WATCH: This Talking Greyhound Hopes You'll Want to Adopt Him, or Another Greyhound

By CHARLENE ARSENAULT (Patch Staff)

Photo submitted

Other than the pit bull, probably no other breed besides the greyhound has needed advocates to rally their plight and fight the cruelty they endure.

April is National Adopt a Greyhound Month, and the MetroWest nonprofit The Greyhound Project is reminding everyone of this gentle breed, and the growing need for families to adopt them. Likewise, Arlington’s Grey2KUSA, which proudly counts itself among our nation’s greyhound advocacy groups, ardently promotes greyhound adoption.

Spring is the season that most adoptions take place, and The Greyhound Project says that the need to place thousands of “surplus greyhounds” that come from southern racing states to place them in northern, non-racing, states has never been greater.

The Project works directly with more than 300 greyhound adoptions groups nationwide.

Currently, there is a concentration of ex-racing dogs in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Texas and Virginia. Not only are there many greyhounds needing homes there, there is a lack of adoptions in those states.

“Although many greyhound tracks have closed in recent years, the need to find homes for retired racing greyhounds has not diminished,” said President of The Greyhound Project Melissa Cook in a release. “Greyhounds retiring from the 21 remaining tracks across the country, including 12 in Florida, are being cared for by adoption groups as they wait to be adopted into their permanent homes.”

There are 21 greyhound racetracks still operating in the United States, which is down 46 from 2000. Massachusetts is the only state that ended greyhound racing based on a ballot question. Seven states allow greyhound racing, and Florida has 12 tracks operating.

“For many years, greyhounds were thought of as being unfit as pets, mostly because people saw them racing with muzzles,” Michael McCann, president emeritus of the Greyhound Project, told Patch. “But, greyhounds are thin skinned, and very competitive. The muzzles are used to prevent an injury from a nip. When greyhound adoption began in the early 1980s, people were amazed at the gentle, easygoing nature of greyhounds, and their image began to change. They’re now commonly referred to as ‘40 mile per hour couch potatoes.’”

McCann added that greyhound racing remains a controversial subject, and that these days, most retired racing greyhounds end their careers in adoption. The remainder, he said, are used for breeding.

“Now that the remainder of the racing states are in the south, and the great majority of the adoptions take place in the northern states, the issues of transportation are the most problematic for the breed,” he said.

Are you interested in adopting? Here’s a list of organizations.

“I’m working on my second career, uh, as a professional pet, snuggling on the couch ...” Check out this adorable PSA created by The Greyhound Project in 2008: