Greyhound care initiatives
Greyhounds
We have initiatives and programs in place to help greyhounds make a successful transition from life in racing to new homes as pets.
Our Greyhounds as Pets WA program promotes, encourages and facilitates greyhound pet ownership to the wider community in Western Australia.
Responsible rehoming
In WA, the Rules of Racing ensure all greyhounds are responsibly rehomed, including those that don’t race. Unless there is a medical or behavioural reason determined by a veterinarian or qualified animal behaviourist, all greyhounds bred for racing must be rehomed. All statistics around the number of greyhounds entering the industry or retiring from it are openly reported in RWWA’s Annual Report.
Our Greyhounds as Pets (GAP) program rehomes approximately half of the retiring greyhounds in WA every year, with the remainder being rehomed through pathways which include:
- GAP and other third party rehoming groups
- Trainer or owner keeping the greyhound as a pet or to breed
- Trainer rehoming the greyhound privately
Greyhounds as Pets WA
Working together
The racing sector works with other greyhound rehoming groups to maximise rehoming and foster care opportunities for retired greyhounds.
The last registered owner or person responsible at the time of a greyhound’s retirement must ensure that the greyhound has been surgically sterilised and undergone a dental treatment, consisting of at least a complete dental scale and polish, by a veterinarian before the greyhound is rehomed. This helps to ensure both responsible rehoming as well as alleviate any financial pressure on rehoming groups for these treatments.