The short answer
You can readily adopt a greyhound in Perth, and it is one of the best-value, lowest-guesswork adoptions there is. The main pathway is Greyhounds as Pets, the official WA program that fosters and assesses retired racers, backed by RSPCA WA, Dogs' Refuge Home WA and PetRescue for the ones that reach general rescue. The GAP fee is low, often only a few hundred dollars, all-inclusive, while general rescues charge more like $600. Greyhounds are calm, gentle couch potatoes that need only moderate exercise, though they are sighthounds with a prey drive, so cat and small-dog compatibility is assessed dog by dog. A GAP-assessed greyhound can wear a green collar that exempts it from public muzzling. The breed is not restricted in WA.
Why greyhounds end up in Perth rescue
With greyhounds the honest first point is reassuring: they reach rescue because of the industry they come from, not because of anything wrong with them.
Retired racers need homes. Racing greyhounds finish their track careers young and in large numbers, and adoption programs exist specifically to rehome them. A retired racer has usually lived in a structured kennel environment, so it is often calm, clean and quiet in the home once it learns the ropes of family life, like stairs, glass doors and soft furniture.
They arrive assessed. The Greyhounds as Pets program fosters and temperament-tests each dog before rehoming, including cat and small-animal testing, so you adopt a known quantity rather than a gamble. That assessment is one of the breed's biggest advantages for a new owner.
Some reach general rescue too. A number of greyhounds and greyhound crosses come through RSPCA WA, Dogs' Refuge Home WA and foster-based rescues as owner surrenders, carrying similar needs. However it gets to rescue, a greyhound is typically a gentle, low-drama dog looking for a quiet couch.
Where to adopt a greyhound in Perth
Greyhounds are plentiful, so the main decision is simply which pathway suits you. For a fuller directory, see our Perth adoption resources hub.
1. Greyhounds as Pets (GAP)
The official program for rehoming retired racing greyhounds in Western Australia. It fosters and assesses each dog before adoption, including cat and small-animal testing, and hands over a dog that is already desexed, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and flea-treated. Many GAP dogs also qualify for the green-collar muzzle exemption. The adoption fee is low, often only a few hundred dollars. It is the first place to look for a Perth greyhound.
2. RSPCA Western Australia
The state welfare body, running since 1892, with its Animal Care Centre at 108 Malaga Drive in Malaga, northern Perth. It takes in greyhounds and greyhound crosses through the year, and every animal is health- and behaviour-checked before it is listed. Apply at rspcawa.org.au.
3. Dogs' Refuge Home WA, SAFE Perth and SAFE
Dogs' Refuge Home WA at Shenton Park, running since 1935, and the foster-based SAFE Perth and SAFE all rehome greyhounds and greyhound crosses from time to time, with a vet check and behavioural notes behind each dog. Browse Dogs' Refuge Home at dogshome.org.au, SAFE Perth at safeperth.com.au and SAFE at safe.org.au.
4. PetRescue
A national aggregator that lists greyhounds and greyhound crosses from many smaller WA rescue groups in one searchable place, at petrescue.com.au. It is the fastest way to scan many WA rescues at once rather than checking each site in turn.
Whichever pathway you choose, ask specifically about cat and small-dog compatibility if that matters for your home. Browse the current greyhounds and greyhound crosses on the Perth greyhound listings.
What a greyhound costs: adopt versus buy
The economics of greyhound adoption are unusually good. Because most dogs come through a regulated rehoming program, the Greyhounds as Pets fee is kept deliberately low, often only a few hundred dollars and sometimes discounted in adoption drives, and it already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worming, flea treatment and a full temperament and cat test. General rescues that list greyhounds charge more like $600 for an adult, with similar inclusions. Either way the fee covers only a fraction of what the program has actually spent.
Council registration is a separate legal step, with the fee set by your local council. Under the Dog Act 1976, a dog must be microchipped by 3 months and before it changes hands, and registered with your local council from 3 months, with a substantially reduced fee for a desexed and microchipped dog. Check the WA Government dog ownership hub and your own council for the current amount.
