With just days until New Zealand's greyhound racing industry comes to an end, adoption groups are preparing scale up operations, aiming to rehome 1400 soon-to-be-retired racing dogs.
The country's final commercial greyhound races will be held on Friday, marking the end of a sport that has operated for decades. The ban, which comes into effect on August 1, will retire hundreds of dogs from the racetrack, ideally to become family pets.
Lisa Philp, manager of Greyhounds as Pets, knows the transition first-hand.
At her North Canterbury home in Oxford, she owns five retired greyhounds, who she describes as "very, very easy dogs".
"They do a lot of lying around. They love a walk around the neighbourhood, but the rest of the time they'll sleep in a sunny spot in your home preferably near you,” she said.
'It's like Married at First Sight'
Greyhounds as Pets is one of four established organisations helping to rehome retired racing greyhounds. She said the process is much like reality show Married at First Sight.
"We have the greyhounds and the applications, and we look at which dog will suit which person. It's fun – it's matchmaking for dogs and people. And we pride ourselves on being good at it,” she said.
The government established the Greyhound Transition Agency, an independent organisation to oversee the welfare and rehoming of retired racing greyhounds after the ban comes into effect.
The agency operates until either the greyhounds are rehomed or July 2029, with the possibility a two-year extension if needed.
The SPCA estimates rehoming 1400 greyhounds will take around two years, at current adoption rates.
"We know the transition agency wants to scale up adoptions, so that could shorten the timeframe," said SPCA senior scientific officer Alison Vaughan.
'NZers step up to the plate for animals'
She said Kiwis are good at helping animals when needed. “When there’s a moment like this historic moment, New Zealanders step up to the plate for animals. We are looking forward to New Zealanders opening up their homes and hearts,” she said.
Champion trainer Jean Fahey expected around 40 of her dogs to eventually enter the rehoming programme.
"We're over the shock," she said. "Now it's just the sadness of everything.
"I think people are tired. It's been a long haul, and it's going to be even harder next week when it all stops and our lives change. And the dogs lives will change too.”
She said she would continue to keep dogs in her kennels, operating under the new transition agency system.
"We'll be looking after greyhounds. We'll be a boarding kennel. The transition agency will be paying us, and they'll be funded by the TAB."
Owners would receive a daily fee of $36 per dog.
"We'll keep a few of the greyhounds [permanently]. We'll keep some of the niggly ones that probably won't find homes easily. But, we'll definitely be keeping greyhounds. They're great pets."
For Philp and her team, the focus remained firmly on finding every greyhound the right home.
"We've received a huge influx of applications, which is so great," she said. "But it's a lot, so we're asking people to be patient while we work through them."
She’s asking people to consider opening their homes to adopting a dog, or even fostering one temporarily while permanent homes were found.
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