daughter Clancy and son Finlay attended the day at Moore Park. When they headed home to Sydney's southern suburbs, they had an extra passenger named Herman.

Clancy had initially wanted to get a chihuahua, but having owned larger breeds of dogs in the past, her father was hoping that meeting the greyhounds at National Adoption Day would convince his nine-year-old daughter to have a rethink.

"I've had German shepherds and huskies - all big dogs - and while Clancy wanted one, I'm sorry but I'm not a real fan of chihuahuas," Stuart said.

"My grandfather used to take me to the greyhounds at Wentworth Park when I was young back in the '70s and '80s and I just loved them. They are beautiful animals and Clancy was convinced very quickly that they would be a better choice than a chihuahua.

"I liked the idea of going to the adoption day as you have the opportunity to meet a whole lot of dogs, and then find the one that suited us best. Herman was a standout. He was just the third dog we met, but instantly he was the one that the kids liked.

"I've never owned a greyhound before, but Herman has a wonderful temperament, and the first night we brought him home he slept in my daughter's bedroom as calm as anything. He's a beautiful dog, and I am most definitely now an advocate for greyhounds as pets and the GAP program.

"And talk about a great nature. We had to take our caravan off to storage, and took Herman along, and it was out on a big property and he spotted a rabbit. He just looked and couldn't be bothered. It was actually quite funny."

Adoption days are just one of many rehoming opportunities and pathways within the NSW industry. GAP has Adoption Centres at Wyee and Londonderry, as well as GAP Regional rehoming programs across the state.

Another pathway is the Homing Assistance Scheme, which supports participants to prepare their greyhounds for pet life and supports owners to retain their greyhounds as pets or privately rehome them through their own networks, or rehome through other independent organisations, and the Greyhound Rehoming Organisation Grant Scheme which provides independent organisations an opportunity to apply for up to $10,000 towards the cost of an item or service directly benefitting their rehoming activities of NSW greyhounds.

This article was produced as part of an ACM partnership with Greyhound Racing NSW.