The short answer
You can adopt an Italian Greyhound in Melbourne, though purebreds are uncommon in rescue, so set alerts across the main Victorian rescues and be patient. Adoption runs about $350 to $700 for an adult and $500 to $900 for a puppy, all-inclusive, against well into the thousands from a breeder, and the breed is not restricted in Victoria. The honest part is the care: this is a tiny, fine-boned, sensitive dog that feels the cold, needs gentle handling to protect its legs, and needs good dental care and a calm home, so it is often not the best fit with boisterous young children. Give it that and a rescue Iggy is a devoted, affectionate companion.
Why Italian Greyhounds reach Melbourne rescue
A purebred Italian Greyhound is uncommon in rescue, but a steady few reach Victorian rescue along with Iggy crosses, usually because of the owner's circumstances or expectations rather than the dog.
A sensitive, delicate dog. The Iggy is tiny, timid with the wrong handling and physically fragile, and owners who did not plan for the gentle care it needs, or whose home turned out too busy or boisterous, sometimes give the dog up.
House-training and health costs. Toilet training can be slow with the breed, and dental disease and the risk of leg fractures bring vet bills, which an unprepared owner can struggle with.
Backyard breeding. The elegant look and high breeder price make Iggies a target for backyard breeding, often without health screening, and rescues take in surrendered or ex-breeding dogs that, in the right home, become loving pets.
Where to adopt an Italian Greyhound in Melbourne
Because a purebred Iggy is uncommon in general rescue, a wide alert net is the key. Set listing alerts on every rescue you would consider, and stay open to an Italian Greyhound cross. For a fuller directory, see our list of Melbourne rescues and shelters.
1. RSPCA Victoria
The state body runs adoption centres at Burwood East and RSPCA Peninsula at Pearcedale. A broad intake means a small sighthound or Iggy cross comes through from time to time, and every adoption includes desexing, vaccination, microchipping and a vet workup. Apply at rspcavic.org.
2. The Lost Dogs' Home
Melbourne's long-established metro shelter, based in North Melbourne with a second facility at Cranbourne. It handles a large intake of stray and surrendered dogs, so a small sighthound or Iggy cross turns up periodically. Adoption includes desexing, vaccination, microchipping and a vet check. Listings at dogshome.com.
3. Lort Smith
Lort Smith runs an Adoption Centre at Campbellfield with a full vet workup behind every dog, which is reassuring for a breed prone to dental and orthopaedic issues. A broad mix of breeds means an Italian Greyhound or Iggy cross features occasionally. More at lortsmith.com.
4. Save-A-Dog Scheme
A Melbourne-based no-kill rescue running since 1985, with a mix of shelter and foster placements. Because many dogs live in foster homes, the notes on an Iggy's temperament, house-training and behaviour with people and other animals tend to be detailed and honest. More at saveadog.org.au.
5. Second Chance Animal Rescue
A Victorian foster-based rescue that takes a broad mix of dogs and crosses, including small and sensitive dogs. Because dogs live in foster, you get a clear picture of the real temperament before you commit, and the application usually includes a home check. Listings at secondchanceanimalrescue.com.au.
Beyond these, Animal Aid at Coldstream and the Australian Animal Protection Society at Keysborough both rehome dogs including small breeds, and the fastest way to scan many Victorian rescues at once is PetRescue, a national aggregator that lists animals from hundreds of member rescues in one searchable place. Be wary of any group calling itself an Iggy rescue that asks for money before you have confirmed a real address, a current adoptable-dog list and charitable status. Browse the current Italian Greyhounds and Iggy crosses on the Melbourne Italian Greyhound listings.
What an Italian Greyhound costs: adopt versus buy
Adoption is far cheaper at the outset. A rescue fee for an adult Italian Greyhound through a Melbourne rescue commonly runs about $350 to $700 for an adult, with puppies usually $500 to $900, and that fee already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worm and flea treatment and a vet check.
A purebred Italian Greyhound puppy from a breeder in Victoria, by contrast, typically runs well into the thousands, with none of that vet work done yet. So adopting is many times cheaper up front, and the dog arrives already vetted and, if you adopt an adult, with a known temperament.
