Adopting Happiness : Megs and Claire

There were still a few questions that Claire Affleck needed answered, but she was just going along to the Greyhounds As Pets Adoption Day “to take a look”.

It was clearly a good look, because by the end of the day, Megs was settling into her new home with Claire and her family.

“My daughter is scared of dogs, and we live in an apartment,” Claire said. “I’d been told that greyhounds were very calm pets, which my daughter needed, so I got in touch with the Greyhounds As Pets team and explained my circumstances.

“They took our details, and we spoke about what kind of dog we needed, and they suggested we should go to the Adoption Day at Burwood, check out the dogs and see what we thought. 

“Because we are in an apartment I was concerned about the size, but the GAP team said to go and check out the size, see what you think, and you can get a sense of their personalities.

“We really didn't think we'd take a dog home, we were just going to take a look, but, we took a dog home.”

That was Megs, who on her birthday, had come along to the day with her owner, greyhound trainer Mark Williams.

Many adoption days now not only see greyhounds from GAP facilities attend, but trainers bring along their pet-prepped greyhounds ready for a new home.

“I think it’s a great idea for trainers to take their pet-prepped dogs along to these days,” Mark said. “I call GAP regularly to see how things are going, and they told me about the day at Burwood.“

“We took Megs along and my daughter Jasmine spent time with Claire’s family, explaining everything, and they decided to adopt her. And it’s worked out so well.”

Claire said the process of meeting Mark and his family was advantageous as they knew Megs so well and were able to pass on any traits or quirks she may have had.

“They had a true connection with Megs,” Claire said. “I know there is a sense that the trainers don't treat their dogs well and they don't care about their dogs, and they just farm them off when they’re finished racing, but that wasn’t the case.”

“Mark and his family had had Megs for a little while as a pet, you could see they cared about her, and she was really part of their family. That was really lovely.”

“We were a bit lucky to get Megs. There was another couple who were actually doing the paperwork to adopt her and we thought, “oh well she's not ours, she's gone to someone else.” But then they got cold feet sort of halfway through the paperwork for some reason.”

“Mark’s daughter came up to us and asked if we were still interested because the couple had changed their minds, and their loss has turned into our gain. It was so wonderful to learn that it was Meg's birthday, and we hope that we have given her the best birthday present ever"

Claire says that Megs has settled in very well to her new home and surroundings and is being smothered with love and attention by eight-year-old Barney and five-year-old Roma whose fear of dogs is being soothed by Megs.

“There's another greyhound in our apartment building, and there's another one down the road. When you go for a walk, you’re asked: “oh, what's your greyhound all about?” It’s a great community,” Claire explained. 

“I’m now trying to tell everyone, that while I don't know anything about dogs, I think that greyhounds are pretty great.”

When you adopt a Greyhound you become part of a very special community.

The GAP team conducted another two successful dog adoption days last weekend, one in the Southern Highlands at Bong Bong and the other at Katoomba. In total 21 greyhounds found their forever homes.

To celebrate International Day of Happiness and to represent the joy that adopting a Greyhound brings to both hounds and homes, GAP will be hosting a number of adoption events around the State and in Canberra. For all the details hit the ‘Events’ tab on the GAP website, or click here.

If you're planning on attending an event, don't forget to register for the Dogalogue in the specific event page, you'll receive all the details of all the dogs that will be attending, and hoping to be find their forever homes.

If you would like to give a gentle loving Greyhound their forever home, take a look at the Greyhounds available for adoption in your area by clicking here, and apply to adopt a Greyhound here.