Ongoing costs are modest for a dog this size. A calm greyhound eats less than many smaller, busier breeds, needs only moderate exercise, and its main extras are a warm coat for Perth winter mornings, a soft bed for a lean, thin-skinned dog, and routine dental and parasite care. Buying a greyhound privately makes little sense when assessed, vetted retired racers are plentiful and inexpensive to adopt.
Greyhounds, muzzling and Western Australian law
The greyhound is not a restricted breed in Western Australia. Under the Dog Act 1976, only five breeds are restricted: the American Pit Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa and Perro de Presa Canario. A greyhound is legal to own and to rehome normally, and like any WA dog it must be microchipped by 3 months and before it changes hands, and registered with your local council from 3 months, with a reduced fee for a desexed and microchipped dog.
The one greyhound-specific point is muzzling. Greyhounds have historically faced a public muzzling requirement, but a pet greyhound that passes the Greyhounds as Pets assessment can be issued a green collar that exempts it from muzzling in public. Rules in this area can change and are enforced by councils, so confirm the current position with Greyhounds as Pets and your local council. Regardless of the muzzle rule, a greyhound is a fast sighthound with a chase instinct, so treat it as an on-lead dog in open public areas and keep your yard securely fenced.
Browse adoptable greyhounds in Perth
Retired racers are plentiful and assessed before rehoming, so you can adopt a known, settled temperament. Browse live WA listings and set an alert.
See Available Greyhounds →If you have been searching “greyhound for sale Perth”
For greyhounds, adoption is clearly the sensible route. Retired racers are plentiful, already desexed, vaccinated, microchipped and temperament-tested including around cats, and the adoption fee is low, far below almost any private sale. You also get a dog whose behaviour has actually been assessed rather than a gamble. A greyhound advertised privately or free online has usually had none of that program vet work and assessment done, so a rehomed dog with a full workup already completed is both cheaper and safer.
WA does not run a Pet Exchange Register or a breeder source-number scheme, so there is no source number to look up here. The practical safeguard is the microchip: a dog sold or given away legally in WA must be microchipped and registered, so ask to see the microchip paperwork before you pay anything. The Scamwatch service has documented deposit scams for dogs that do not exist, so never send money for a dog you have not met. The RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase has good general guidance on adopting a greyhound.
Is a greyhound right for you?
For many Perth households, yes, and more easily than people expect. A greyhound is gentle, quiet and low-energy at home, needs only moderate exercise, and suits apartments and smaller homes as well as houses, as long as it has a soft bed and a securely fenced yard. The things to plan for are the prey drive, which means careful, assessed introductions to cats and small dogs and on-lead walking in open areas, and the thin coat, which means a jacket on cold mornings and shade and water in summer.
Almost all adoptable greyhounds are adults, which is a real advantage, because the dog is already assessed and you take on a known, settled temperament rather than a gamble. Read the assessment notes closely, ask specifically about cat and small-dog testing if that matters, and be honest about your household so the program matches you well. If you want a calm, affectionate, easy large dog and can manage the prey drive and the coat, a retired racing greyhound is one of the most rewarding adoptions in WA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I adopt a greyhound near me in Perth?
The main pathway is Greyhounds as Pets (GAP), the official adoption program for retired racing greyhounds in Western Australia, which fosters and assesses each dog before rehoming it. Beyond GAP, RSPCA WA at Malaga, Dogs' Refuge Home WA at Shenton Park and the foster-based SAFE Perth and SAFE list greyhounds and greyhound crosses from time to time, and PetRescue aggregates many WA rescues in one place. Retired racers are plentiful, so you will not usually wait long. Set listing alerts, have your application ready, and never send money before you have confirmed a real, registered rescue.
Why do greyhounds end up in rescue?
Mostly because their racing career has ended, not because of any behaviour problem. Retired racing greyhounds come out of the industry in large numbers and need homes, and adoption programs like Greyhounds as Pets exist specifically to rehome them. They are typically calm, gentle and well-mannered, and because they have lived in a structured kennel environment they are often quiet and easy in the home once settled. Some crosses and owner-surrendered pet greyhounds also reach general rescue. The temperament is usually lovely: these are not damaged dogs, just dogs whose first career is over.