The ongoing cost worth planning for is health care, especially regular dental work and the risk of leg fractures in a fine-boned dog, plus a coat and warm bedding for the cold. Council registration under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 is a modest yearly cost, reduced for a desexed and microchipped dog, and pet insurance taken out while the dog is young is worth having.
Living with an Italian Greyhound, and the health picture
The Italian Greyhound is gentle, affectionate and devoted, bonding closely with its people and loving warmth and soft places to curl up. It is sensitive and does best with calm, patient, reward-based handling, and house-training can take time. Because it is tiny and fine-legged, it needs a safe home and gentle handling, and it is often not the best match for boisterous young children. In a settled household it is a loving, quiet companion that suits apartment living well.
On health the breed is prone to dental disease, to leg fractures from jumps or falls, and to luxating patella and some eye conditions, and it feels the cold and needs a coat and warm bedding in a Melbourne winter. A rescue Iggy arrives vet-checked, so ask the rescue what the in-care assessment found, keep up dental care, protect the legs, and insure the dog while it is young.
Italian Greyhounds and Victorian breed law
The Italian Greyhound is not one of Victoria's restricted breeds, which under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 are the pit bull terrier, dogo argentino, fila brasileiro, japanese tosa and perro de presa canario. An Iggy is legal to own and rehome normally, and simply needs to be microchipped and registered with your local council from three months of age, re-registered each year. A rescue Italian Greyhound arrives already desexed and microchipped, so in practice you transfer the microchip into your name and register with your council. Check Agriculture Victoria and your council for registration details.
Browse adoptable Italian Greyhounds in Melbourne
Purebreds are uncommon in rescue, so set an alert and stay open to an Iggy cross. Browse live Victorian listings now.
See Available Italian Greyhounds →If you have been searching “Italian Greyhound puppies for sale”
Plenty of people arrive here after searching for an Iggy puppy to buy, drawn by that elegant look, and adoption has a real advantage: an adult rescue Italian Greyhound lets you see the temperament and health you are taking on, where a puppy is more of a gamble and far more fragile. The for-sale listings are easy to find, but this breed attracts backyard breeding that skips health screening, along with the occasional scam, so a cheap Iggy puppy or a deposit request for a dog you have not met is a warning sign rather than a bargain. In Victoria, any advertisement to sell or give away a dog must display the animal's microchip number and a Pet Exchange Register source number, so check that number on the Pet Exchange Register before you pay, and cross-check anything that feels off against Scamwatch.
Adoption costs a fraction of a breeder price and gives a vet-checked dog a home. If your heart is set on the breed, register your interest with rescues, stay open to an Iggy cross, set alerts, and be patient; the right dog does come up.
Adult or puppy, and is an Italian Greyhound right for you?
For most adopters an adult is the better choice, because an adult shows you the real temperament and how it is with people and other animals, where a puppy is more of an unknown and Iggy puppies are especially fragile. An adult also often has house-training in place and a lower adoption fee. A vet-checked, foster-assessed adult Italian Greyhound, matched carefully to a calm household, is the safest way into the breed.
Be honest about whether this breed fits your life. An Italian Greyhound is a devoted, gentle companion for a calm home that will handle it carefully, keep it warm, stay patient with house-training and budget for dental care. It is often not the dog for a busy household with boisterous young children or anyone wanting a rough-and-tumble dog. If you can offer a gentle, settled home, a rescue Iggy is a loving friend.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I adopt an Italian Greyhound near me in Melbourne?
Start with the live listings on this page, which pull Italian Greyhounds and Iggy crosses from shelters and foster-based rescues across Victoria, then widen out. RSPCA Victoria, the Lost Dogs' Home, Lort Smith, Save-A-Dog Scheme and Second Chance Animal Rescue all rehome small dogs, and PetRescue aggregates many smaller Victorian rescues in one place. A purebred Italian Greyhound is uncommon in rescue, so set listing alerts, have your application ready, and be patient.
Why do Italian Greyhounds end up in rescue?
Almost always because of the owner's circumstances or expectations, not the dog. The Italian Greyhound is tiny, sensitive and physically delicate, and some owners find house-training slow, worry about the fragile legs, or cannot give a timid dog the gentle, settled home it needs. A change in family circumstances, the cost of dental or orthopaedic care, or a mismatch with young children can all lead to a surrender. Iggy crosses appear too. In a calm, gentle home the breed is an affectionate, devoted companion.
