What is the GAP
National Adoption Day?

The GAP National Adoption Day allows for all GAP programs to come together to promote the re-homing of greyhounds and why they make fantastic pets.

Each state will hold their own Adoption Day event at multiple facilities across the country that will allow for potential adopters to find out more about the breed, learn about greyhound care, foster care opportunities and to find the perfect pooch to join their family.

What is GAP?

GAP represents a unique group of initiatives managed by respective greyhound racing governing bodies that re-home retired racing greyhounds: Greyhound Adoption Program (VIC, SA, TAS & QLD) and Greyhounds as Pets (WA & NSW).

The GAP programs are committed to ensuring the best levels of care are given to greyhounds upon retirement and aim to ensure, at any age, that every behaviourally sound greyhound is re-homed.

Q&A with GAP National Ambassador Todd McKenney

Greyhound FAQ’s

Do greyhounds make great pets?

Greyhounds are quiet, well-mannered and very easy to live with. They are friendly, affectionate, lazy, calm, clean, loving, trusting and good-natured.

What is the average size of a greyhound

Male greyhounds typically weigh from 30 to 45kg and are 65 to 75cm tall at the shoulder. The females can weigh from 25 to 35kg and stand from 60 to 70cm at the shoulder.

How many different types of colour are there?

Greyhounds come in a variety of colours including brindle, fawn, black, white, black and white, white with brindle, red fawn, blue fawn, light fawn and blue.

What is the average age of a greyhound at adoption and how long do the live for?

Our greyhounds usually range from two to five years of age, however we do sometimes get puppies and older dogs into the program from time to time. The average lifespan of a greyhound is 12-14 years.

2019 National Adoption Day: Victoria leads the way as Australia re-homes more than 200 greyhounds in one day

A huge build-up to Australia’s second-ever National Greyhound Adoption Day has come to fruition with 71 greyhounds being adopted into Victorian homes after a wonderful day at The Meadows Racetrack.

All six states in Australia held an adoption event today, with a total of 207 greyhounds considered no longer suitable for racing finding loving new homes.

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2018 National adoption Day – many dogs and many people

In a national first, 212 greyhounds were re-homed across the country as part of the GAP National Adoption Day, sponsored by Sky Racing.

The Greyhound Adoption Programs in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, and Greyhounds as Pets in Western Australia and New South Wales, each hosted an adoption day on the weekend; Tasmania on Saturday 28 April and the other states on Sunday 29 April.

Theatre star, radio host and TV personality Todd McKenney was the official ambassador for the nation-wide campaign which aimed to boost awareness of greyhounds as pets and the importance of re-homing retired racing greyhounds.

Todd, who has two pet greyhounds of his own, said he had fallen in love with the breed since learning about greyhound adoption from a friend.

“They are such a beautiful breed and often misunderstood. People’s perception of a greyhound and the reality of what a greyhound is actually like as a pet can often be two different things,” McKenney said.