Greyhound Adoption Program

Greyhounds make great pets – often quiet, well-mannered, easy to live with, friendly, affectionate, lazy, calm, clean, loving, trusting, good natured and a whole lot more. They also sleep up to 20 hours a day so are often depicted as “couch potatoes”.

Victoria’ Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) – the first of its kind in Australia – was established in 1996 and has grown to become one of the most successful greyhound rehoming programs worldwide.

GAP – which is managed and funded by Greyhound Racing Victoria – is dedicated to rehoming greyhounds retiring from the racing industry and promoting the breed in the community.

Since its inception in 1996, GAP has been supported by a wonderful team of dedicated volunteers who prepare retired greyhounds for life as full-time pets and help spread the word about what wonderful pets they mate.

ADOPT A GREYHOUND… TODAY!

Every day is an adoption day at the Greyhound Adoption Program in Victoria.

GAP has locations in Seymour and Tullamarine, and are always looking for people to foster or adopt our greyhounds. So let us match the right dog to you.

Call (03) 5799 0166 or go to gap.grv.org.au

MAJOR MILESTONES

1996 – Veterinary nurses Melanie Tochner and Anita Smith of the Sandown Veterinary Clinic start the Greyhound Adoption Program, woth 36 greyhound rehomed in its first year.

1999 – The Victorian Government granted an exemption to muzzling laws – leading to the special green ‘GAP collar’ (below) being presented to greyhounds that graduate through GAP.

2003 – A 40-acre kennel complex in Seymour, was purchased to house GAP.

2007 – The Prison Pet Partnership was launched with inmates from the minimum security Dhurringile Prison in Victoria’s north becoming involved in preparing former racers for life as a pet by becoming foster carers.

2008 – A $1.2m upgrade of the Seymour property doubled the space to house greyhounds.

2009 – The Prison Pet Partnership fostering program is expanded into the Tarrengower Womens Prison, also a minimum security correctional facility located in Victoria’s north.

2016 – GAP Victoria achieves 1314 adoptions, a national record in a single year.

2018 – States join forces to create an annual National Adoption Day, with theatre star and TV personality Todd McKenney the official ambassador. A record 212 greyhounds were adopted across the country in a single day.

2021 – The Prison Pet Partnership Program saw its 500th foster greyhound successfully transition to adoption.

2022 – NRL Superstar Ryan Papenhuyzen is announced GRV’s re-homing ambassador.