Greyhounds In Need of Adoption Inc. (GINA) located in Southern Ontario, Canada is a non-profit charitable organization of volunteers, dedicated to finding loving responsible homes for retired racing Greyhounds.
Greyhounds As Pets
Greyhounds are friendly and social by nature as
a result of constant contact with other dogs and trainers in the racing kennel.
They are affectionate dogs that thrive on attention and human companionship and
make marvelous household pets.
Many people expect Greyhounds to be extremely energetic because of their speed and previous lifestyle, but in fact, they are actually quiet and cat-like in the house, and despite their size take up very little room. We affectionately call them 40 mph "couch potatoes"!
Greyhounds that are brought into GINA's adoption program range in age from 2 to 5 years old and their life span is from 12 to 14 years. Upon arrival from the track the dogs are groomed and then spend a minimum of three weeks in a foster home. The Greyhound's new life as a pet begins here as the foster parents evaluate the dog for personality. They are tested for their compatibility with children, cats and any existing pets within the home. This process enables us to match the new Greyhound with the best possible prospective adopter. All of its medical needs are also addressed during this period. The full range of care includes all vaccinations, worming, heartworm testing, the spaying or neutering of the dog, teeth cleaning and tick testing. We also provide an identification tag along with a safety collar and lead, and the health report regarding the dog from the veterinarian. No matter what kind of pet you've had before, you'll never have a pet quite like a Greyhound! If you would like to learn more about these wonderful dogs click here for “Frequently Asked Questions”.
Greyhounds and Children
Retired racing greyhounds are
not, as a breed, accustomed to children. If you have young children, plan on
having children, or visit with children, it is your responsibility to ensure
the safety of every child and dog. This may mean crating, muzzling or
separating dog from child, as the situation dictates. Although our foster homes
may be able to provide some child exposure to the dogs, no two scenarios are
alike. Please proceed with the utmost caution.
NEED
GREYSITTING?
Planning a vacation? Need to go on a
business trip? Moving? Greyhounds In Need of Adoption Inc. (GINA) can help you
connect with a better alternative to placing your Greyhound in a boarding
kennel. Many of our members are part of a network of greysitters who can offer
your dog a "home away from home". For a reasonable fee, one of the greysitters
will look after your Greyhound for whatever length of time you are away. Not
only will you be able to relax and enjoy your free time knowing your pup is in
the care of a greyhound-knowledgeable person, your Greyhound will also enjoy
the company of another Greyhound!
To enquire about this valuable service please send an e-mail to greysitters@canada.com
WANT TO BECOME A
GREYSITTER?
Facilitating a greysitting arrangement
is part of the on-going support GINA extends to our adopters and friends in the
Greyhound community. If you are a greyhound owner and are interested in
becoming part of our greysitter network please contact us at
greysitters@canada.com
Upcoming “Meet
and Greets”
If there are no Meet & Greets scheduled here and you would like to meet a greyhound or two in ‘person’, we would be more than happy to arrange something. Contact greybiz@sympatico.ca
Contact Us
By E-mail or phone
If you have any questions about adopting a Greyhound please contact us.
greybiz@sympatico.ca
Val at 905-892-0733
Dale at 905-337-1617
Click here to print an Adoption Application
Available For Adoption
GINA is an adoption group and is constantly
processing greyhounds through our foster program. We are always watching our
adoption applications for the perfect match for each of our foster greyhounds.
More foster homes are needed for those Greyhounds who are still waiting at the
track for a chance to retire and become someone's pet. To view some pictures of
some adopted Greyhounds visit the GINA Photo Album
“Must Read
Books”
If you are considering adopting a retired racing
Greyhound as a pet, these books have some valuable information
|
Retired Racing Greyhounds For
Dummies |
 |
 |
“Childproofing Your
Dog” by Brian Kilcommons And if you have children, we recommend "Childproofing Your Dog" by Brian Kilcommons |
| “The Dog
Listener” by Jan Fennell Based on understanding ‘pack’ behavior, Jan Fennell advocates reading the body language of your dog to understand and get cooperation in behaviors rather than simply obedience. Jan’s simple techniques seem to be very effective with Greyhounds. |
 |
How Can You
Help?
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Become a Foster Home:
One of the most rewarding aspects of Greyhound adoption is fostering the Greyhounds when they first come "off the track". It is amazing to see how quickly these dogs can adjust to life as a pet, from their life as kennel dogs. The foster parent is the teacher, and the dog is the student. In order to become a foster home a vehicle is a necessity, as the dogs must be transported to the vet for all of their veterinary needs. GINA's foster dogs receive their medical care from the following veterinary clinics: Main West Animal Hospital of Welland, Royal Ford Veterinary Clinic (Oakville) and Wellington Veterinary Hospital (Markham). For more information on fostering and the date of the next foster seminar, contact GINA at greybiz@sympatico.ca FIND OUT MORE HERE |
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Home visits: Greyhounds and Greyhound owners are encouraged to help at "Meet & Greets", participate in pet therapy and to do Home Visits in their area. For information on the next home visit seminar contact GINA at greybiz@sympatico.ca |
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Promotions and Media
Contact: New fundraising ideas are always welcome. Contact Jen at greybiz@sympatico.ca |
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Become a member of GINA:
The annual family membership fee of $35.00 helps us offset our costs to bring the greyhounds up from the US. For membership information contact Dale at greybiz@sympatico.ca |
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Make a Donation:
Donations are appreciated whether they are a monetary donation, or donations of blankets, comforters, jumbo crates, leads dog bowls or leashes. For more information on what is needed please contact Val at greybiz@sympatico.ca |
We Would Like To
Acknowledge..
- Royal Ford Veterinary Clinic of Oakville
- Main West Animal Hospital of Welland
- Wellington Veterinary Clinic of Markham
- Protatek Laboratories in Arizona
- Bayer
- Pfizer
- Nestlé Purina PetCare
- MULTIVET
- BGA (Buffalo Greyhound Adoption)
- GreAt (Greyhound Rescue Adoption Team)
……… for their constant support and care of all of our foster dogs,
WISH
LIST
Foster Homes (without these we cannot properly transition these dogs and match them to the right home).
Adoptive Families (give these wonderful pets a loving forever home)
New Members & Volunteers (the stronger we are the better we can spread the word)
Crates (2x 3x 4only please)
Toys (softies and nylabones)
Monetary donations - GINA incures considerable expense in veterinary care to ensure every foster is in good health before they are adopted. We provide all our dogs with up to date vaccinations, worming, heartworm testing, spay and neutering, teeth cleaning, tick testing, ID tags and a safety collar and lead.
This Web Site is hosted and maintained by
VRB Internet Solutions, proud
owner of "Elmer" the Greyhound.
Web design © GINA Inc. 2001 -
2003