By: Sharon Boyles
For 23 years, Greyhound Adoption of Greater Cincinnati (GAGC) has been finding greyt homes for retired racing greyhounds. Founded in 2002 by three families, President Brenda Pennix has adopted 11 greyhounds during that time, and currently has three greyhounds and a whippet. “When we started, if we placed one dog a month, we’d be happy,” Brenda says “We find homes for about 100 retired racers a year now, and in one year 130 greyhounds found their forever homes.”
GAGC’s primary goal is to provide service and support to their present and future Cincinnati/Dayton area adopters. The organization cultivates a strong focus on being small and doing things right, and although they aren’t able to offer homes to an unlimited number of greyhounds, the intention is to make a difference in the lives of the ones they place. Besides finding loving homes for retired racers, GAGC also works to educate the public about greyhounds and share the love through visits to local schools and nursing homes.
Why are greyhounds retired from racing? Just like racehorses, a greyhound’s career has a lifespan, which is typically 2-5 years. The mandatory retirement age is five. Sometimes, if a young racer doesn’t run fast enough or performs poorly in the maiden races, they aren’t selected to race at the tracks, and they become eligible for adoption.
When a dog retires, GAGC is notified and picks the dog up from the track. The trainers give GAGC the medical records and NGA certificates, along with a little bit of history about each dog. “I personally go to the track and enjoy seeing them race and seeing them in their kennel environment,” Brenda says. “They are treated well and loved by their handlers. We then give them to our foster families who evaluate and learn their personalities. When someone submits an application, we do several interviews to help determine which one of our dogs would fit best with that family.”
GAGC has a strict adoption policy and will only adopt out to families who live in a house and those households with children over age 10. Potential adopters must fill out an application, after which there is a phone interview. Brenda suggests that anyone interested in adopting a greyhound should first do their research, because she has a lot of questions for anyone wishing to adopt! The potential family will then do a meet and greet to see if there is a match. If there is, then a home meet and greet with the dog is scheduled so Brenda and Kathy can evaluate the house and yard and talk some more about what it’s like to have a greyhound in the family. If everything works out, the adoption is done on the spot. The adoption process can take 2-3 weeks. There’s a lot that goes into finding the right fit!
“We’re a nonprofit organization, and no one is paid,” Brenda says. “But my payday is when I find a good home for a dog.”
Greyhounds take retirement very seriously ” They’re 45 mile-an-hour couch potatoes,” Brenda laughs. “They can beat a horse off the line because they are sprinters, but they choose not to.” She points out that the dogs are treated very well at the track. There are only two remaining dog tracks in the USA. “Our organization would be very sad if all tracks closed and there would no longer be racers available who make GREYT pets,” Brenda says.
Anyone considering adopting a greyhound should know that they are special-needs dogs, but they also have a lot of interesting qualities. “They are unique and different from any other breed,” Brenda explains “Everything about a greyhound is different, their bodies are built for speed, they tend to have enlarged hearts because they are athletes, they have only one layer of hair, and their backbone is similar to a cat’s, giving them a flexible spine for speed.” Even though they all have different personalities, they all need routine and stability. As a pet, greyhounds are laid back, clean and relatively easy to care for. They have only one layer of hair, which is a plus because there is no doggy odor, but it’s also important to keep them warm in the winter, and coats are necessary for long walks. Brenda jokes that having one greyhound in the family might just lead to another. “Greyhounds are like potato chips,” she says “You can’t have just one!”
All GAGC dogs are tested to make sure they are truly cat safe and won’t chase Fluffy, and they are also checked by a vet for heartworm or other issues. All dogs are also spayed/neutered, vaccinated, wormed, and groomed, and each dog receives a dental exam and cleaning.
“Finding homes for these greyt dogs takes a TEAM effort,” Brenda says. “And all of our members support our mission to find the best home possible for every retired racer we get!”
GAGC is planning two Meet and Greet Picnics this year, and everyone is welcome! Both are at Keehner Park in West Chester, and the dates are May 17 and September 27. For more information about these events or about GAGC, visit https://www.cincigreyhounds.org/