“They told me to take him to the pound”: Greyhound Racing NSW refusing to help rehome struggling GAP adoption program greyhounds and rejecting dog returns

Uncle Donuts the greyhound. (Image: supplied)

Greyhound rescue groups are calling on Greyhound Racing New South Wales to do more to help racing dogs find safe homes, after the racing authority’s adoption program told a family to drop off their greyhound at the pound rather than help rehome him after he struggled to adjust to life as a pet.

Belinda and her family approached Greyhounds As Pets New South Wales as first-time greyhound adopters early last year and went through the application processes to adopt a retired racing dog. 

Belinda has requested her full name not be disclosed to protect her family’s privacy.

In March last year, they were matched with a 4-year-old greyhound named Marco. Bred by greyhound owner and breeder Bradley Canty, Marco had formerly been owned by a gambling syndicate named Canty Middleton. He won $28,500 in prizemoney for that syndicate, under the racing name “Uncle Donuts”.

Belinda’s family went into the adoption process knowing it might be difficult, but had been assured by Greyhounds As Pets NSW (GAP NSW) that support would be available as they helped Marco adjust to life at home after his years in a racing kennel, “We were prepared to do a bit of hard work,” Belinda says. “They made it clear that it wasn’t an easy process, but they told us ‘look, always be assured, we’re there for you, if you need to bring him back it’s all fine, it can take a really long time for them to become pets’…we were assured that in time he would become a pet.”

Greyhound As Pets is run by Greyhound Racing New South Wales, which allocates $3.4 million of the tens of millions it receives from the state government to adopt out greyhounds surrendered to the program by racing industry dog owners.

Marco did well during his first months at home. Initially, he didn’t display any anxiety or behavioural problems, and Belinda’s kids were able to take him out for walks. “It takes a while for them to show you who they are, it was a good couple of months,” Belinda says. “In that first period, they’re muzzled and that sort of thing, there were no major issues in the first couple of months.”

After a few months, Marco’s behaviour started to change. He became reactive around people and other dogs, was unable to tolerate much patting, and started displaying signs of aggression, to the point where Belinda’s children no longer felt comfortable around him. “Clearly this dog had experienced some trauma,” Belinda says. “We loved him. He was part of the family. We didn’t want to give up on him.”

Belinda reached out to GAP NSW for help multiple times, but despite promising their staff “are always on hand to provide as much advice and support as needed” and “more than happy to provide ongoing support for foster carers and adopters throughout the dog’s life”, their only response was to send her information sheets about greyhounds from their website. GAP had stated it would be a long transition for Marco to get comfortable around children, but provided no advice beyond that. “I don’t need your information sheets, I need help,” Belinda recalls thinking. “At no time did I feel supported. There was no practical help.” 

Belinda and her family persisted with Marco for 18 months, but eventually made the decision to try and find him a new home—a decision she says they all found heartbreaking. “It got too stressful, his behaviour was getting worse rather than better,” she says. “Lockdown made it go on longer than it should have. I was heartbroken.” 

Recalling the assurances from GAP NSW when she first adopted Marco, Belinda was hopeful he could quickly be found another home through the program. She wrote to GAP let them know of her family’s decision. “I emailed and said we had to make this decision,” she said, “what do I do from here to rehome him?” 

REHOMING MARCO

GAP NSW refused to help. Belinda says she received a phone call from a GAP representative in which she was told bluntly to “take him to the pound”, a decision that would have exposed Marco to additional stress and a heightened risk of euthanasia.

An email sent to Belinda two months ago by GAP NSW reaffirmed what she was told over the phone. Dr. Elyssa Payne, the Greyhound as Pets NSW Behaviour Manager, wrote on October 5 to again inform Belinda that there was no help for Marco available. “We’ve passed on the details of your situation onto our Facilities Manager and General Manager [Alicia Fuller] for review. Unfortunately, we still won’t be able to take [Marco] into our care as per our current policies,” Payne wrote. “Greyhound-specific rescues are still a great option for rehoming Marco. Alternatively you could pursue the RSPCA or Animal Welfare League as avenues.”

