Adopting a greyhound in London: rescues, rules and costs

The count under the short answer is live: it shows every greyhound and greyhound cross listed with us in London and within about 35 miles, and each profile links to the rescue that has the dog. Lurchers, sighthound crosses, have their own London page. Our guide to London dog rescues compares every rescue near the city.

Most come out of racing. The Greyhound Trust gives the average retirement age as 3 to 5 years, and its homepage says about 8,000 greyhounds retire each year, of which it finds homes for about half. Romford Retired Greyhounds says its dogs are normally anywhere from about 18 months upwards when they retire, so a rescue greyhound is usually a young adult with years ahead of it.

A rescue greyhound costs £150 to £250 from the rescues near London that publish a figure, and the money pays for work already done. The Greyhound Trust says all its greyhounds are neutered, vaccinated and microchipped before they go, with a collar, lead and muzzle and 4 weeks' free Petplan insurance. Romford Retired Greyhounds includes a lead, muzzle and coat, and Barley Greyhound Sanctuary's £200 basic pack adds a house collar, food and 4 weeks' free Petplan insurance.

Buying a puppy, by contrast, costs £400 to £3,000, says Blue Cross, before food, insurance and vet bills. Running costs are the same either way: PDSA puts the set-up cost of a large dog at £560 and the monthly cost at £116 or more.

Teeth are the big one. A Royal Veterinary College VetCompass study of 5,419 greyhounds seen by UK vets in 2016 found dental disease was the most common problem, affecting 39.0 per cent, far more than VetCompass has found in other large breeds such as the German Shepherd Dog. The paper suggests ex-racers may have had limited dental care during their racing careers. So ask what dental work the rescue's vet has done. UK sources also point to these:

• Stomach, eyes and blood. PDSA lists gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV, or "bloat", where the stomach twists), periodontal (gum) disease, progressive retinal atrophy, bone cancer and von Willebrand's disease, a bleeding disorder.
• A nerve disease. The Royal Kennel Club asks greyhound breeders to DNA test for greyhound neuropathy.
• Injuries and joints. The VetCompass study found injuries, overgrown nails and osteoarthritis were also major concerns, so ask how the dog moves now and whether any injury is known.

Flats are possible. Wimbledon Greyhound Welfare says it has many dogs living happily in flats, especially in London, but asks you to think hard before applying, because a dog returned "because they live in a flat" is unfair on it. Romford Retired Greyhounds says greyhounds don't do stairs very well, so it normally limits homes to first-floor flats, and it does rehome with cats, though finding the right dog can take longer.

They need less walking than people expect: the Greyhound Trust says greyhounds are "built for speed, not stamina" and happy with two twenty-minute walks a day. On muzzles, Battersea says ex-racers "will always need to wear one when out walking in public spaces", while the Greyhound Trust recommends a muzzle when out and about, at least until you are confident how your dog behaves around other breeds. Romford Retired Greyhounds doesn't recommend letting a greyhound off the lead, because it may chase and not come back.

Rescue greyhounds are adopted, not sold. You apply, the rescue matches you with a dog, and you pay its donation or fee. Because racers retire as adults, puppies are rare in rescue, but an adult comes with a known temperament: the kennel staff can tell you how it walks on a lead and gets on with other dogs.

If you decide to buy, The Royal Kennel Club runs a "Find a puppy" service, and Dogs Trust's breed guides suggest asking your vet about a pre-purchase consultation on likely health conditions and rough costs. Report a suspected scam advert to Report Fraud, which replaced Action Fraud.