Am I prepared?
Owning a greyhound is wonderful but it is also a huge responsibility.
Before you take the next step and choose your pet, ask yourself the following questions:
- Lifestyle: Is my lifestyle suitable for living with a greyhound?
- Cost: Can I afford all the costs involved in caring for, and living with, a greyhound?
- Home: Is my home and garden appropriate for a greyhound?
- Research: Have I researched greyhounds as pets to understand their needs and what my responsibilities would be as a dog owner?
Next Steps
Contact the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust team by calling 061-448089 or email irgt@grireland.ie and we would be delighted to help you find a greyhound character to match your home and lifestyle.
Adopting through the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust means that you can be sure that every greyhound has been neutered, fully vaccinated and microchipped and you will be carefully supported throughout the adoption process and for the first few weeks of getting to know your new family addition.
Adoption Application
We work to match the needs and characters of our greyhounds to the lifestyle of those seeking to adopt. To help us find the best match greyhound for you and your home, the next stage is for you to complete our adoption application form
Home Visit
The next step is to arrange a home visit, during which we'll visit your home and meet any other family members (human and animal!) to give us a more detailed idea of your lifestyle and how a greyhound might fit.
It is an opportunity to chat and ask questions and for us to offer suggestions where needed with things such as fencing, steps, slippery floors, and where in the home might be good for a greyhound to sleep etc. Do ask any questions and discuss options, and do drop us a line if there is anything you forget on the day! Our team care passionately about our greyhounds and want to ensure that both dog and family are perfectly matched.
Once your home visit is completed, and any necessary changes have been made, it’s time to visit one of our Care Centres and meet potential matching greyhound candidates to join your family!
Visit an IRGT Greyhound Care Centre
We will put you in touch with one of our IRGT Greyhound Care Centres and they will discuss greyhounds in their care with you that they feel may match your needs and lifestyle. From there, they will arrange a time with you for you and your family to come and visit to meet the greyhounds.
When you visit, if you decide which greyhound you'd like to adopt, provided everyone is in agreement (including the greyhound!) then you can take home your hound or reserve them to return after a few days once you've made final preparations for them to come home.
Greyhounds adopted from the IRGT:
- Are neutered
- Are fully vaccinated, including kennel cough and rabies
- Come with a pet passport
- Come with a collar and lead
- Have undergone any dental work that may have been needed
- Have completed treatment for any known injuries (details of any known injuries are shared prior to adoption)
- Have lifelong back up support from IRGT should adopters' circumstances ever change
Bringing Your Greyhound Home
In this video, we are joined by Lauren, a Veterinary Surgeon and Veterinary Technical Advisor for Interchem.
Lauren has helpful tips for the day you get your retired greyhound, including:
- Preparing your car for the journey home
- Yard/garden introduction
- Exploring their new home
- Developing a routine
- Introducing them to other dogs
- Taking your greyhound for a walk
