Irish Greyhound Board increases support for foster care scheme

Irish Greyhound Board increases support for foster care scheme and provides additional financial incentives for domestic rehomings

 

The Irish Greyhound Board has confirmed an increase in financial support to private rehoming agencies for the rehoming of retired racing greyhounds in Ireland, as well as the extension of the IGB Scheme for Foster Care of Retired Racing Greyhounds, with the schemes coming into effect immediately. 

 

A number of private greyhound rehoming organisations in Ireland currently receive financial support from the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust (IRGT), which is established and operated by the Board. This support assists with the veterinary costs involved in preparing a retired greyhound for rehoming, neutering/spaying, a rabies shot and other vaccinations and inoculations. Rehoming agencies will now be offered an additional €100 per retired greyhound rehomed in Ireland to encourage and further facilitate domestic rehomings.

 

Furthermore, it is now the intention of the IGB to identify a  wider pool of suitable foster homes to enable greyhounds to transition from their life on the track to domestic pets before moving on to their ‘forever homes’.

 

Persons interested in the fostering of retired racing greyhounds prior to their rehoming are asked to submit expressions of interest by post to the Irish Greyhound Board, Welfare Department, Limerick Greyhound Stadium, Dock Road, Limerick. Alternatively, they can express their interest at fostering@igb.ie

 

All premises will be assessed for suitability and be subject to a welfare inspection prior to any decision being made regarding fostering at a particular premises and if approved, the premises will be subject to regular welfare inspections.

  

Welfare Manager with the IGB, Barry Coleman, commented: “The IGB continues to make significant progress in the areas of welfare and regulation under its Strategic Plan 2018-2022. The IRGT assisted in the rehoming of over 1,000 retired greyhounds last year, with the IGB’s Welfare Officers undertaking 491 welfare inspections and inspections of greyhound establishments. These respective schemes will allow for a further expansion of this positive work. The intention of these measures is to ensure that as many Irish families as possible are aware that greyhounds make for excellent pets and have an uncanny ability to transition to the family couch with ease, and to provide further opportunities to increase rehomings in Ireland.”