How much does it cost to adopt a greyhound versus buy one?
Greyhound adoption is unusually good value. The Greyhounds as Pets fee is kept deliberately low, often only a few hundred dollars and sometimes discounted in adoption drives, and it already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worming, flea treatment and a temperament assessment that includes cat and small-animal testing. General rescues that occasionally list greyhounds charge more like $600 for an adult, with similar inclusions. Either way the fee covers only a fraction of what the program has spent getting the dog ready. Ongoing costs are modest for a dog this size, since calm greyhounds eat less than many smaller, busier breeds and need only moderate exercise.
Are greyhounds restricted in Western Australia?
No. The greyhound is not a restricted breed in WA. The five restricted breeds under the Dog Act 1976 are the American Pit Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa and Perro de Presa Canario. A greyhound is legal to own and to rehome normally, and like any WA dog it must be microchipped by 3 months and before it changes hands, and registered with your local council from 3 months, with a reduced fee for a desexed and microchipped dog. There is a separate greyhound muzzle question, covered below, which is about public muzzling rather than any ownership ban.
Do pet greyhounds have to be muzzled in public in WA?
Greyhounds have historically been subject to a public muzzling requirement, but pet greyhounds that pass the Greyhounds as Pets assessment can be issued a green collar that exempts them from muzzling in public. A GAP-assessed greyhound wearing its green collar can go muzzle-free in public, which is part of why adopting through the official program is worthwhile. Rules in this area can change and are enforced by councils, so confirm the current WA position with Greyhounds as Pets and your local council rather than relying on any single source. Whatever the muzzle position, a greyhound is a fast sighthound, so treat it as an on-lead dog in open public areas.
Are greyhounds good with cats and small dogs?
It depends on the individual dog, which is exactly why the assessment matters. Greyhounds are sighthounds with a prey drive, and some are perfectly safe with cats and small dogs while others are not, so the Greyhounds as Pets temperament test, which includes cat and small-animal assessment, is genuinely useful. Ask the program or rescue directly whether a particular dog has tested cat-friendly or small-dog-friendly. A dog that has been assessed and matched to your household is a far safer bet than guessing, and a muzzle during early introductions is a sensible precaution.
How much exercise does a greyhound need?
Less than most people expect. Despite being built to sprint, greyhounds are famous couch potatoes that are happy with a couple of walks a day and plenty of sleep, which makes them surprisingly good apartment and smaller-home dogs. They are sprinters rather than endurance runners, so they do not need hours of exercise, but they do need secure fencing and should be kept on lead in open areas because their recall is limited once something triggers the chase instinct. A safe, enclosed space to stretch out occasionally is a bonus.
Do greyhounds cope with the Perth climate?
They need some help at both ends. A greyhound has a thin single coat and very little body fat, so it feels the cold on a wet Perth winter morning and usually appreciates a coat, and it can also feel the heat, so walk in the cool of the day in summer, provide shade and fresh water, and never leave a dog in a parked car. Their thin skin also means scrapes and nicks are common, so a soft bed and care around rough surfaces help. None of this is onerous, it is just part of owning a lean, short-coated breed.
Should I adopt an adult greyhound, and how do I choose?
Almost all adoptable greyhounds are adults, which is a real advantage: the dog is already desexed, vaccinated, microchipped and temperament-tested, and the program can tell you how it is with cats, small dogs and being left alone. Read the assessment notes closely, ask specifically about cat and small-dog testing if that matters for your home, and be honest about your household so the program can match you well. A greyhound that has been assessed and matched is one of the easiest large dogs to welcome home, because you take on a known, settled temperament rather than a gamble.
Keep reading
Adoptable Greyhounds in Perth
Live listings of greyhounds and greyhound crosses across Perth and WA rescues.
Best Dog Rescues in Perth
The verified shelters and foster rescues to set alerts with across Perth and WA.
Registering a Dog in Perth
Council registration, microchipping and the WA rules for a new dog.
Perth Adoption Resources
Guides on adopting, costs, council rules and settling a rescue dog in Perth.