Hello friends. Greyhounds as Pets (GAP) would like to bring you up to date on some significant changes to our organisation. We have been working hard behind the scenes for a while and are now excited to turn the page to a new chapter in our story with an innovative operational partnership with Greyhound Racing New Zealand (GRNZ).
As you likely know, Greyhounds as Pets, a registered charity, is the independent, national greyhound adoption programme, operating out of three kennel bases outside Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. We take in retired racing greyhounds, prepare them for the transition to pet life, promote greyhound adoption, advocate for the breed, and find happy homes for these amazing, beautiful creatures.
On 1 August, 2019, GRNZ assumed operation of GAP’s primary kennel base in Levin. Our Auckland kennel space has already transitioned to a GRNZ kennel facility in Cambridge and our Christchurch kennel will transition from 1 October.
GRNZ has made a significant investment in the Levin kennel, upgrading it into a state of the art rehoming facility with greatly increased capacity and improved kennel space for each hound. Greyhounds as Pets will continue to operate from Levin, with a new front office, shop and dedicated kennel space. The new Cambridge site has increased capacity, as will Christchurch.
This new strategic arrangement is the result of GRNZ’s intention to become more significantly and actively involved in the rehoming process and to better support Greyhounds as Pets and other rehoming partners.
With the logistical responsibilities of operating a kennel network and managing the intake and care of dogs waiting for adoption having been divested to GRNZ, GAP is now able to focus entirely on promoting, managing and supporting greyhound adoption.
Now, greyhounds will continue to be assessed according to GAP’s standards and when a dog is adopted, it will continue to be a Greyhounds as Pets dog. We will continue to be an independent adoption programme, but as a more agile, marketing and customer-focused organisation, GAP is creating a new adoption programme model, unmatched in its pre- and post-adoption support. And all this means more hounds in more homes.
Thank you for supporting Greyhounds as Pets as we support our loyal, lazy and loving greyhounds, then, now and always.