GPA/Emerald Pacific (253) 756-6698   Greyhounds Make Great Pets! With their gentle dispositions and good-natured temperament, retired racing greyhounds make excellent pets. Whether you are a family looking for a playful friend, or an individual looking for a devoted companion, a well-mannered greyhound could be just the pet for you. This web site will introduce you to greyhounds, answer the most commonly asked questions about these friendly, gentle dogs, and explain Greyhound Pets of America's adoption procedure so you can learn how to get a greyhound of your own. After you've read about us, join us at one of the meet and greets below to see these beautiful dogs in person. Or call Merle Eickmeyer at the 253-number above for more information and an adoption application. Emerald Pacific Chapter Meet and Greet Locations 1st Saturday of every month, 11am-2pm: PetCo, 5700 100th St SW, Lakewood, Washington 3rd Saturday of every month, 11am-2pm: PetSmart, 3326 South 23rd St., Tacoma, Washington (Tacoma Central Plaza) If you are traveling a long distance please call or e-mail on of our representatives to verify (especially during the holiday seasons) Introducing Greyhound Pets of America About the Breed Questions and Answers Having a Greyhound Around the House How Can I Adopt? Adoption Contract Requirements Contact Information Introducing Greyhound Pets of America Greyhound Pets of America (GPA) is a national tax-exempt, non-profit organization dedicated to finding responsible, loving homes for retired racing greyhounds. The GPA adoption program depends on donations and volunteers to accomplish its goal. This web page serves the Emerald Pacific Chapter of Greyhound Pets of America, which serves Washington, British Columbia and Alaska.   About the Breed Greyhounds are one of the oldest and purest breeds of dogs in the world. They can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where drawings of greyhounds were found inside the tombs within the great pyramids. For centuries, greyhounds were bred for speed, to hunt for small game for their masters. Greyhounds continue to be bred for speed, but now they are trained to chase a mechanical lure at a race track. The fact that they are also bred for intelligence, good temperament and good health makes them wonderful pets. Greyhounds have a life expectancy of 12 years or more. Their coat of short hair stays clean naturally and requires little grooming. Colors can be solid or combinations of black, white, fawn, blue (gray) and red, with as many shades of brindle. They measure 26 to 29 inches high at the shoulder and weigh 55 to 80 pounds. These measurements can be deceiving though, considering the greyhound's sleek, aerodynamic shape, its thin, tapered legs, its muscular hips and shoulders, and its long, graceful neck.   Questions and Answers About GPA Greyhounds How old are the retired racers? Greyhounds placed through the GPA adoption program are usually 2 to 5 years old. The younger dogs may not have qualified for racing. Most of the older dogs are recently retired from racing because they are no longer competitive. And GPA may place older dogs from local animal shelters, or from families whose living situations have changed such that they can't keep a dog. Do greyhounds need lots of exercise? Greyhounds always enjoy walks, but they only need it three or four times a week, or twice a week they can be taken to a safe, open grassy area where they can sprint. Daily access to a spacious, open back yard also helps. Greyhounds make excellent jogging companions once they are trained for longer distances and the new pace. Do greyhounds need a special diet? During their racing careers greyhounds are fed a high energy diet to help them perform at their peak. However, retired racers only need a high-quality dry dog food to provide nutrition and prevent weight gain. These foods are widely available. Do greyhounds have special medical needs? Many people think of greyhounds as an exotic breed that require extra care and special attention. This isn't true. Greyhounds don't require any special veterinary care. However, because they have a low level of body fat, they do require special anesthesia for surgery. And since they are fed a diet of soft-food in the kennel, many need dental care for their teeth.   