How to rehome your retired racing greyhound?

View our quick guide of where to start when rehoming your retired racing greyhound

The Steps in the Greyhound re-homing process

1. Contact the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust

Place your greyhounds name on the IRGT Rehoming List by contacting our Rehoming Co-ordinator on 061-448089/ 085-8047467 or 085-8538083 or by emailing irgt@grireland.ie.

2. Photograph your Greyhound

Email (irgt@grireland.ie) or WhatsApp (085-8047467 or 085-8538083) three good quality photograph of your greyhound.

Please ensure that the greyhound is full length, side view, unmuzzled and any other manner in which you feel would display what a great pet your greyhound would make.

If you are not an email user then please contact us on 061-448089/ 085-8047467 and we will work with you on alternative means of getting this photograph to the IRGT. We can also share some tips on good photograph practice.

3. Provide some key details on your greyhound

Please include the following information with the above email:

-Greyhounds Pet Name:

-Greyhounds general temperament and personality:

-Greyhounds temperament around children:

-Compatibility with other breeds of dogs - both big and small:

-Compability with cats:

-Attributes which suggest that your greyhound will make a wonderful pet:

-Greyhounds medical history (to include information of any race injury so adopters will be aware of this):

-Greyhounds weight in Kgs:

-Greyhounds height (ground to top of shoulders) in cms:

This information will then be shared with Rehoming Agencies which the IRGT collaborates with and shared on the IRGT Facebook page

4. Visit your Vet for rehoming procedures

Greyhounds need to be taken to your local Veterinary Surgeon for the following pre-rehoming procedures:

(a) Neutering/Spaying

(b) Pet Passport

(c) 7 in 1 Booster

(d) Rabies Shot

(e) Vaccination for Kennel Cough

IRGT will provide finance for these procedures and will issue correspondence to vets to outline the level of finance which it provides

Please forward on the name and number of your Veterinary Surgeon to the IRGT (061-448089/ 085-8047467 or 085-8538083 or by emailing irgt@grireland.ie) in advance of booking your greyhound in for the above procedures so that the Veterinary Surgeon can be fully briefed on what is required/payment process.

Please ensure that your Veterinary Surgeon records procedures (c), (d) and (e) on the greyhounds Pet Passport prior to taking possession of the Pet Passport and indicate on a relevant section of the Pet Passport that the greyhound has been Neutered/Spayed. 

N.B.: Microchip Registration Certificates will be required when your greyhound is being rehomed.”

5. Your Greyhound will remain with you while waiting for their new home

Owners will be required to keep their greyhounds until a suitable home is found in Ireland or until a suitable transport date is arranged if the greyhound is being rehomed by a European Rehoming Agency which the IRGT collaborates with.

-If being transported to Europe then greyhounds will have to return to the Veterinary Surgeon 48 hours before transport to be Certified Fit for Travel.

This certification must be stamped on the greyhounds Pet Passport and the IRGT will provide finance for this certification, details of which will be included in correspondence to vets.

6. Carry your greyhound to the agreed pick-up point

Owners will be required to take their greyhounds to a specified pick-up point on the day of transport and must ensure that they bring the greyhounds Pet Passports, Identity Cards and Microchip Registration Certificates with them on the day.