The short answer
You can adopt an Italian Greyhound in Perth, but purebreds are uncommon in rescue, so set alerts across Dogs' Refuge Home WA at Shenton Park, RSPCA WA at Malaga, the foster-based SAFE Perth and SAFE, and PetRescue, be application-ready, and stay open to a cross or an older dog. Adoption runs about $600 for an adult, all-inclusive, against several thousand dollars from a breeder, and the breed is not restricted in WA. The honest part is the care: fine legs that can fracture so the dog needs gentle handling, a real tendency to dental disease, and a thin coat that feels both cold and sun. Meet those needs in a calm home and you have a devoted, gentle little companion.
Why Italian Greyhounds end up in Perth rescue
Understanding why Italian Greyhounds land in rescue tells you what the breed asks of an owner, so it is the honest place to start.
Fragility and vet bills. The fine legs of an Italian Greyhound can fracture from a bad jump off a couch or rough play, and the breed is notably prone to dental disease. Owners who did not expect the careful handling or the dental and orthopaedic vet bills sometimes surrender.
House-training patience. Small, sensitive dogs can be slow to house-train, and Italian Greyhounds especially dislike going out in cold or wet weather. An owner who runs out of patience with toileting is a recognised path to surrender.
Housing and life changes. In Perth a good share of homes are rented or sit under a strata scheme, and dog limits can force a surrender on a move. Add relationship breakdowns and other life changes and a steady trickle of Italian Greyhounds and similar crosses reach rescue with their gentle temperament fully intact.
Where to adopt an Italian Greyhound in Perth
Because Italian Greyhounds are uncommon in general rescue, a wide alert net is the right approach. Set listing alerts on every rescue you would consider. For a fuller directory, see our Perth adoption resources hub.
1. Dogs' Refuge Home WA
A dogs-only, not-for-profit shelter at Shenton Park in inner Perth, running since 1935 and one of Australia's oldest animal welfare agencies. It houses a large rotating intake under a pro-life policy, and small and delicate breeds and crosses appear from time to time. Adoption includes desexing, vaccination, microchipping and a vet check. Browse the current dogs at dogshome.org.au.
2. RSPCA Western Australia
The state welfare body, running since 1892, with its Animal Care Centre at 108 Malaga Drive in Malaga, northern Perth. Adoptions run by appointment, and every animal is health- and behaviour-checked before it is listed, so you get an honest read on a dog, and any dental or orthopaedic concerns, before you commit. Apply at rspcawa.org.au.
3. SAFE Perth and SAFE
Both run a foster-care model rather than a central metro shelter, so a small, delicate dog lives in a home while it waits. Because the dog lives in foster care, the notes on its temperament, house-training and how it is with children and other pets tend to be detailed and honest, which matters for a fragile breed. SAFE Perth lists at safeperth.com.au and SAFE at safe.org.au. Confirm which organisation holds a given dog rather than assuming they are the same office.
4. PetRescue
A national aggregator that lists Italian Greyhounds and similar 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.
Be wary of any group that asks for money before you have confirmed a real address, a current adoptable-dog list and registered status. Browse the current Italian Greyhounds on the Perth 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 or similar cross through a Perth rescue commonly runs about $600, and the rare puppy usually more, and that fee already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worm and flea treatment and a vet check. An Italian Greyhound from a breeder in WA, by contrast, often runs to several thousand dollars, with none of that vet work done yet.
Council registration is a separate legal step, set by your local council rather than a single Perth figure. 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. A desexed and microchipped dog pays a substantially reduced registration fee, and pensioner or concession card holders commonly get a further discount. Check the WA Government dog ownership hub and your own council for the current amount.
The ongoing cost that defines this breed is health care: dental attention, since the breed is notably prone to dental disease, and the occasional risk of a fractured leg. Take out pet insurance while the dog is young, and an assessed adult with a known health history is the lower-risk, lower-cost way in.
Italian Greyhounds are not restricted in WA
The Italian 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. An Italian Greyhound is legal to own and to rehome normally. It simply needs to be microchipped by 3 months of age 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. As a sighthound it has a strong chase instinct, so a securely fenced yard and on-lead walking in open areas are sensible, but there is no breed-specific restriction.
Browse adoptable Italian Greyhounds in Perth
Italian Greyhounds are uncommon in rescue, so crosses and older dogs appear more often than purebred puppies. Browse live WA listings and set an alert so you hear the moment one comes in.
See Available Italian Greyhounds →If you have been searching “Italian Greyhound for sale Perth”
Plenty of people arrive here after searching for an Italian Greyhound to buy, because the for-sale listings outnumber the rescue ones. Reputable breeders exist, but the online market for popular small breeds is one of the more scam-prone corners of the pet world in Australia. A cheap puppy, or a deposit request for a dog you have not met in person, is a warning sign rather than a bargain, and Scamwatch has documented deposit scams for puppies that do not exist.
A seller who will not show you both healthy parents at their property is a red flag rather than a mark of quality. WA does not run a Pet Exchange Register or a breeder supply-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, and treat a seller who cannot produce it as a red flag. Adoption sidesteps much of that: it costs a fraction of a breeder price and gives a vet-checked dog a home. The RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase has good general guidance on choosing a dog and avoiding poorly bred puppies.
