Homing a hound
As a responsible Greyhound charity, we try to ‘matchmake’ prospective owners and Greyhounds so that both parties are suited to each other and the dog’s new home becomes a permanent and happy one.
We therefore advise that prospective new owners visit the sanctuary and meet the dogs that we together think are most suitable for your family environment and lifestyle before adopting a Greyhound.
If you have children or any other dogs, it is advisable to bring them along too, so they all get to meet on ‘neutral’ ground.
We always carry out a Home Check – see below.
We sometimes have older dogs of 10 years and upwards looking for new homes and these can be financially supported by the charity in respect of vet bills.
As a charity, the only monies we receive are from donations, and as well as the Homing Charge of £20, we ask for a minimum donation of £150 from a new owner. This goes towards the substantial running costs of the Sanctuary – each year we spend over £18,000 on veterinary fees and medicine, £5,000 on food and over £1,000 on bedding.
All dogs are provided with 4 weeks insurance cover, and they will have been microchipped, neutered or spayed, have had a dental check and been wormed prior to going to their new home.
Your new Greyhound will require a collar, a lead and a coat, and these together with other items are all available for purchase from Fen Bank.
Your new dog will also come with an individual advice sheet regarding their particular needs, and new owners will be asked to sign an agreement that, amongst other things:
● your new dog will be kept as a domestic pet and will not be raced or otherwise worked.
● you agree to allow us access to check on the dog’s progress and welfare from time to time.
● in the event of you becoming unable to keep the dog for any reason you will return him / her to us as soon as practicable.
If you have any doubts or questions about whether you would be able to home one of these gentle and loving dogs, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone on 01754 820593, or by email at staff@fenbankgreyhounds.co.uk
The home check
We always carry out a home check to ensure that your home is ‘Greyhound-friendly’, and to give you the opportunity to ask any questions that you may have before your new friend comes home with you.
Some of the things we look at to ensure a successful Greyhound adoption are:
● If you have a garden, it should be fully-enclosed with fencing ideally a minimum of 5ft high, as Greyhounds can jump over anything less than this should they wish to do so!
●Greyhounds do not like being left alone, so there should not be regular long periods without someone at home.
● You should be able to provide a warm and draught free sleeping area within your home, with soft bedding, as Greyhounds feel extremes of temperature.
Living with the cat
We have re-homed a number of Greyhounds with cats, sometimes several. If you have cats we will endeavour to find you a suitable dog. Whilst some Greyhounds will not tolerate cats, given time some will completely accept them providing you take sensible precautions in the early days and follow our advice carefully.
Rossi and Pippin relax together:
