As a non-profit, charitable 501(c)(3) organization with no paid or salaried positions, we rely solely on our volunteers to accomplish our mission.  If you can help in any of the following areas, you can help the greyhounds:

Foster
Volunteer
Show and Tells
Wish List
Donations
Sponsor Us
Cars 4 Causes, United Way and other donations

When we receive the greyhounds from the track, we give them any medical care they need, their required vaccinations, and a bath. Then they are off to one of our foster homes until we find a permanent home for them. The foster parents provide the greyhounds with "doggie" training to make the transition from track to home easier for the dog and his or her new family.

Fostering means taking as little as two to three weeks to help a dog straight off the track adjust to life as a "45 MPH couch potato." Prospective adopters cleared by GPA will visit your home and your foster dog. GPA/CA OC&GLA takes first-time foster parents through the same procedure as adoptive parents since foster homes have first option at adopting their foster greyhound.

For more information on fostering, read the article on fostering, Why We Always Need New Foster Homes.

For additional information, or to volunteer as a foster family, call Joyce at (562)694-3519, or email her at gpa.ocgla@verizon.net.

Responsibilities of Foster Families

As a foster parent, you are expected to help acclimate your greyhound to life in a home. We expect you to: House train the dog. Generally this is not difficult, since your dog has been trained not to soil his crate. You need to teach him that your house is basically a huge crate. Watch him closely during the first several days, take him out at regular intervals, and praise him when he relieves himself outside.
Help him learn to cope with new things like sliding glass doors, tile floors, the television, stairs, and other animals. A greyhound needs time and help to adjust to life with slick floors and stairs. You will find a lot of advice from GPA. They are fast learners.

Your greyhound has never learned how to play, since his life as a racer was all business. Take some time to help him learn to play. I've found that the most enticing thing for such dogs is a small stuffed animal thrown in the air or tossed a few feet from them. The urge to pounce on it is almost irresistible for a greyhound.

As your greyhound adjusts to his new surroundings, his personality will begin to emerge. Take note of this so that you can help the GPA placement representative develop a profile of his personality for prospective adopters.

Around the second week GPA will make an appointment with one of the veterinarians we use to spay or neuter the greyhound.

You may wish to begin teaching the greyhound basic obedience commands. Bear in mind that many greyhounds, due to their physical structure, find sitting uncomfortable.