Thank you for your interest in adopting a retired racing Greyhound.

  As you will see, we will be asking for information about you, your home and your history with other animals. It seems only fair that we give you some information about us!

  We are the organization that wrote the book on Greyhound adoption! Since Adopting the Racing Greyhound was first published (Howell Book House, New York, 1992) it has sold over 100,000 copies worldwide and in the summer of 2003 was released in an expanded Third Edition.

  To quote Joan Belle Isle of The Greyhound Project “The book that has had the single biggest impact on Greyhound adoption, Cynthia Branigan’s Adopting the Racing Greyhound has become required reading for many new Greyhound adopters around the world.

  We placed our first Greyhound in 1988 and, since then, have found homes for over 5,000 others. All of this has been accomplished by an extraordinarily dedicated group of volunteers. None of our staff is paid and most have full-time jobs. Nonetheless, the defining characteristic of our group is the individual care each adopter receives, both before and after the adoption. We take great pains to match the right person with the right dog. If there needs to be some fine-tuning after the fact, we are there for you. If unforeseen circumstances require you to return a dog, we gladly accept him or her back; in fact, we insist on it!

  As you read the suggested material, please think carefully about why you want to adopt. Do you really want a dog or do you just want to ease the Greyhounds’ plight? Do you have the time, money and energy to devote to a new animal? As much as we’d like to think it will all be smooth sailing, sometimes pressures from family and work can interfere with our ability to care for an animal properly. Should your Greyhound ever become ill, particularly as he or she gets older, do you have the necessary finances to give him or her the best possible care? While we do not want to discourage you from adopting, we do want you to make an informed decision. ADOPTING AN ANIMAL IS A LIFETIME COMMITMENT! Please consider all aspects of acquiring one before submitting your application. There are many ways you can help apart from adopting and our local representatives will be glad to make suggestions.

  To those of you who are as sure as you can be that you are ready for the joys and challenges of adding a new member to your family, read on! If you have further questions, do not hesitate to call your local coordinator. Our commitment to you, and to the Greyhounds, begins right now!

WHAT IS THE ADOPTION FEE?

WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP IN ADOPTING?

First-time Make Peace Adopters:
  Download the application from our website, fill it in, scan it in, and email it to us at makepeacewithanimals@gmail.com. Send $20 to our PayPal account via the DONATE button on our website. Include a comment indicating that it is for the application you submitted.  

   Once these two steps are complete, your application will be considered active and we will send you a copy of Adopting the Racing Greyhound via Priority Mail.
   Within a few days, someone will call you to interview you and answer any questions you may have.
   If you prefer, you can still submit an application by mail.
   Download it from our website, fill it in, and mail it with a check for $20 to:
Make Peace With Animals
P.O. Box 488
New Hope, PA 18938
  As soon as we receive it, we will mail you a copy of Adopting the Racing Greyhound via Priority Mail.   
Within a week’s time, you will hear back from us regarding your application. After checking your veterinary reference, we will conduct an extensive phone interview with you during which time we will answer any questions you might have and we will learn more about you, your lifestyle and your expectations for a Greyhound. Within a few days we will advise you on whether or not your application is approved. If it is, we will begin the matching process based on the date you say you are ready. The length of time it will take to get your new friend depends on the complexity of your needs. Obviously, the more variables there are, (for example, a home with five children and five cats) the more time it will take to get you just the right dog
  Whether you apply online with PayPal, or through the mail, $550 is due at the time of adoption.
  Should your application not be approved, or if you decide to withdraw it, the $20 is not refundable. You may, however, keep your copy of the book.

HOW OUR ADOPTIONS WORK
  Typically, the way our process works is that we discuss potential candidates with the adopter. If possible, they might be able to meet the dog at a Meet and Greet, or at the foster home. Mostly, that is not possible as our foster homes are scattered far and wide and are not near the adopter's home (making a pre-adoption visit impossible), or the Meet and Greet is too far. Besides, what you glean from such a brief visit is less helpful than you might think. We make up for this by the fact that our dogs are fostered, so the foster parents can give us a very accurate picture of what a dog is like--something not possible with dogs who are kenneled.

  The only way to really know what a dog is like, is to have it in your home. We go over prospective candidates with the adopter and suggest one that we think would best suit their situation. If the adopter agrees to the choice, we arrange for the adoption.

  Of course, if when the adopter meets the dog they take an instant dislike or just don't have a good feeling about it, they are under absolutely no obligation to take the Greyhound home. If they meet the dog and feel this a reasonable choice for them, they take the Greyhound home. Once they do, we are available to coach them through the usual acclimation ups and downs. If they feel things just aren't working out, even though they have followed our suggestions and have given the adoption an earnest effort, they we will gladly take back the dog. No one is ever 'stuck' with a dog or forced to keep a dog they do not want.

  Our goal is to have everyone happy--both the adopters and the dog.