Little Dog Helps Rescued Greyhounds By Testing Their “Small Dog” Skills

Greyhound dog racing is illegal in 44 states. Of the six states that have legalized dog racing, only one has active tracks: West Virginia. Racing remains legal in Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, Texas, and Wisconsin, but no open tracks exist. Retired racing dogs often end up in shelters or facilities specializing in rehoming greyhounds. Part of the screening process is determining how well a retired greyhound responds to small dogs.

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Greyhounds are trained to chase a mechanical “rabbit” around an oval track. Because this training instills a heavy prey drive, retired greyhounds don’t always adapt well to small dogs and cats. Testing their response before adoption provides better insight into selecting an adoptive home. Ultimately, if a dog ignores the smaller animal, it is suitable for a multi-pet home. If it is aggressive or too interested/excited by the small dog, it will receive placement in a single-dog home or one with other greyhounds.

Placing retired greyhounds is a critical task. On the racing circuit, a dog may only compete in a couple of races before retirement, between 2 and 4 years old. With many years ahead of them, these dogs need to go to homes where they will have room to stretch their legs and receive proper care.

The adoption agency that Bunny helps with is Second Chance Greyhounds, located in Georgia. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit. They have formed partnerships with Georgia correctional facilities to retrain retired greyhounds. Inmates pair one-on-one with a foster dog.

This program helps the animals adapt to being beloved pets rather than commodities. It also benefits inmates by allowing them to learn responsibility, patience, and experience unconditional love from their charges. During the foster period, the dogs complete Canine Good Citizenship testing.

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