Adoption Process

Thank you for expressing interest in Greyhound Pets of America/ Emerald Coast.  We are a fully volunteer-operated chapter of Greyhound Pets of America, a national-level non-profit organization dedicated to finding homes for retired racing Greyhounds. GPAEC is located in the Florida Panhandle region, specifically in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay Counties in Florida and in the Dothan, Alabama area. Additionally, we work to supply retired racers to other adoption groups in states that do not have a ready source of Greyhounds. We do not offer adoption services directly to residents of any other state.

Most of us work full-time in addition to our work with the Greyhounds, so please forgive us if we are not always available at the moment you call.  Please leave us a message or email us and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

The most common question asked is “How much does it cost to adopt a greyhound? Our fee is $200 and is a reimbursement of expenses related to preparing the Greyhounds for their “forever homes”. Such expenses include veterinary expenses for spaying or neutering, dental cleaning, general physical exams, and required vaccinations.

The first step in the adoption process is to submit an application with a $25 deposit toward the adoption fee. But before you do so, please carefully read the "Adoption Requirements" section which identifies the qualifications adopters must meet to successfully complete the adoption process.  After your application is submitted to us, you can expect a phone call from a volunteer adoption coordinator in your area to discuss the adoption process, the information you provide on your application, and offer you additional information about ex-racing greyhounds.

Some people may feel that this is a lot to go through, but we believe that adopting a Greyhound is a major commitment and adjustment. We care about each and every Greyhound, and only want them to go into homes where both they and their new owners will be happy.

Now, if you’re ready to race into the wonderful world of Greyhound adoption, click here to complete and submit an application to begin the process. Thank you for caring enough to help us place these outstanding pets in loving homes!

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Adoption Requirements

Our Board of Directors has established a few basic requirements all potential adopters must meet. Our adoption coordinators cannot make exceptions to these few common sense rules:

1. Adopters must be adults over the age of 18.

2. All adults in the household must agree to adopting a Greyhound.

3. Adopters who do not own their home must have the written permission of their landlord to house a Greyhound.

4. We will not place a Greyhound in a home with children under the age of 4 years.

5. We require all adopters provide recent veterinary and/or personal references. Our adoption coordinators use this information in conducting a “background” check to ensure the applicants are responsible pet owners.

6. Adopters must obtain and read the book, “Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies”, by Lee Livingood, which has a wealth of information about the unique nature of retired racers.