Greyhound Racing NSW has recently finalised rehoming numbers for the 2020-21 financial year reporting period, and for the third successive year, a new standard has been set.

In 2020-21, GRNSW assisted in rehoming 1880 greyhounds. The record was achieved through GRNSW's pathways of Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) adoption centres, Regional GAP programs, Homing Assistance schemes that provide financial assistance to greyhound owners to rehome within the industry, and through assisting other rehoming organisations to transition greyhounds from the racing industry into life as a pet.

The total of 1880 rehomed greyhounds is an increase of 41 percent on the previous year's record of 1337 rehomed greyhounds, and up more than 150 percent on the 729 reported in 2018-19, which again was an industry benchmark at the time.

"This is another significant result for all of our industry's rehoming initiatives, and these numbers are exactly what we want to see," GRNSW Chief Executive Officer Tony Mestrov said.

"We have seen substantial increases across the board in our rehoming programs, and it's a testament to the hard work of all in each of those programs, and it shows that what we have in place is working for our greyhounds post their racing careers, and also for those that do not race.

"We know this is an ongoing process, and while it's not about breaking or setting records, we want to see that number of dogs rehomed go up each year. It is a joint mission for our industry to succeed for our animals."

The success of GAP's regional programs continued in the past year, increasing from 155 greyhounds being rehomed through regional pathways in 2019-20 to 220 greyhounds in 2020-21.

Rehoming through the more traditional way of GAP's adoption centres also jumped more than 50 percent with a total of 521 greyhounds successfully rehomed through the GAP centres at Wyee on the Central Coast, and Londonderry in Sydney's West, an increase from 342 greyhounds the previous year.

Despite various restrictions around COVID-19, GAP staff were able to hold eight adoption days across NSW during the year, with National Adoption Day in April at the Entertainment Quarter of Sydney's Moore Park, the most successful, where new homes were found for 31 greyhounds. GAP embraced the new way of doing things online and, across two online adoption days, 41 virtual meet and greets were held, and 40 greyhounds were found new homes.

This article was produced as part of an ACM partnership with Greyhound Racing NSW.