The Greyhound Adoption Program, or GAP, is an initiative of Greyhound Racing Victoria dedicated to finding homes for greyhounds that are no longer suitable for racing.

Greyhounds can make fantastic pets – they are quiet, lazy and gentle dogs that thrive in the family home environment.  Greyhounds that have passed through our program and have been awarded a special green GAP collar, do not have to be muzzled in public.

Every dog that enters the program is thoroughly temperament tested, desexed, wormed, microchipped, and vaccinated.  They then spend time with a volunteer foster carer to help them adjust from life in a kennel, to life in a pet home.  Our foster carers aim to expose their charges to a variety of situations the greyhound is likely to encounter once it becomes a pet, work on basic manners and get the greyhound used to the type of routine that is normal for a family home.  It is only after this that they are made available for adoption.

It is one of our main goals to change the negative image so many people have of greyhounds, and through a more positive reputation, hope to increase the public’s desire to care for these wonderful dogs after their racing careers have finished.  To assist with this, GAP volunteers attend many events during the year spreading the word and dispelling common myths.

GAP has three full time staff, two part time kennel hands, and around 100 foster carers and volunteers. The full time staff are:

Larissa Darragh: Larissa is the Manager of the Program. She started out with GAP as a foster carer in 1996, and has been managing GAP since 1998.

Melanie Luscombe: Melanie is the Foster Coordinator. She first became involved with GAP as a foster carer in 2000, and later joined the team full time in 2003.

Peter Dapiran: Peter is the property manager and takes care of all the dogs being housed at the GAP kennels in Seymour. Peter also does the run down to Melbourne with the dogs once a week. He has been with GAP since 2007.

Miles:

Miles is the office greyhound.  He's a little shy but he'll quietly greet you when you come into the office.  Miles was a very good race dog winning $99,000 in 120 race starts.  He is happy to share his bed with his best friend, Alice the Cat.

Stumpy:

Stumpy is the official GAP test dog!  All the greyhounds we adopt meet Stumpy to make sure they are safe around small dogs.  Stumpy just LOVES his job as it means he gets to play with his toys and run with the big dogs.

Alice:

Alice is the GAP test cat.  She is very lazy and likes to sleep wherever it's warm - usually on Larissa's desk!  Each morning when the GAP staff get to work Alice can be found sitting up on the balcony, waiting for them.