John A. Hern Jr. founded Greyhound Pets, Inc. in 1985.
John was a Coeur D'Alene, Idaho businessman who built a foundry business and owned Industrial Park real estate. Among John's many and varied interests, he held greyt admiration for ex-racing greyhounds and became committed to their care and welfare. As the greyhound racetrack opened in Coeur D'Alene John started a small side business providing feed and racing equipment to track kennels. He demonstrated his commitment to the dogs by being instrumental in building a track sponsored Greyhound Welfare Committee that reviewed track and kennel policies.
John's first greyhounds were Roo and Babe, the two greyhounds featured in the GPI logo.
John adopted several greyhounds after Roo and Babe. Ace was one of his favorites and was the subject of many of John's stories. John was the executive director of Greyhound Pets, Inc. for many years and oversaw expansion to include the Pacific Northwest and Southwestern Canada. John's generous bequest to the organization he founded has provided for GPI's continued prominence in the ex-racing greyhound rescue effort. The volunteers who continue in the efforts John began, honor his colorful leadership in finding homes for ex-racers.
John is remembered and his love for ex-racing greyhounds honored in the Hern Greyt Works, GPI's kennel facility in Woodinville, WA.
Mission and Vision
Greyhound Pets, Inc. is a section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, dedicated to the welfare of greyhounds and greyhound mixes, serving the Pacific Northwest and Southwestern Canada. We work to find responsible, loving homes for the dogs in our care. Through the efforts of our valued volunteers and benefactors, we provide loving support and veterinary services to the dogs directly in our care and ongoing resources and education for our adoptive families and the public.
Specialization
Adoption Policy
Greyhound Pets, Inc. always represents the dog's interests and will not place a dog in a risky or compromising situation. If you are unable to agree with our requirements, please consider another breed or whether a dog is right for your family.Household agreementAll adults in the household must agree to the adoption.Living and safety conditionsThe dog must:Live inside the home, not outside.Be kept solely as an inside house pet, and not used for racing, hunting, or researchNever be staked, tied up, or chained to any structure.Wear at all times a martingale collar bearing a Greyhound Pets, Inc. ID tag, an owner ID tag, and a local pet license tag.Be kept in good health and at proper weight and fitness.Receive regular health care, including at least an annual veterinarian examination, current vaccinations, teeth cleaning, and intestinal parasite tests.Some Considerations:It can take several weeks or months (sometimes up to three months) for a dog to adjust to its new home.Other pets in your home and their compatibility with other animalsGreyhounds want to be with you they do not do well being separated from their human companions.Time you are away from home. If you are gone long hours (10+) during the day, a greyhound is not for you.Securely Fenced YardIf you live in a single-family home or property with a yard, then your yard must be securely fenced to protect your dog when it goes outside to exercise and relieve itself. Your home visit representative will work with you to determine if your fence is safe for a greyhound.The fence requirements are:Minimum height is 5 feet.Electric, invisible, or barbed wire fences are not acceptable.All gates must be secure.A door to your house must open into the securely fenced area.Your fence must be in good repair, with no missing parts or boards.Certain types of fencing are not acceptable because a greyhound can slip through them, or they are unsafe for greyhounds.There should be no obstacles near the fence that a greyhound could use as a jumping point to get over the fence
https://greyhoundpetsinc.org/adopt/available-dogs/
Testimonials
See all testimonials"After I adopted my retired racers from GPI, I decided to volunteer there as a thank you. I found that the organization is even better than I thought! Each dog is treated as an individual, with specific notes on their kennel. They are loved dearly and cared for by all of the staff and many volunteers. The dogs receive not just veterinary care, but when necessary, rehab care. Plus special diets, meds, and special treats (including the dogs’ preference!) And their trainers are top notch. I cannot recommend this adoption center highly enough!"
— megan m.
Adoptee, Volunteer / foster, Supporter, Fan
"I volunteered at different rescues and can honestly say that Greyhound Pets Inc is one of the best experiences I've ever had. To start, the dogs are so well cared for and well loved. Every single staff member or volunteer has a deep rooted interest in helping these dogs learn new skills and get ready for their forever home. Dogs come from all over the world to Greyhound Pets Inc—with many different experiences that have shaped them. Every dog is different and has different needs, and everyone at Greyhound Pets Inc provides the singular and unique care that's right for each dog. There's such a strong focus on providing these dogs the enrichment they need while they wait for their people to find them. Daily, every dog gets time with volunteers and staff alike to be loved on and play. And there's so many additional opportunities throughout the week. for them to get walks or have hangout time to play and do enrichment activities. The other special and unique thing about Greyhound Pets Inc is the volunteer training program which I am part of. A licensed and certified trainer is on site almost everyday, and we volunteers get to work with the dogs who need a bit more support on their journey—whether that's leash walking skills, confidence building skills, learning how to meet new people, and anything in between. We set specific goals for each dog and focus on leveling them up to be the best they can be. We take detailed notes/videos and those are shared so that adopters know the exact training plans, cues, and support these dogs need as they transition to their forever home. It's incredibly special, powerful, and beautiful to watch some of the less confident or unique needs dogs learn to shine and thrive through this program.
