Greyhound Retirement Scheme

A greyhound’s racing career is only one chapter in its life.

Whilst greyhounds enjoy impressive athletic careers on the track, in retirement they love nothing more than lazing around on the sofa in a caring and responsible forever home.

As part of our Greyhound Commitment, we have pledged that, wherever possible, every greyhound leaving racing should enjoy a long and happy retirement. The Greyhound Retirement Scheme (GRS), which was launched in September 2020, seeks to meet this pledge by ensuring the financial costs of homing a greyhound are met before their racing career even begins.

Please scroll down for answers to frequently asked questions or contact grs@gbgb.org.uk.

How the scheme works

When an owner registers their greyhound with GBGB, they are required to pay a £210 GRS payment in addition to the GBGB registration fee.  Without this payment, their greyhound is not allowed to trial or race.

This GRS contribution is kept securely by GBGB during the greyhound’s racing career.  It is then matched and released by GBGB once the greyhound enters a GRS-approved homing centre.

This £420 bond is used to cover costs associated with a greyhound’s stay in the homing centre until a forever home can be found.

This means that the financial costs of a greyhound’s retirement are covered before they even step foot on the track.

FAQs

What homing costs does the GRS cover?

The costs associated with homing a retired greyhound vary depending on the homing centre or charity.  The GRS Bond goes towards the costs of kennelling, feeding and caring for the greyhound during its stay at the homing centre or charity, until a home is found.

It does not cover any veterinary costs associated with homing the greyhound entering the centre or charity i.e. any neutering or dental work which may be required.

At what point does GBGB release the bond?

Owners are required to complete a Green Retirement Form and submit it to GBGB pursuant to Rule 18 of the GBGB Rules of Racing.  On receipt of a correctly completed Green Retirement Form, GBGB contacts the homing centre listed to confirm that the greyhound is with them and arranges for the GRS Bond of £420 to be transferred to their bank account.

Where is the GRS bond kept until needed?

The owner’s contribution is kept in a separate bank account set up by GBGB.  Any interest accrued is used by GBGB to fund their contributions to the GRS.

How do homing centres become approved?

To become GBGB approved, homing centres need to demonstrate their:

  • Homing policy
  • Returns and euthanasia policy
  • Suitable kennel size, bed, bedding material, cleaning and disinfectant policy
  • Daily exercise routine
  • Environmental enrichment
  • Food diet, preparation and food storage facility
  • Sufficient monitoring practice of behaviour, health and welfare
  • Veterinary healthcare practice linked to the rehoming centre
  • Suitable temperature and weather condition control
  • Emergency plan/Isolation facility
  • Kennel security arrangements

A full list of approved homing centres is available here.

How can I help speed up the homing process?

Those greyhounds that have been prepared for life as a pet will inevitably be homed more quickly than those that have not.  Homes are very different to kennel environments so the more work an owner or trainer puts into preparing for the change from kennel to sofa, the easier that transition will be, and the quicker it will be to find a suitable home.

Ensuring a retired greyhound has experience of basic recall and has some experience of things it may not have encountered in kennels, but will encounter in a general household e.g. TV, washing machine, hoover, stairs, will greatly assist.

Having your greyhound neutered prior to it going to a GBGB approved homing partner will also speed up the homing process.

Can owners keep their greyhounds as pets and receive the GRS bond?

Many owners build a close bond with their greyhound and wish to keep them as a pet upon retirement.  In this case, the owner receives their £210 contribution once GBGB has received a correctly completed Green Retirement Form and a receipted veterinary invoice confirming the greyhound has been neutered and received any necessary dental work.

Likewise, an owner or trainer may choose to home their greyhound privately and not through a homing centre.  To do this, owners are required to satisfactorily complete the Green Retirement Form and provide a receipted veterinary invoice confirming the greyhound has been neutered and received any dental work.  GBGB will then contact the new owner to confirm that the greyhound is with them.

In both cases, GBGB does not provide its £210 contribution.