eady to adopt a racing
greyhound? There are plenty of books and
resources to help you get off on the right foot. When you start
the search for your greyhound, you will find that not all rescue
groups are alike and each offer a different set of benefits. It
should also be noted that the majority of Adoption Organizations are Non-profit. This means that the organization is run by
volunteers and the fee they charge you for the adoption just
barely off-sets their cost. Here are some things to think about
in terms of cost and services that a rescue group might provide.
- What do I get for my Adoption Fee?
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Adoption fee?
Spay/Neuter? 
Teeth Cleaning?
Vaccinations?
Heart Worm Testing/Preventative?
Tick-Borne Disease Testing?
Worming?
Crate/Leash/Collar?
Cat/Small Animal Testing?
Grooming?
Personality Matching?
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- ADOPTION FEE:
Many
groups have pamphlets that explain what they provide and
here are a few pointers to WWW sites for nationwide
adoption agencies that list what they provide. The
initial adoption fee for a dog may or may not be the
entire amount you need to spend to get your new dog home
and healthy. -
- If the
adoption group you choose is a "full service"
group, remember that they probably don't cover all the
costs with your adoption fee. In the future you should
probably make donations to the group to help other people
adopt a greyhound.
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- SPAY/NEUTER:
- Many of the small organizations don't alter before
adoption. They cannot afford it. If they work with a
great vet, you may want to pay them to take care of it
for you. Many of the groups that don't alter first give
you a grace period before they require proof of
alteration. (This can cost $45-$100).
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- Editors Note:
There is an 1-800 number for Spay/USA (part of The Pet
Savers Foundation). The organization has a database of
low-cost spay/neuter programs in the US: 1-800-248-SPAY.
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- TEETH CLEANING:
- The organizations that alter first will usually check the
teeth while the dog is "out". Make sure you
check and offer to pay extra to have the dog's teeth
cleaned at the same time. One time anesthesia with two
procedures is much better than performing anesthesia
twice. If the dog is over three years old his/her teeth
probably need to be done automatically. (This can cost
$80-$200).
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- VACCINATIONS:
- Most kennels and tracks give DHLPP and kennel cough
vaccinations just to prevent problems in the high density
housing, but seldom are the records available. It's
usually best to "give a second" if there are
any questions. Very few track dogs have been given rabies vaccinations, but if the
dog is being transported across state lines to come live
with you, wait until arrival. Some states don't accept
other state's rabies certificates. (This can cost
$5-$25).
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- HEARTWORM TESTING/PREVENTATIVE:
- Most groups are checking (especially in areas where
heartworm is prevalent), but some smaller organizations
cannot afford to start preventative on all their
dogs. If the test is negative, preventative must
be started within 10 days. (The can cost $25-$50 for
testing and $20-$35 for preventative).
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- TICK-BORNE DISEASE TESTING:
- Not all Adoption Programs test for these diseases, though
I've been told that many Southern California rescue
groups are starting. Greyhound Friends for Life offers
testing a couple of times a year. Ehrlichoisis and
Babesiosis, are two relatively unknown tick-borne
diseases.
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- WORMING:
- Most groups worm for hook, whip, and tape. But if the dog
has an ongoing problem with fleas he/she may need to be
wormed again. Droncit is the recommended tapeworm wormer
(Costs $12-$30) and many of the Heartworm preventatives
include wormers for whip and hook.
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- CRATE/LEASH/COLLAR:
- Many larger groups are providing martingale-type collars
for their adopted dogs and loan or rent out crates to see
if the dog takes to them. For people adopting from
smaller groups, make sure you know what kind of collar
and leash are best for greyhounds and, if you're going to
buy a crate, get it from a mail-order place (much
cheaper). (Collar $6-$10, leash $7-$9, crate (500
VariKennel) $80 mail order., $130 in pet stores).
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- CAT/SMALL ANIMAL TESTING:
- This is important even if you don't have cats or small
animals. You need to know ahead of time what to expect of
your new dog. Find out how they test. Some groups
send the prospective dog home with a foster family that
has cats, others have "test" dogs or cats
around the kennel. Make sure that the testing method
mirrors your home situation (if they test with Scottish
Terriers and you have a shy Italian Greyhound you might
need to test further). Additional
Insight
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- GROOMING:
- Most groups wash the dogs with a good flea shampoo and
trim the nails. Some groups clean ears and express anal
glands, too. (Cost $25-$45).
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- PERSONALITY MATCHING:
- This is a very important consideration. Assess your
lifestyle: husband/wife, children, other pets and housing
situation. Try to recognize your needs in a dog and try
not to go through the "exchange program" (most
rescue organizations will exchange or take back your dog
if it doesn't work out). Spend time organizing your
thoughts on what you want in a dog and when you begin to
talk to rescue organizations determine if they are
interested in what you have gathered. Organizations will
want you to fill out a basic form and generally will want
you to come meet the dogs the next time they get a
shipment, this is all fine if the organization is sensitive to your needs.
Make sure you think through
what you want and need and find an organization
that will fill your needs. This dog will share your life
for the next 5-14 years!
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- The prices listed are approximate and run from a low
(usually found mail order or through vet clinics) to
full-service vet offices.
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- Good luck! If you'd like some more info about Greyhound
Adoptions you can drop me a line at Adoption
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