A dog behaviour consultant in Newcastle, Ms. Payne publicly claims she is a “dog lover dedicated to improving the lives of dogs, one at a time” whose “mission is to help dogs have happier, healthier and more engaging lives.”

GAP NSW’s response meant Belinda would spend over a month researching and working to find Marco a new home while living with the ongoing stress of his behaviour. “This dog needs help, I don’t want to dump him at a pound,” she recalled thinking at the time. “I had to start on this whole new journey.” She started searching online and reaching out to community volunteer-run greyhound rescue groups in New South Wales, but they were all overwhelmed, or had months-long waiting lists. 

It was only after Belinda reached out to a greyhound rescue group interstate she had seen mentioned on social media—Gumtree Greys in Victoria—that she was able to get help with finding Marco a safe place to go.

Uncle Donuts the greyhound at home. (Image: Supplied)

GAP NSW “WON’T TAKE THEIR DOGS BACK”

The Director of Gumtree Greys, Julia Cockram, was highly critical of Greyhound Racing NSW for refusing to take responsibility for the struggling dogs their industry creates, stating they should provide the public with clear information about their adoption program. 

“I rang GAP NSW initially saying your adopter has advised she can't return the dog as I honestly thought there was a miscommunication,” Ms. Cockram said of her experience helping Marco. “I was shocked to hear them say they don't take dogs back.”

“I made a commitment that we'd either get GAP to take Marco back with written assurance the dog would not be euthanised, or ultimately we would have had him shipped to Melbourne and taken him into our care,” she explained. “We found a local [NSW] group to help in the end.” 

Cockram was advised by GAP NSW that no greyhound returns were “accepted after 6 weeks, unless there were special circumstances”.

“They don’t publicise the fact that they won’t take their dogs back,” she says. “The RSPCA and all other shelters, including GAP Victoria, take dogs back regardless of the time spent in adoption. There is a lifetime return.”

Gumtree Greys —which operates in Victoria and Queensland—receives no government funding, and relies on volunteers and community donations to rehome between 350-450 greyhounds each year with a no-kill policy.

“Why does an interstate rescue with zero funding have more care and compassion for GAP dogs and adopters than NSW GAP with their $3.5 million in funding?” Cockram says. "For them to tell an adopter to ‘just drop off a greyhound at the pound’ is unethical. I can’t believe they do that to their adopters and dogs.”

Greyhound Racing NSW does not publish their Greyhound As Pets program policies or clear information about their adoption processes. The racing authority does not provide any information regarding what adopters should do to help GAP racing dogs that struggle to adjust to life as a pet, nor does it publish advice on what can be done once the adoption program ‘returns period’ expires.

The General Manager of the NSW Greyhound As Pets program, Alicia Fuller—who has spent almost a decade working in higher management for the racing industry around Australia—was contacted for clarification about GAP NSW adoption program policies and the program’s time limit on returning adopted dogs, but declined to provide any information.

Questioned if advising an adopter to leave a racing greyhound at the pound was usual GAP NSW procedure and if sending information sheets was the only form of help GAP provided to adopters, Fuller did not respond.

While Belinda’s family haven’t given up on pet adoption and would love to adopt another dog in the future, they were disappointed with the way Marco was abandoned by the industry and won’t be adopting through the racing industry’s adoption program again.  

“They could have taken him back, worked with a behaviouralist, and put the time in to help him to adjust and recover,” Belinda says of her experience with GAP NSW. “Once you’re walking out the door with the dog, it was all: great, thanks for coming, be on your way…the contract I signed said that if at any time you can’t care for the dog, you must bring it back. They wouldn’t rehome one of their own dogs.”

Meeting Marco has left Belinda with a clearer perspective on the greyhound racing industry. “Now that I’m standing on the outside of it, these rehoming shelters and kennels that they’re setting up, it’s just enabling the industry even further, it’s enabling more breeding,” she says.

“It’s just one big industry machine. It’s just horrendous. And [community rescues] are picking up the pieces of what all of this is leaving behind.” 

Have a story of your own? Send me a message: matildaduncan@protonmail.com