“People have jumped to the [conclusion] that, because tracks are closed in the United States, there’s no more Greyhounds…”

Debra Hardman, of GALT-Arizona, describing the state of affairs for Greyhound adoption applications

Former racing Greyhounds are still available to adopt in the United States. However, those Greyhounds will likely be sourced from outside the United States. Adoption organizations that partner with groups like Greyhound Racing Ireland / the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust, Greyhound Racing New South Wales (GRNSW) and Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) have effectively resuscitated their programs. These organizations’ leaders, including Bob Koch of Nittany Greyhounds and Debra Hardman of GALT-Arizona, are navigating the ins and outs of rehoming these overseas hounds.

Bob’s adoption group in central Pennsylvania serves adopters regionally — basically the mid-Atlantic and Midwest. At any given time, he has about 50 approved adoption applications. Nittany works with two organizations in Australia — and GRV and GRNSW — but they started international rehoming with Irish racing Greyhounds. According to Bob, the Greyhounds handle the long travel very well and share the same temperament as American racing Greyhounds.

Debra’s experience in the American Southwest is very similar to that of Bob’s organization. GALT-Arizona — a chapter of the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (GALT) — serves Arizona and surrounding states. Her Australian Greyhounds come directly into LAX for pickup, and she describes the hounds as happy as ever as they finish their long journeys after transport.

In this episode, host John Parker talks with Bob and Debra about these and other experiences rehoming international Greyhounds with American adopters. They discuss the logistics of bringing the Greyhounds into various ports of entry, the paperwork involved and the care given to the hounds as they make their way around the world. Bob and Debra also share a bit about each of their organizations and how they’re adapting to this new source of Greyhounds while also maintaining high welfare and breed support standards.