SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — When Sarah Gillis and Corey Miller entered the dog kennel, they knew they’d be leaving with a forever friend.
Crates lined the walls and dozens of eyes turned their way — greyhounds waiting for adoption.
Their names hung on the door along with special notes. The first crate the kennel worker opened said “Herky Jerky, not cat-safe.”
“The second they let him out of his crate, he ran right over to me and was stuck to my side basically the whole time we were there," Gillis said. "It wasn’t even a decision really, he kind of picked us."
Herky Jerky, now known as Nash, is recently retired from an American race track. Gillis and Miller adopted him from Greyhound Pets of Atlantic Canada (GPAC) in Nova Scotia.
The Upper Musquodoboit-based kennel has been re-homing retired racers for over 25 years, but the breed will be more difficult to adopt in the years to come.
Most of the greyhounds that come to Canada are from tracks in Florida, but the state will ban dog racing by 2021.
Mary MacDonald is the branch representative for GPAC on P.E.I. and has two greyhounds, Bailey and Pogo.
“I was hooked once I adopted Bailey,” said MacDonald.
She began volunteering for GPAC after that and, in the six years since, has helped 70 greyhounds find homes on P.E.I.
MacDonald conducts home visits, takes in applications, helps new dog owners with the transition to pet life and organizes fundraising events.
She has admired the breed since she saw them racing in Florida years ago.
“Racing greyhounds are unique for sure,” she said.
Florida has 11 race tracks representing the majority of the tracks in the U.S. This means there won’t be many dogs retiring because there won’t be as many dogs in training.
“We feel bad people are losing their livelihoods," MacDonald said. "It’s kind of sad all around.”
GPAC is in favour of greyhound racing —it has a good rapport with the tracks it deals with and knows the animals are treated with care.
There will still be dogs available, but MacDonald cautions there might be a wait.
Gillis and Miller were glad to get their pup in about six weeks.
Gillis had been considering a dog for some time when she discovered greyhounds. She knew she didn’t want a puppy.
“I just wanted to adopt a dog that was already here that needed a home," she said. “After looking at (GPAC) and hearing about them I was stuck with them. I couldn’t get anything else but a greyhound.”
Gillis started reading up on the breed and soon enough she and Miller decided to adopt one.
“Corey actually filled out the application form,” she said. “It was a Christmas gift for me.”
After the application was accepted, a GPAC representative made a home visit to let the couple meet a greyhound. After that, there was some training required and then Miller and Gillis waited for a match.
“We went to the kennel and had the choice of two dogs,” said Gillis. “(Nash) was the one they took out first to show to us.”
The transition to house pet has gone fairly smoothly.
“Even though they’re large dogs they’re so easy to look after," Gillis said. "They’re very lazy. Once they get their daily exercise in, really all they want to do is lay around.”