Adopting a greyhound near Perth and Kinross

On 7 November 2026 nearly every greyhound listed within 25 miles of Perth came from one place, and the live count under the short answer shows today's number. Each profile on our greyhound page links back to the sanctuary.

The steps are old-fashioned and personal, and the sanctuary is firm about its rules:

1. Phone first. A chat by phone comes before anything else; it asks whether a greyhound suits you and tells you about the breed (its adoption page).
2. Visit and meet them all. Arrange a time, then go to the kennels and consider every hound. It asks adopters not to pick from a photo: several black dogs with lovely natures wait far too long because their pictures fail to impress.
3. Agree to the house rules. A garden fenced to five feet or more (or a flat with a securely locked corridor door), no child under five, no other small pet and especially no cat, and the dog never off the lead in a public place.
4. Sign and take your hound home. You sign an adoption agreement and make the donation, and the sanctuary follows up to see how the dog has settled.

Racing careers are short. The Greyhound Trust says most racers retire between three and five, and the sanctuary near Kinross notes some stop at two. A hound of that age has most of its life ahead of it, and Blue Cross notes that greyhounds tend to sit in kennels longer than other dogs, as few people think of them as family pets.

Expect a dog that has lived in kennels. The sanctuary's own FAQ warns that an ex-racer may never have met stairs, glass doors or mirrors, though most learn quickly with gentle help, and Battersea adds that some jump if they are woken abruptly, so put the bed somewhere quiet.

At Gairneybank, £180 gets you a hound already vaccinated and neutered, sent home with its own collar, lead and muzzle. With a bought puppy you meet those costs yourself: PDSA estimates a large dog's start-up costs at £560 and then £116 a month or more, on top of a purchase price that Blue Cross puts between £400 and £3,000.

For a big dog, a greyhound lives a long time: The Royal Kennel Club says more than 10 years, Dogs Trust 10 or more, and the Greyhound Trust as many as 15. PDSA lists health problems seen in the breed, so ask the sanctuary what its vet found:

• Teeth. Gum disease is common in the breed. Ask about the state of the teeth and whether a dental has been done.
• Bloat. Deep-chested dogs can suffer gastric dilatation volvulus, a twisted stomach. Talk to your vet about feeding and rest around meals.
• Bones, blood and eyes. PDSA also names bone cancer, von Willebrand's disease (a bleeding disorder) and progressive retinal atrophy.
• Anaesthetic. With so little body fat, greyhounds react to some anaesthetics differently, a point the sanctuary itself raises; make sure your vet knows the breed.

A greyhound has very little fat and a thin coat, so PDSA suggests a coat and cutting walks short in the cold; it is an indoor dog, not one for an outside kennel. Exercise needs are modest: the Greyhound Trust calls them sprinters, not long-distance runners, and the sanctuary near Kinross won't place a hound with someone who wants a running partner.

Off-lead running belongs in an enclosed field, never on open hill ground with sheep about. The sanctuary insists on a lead in every public place, and Battersea suggests secure dog-walking fields.

Rescue greyhounds aren't sold: you meet them, the sanctuary matches you, and you make its donation. Every hound on our Perth greyhound page is adopted that way.

Buying instead? The Royal Kennel Club runs a Find a puppy search of breeders, and Blue Cross says to see a pup with its mother. Never pay for a dog you haven't met; report online marketplace fraud to Police Scotland. For the other dogs near Perth, read our guide to dog rescues around Perth and Dundee.