Adopt

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How can I adopt a Greyhound?

First and foremost, become an educated and prepared adopter. There is nothing more depressing to a retired racing greyhound than being returned to the program because his adopters were unprepared for life with a new pet. Visit our FAQ page for more information about the breed.

To start the adoption process, please fill out our adoption application. A $50 deposit is required to process the application and can be mailed to MSGAO at P.O. Box 2088, 1550 N. Ingram Blvd., West Memphis, Arkansas 72301. The deposit is applied toward the $275 adoption fee (beginning March 1, 2014), which is non-refundable.You will be notified via telephone within two weeks that your application is approved. After that, you can contact the adoption kennel to set up an appointment to view the available hounds.

The $275 adoption fee (as of March 1, 2014) covers a neuter or spay, a blood panel, tick panel, heartworm test, and a full dental. In addition, your new greyhound will be up to date on all vaccinations for a year. Greyhounds from MSGAO have been on heartworm preventive once a month and are free of fleas and ticks. With every adoption, we will provide a free 1″ black martingale collar.

Deciding to adopt a greyhound has proven to be one of the most rewarding experiences of a lifetime, but one very important aspect of this decision is being a prepared adopter. There are many books out there for information on adopting. Our favorite books are: Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies by Lee Livingood, Adopting the Retired Racing Greyhound by Cynthia Brannigan, and Childproofing your Dog by Brian Kilcommons. The internet has a lot of information on greyhound adoption. The Greyhound Project, inc. and the American Greyhound Council are two wonderful sites. Also be sure to check out Race for Adoption.

To spend some time with the greyhounds, you are more than welcome to come to any of our meet & greets (schedule can be found on the right side of the screen) or to stop by the adoption kennel . The time spent interacting with our volunteers and their hounds is usually a very informative and enjoyable experience.

How to Prepare

Here’s a list of things you’ll need!

  • Crate (for $110 MSGAO can purchase a crate for you)
  • Leash* (remember to bring with you to pick up your new greyhound)
  • Identification Tags (We recommend TagXpress or Boomerang Tags)
  • Food and Water Bowls
  • Large Dog Bed (available at Costco for around $18)
  • Toys (most greyhounds prefer soft, squeaky ones)
  • Treats
  • Toenail Clippers
  • A Brush (We recommend Zoom Groom and the FURminator)

And some optional things to have:

  • Coat
  • Pet Odor Remover (in case of accidents)
  • Kong (keeps your greyhound entertained while you are away)
  • Shampoo
  • Lots of Collars!

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