Foster families are the heartbeat of GPA Houston. They’re the link that makes every adoption possible—and the more foster homes we have, the more greyhounds we can send on to their furever homes.
Fosters give newly arrived hounds a soft landing: a safe, loving place to decompress, heal, and learn home life. Along the way, they keep an eye on health and behavior, and help build the basics—leash skills, house manners, and confidence. This is where racers become cherished pets.
Fostering is deeply rewarding—and a lot of fun. It’s a chance to enjoy a greyhound’s companionship without a lifetime commitment, or to find a new friend for an existing pet. Yes, there can be a few tears when your foster leaves—but that goodbye means success. You helped them get there, and you’ve opened your home to save the next hound.
Want to be part of the foster experience?
The only way that we can home greyhounds is with the help of foster homes. Being a foster family has rewards beyond the essential value of helping a greyhound find a new home. For some, it is a chance to have a companion without making a lifetime commitment, or to try new companions for an existing pet. Foster Care is critical to our rescue efforts, the more homes we have, the more greyhounds we can help. Becoming a foster family is a very rewarding experience, and can be a lot of fun. There are often tears shed when a foster finally finds a home of their own, but knowing you critical to their success by opening up space in your home is truly rewarding.
Fosters will keep a greyhound an average of 4-8 weeks. Some pets need more time because of age, illness, injury, or behavior issues. Your time commitment and availability will be discussed up-front before you agree to foster, but most foster families keep the dog until they get adopted.