How much does it cost to adopt an Italian Greyhound in Melbourne versus buying one?
Adoption is far cheaper at the outset. A rescue fee for an adult Italian Greyhound through a Melbourne rescue commonly runs about $350 to $700 for an adult, with puppies usually $500 to $900, and that fee already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worm and flea treatment and a vet check. A purebred Italian Greyhound puppy from a breeder, by contrast, typically runs well into the thousands, with none of that vet work done yet. The ongoing cost worth planning for is health care, especially dental work and the risk of leg fractures in such a fine-boned dog.
Are Italian Greyhounds a restricted breed in Victoria?
No. The Italian Greyhound is not one of Victoria's restricted breeds, which are the pit bull terrier, dogo argentino, fila brasileiro, japanese tosa and perro de presa canario. An Italian Greyhound is legal to own and rehome normally and simply needs to be microchipped and registered with your local council from three months of age. A rescue Iggy arrives already desexed and microchipped, so you mostly just transfer the microchip into your name and register with your council.
Are Italian Greyhounds a good family dog?
They suit the right family, but with care. A well-socialised Italian Greyhound is gentle, affectionate and bonded closely to its people, and it does well in a calm household. The caution is physical: the breed is tiny and fine-legged, fractures happen easily from a jump or a knock, so it is often not the best fit for homes with boisterous young children. It also feels the cold and needs warmth. A foster carer who has lived with the individual dog can tell you exactly how it is with children and other pets.
Should I adopt an adult Italian Greyhound or a puppy?
For most adopters an adult is the better choice, because an adult shows you its real temperament and how it is with people and other animals, where a puppy is more of an unknown, and Iggy puppies are especially fragile. An adult also often has house-training in place and a lower adoption fee. A vet-checked, foster-assessed adult Italian Greyhound, matched carefully to a calm household, is the easiest and safest way into the breed.
Are there free Italian Greyhounds in Melbourne, or ones under $500?
Be careful with free or very cheap Italian Greyhounds. A legitimate rescue charges an adoption fee, commonly $350 to $700 for an adult and $500 to $900 for a puppy, so the lower end lands under the $500 people search for, because that fee part-covers the desexing, vaccination, microchipping and vet check the dog has already had. An Iggy advertised free to a good home, or well under a rescue fee, is one of the classic scam and backyard-breeding setups, so treat a bargain as a warning sign and check any seller against the Victorian rules below before paying anything.
I keep seeing Italian Greyhound puppies for sale. Is adopting really an option?
It is, and an adult rescue Italian Greyhound lets you see the temperament and health you are taking on, where a puppy is more of a gamble and far more fragile. The for-sale listings are easy to find, but this breed attracts backyard breeding that skips health screening, along with the occasional scam, so a cheap Iggy puppy or a deposit request for a dog you have not met is a warning sign rather than a bargain. In Victoria, any advertisement to sell or give away a dog must display the microchip number and a Pet Exchange Register source number, so check that number on the Pet Exchange Register before paying anything. Adoption costs a fraction of a breeder price and gives a vet-checked dog a home.
Do Italian Greyhounds have health problems?
They have a few worth planning for. The breed is prone to dental disease, so teeth need regular care, and the fine legs can fracture from a jump or a fall, so gentle handling and a safe home matter. Luxating patella and some eye conditions also occur. The Iggy feels the cold and needs a coat and warm bedding in a Melbourne winter. A rescue Italian Greyhound arrives vet-checked, so ask the rescue what the in-care assessment found, keep up dental care, protect the legs, and insure the dog while it is young.
Keep reading
Adoptable Italian Greyhounds in Melbourne
Live listings with foster carer notes on temperament and health.
Best Dog Rescues in Melbourne
The verified shelters and foster rescues to set alerts with across Victoria.
Registering a Dog in Melbourne
Council registration, microchipping and the Victorian rules for a new dog.
Melbourne Adoption Resources
Guides on adopting, costs, council rules and settling a rescue dog in Melbourne.