Group gives greyhounds new homes

Greyhound Pets of America-MoKan is a chapter of Greyhound Pets of America, a non-profit organization whose purpose is finding homes for greyhounds that have finished their racing careers.

In 2001 Shannon Henson, vice president of GPA-MoKan, found that there was a high number of adoptable greyhounds in the Kansas City area, so she and her colleagues felt it necessary to add a third location to their growing organization. In 2004, the addition was established in Independence and became the GPA-MoKan headquarters.

“We are a chapter of one of the largest national greyhound adoption programs in the country,” Henson said.

In just four years, the program has been able to adopt out more than 100 dogs. With all the chapters in the nation combined, the organization as a whole has been able to adopt out more than 60,000 greyhounds.

Unlike a shelter or pound, GPA-MoKan is an all-foster organization, meaning volunteers keep three or four dogs at their homes, allowing them to have constant human interaction.

“We have 17 dogs in the program right now, which is more than a typical amount. They are all in an all-foster organization across the Kansas City metro,” Henson said. “Depending on the volunteer’s house and where they live, the number of dogs they have varies.”

Greyhounds are usually placed in the adoption program between 18 months and 4 years old. Aside from their natural ability of running upward of 40 mph, greyhounds have an easy-going disposition and are intelligent, quiet and eager to please.

“They are more like cats than dogs,” Henson said. “They have similar body language, they play similarly, and they’re typically a quiet dog – sleeping about 20 hours a day.”

Henson and other volunteers who work at GPA-MoKan look for potential owners who are responsible and who will make a commitment to the dog.

“We look for a pet owner who will make a commitment to keep it on a lead and indoors,” Henson said. “We go through a lot of education with people before they adopt.”

Before a dog is adopted, a potential owner is assigned literature in an effort to ensure they understand the care and attention greyhounds demand. Such reading includes “Adopting the Racing Greyhound” or “Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies.”

If a family has children under the age of 13 living in the house, additional reading such as “Living with Kids and Dogs ... Without Losing Your Mind” is also required.

Shortly after the reading is assigned, a volunteer from the organization conducts a home visit to a potential owner’s home to make sure it is equipped with a fenced yard that will be able to accommodate such a large animal. In addition, they attempt to see that the animal will be cared for responsibly.

“By the end of the process you can tell how committed a person is,” Henson said. “When we do a home visit, we’re doing it more for educational purposes than to look for dust bunnies.”

The best way to begin the adoption process is to log on to GPA-MoKan’s Web site at gpamokan.org and fill out an application. Once the application has been submitted, volunteers from the organization will schedule a home visit and begin the education process.