From Track to Home: Part 1: Retirement – A Well-Earned Next Chapter
Every greyhound who finds their place on the couch began their story somewhere else entirely – as a fit, fast, and finely tuned athlete.
This is the first in a three-part series following that journey, from the day a greyhound retires from racing, through to the moment they walk through the door of their forever home. We’re starting where every story starts: retirement.
A career, not a chapter to forget
Greyhounds are bred and trained for speed, and many spend the early years of their lives as racing athletes. Like any athlete, there comes a point where racing days draw to a close, sometimes because of age, sometimes a change in form, and sometimes simply because their owner has decided it’s time. Whatever the reason, retirement is a normal and expected part of a racing greyhound’s life, not a sign that anything has gone wrong. In Victoria, racing greyhound owners are responsible for planning what happens next for their dogs once their racing career ends, regardless of how that career went. Many owners rehome their greyhounds privately through family, friends, or their own networks. Others choose to hand that responsibility over to GAP, trusting us to find the right next step for their dog.
What retirement actually looks like
For a lot of people, the idea of a “retired athlete” conjures up images of an older, slower dog easing into old age. In reality, most greyhounds retire from racing relatively young, often between two and five years old, which means they’ve still got plenty of life, energy, and personality ahead of them. They’re simply trading one kind of life for another. Up until this point, a racing greyhound’s world has typically revolved around training, racing, and life in kennels alongside other dogs. They’ve had structure and routine. What they often haven’t had much exposure to is the everyday texture of pet life: things like stairs, glass doors, slippery floors, televisions, vacuum cleaners, or the simple experience of being the only dog in a lounge room. None of this is a problem, it’s just new, and greyhounds tend to be remarkably quick learners once given the chance.
Why this stage matters
Retirement is the foundation for everything that follows in a greyhound’s adoption journey. It’s the point at which a racing dog’s story shifts from competition to companionship, and it sets the stage for the next steps: coming into GAP’s care, getting to know their personality, and eventually finding the right family to share their life with What they often haven’t had much exposure to is the everyday texture of pet life: things like stairs, glass doors, slippery floors, televisions, vacuum cleaners, or the simple experience of being the only dog in a lounge room. None of this is a problem – it’s just new, and greyhounds tend to be remarkably quick learners once given the chance. They’re simply stepping into another exciting new stage, this time with all the couch naps, backyard zoomies, and belly rubs that come with it. Every greyhound who comes through GAP is, quite simply, a athlete beginning a brand new chapter.
Next in this series: Part 2 – Settling In at GAP: Health, Care & Getting to Know Them
Meet our dogs ready for adoption
All greyhounds adopted from GAP are de-sexed, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and health checked.
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Jack ARP
Gentle Jack is ready to find his forever couch! This lovely boy has a calm and quiet nature and has the skill to climb stairs! Jack may be suited to an elderly owner and may also enjoying having human siblings ages 5+. He may be happy with another medium or large dog but would prefer to not have small dogs or cats in his home. Jack may suit a wide variety of homes and we cant wait for him to find his new family!
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). We have behavioural and health assessed this lovely dog, and they will remain with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting this particular dog, and not other dogs currently in our care.
Katinka
Mini
Pizza
Ace
Rubharb Ruby ARP
Like he rname, Rhubarb Ruby is equal parts sweet and full of character. This little girl is friendly, affectionate and always happy to make new friends. With her puppyish personality and enthusiastic approach to life, Ruby brings plenty of fun wherever she goes. Ruby loves treats, enjoys being around people and has a wonderfully sweet and personable nature. Her happy, excitable energy is guaranteed to keep you smiling. Ruby may be suited to live as an only pet or may suit living with medium or large dogs. Ruby may be suitable to live with children 5 and over. Rhubarb Ruby has a deformed jaw and will need regular 6 monthly teeth check ups.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.
Colt ARP
Don’t let the name fool you – Colt is much more of a gentle gentleman than a wild stallion. Quiet, calm and polite, this sweet boy loves spending time with people and has a friendly and affectionate nature. His adorable eye contact is guaranteed to win you over.
Colt would suit living as an only dog or may be suitable to live with a canine friend of any size. He may also be suitable to live with children aged 5 and over.Because of his lovely nature he may be suitable to live in an apartment.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.
Zari ARP
Zariis a sweet and affectionate girl with a gorgeous grey face and plenty of charm. Friendly and outgoing, she loves meeting new people, although her gentle and submissive side shines through at times., Zari is sure to win hearts whereve rshe goes. Zari may be suited to living as an only dog or with medium or large dogs, and could live with children aged 5 years and over.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.
Micah ARP
-Micah is a handsome boy with a zest for life and plenty of love to give. Sweet, friendly and outgoing, this boy adores people. Toys are one of his favourite things, and his playful and puppyish personality means there is never a dull moment when Micah is around.Whether he is zooming around the backyard or bouncing over for some affection,this enthusiastic boy is bound to make you smile. Micah is looking for a home with a secure backyard where he can stretch his legs and burn off his playful energy. He may be suited to be an only dog but may also suit living with robust small, medium or large dogs. We think he may be suitable to live with kids aged10 and over. Because of his active and excitable nature, Micah will not be suitable to live with old or frail people or dogs.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.
Jayde