Having a Greyhound Around the House After a brief adjustment period while they adapt from the regimental training routine of the kennel to their new life of leisure, greyhounds make themselves very comfortable. Greyhounds crave affection, and are very responsive to your behavior. Being used to sharing one human with a dozen or more other dogs in the kennel, adopted greyhounds are eager to please you, and will soak up all the love you can give. They are very sensitive dogs, and can sense your mood by the tone of your voice. You'll find that when they aren't curled up for naps, they like to follow you around the house so they know where you are. Greyhounds become part of the family very quickly. They are very tolerant of children, and will walk away when they've had enough. But like any dog, they have their limits that children need to respect. As for other pets, having spent their entire life with other dogs in the kennel, greyhounds are very social animals and get along well with other animal companions, cats included. One of the first things you need to teach an adopted greyhound are the rules about the house. Greyhounds are trained to keep their kennels clean, so housebreaking is relatively simple. Frequent walks with timely praise teaches them that their new home is the place they keep clean, and outside is the place where they go. It also helps to limit how much of the house the dog has access to at first, gradually increasing their territory as they gain confidence.   How Can I Adopt a Retired Racing Greyhound? Greyhound Pets of America seeks qualified adoptive homes that are committed to being responsible pet owners, and we have established formal procedures to ensure that retired racers are placed in loving homes with people who will take good care of their new pets. After reviewing the information in this web page, call GPA for a screening interview. One of our specially-trained volunteers will arrange to bring their dog to your home for a visit. This brief visit serves two purposes. You get to meet a greyhound face to face, and ask any questions you have about owning a greyhound. In return, our GPA volunteer gets to know you, and makes a quick inspection of your home and yard environment. We prefer to place dogs in homes with a fenced front or back yard, since it is more convenient for you and safer for the dog. We do place dogs in condominiums and apartments, but only after the adoptive owner has demonstrated that they can commit to the extra responsibilities this requires. Following the screening interview, our volunteer completes a report to the Placement Committee. You will be notified within a week regarding the committee's decision. If you are approved as an adoptive home, a placement volunteer will call to arrange for your adoption day. We prefer that the dog's first day in your home is late in the week, so that you can spend the weekend getting to know each other. We require a $150 adoption fee to help us cover our costs of the dog's neuter/spay, teeth cleaning and shots which we have already completed before the animal goes home with you. It will also enable us to continue adoptions. The Golden Ones program, however, works a little differently. The Golden Ones are older females and males whose racing careers were so outstanding that they were kept by their breeders to become "mamas" and "papas." These animals are seven years old and older, and the normal adoption fees are waived. For them, we ask only the $90 medical contribution. We also waive the adoption fee, but not the medical contributions, for senior citizens who wish to adopt a greyhound. Adoption Contract Requirements The final step in the adoption process is the signing of the Adoption Contract, which signifies your acceptance of the following terms: You promise to keep the GPA I.D. tag on the dog at all times. You promise to notify GPA immediately if the dog is lost or stolen so that we may help you recover him or her. In the event that problems develop which prevent you from keeping the dog, you promise to continue to care for the dog and assist GPA in finding a new, qualified home. You promise to keep the dog as a pet and will not, under any circumstances use the dog for racing, breeding, hunting, research or experimentation. Violation of the Adoption Contract terms may result in Greyhound Pets of America repossessing the greyhound. If you can't adopt a retired racing greyhound, there are other ways you can help GPA find homes for these quiet, gentle pets. As a tax-exempt, non-profit group, we depend on your donations to help promote the adoption program and help pay for emergency veterinary care for retired greyhounds in need. And we can always use more volunteers to donate their time and talents to our worthy cause! To arrange for an adoption interview, or for more information, contact Greyhound Pets of America.   Contact Information Contact any of the folks below for more information about greyhound adoptions and our group. GPA/Emerald Pacific 1817 206th St. East Spanaway, WA 98387 Elli  Email: gonegrey@aol.com Merle  Email: LVHOUNDS@aol.com Penny  Email: Pha0221@aol.com Check out the web site of the Oregon Greyhound Association. This web site includes a list of greyhounds available for adoption in the adoption kennel at the Multnomah race track.