Greyhound Pets Inc. not only saves the lives of so many sighthounds and sighthound mixes, but candidly, has also saved my life. After I had just moved to Washington and my previous Greyhound passed unexpectedly, I needed somewhere where I could give love to dogs and build community while I navigated my grief. This community of people is simply amazing. And as a result of my volunteer time here, my next dog found me and now we happily have a senior Greyhound mix living out his best years with us.
Thank you to everyone at Greyhound Pets Inc for loving these dogs with your whole hearts and for providing a community for so many dog lovers to come together and focus on the most important thing: giving greyt dogs the chance at forever being loved, cherished, and happy."
— sapphire r.
Adoptee, Volunteer / foster
"GPI takes great care of their dogs and makes sure to give ample info about each dog so you can pick the best match for your household. We adopted from them this past summer and absolutely loved the experience. They lets us meet 7 dogs before we settled on our sweet boy."
— jennifer s.
Adoptee
"If it wasn't for GPI, we would have never found our sweet shy whippet. He was exactly what our family needed as a first dog and the whole process was so easy and fun! Great adoption counselors and everything they knew about him proved to be true in terms of his temperament and social skills. We can't imagine our life without him."
— courtney j.
Adoptee
"Greyhound Pets Inc is wonderful. I have gotten 3 dogs from them. It is staffed by very dedicated volunteers, they have a beautiful facility and get to know the dogs well so good matches can be made with adopters. They are so well organized and take greyhounds and mixes from all over the world. They couldn't be better"
— ruth v.
Adoptee
"Greyhound Pets Inc. rescues all types of sighthounds and dogs who are perhaps sighthound mixes. Many of the dogs come from extremely difficult situations-Korean dog meat survivors, tribal desert dogs from the Middle East, and of course dogs from American greyhound racing tracks. The care and dedication given to these dogs while in GPI's care is wonderful. The adoption process is also extraordinary. Potential adopters are well vetted, home checks are a must, and the rescue provides a lot of follow-up and continuing adoptee support. These steps all combine to ensure their dogs go to great homes."
— margaret s.
Adoptee, Volunteer / foster, Supporter, Fan
"A trusted rescue group that is here for the long haul! Greyhound adopters are carefully vetted and all hounds must be returned to GPI if the owners are no longer able to care for
their greyhound…."
— joanne z.
Supporter
"Our whippet mix had passed away a few years ago and I wanted to find a similar dog - Whippet mix. When looking online Greyhound Pers, inc. had a few so we made an appointment, showed up as a family, and were introduced to a few dogs with one as a potential new family member. So we went home with a part Whippet, Olive, on a trial basis. During those few weeks someone on staff would text or email to checkup on our family every few days. They even offered a discount on a trainer to come help us if need be. Well Olive didn’t work out. We tried again five months later and ended up taking home a rescue found out on the Olympic Peninsula that displayed greyhound traits. So a bigger dog, a beautiful brown eyed brindle colored dog. Again for a trial basis, but this time Reny was a keeper. Greyhound Pets, Inc. made it so easy for the adoption part but they were, understandably, thorough. Before being considered for adoption, for instance, we had to have a video meeting for them to check out the property inside and out to ensure it was safe and suitable for a greyhound sized dog. Then when we finally went to adopt Reny, they gave us food, supplements, a coat, a dog bed, vaccination papers, behavioral observation papers, etc. Reny even got to choose a toy from the toy box to take with him. A few months later we got a doggy DNA back and though Reny is 68 lbs., it turns out we got our part whippet afterall thanks to Greyhound Pets, inc."
— michelle z.
Adoptee
"Greyhound Pers Inc cares for the dogs."
— seungmie l.
Supporter
"GPI takes the time to really learn about your lifestyle and match a dog to your needs. They carefully screen the dogs they prepare for adoption: spay/neuter, shots, vet exam & small dog/cat testing. Cleanliness in the kennel
Is paramount; their follow up support after adoption is excellent. You’re never alone if you have questions. A very caring, reputable organization. Thank you for my sweet girl Bee, GPI!"
— emily r.
Adoptee
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