‘You will never find a more loyal companion’

GAP’s primary base of operation is in Seymour, where a number of cute and quirky pups are awaiting adoption; however, it has also opened a site in Tullamarine, which has furthered the reach of the program.

Operations co-ordinator Leah Brookes said “welfare is paramount” at GAP, and that value had been sacred since the program’s inception.

“It was about rehoming retired greyhounds and spreading the word on just how fantastic a pet they make,” Leah said, reflecting on how GAP began.

If anyone knows the ins and outs of greyhounds, it’s Leah, who not only has been working for GAP for eight years, and “probably will be here for another 80 more”, but has also been the devoted owner of multiple greyhounds herself.

Leah said she hoped people who had little to no experience of the breed would shake their false judgments and see how loving and gentle the dogs really were.

“People have a misconception of what they’re like as a pet,” Leah said.

“They’re funny, they’re quirky, they have their unique little personality traits that are breed specific.

“For me, it’s about educating each individual on just how great they are.”

Since GAP’s founding, upwards of 19,000 dogs have gone through the program, thousands of which have been during Leah’s eight years.

Over her time at GAP, Leah has been witness to or personally dealt with some of the amazing outcomes to emerge from the program.

One of which, in her opinion, is the story of their previous poster child, Trev.

“I think, for me, the biggest success story we’ve ever seen is Trev, our GAP dog,” Leah said.

“He just won the hearts of absolutely everyone and we knew he was something amazing.”

Trev quickly decided that his forever home would be with Leah and that “he would only come here [GAP] during work hours”.

After years of being the face of GAP, Trev passed away having been loved by many.

“With Trev, because he was the mascot, most people would come in and take him for a walk, or they’d know him from social media,” Leah said.

“He was kind of a bridge for people’s apprehension to getting a greyhound.

“I saw the way that he changed people’s perception of greyhounds and how it wasn’t a hard thing for them to melt into their life.”

The adoption process is a simple one at GAP.

Dedicated staff will first assess the temperament of each greyhound in order to be able to appropriately match them to potential households.

“It’s really easy, the adoption team are great at asking questions and figuring out what dog is going to be the best fit for you,” Leah said.

Aside from adopting or fostering, community members can also get involved with GAP by volunteering or even just by being a presence at events.

Leah encourages anyone who may not have much knowledge of greyhounds to change their preconceived perceptions.

“You will never find a more loyal companion, ever,” Leah said.

For more information, head to GAP’s Facebook Page, or its website at gap.grv.org.au