A Place for Us Greyhounds
The adoption process--how does that work? Why does the group insist on a completed application, phone interview(s), and a (virtual or in person) home visit before I'm allowed to meet their dogs and adopt one? I've visited local adoption events at pet stores and observed newly adopted dogs leaving the event and going home with their adoptive families--why does APFUG impose different standards?
Each adoption and rescue group has different standards. The directors of APFUG desire to place Greyhounds in homes that are a good fit for both the dog and the family. The adoption form is meant to help the coordinators get a good idea about the applicant's living situation, knowledge level, and expectations. Phone interview(s) are a means to clarify questions after or even before the application is received. The home visit allows additional time for APFUG coordinators to answer questions and check for potentially unsafe situations that could be injurious to the Greyhound.
I fell in love with a Greyhound on your website and now it's unavailable--why is that?
Sometimes adoptions happen quickly and the webmaster can't keep up--which is a good thing! It's possible that a family was waiting in the wings for a Greyhound to adopt and snagged them as soon as they were available. Please contact us even if the dog your were interested in has been adopted--this allows us to keep you in mind as other dogs arrive into the adoption program. If you want first consideration--complete the application and schedule a home visit.
How can I get the latest adoption alerts and be on stand-by to adopt a Greyhound?
Persons with a completed application and that have already had a home visit are given first consideration as Greyhounds are available for adoption. Make it a point to check the webpage, Instagram, and FaceBook for alerts and updates. (We are not utilizing email lists and mail-outs at this time.) If you do send an email or application--you might want to be sure the emails are not going to your spam files. Just add aplaceforusgreyhounds@yahoo.com to your email's preference/not spam list. The director tends to use emails as a way to contact interested persons and those that have applied to adopt.
What does the term "adopted straight off of the farm or track" mean?
The setting where Greyhounds are bred and taught to race is a "Greyhound farm". APFUG has a collaborative partnership with a Greyhound farm that is located near Lubbock. Dogs that are relinquished to the group from the family that raise them to race are kept there until a home or foster home is available. Persons who are qualified to adopt may visit dogs at this location to meet them in anticipation of adopting them. Only certain families or individuals are qualified to take a Greyhound directly from this environment and move them into their home. If a family has cats, small dogs, or young children--the group will try and determine if a dog is suitable for the home by preliminary testing and observation of the dog's temperament/prey drive. It's a very special and unique opportunity to move a Greyhound directly into one's home after their career has ended--you'll be surprised at how quickly they acclimate! "Straight off of the track" refers to Greyhounds that are adopted at the race track and there are adoption groups located at all of the race tracks in the United States. A Place for Us Greyhound Rescue tends to get full-blooded Greyhounds that were bred to race--but did not do well in the preliminaries. These dogs are affectionately referred to as "Racing School Drop-outs". The drop-outs are often quite young and lots of fun!
What does the adoption fee cover and is it refundable?
The adoption fee of $350 covers most of the medical care required for a healthy Greyhound--this fee pays for a spay or neuter, dental, vaccinations, tests for tick fever and heartworm disease, collar/leash, and microchip. However, the costs for readying a dog to move into a home tend to be higher--in many cases upwards of $500 due to issues such as: care required for sick or mistreated Greyhounds/Lurchers. In some cases, problems might arise in foster care and necessary payments for boarding dogs, supplies for dogs, diagnostic tests and evaluation for injured dogs, and surgical repair for injured dogs. The adoption fee is nonrefundable. FEES WERE INCREASED IN 2021 DUE TO THE HIGH EXPENSES OF PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE AND MEANINGFUL CARE FOR THE DOGS.
Once I adopt a Greyhound, can I get their papers and pedigree?
Greyhounds that are raised to race are registered with the National Greyhound Association and their pedigree and racing history is located online at the Greyhound data base which provides information about Greyhounds from all over the world with pedigree information drawn from the last four centuries. Online there are 3,660,107 race results and 2,050,536 Greyhound pedigrees. Visit the site at this link
APFUG also has an adoption site at this link
When you adopt from APFUG, you will be informed of your Greyhound's racing name and provided assistance to obtain documentation about their heritage and pedigree.
Greyhounds are tattooed as puppies and registered with the National Greyhound Association. The tattoo in their right ear will indicate the year and date of birth along with the dog's litter specification. For instance, if the right ear tattoo reads "108A", the Greyhound was born in October, 2008 and she is the "A" puppy in her litter. The tattoo in the left ear is specific to the entire litter of puppies--it will contain five digits--such as 48697 and that will reveal details such as the "racing owner", their pedigree, racing history, statistics, etc.
If you would like to order your Greyhound's "Pet Certificate" from the National Greyhound Association, please let us know and we will obtain the blue slip for you and you can mail it along with a $30 and receive a copy as a keepsake. It is not necessary to take this action to officially claim ownership of your Greyhound. The owners who have raised them to race have relinquished them to APFUG, and once you sign the adoption agreement--you assume full ownership of your dog. Greyhounds that are not tattooed cannot get papers from the National Greyhound Association. Follow this link to learn more about the NGA and obtaining your Greyhound's papers.
What about the Lurchers and acclimating them to a home? Lurchers have a similar background to Greyhounds that are bred to race. They grow up in a pack of dogs and they live in a mostly outdoor setting. Lurchers are boarded at the Lubbock group's rescue kennel as soon as they are rescued. Lurchers tend to come to the group after being rescued from shelters, off the streets, or relinquished from hunters. Volunteers work with them on a regular basis to leash train/walk and explore the dogs' personalities and temperaments.
Most of the dogs have not lived in a home--this is because the group has had a shortage of suitable foster homes. (You will be surprised at how fast the dogs acclimate to living in your home). Families that are willing to reinforce house training, utilize crate training, and provide a loving and nurturing environment are richly rewarded.