Adoption Process Updates – Autumn 2025
The IGRC is currently in the process of changing its procedures for how potential adopters register their interest in adopting through the Charity. Coming into effect during Autumn/Winter 2025, the Charity will be updating its registration process, moving away from a general waiting list and instead implementing a new process which will allow homes to register their interest in specific rescue dogs. The core changes will be rolled out in the coming weeks so we ask for your patience during this transition period.
In the meantime, please follow the IGRC’s official Facebook page for further updates including details of rescue dogs who are available for adoption. If you have questions and wish to speak to our Rescue Team, please get in touch via our Contact page.
Every Italian Greyhound in our care is vet checked and assessed by one of our experienced Rescue Team so that we have a comprehensive picture of the care that the individual dog needs. This assessment forms the basis of the criteria that we apply when searching for an adoptive home for the dog. We only start the search for a home once we have that clear picture of needs.
1. Potential Adopters express their interest in a rescue
When a rescue dog has been assessed and the process of starting to find their new home can commence, the IGRC will post an update via the official IGRC Facebook page. This post will contain some details about the rescue dog, such as their age, whether they are male or female, and a brief overview of their behavioural traits, likes and dislikes. Homes which have a serious, genuine interest in adopting the rescue dog, and who are ready to take on a rescue straightaway, will be invited to contact the IGRC via a dedicated application form specific to the rescue dog up for adoption.
We use the needs identified in our assessment for each individual dog to inform our search for a suitable home. Any adopters who complete an application form for a specific rescue dog must meet our basic re-homing criteria, as well as the unique needs of the dog in question. For example, an Italian Greyhound that has not been socialised and is fearful of everything will need a quiet, calm household, possibly in a rural setting. Meanwhile, a young dog that has been well looked after and well cared for prior to coming into Rescue could go to a first-time dog owner with an active lifestyle in a more urban setting. Every dog is different.
The homes which fulfil our criteria and who register their interest in a specific dog by completing the application form will then form a shortlist of potential Adopters who the IGRC’s Rescue Coordinator can contact.
2. Contacting shortlisted homes
Our next step is to contact homes on the shortlist directly – usually by email or phone – to check the details provided on their application form and to start to assess whether a home may be suitable for the rescue dog available for adoption.
Please note, our Rescue Team is unable to acknowledge and respond to every application form – if you register your interest in adopting a specific rescue dog, if your home is considered appropriate for the rescue, our Rescue Team will contact you. Please allow a day or so for us to fully assess applications received and if you do not hear from us, this will likely be because a particular dog is not going to be suitable for you.
3. Exploratory discussion
Following the initial assessment carried out in Step 2, our Rescue Team will then have more exploratory discussions with potential adopters who may be suitable for the rescue dog. This in-depth discussion enables the potential adopters to learn more about the dog and enables the Rescue to assess in detail whether a home will be suitable.
4. Home check
When a potential Adopter is considered to be a great match for the dog, a face-to-face meeting and home-check is then carried out by one of our Rescue Volunteers, all of whom are experienced in living with and caring for Italian Greyhounds. All members of the household need to be present for this meeting.
The home check is exactly that – a check on the home to assess suitability of the Italian Greyhound that is available for adoption. This will include reviewing the physical living accommodation both indoors and outdoors, looking for potential hazards for an Italian Greyhound and assessing outdoor space for security.
Our home-check Volunteer will also make recommendations for any changes necessary to make the environment suitable for an Italian Greyhound.
We will not offer the dog into any home for adoption unless this process is completed, and we are 100% satisfied that the dog will have the best home possible for his/her needs.
5. Formal adoption
If we are satisfied that a potential home is the right home for a dog in our care we will liaise with the individuals to arrange a formal adoption. We do not insist but we strongly recommend that the Adopter provides pet insurance cover for their new dog.
The formal adoption process requires all Adopters to agree to our terms and conditions of adoption.
Adopters are also asked to pay an adoption fee which helps to cover the costs of every dog that we re-home which includes veterinary fees for any treatment required, neutering, micro-chipping, as well as transportation and general care. Our adoption fees range from £275 to £400 depending on the circumstances of the dog.
Once the formal paperwork is completed, we will arrange with the Adopter to transport the Italian Greyhound to their new home to start their new life together.
6. Follow-up & lifetime support
We keep in regular contact with Adopters once the Italian Greyhound has arrived to check that the Italian Greyhound is settling into his/her new home, and be on hand to give any advice and support that the adoptive home may need as they settle the dog into their home.
We run a formal follow-up check with the Adopter one month after adoption.
At any time, we are available to give support to the Adopter and the Italian Greyhound throughout the whole of the dog’s lifetime.