A chance to get up-close, pat and chat about the iconic ‘long dogs’ is on in Bethlehem tomorrow, with local Greyhounds as Pets (GAP) volunteers on a mission to raise awareness about the need to up adoptions.

GAP’s Greyhound Pat & Chat at Décor Gardenworld, from 2pm-4pm, on July 19, will be a relaxed afternoon with at least four dogs present to cuddle, and volunteers present to answer questions, get to know the gentle-hearted breed and talk on adoption.

GAP events and volunteer coordinator Dawn Glover said the event was to raise awareness of the breed in Tauranga and get people meeting greyhounds.

“What we find is we’ll have an event and many people will comment: ‘Oh, I’ve never met one in real life’. I think for many, they’re a dog that exists on screen.

“As a rehoming agency that’s focused on helping them become pets we want to turn the narrative around to show what amazing dogs they are, and to do quite a bit of myth-busting at these events.

“For instance, many say: ‘Oh, I couldn’t have a greyhound – they require too much exercise. Well, your average greyhound sleeps 18 hours a day and is happy with a 30-minute walk. They actually love lounging around.”

Local GAP volunteers Lauren Kramer and mother-in-law Sandy Henderson will be at Décor Gardenworld tomorrow with Maus and Marcel. Photo / Brydie Thompson

Glover said multiple greyhound rehoming agencies exist in New Zealand but GAP is the largest and oldest. “We’re coming up 19 years of rehoming greyhounds, and in that time we’ve rehomed around 4500 dogs; and we’ve always got 30-50 on our books.”

Last December, Racing Minister Winston Peters announced greyhound racing in New Zealand would be banned from July 31, 2026. However, in May, Greyhound Racing NZ (GRNZ) applied for a judicial review of the decision.

Glover said with ban slated for 12 months’ time – if the GRNZ’s judicial review doesn’t overturn the ban – GAP expected the number of dogs needing homes to dramatically increase.

“Unfortunately the reporting we get on what we should expect numbers-wise varies depending on what group you talk to – but anywhere between 1500 and 3000 dogs will come in once that ban takes effect on top of the existing population.”

The existing population of dogs needing homes is unknown due to multiple independent agencies operating, said Glover.

In Tauranga, Glover said GAP’s visibility had waned – but local volunteers Sandy Henderson and daughter-in-law Lauren Kramer were trying to change that.

“There are definitely greyhounds in Tauranga. I think there was a pop [of adoptions] a few years back, but those greyhounds have gotten older, their owners have gotten older and they’re maybe not getting out and about as much.”

“Sandy and Lauren, who has the wonderful Marcel, are keen to see more greyhounds find homes in Tauranga, as I am. When I visited two years ago, I thought Tauranga would be a great place for greyhounds,” Auckland-based Glover said.

“I mean, there’s even a greyhound among your Hairy Maclary statues!”

Tauranga’s large senior population make it a place for GAP to up their profile.

“Greyhounds are really good for older folks. When looking at getting a dog for a companion, I’ve heard greyhounds are often recommended [to seniors] because, yes, they’re lazy, but they’re also gentle giants,” Glover said.

“Most walk beautifully on the lead and are less likely to pull somebody over than other large breeds– so we recommend them highly to folks in the retirement period of their life.”

The quiet breed made them excellent dogs for apartment-dwellers too. “Most don’t bark or make a lot of noise and in general they don’t shed much fur.”

Maus and Marcel are both greyhounds which found homes via Greyhounds As Pets. Photo / Brydie Thompson

Greyhounds also win people over by being people-focused “they really attached to their humans” but not overtly needy, said Glover.

“Like someone said the other day: ‘They’re like having a really easy-going and polite roommate’. They don’t pressure you for attention in the way that some other breeds might, but that being said, they’re incredibly affectionate.”

Glover said people do need to realise they’d be adopting an older dog – and if straight from the racing industry’s farm kennels it would need some training.

“Some might need teaching about not walking on to the road while on lead; some have to be taught how to use stairs… But other than that you’ve got these very polite adult dogs and you’re not dealing with the puppy phase.”

Tauranga greyhound owner Lauren Kramer, who will be at tomorrow’s event with her dog Marcel, didn’t even know adopting a greyhound was possible until her partner Wayne Merriman told her about four years ago. She then found the GAP website and looked at adoptee profiles. “The more I looked into it, the more I thought ‘this could actually work for us’.”

It was love at first sight with Marcel; Kramer said adopting him was “the best thing I’ve ever done”.

“Even if you’re not looking for a dog right now, or you just want to know more about greyhounds, that’s the whole point of this event,” she Kramer. “It’s just about getting the word out there that: yes, greyhound adoption is a thing, and they do make fabulous pets!”

GAP’s Greyhound Pat & Chat at Décor Gardenworld is 2pm-4pm tomorrow, July 19.

To learn more about greyhound adoption, visit: greyhoundsaspets.org.nz