Adult or puppy, and how to choose
For almost every adopter an assessed adult is the more sensible choice, and Italian Greyhound puppies are rare in rescue anyway. An adult has a known temperament, often some house-training in place, a lower adoption fee, and a known health and dental history, which matters for this breed. Puppies are extremely fragile and need constant supervision to avoid leg injuries, so a settled adult is both safer and less work. The rescue has evaluated the dog, so they can tell you how it is with children, other pets and being left alone.
When you choose, read the foster carer's notes closely. They will tell you how a specific dog does with children, other pets, house-training and being left alone, and that record predicts the fit far better than the breed average. Ask about the teeth and any past injuries, and how the dog copes with cold or wet weather. A settled adult Italian Greyhound, matched to a calm home, is a gentle and devoted companion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I adopt an Italian Greyhound near me in Perth?
Start with the main Perth shelters and rescues: Dogs' Refuge Home WA at Shenton Park, RSPCA WA at Malaga, and the foster-based SAFE Perth and SAFE. Purebred Italian Greyhounds are uncommon in rescue, so sighthound crosses and small delicate dogs of similar type show up more often than full purebreds. Set listing alerts across every rescue you would consider, have your application ready, and stay open to a cross or an older dog. PetRescue lists dogs from many smaller WA rescues in one place. Never send money before you have confirmed a real, registered rescue.
Why do Italian Greyhounds end up in rescue?
Usually because the fragility, the dental bills or the house-training patience caught an owner out, or because of ordinary life changes. The Italian Greyhound is a tiny, delicate sighthound with fine legs that can fracture from a bad jump, it is notably prone to dental disease, and it can be slow and sensitive to house-train. Owners who pictured an easy toy dog sometimes surrender when the vet bills or the toileting patience mount. A move, a relationship breakdown or a new baby add to the intake. Most are gentle, affectionate dogs that simply needed a careful, patient home.
How much does it cost to adopt an Italian Greyhound versus buy one?
Adoption is far cheaper up front. A rescue fee for an adult Italian Greyhound or similar cross through a Perth rescue commonly runs about $600, and the rare puppy usually more, and that fee already includes desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worm and flea treatment and a vet check. An Italian Greyhound from a breeder in WA, by contrast, often runs to several thousand dollars with none of that vet work done yet. So adopting is many times cheaper at the outset and the dog arrives already vetted. The ongoing cost to plan for is dental care, since the breed is notably prone to dental disease, plus the occasional risk of a fractured leg, so pet insurance taken out while the dog is young is worth having.
Are Italian Greyhounds restricted in Western Australia?
No. The Italian 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. An Italian Greyhound is legal to own and to rehome normally, and simply needs to be microchipped by 3 months of age and before it changes hands, and registered with your local council from 3 months. A desexed and microchipped dog pays a substantially reduced council registration fee.
Are Italian Greyhounds good family dogs?
They suit a calm, gentle household better than a busy, boisterous one. A well-socialised Italian Greyhound is affectionate, sensitive and deeply bonded to its people, and it loves warmth and comfort. The catch is fragility: the fine legs can fracture from a bad landing or rough play, so these are not ideal dogs for homes with very young children or rough-and-tumble games, and they need gentle handling. They can also be timid and slow to house-train. In a quiet, patient home they are devoted little companions. A foster carer who has lived with the individual dog can tell you exactly how it is with children and other pets.
Do Italian Greyhounds cope with the Perth climate?
They are a warm-weather-leaning breed, but with care either way. The Italian Greyhound has almost no body fat and a very thin, short coat, so it feels the cold sharply and often needs a coat in winter and warm bedding year round. In a Perth summer the same thin coat and fine skin mean it can sunburn and overheat, so provide shade and water, avoid the midday heat, and never leave a dog in a car. Think of it as a dog that wants to be comfortable: warm in the cool months, shaded and cool on hot days.
Should I adopt an adult Italian Greyhound or a puppy?
For most adopters an adult is the better choice, and Italian Greyhound puppies are rare in rescue anyway. An adult shows you its real temperament and how it is with people and other pets, often has some house-training in place, and comes with a lower adoption fee and a known health and dental history, which matters for this breed. Puppies are extremely fragile and need careful supervision to avoid leg injuries, so a settled adult is both safer and less work. A vet-checked, foster-assessed adult, matched to a calm home, is the sensible way into the breed.
Is it safe to buy an Italian Greyhound online?
Be careful. A cheap puppy, a deposit request for a dog you have not met in person, or a seller who will not show you both healthy parents is a warning sign rather than a bargain, and Scamwatch has documented deposit scams for puppies that do not exist. WA does not run a Pet Exchange Register or breeder source-number scheme, so 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. Adoption sidesteps most of that risk.
Keep reading
Adoptable Italian Greyhounds in Perth
Live listings of Italian Greyhounds and similar crosses across Perth and WA rescues.
Best Dog Rescues in Perth
The verified WA shelters and foster rescues to set alerts with across Perth.
Registering a Dog in Perth
Council registration, microchipping and the WA rules for a new dog.
All Dogs for Adoption in Perth
Every adoptable dog we track across Perth and WA shelters and rescues, updated regularly.