Rehoming Process

This is really important.  If you haven't done so already we suggest doing some reading up on what you need to know about rehoming a greyhound.  Particularly helpful is our own 'First Steps Guide' which contains all our most up to date advice and guidance on taking a greyhound home and is really helpful both to new and experienced owners, we provide a copy of this to everyone that registers to adopt but you can request a copy if advance by calling the kennels on 01621 788315.

Alternatively, a great book to read (if a bit out dated with some of it's information e.g. relating to diet/food) is Retired Greyhounds: A guide to care and understanding by Carol Baby which is available on Amazon.

In addition to this we have leaflets and further information in the office that you are welcome to or if you have any questions you can just give us a bell and we will be happy to answer them!

The first step is to give us a ring on 01621 788315 to get registered.  This takes roughly 10-20 minutes where we go through a series of questions to establish the household and it's routine, and what you are looking for in a greyhound companion.  We prefer to do this process over the phone (instead of email or online form) so that we can really get to know you and your family, and get a good feel for what it is you want and need in a dog!  

We pride ourselves on being a responsible rehoming centre.  We put the dogs first by ensuring each one finds their perfect forever home in matching them based on their needs and personality.  Our rehoming process may be a bit more long winded than others, but we have been greatly rewarded for this personal and indepth approach in that we see very very few of our dogs returned!

As part of the registration, we will discuss the garden, children (current, potential and visiting), other pets (current and visiting), working hours, how regularly and how long the dog will be regularly left alone and other such subjects to ensure we can assure the best possible match when we find you your forever hound! 

We will consider most circumstances on their individual merit.  However, if you just gave birth to triplets a week ago or live on the 21st floor of a tower block, then we may suggest that taking on a greyhound may not be the best idea at the moment and to come back once you are in a better position to adopt!

Before you can adopt a greyhound a home check needs to be undertaken.  It's nothing too invasive, but is part of our responsibilities as a re-homing centre to make sure that our dogs are going to safe, appropriate environments for their individual needs.

The home checks are carried out by our volunteers, all of whom are greyhound owners themselves!  The volunteer will come with a check list to go through by looking around the house and garden.  It is a fairly quick affair, don't worry!  The main points we are looking at is how secure is the garden, is there enough space in the home for a greyhound, where will the greyhound have access to, where will they sleep and other things like that! Our home checkers have a lot of experience with greyhounds and can sometimes spot something you may not have considered.

When the volunteers we like to see all members of the family if possible, but we appreciate this isn't always convenient.  And while we are entirely flexible in homing into a variety of situations including flats, or other homes without gardens, there are a couple hard rules we follow!  To adopt one of our dogs, you must be over 18 years old, not be banned from keeping animals or refused from other rescues and, if appropriate, have permission from your landlord.

By this point you will have read the First Steps Guide and done a bit of reading, but the volunteers are always happy to share their insights into what it is like to be a greyhound owner...sorry, we meant greyhound servant!  Once the volunteer has completed their check they will then forward all the forms onto us here at the Centre and we will give you a ring to discuss it, give advice on securing the garden or any other adjustments (if necessary!) and answer any other burning questions. 

All of our dogs are assessed with a small dog to see how open they are to socialising and training with other breeds of dog out in the great wide world.  It also gives us a greater understanding of what level of experience each dog needs in their forever home.  As a whole, the greyhounds all get along with the small dog very well and go onto adoption without a hitch.  Some others need a little bit of help figuring out what on earth this tiny creature is, so we work to socialise them before putting them up for adoption.

It is very important to us that you have the right greyhound to suit your home, the team at Clarks Farm have a very good idea about the temperament and nature of all the dogs so you should be guided by their advice on the most appropriate greyhound for your circumstances.   

The team will 'match' you with who they believe is the best fit for your home and family and invite you up to see them.  When you visit the kennels, you and your 'match' will be sent out on a walk and then be given to spend some time together, ask questions and get their history.  Although we like to think we generally get it right first time (not to jinx it or anything!), should they not quite fit what youre looking for, we always tend to have a back up option available for for you to see!  Or failing that, we'll ask for feedback so to make sure the next time we invite you down, it is the absolute perfect match!

It's important not to be too hasty in making your mind up and be prepared to visit the kennels on a few occasions to make sure the one you have chosen is the right fit for your home but also to build a bond with the dog prior to adoption to make the transition smoother.  Also choosing the right hound is particularly important if you have specific requirements, as in a weeks' time you might not be so thrilled with your dog you have picked if you wanted a small, quiet, older dog but instead came home with a large, boisterous 18 month old puppy!

If you already have another dog bring it to the kennels with you and let them choose your new greyhound as it will be most important that they get on with the newcomer!

Whatever you decide give us a call and have a chat!

Once you have fallen in love with a greyhound you can put a Provisional Reservation on it.  This is a verbal agreement, no deposit needed, in which the dog cannot be viewed by any other prospective adopters for 7 days.  This period is important to ensure that you have time to think, discuss as a family and be sure you have made the right decision and prepare for taking your dog home.

Once the 7 days has ended, if you have not contacted us to finalise the Reservation the dog will then be available to be viewed by other adopters.  If you do finalise the Reservation the reserve will be held in place until adoption day.  

At any point during this period you can cancel the reservation but please notify us as soon as possible should this be your decision so that a dog does not miss out on it's forever home.

During the reservation period you can visit to walk your dog as often as you like, by appointment only, to build up the trust and your relationship.  This will make the transition into the home much smoother and is very beneficial to the dog.

The day you take your greyhound home is very exciting and overwhelming but we are here to support you every step of the way.  Once you've chosen your greyhound it is not as simple as taking it home the same day!  We don't want anyone rushing into taking a dog home without having a proper think about it! 

We will ask you to go home, have a think and a family discussion to ensure you have made the right decision and to prepare for your new arrival before booking an adoption date.  

Although if your chosen hound is not neutered yet you won't be able to take your hound home until a minimum of 7 days post neutering to ensure they are healing well from their surgery.  Once your hound is neutered and ready to go you can arrange a date to adopt them.

On adoption day you will be provided a collar, lead and muzzle set, 5 weeks free pet insurance by Agria and we'll transfer the microchip into your name there and then with PETtrac! You'll also get a copy of all the important paperwork such as their vaccination card etc!  If you need anything else such as coats or food to get you started, these can be bought seperately here at Clarks Farm on the day.

Did you know the average cost of getting a greyhound in to the day it is rehomed is well over £500?  This consists of neutering, parasite treatment, vaccinations, the costs of kenneling including their food and grooming and socialisation trips to the park. 

We ask a minimum donation of £250 for each adoption to help towards our costs to care for the greyhounds at Clarks Farm.  This includes a lead, collar and muzzle set, microchip transfer into your name on the day with PetTrac and lifetime support from us at the Centre.  You can ring us no matter what should you need help or advice.  Your hound will be neutered, up to date on vaccinations and parasite treatment and is always welcome back for boarding should you ever go on holiday.

At any time post adoption, you can contact us to answer any questions you may have. Often a quick  email or phone call can answer any problems you may be having.

One week post adoption we will give you a bell just to see how things are progressing and to arrange a one-month post adoption appointment at the kennels to have a catch up, provide a health/weight check and nail trim to the dog and have a chat about any problems that may have arisen that you would like some advice on.

Additionally we have a closed facebook group called 'Clarks Farm Greyhound Owner Group' which you can share pictures and stories of your adopted hound and also ask questions.  You will have the infinite wisdom of all our owners as well as the Clarks Farm staff and some of the racing trainers to help you.  We love to see how the dogs are doing once they've been adopted so please consider joining...if only to post happy greyhound photos!