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Step Two –
The Office Visit
The first office visit is the time for all of us to get to know each
other, a chance to exchange ideas about dog training and behavior in
general and greyhounds in particular. It’s our time to answer your
questions and to learn what you want and expect from a family
companion. It is very important that all family members who will
spend a great deal of time with the greyhound come to the office
visit. If you have not had a chance to have a close encounter with a
greyhound, there are always several dogs lying around in the office
for you to pet.
Retired racing greyhounds are unique in the dog world not only for
their personalities but because of the way they have been raised. We
recommend that all prospective adopters read Retired Racing
Greyhounds for Dummies by Lee Livingood. This book is a valuable
source of information and wisdom for the experienced greyhound owner
as well as anyone new to our breed. It can be found at the library,
most major bookstores, or at our office (at a reduced price).
Because we are one of the few adoption groups nationwide willing to
adopt to people with very young children, we require families with
children under six to read Childproofing Your Dog, also
available at our office at a reduced price. Since very small
children and dogs of any breed are not necessarily a match made in
heaven, we spend a great deal of time counseling with families who
have little ones and adoptions are done on a case by case basis. |
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Step Three –
The Home Visit
If you have not adopted from us before, a member of the Home Visit
Committee will bring his or her personal dog to your home. The
purpose of the home visit is to spot any possible areas of your home
or yard that may either pose a danger to a fast-moving greyhound or
present an irresistible temptation to an inquisitive (and very tall)
dog with a long tail. The volunteer can answer any questions you may
have thought of since the office visit. After the home visit report
is filed, your application is submitted to the Adoption Committee for
approval. Upon approval, it’s time for the final (and hardest) step –
picking out your greyhound.
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Step Four –
Adoption Day
Based on your application and interviews, the Adoption Committee will
have several dogs to recommend to you. During the process we ask that
you not fall madly in love with a particular dog you may see on the
website (difficult as that may be), since there is no guarantee that
dog will be available when you are ready to adopt or that the dog is
suitable for your home. Keep an open mind – on more than one
occasion (probably closer to hundreds) a family comes in determined to
leave with a small brindle female and departs joyfully with an
80-pound black male because he is THEIR DOG!!
Because adopting a greyhound is a very serious matter, GPA Houston
Inc. and the adopter enter into an adoption contract that sets forth
both parties’ rights and duties, a copy of which is furnished to the
adopter. In the unlikely event that after adoption the adopting party
decides to return the greyhound, no refund of the adoption fee is
given.
For
applications received after
January 21, 2008, the adoption fee for greyhounds under the age of
eight is $285.00. For greyhounds eight and above the fee is $175.00.
The adoption fees represent only part of the expense of maintaining
the greyhounds in our care. The remainder is raised through
donations. Twenty-five dollars of the adoption fee represents the
tax-deductible annual membership in GPA Houston, which includes among
other benefits invitations to all GPA events, the newsletter,
monitoring by our 24/7 emergency answering service, and post-adoption
support and counseling.
In addition to the greyhound itself, the adoption fee includes
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A special greyhound collar and matching leash
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A greyhound muzzle
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Renowned dog behaviorist Patricia McConnell’s booklet
Leader of the Pack
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An excellent dog training DVD
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A GPA numbered ID tag identifying imprinted with our
emergency number
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GPA adoption manual
All greyhounds adopted from GPA Houston have been spayed or neutered,
had their teeth cleaned if required (necessary in almost all cases),
are current on their vaccinations (including rabies, DHLPP, and
bordetella), have been tested for heartworms and are on preventative,
and have been dewormed. GPA Houston orders presurgical blood work on
all the dogs in our care. The adopter will receive copies of all
records of medical treatment of the greyhound while at GPA. If the
greyhound is due for heartworm preventative within one week of the
date of adoption, the adopter will be given a preventative tablet.
In January 2008 GPA Houston began testing our dogs for tick-borne
diseases. While many people are familiar with Lyme Disease and Rocky
Mountain Spotted Tick Fever, there are other similar diseases spread
by ticks which represent a danger to dogs and humans. Unfortunately,
these diseases, which in the past were confined to limited areas of
the country, are spreading. Since most vets who practice exclusively
in urban areas have never encountered a tick-borne disease they are
often unfamiliar with the very wide variety of symptoms which the dog
can exhibit, often confusing a tick-borne disease with another
condition.
Fortunately, tick-borne diseases are treatable. WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE
THAT A HUMAN BEING CANNOT CONTRACT A TICK-BORNE DISEASE FROM A DOG.
THE ONLY WAY A HUMAN BEING CAN CONTRACT A TICK-BORNE DISEASE IS FROM A
TICK.
Most racing greyhounds adopted in the United States are not tested
prior to adoption; but we feel that these diseases represent a
sufficient threat to the long-term health of our dogs that we have
made the decision to test, and if necessary, treat prior to
adoption. You will be provided with literature at the time of
adoption that explains these diseases in greater detail, but you can
rest assured that we have gone to considerable effort and expense to
provide your new dog with the best start in his or her new life. |
