Let’s all confess— you have, at least once during self-isolation, craved the warmth of a loving canine companion beside you and thought very seriously about getting yourself a pet.
If you say you haven’t, you’re either a liar or already have a beloved buddy. If you have, you’re not alone. The Greyhound Adoption Program SA has seen a massive spike in applications during the COVID-19 crisis.
“Greyhounds as pets have become hugely popular in recent years as people continue to learn how compatible these beautiful animals are with a variety of lifestyles,” explains Greyhound Racing SA CEO, Matt Corby.
“However, with people working from home or self-isolating due to COVID-19, there has been a massive spike in interest to both adopt and foster our greyhounds. We have seen the number of applications for greyhounds quadruple in recent weeks.”
Not only would a furry friend make isolation a little less lonely, but working from or spending more time at home provides an excellent opportunity to ensure you’re present enough to get a new pet settled and comfortable in their new home.
Pets can be a great addition to any household, but they are also a commitment not to be taken lightly.
At the Greyhound Adoption Program SA, one way to make sure you are really ready or give yourself a trial run of sorts is to foster a greyhound.
It’s important to note the distinctions between adopting and fostering.
Adopting is the traditional idea of permanently taking on a pet greyhound, whereas fostering is where you temporarily take a greyhound into your home for one to two months to help it transition to life as a pet after its racing career, before finding a permanent home.
All essentials are provided to the foster-carer as part of the fostering program, including dry and wet food, a bed, a coat for the winter months, a collar and lead, as well as a weekly payment for incidentals.
The first step is to apply to foster. Once your application is approved, you will be matched with a greyhound that best suits you and your home.
Foster care is still a commitment itself and requires you to help the greyhound learn behaviours that are desirable in a domestic pet. The idea is to assist your foster greyhound transition from life in a kennel environment to life in a family home.
The primary aim during foster care is for the greyhound to achieve its green collar, a simple assessment that ensures the greyhound has adapted to domestic pet life. Once they have this, your greyhound will be officially ready for adoption.
If you do happen to fall in love with your foster greyhound (let’s face it, it would be hard not to) and feel you can commit to caring for them for life, you can apply to keep it.
For more information on fostering a greyhound, head over here.
Alternatively, if you’re confident you want to give a greyhound a forever home, you can apply to adopt! Your application will go through a matchmaking process, where the Greyhound Adoption program will match your lifestyle with a greyhound that best suits you.
For more information on adopting a greyhound, head over here.
While it may be a promising time to adopt a greyhound, the Greyhound Adoption Program SA asks for those enquiring about adopting a pet to reflect upon life beyond COVID-19 and envisage how these greyhounds will fit with your future plans.
If fostering or adopting a greyhound may be something you’re interested in, visit www.gapsa.org.au to browse available greyhounds or to submit an application.
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