The Greyhound Adoption Program’s three-day adoption bonanza got off to great start with the announcement of a grant from the Victorian Government.
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Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes visited the Seymour centre with her family on Friday to announce the $50000 grant.
‘‘This grant will help the Seymour adoption centre enhance their work, and concentrate on delivering their great program,’’ Ms Symes said.
The money will be used to make improvements to the centre which currently houses about 80 to 100 greyhounds at any given time.
Greyhound Racing Victoria deputy chair Peita Duncan was in attendance with her adopted greyhound, Blue, and thanked the minister for the grant which will allow the centre to continue finding homes for greyhounds and retired racing greyhounds.
‘‘It’s just fantastic that the government continues to support the GAP program; $50000 will go a long way to improving our wonderful facility here,’’ Ms Duncan said.
‘‘Our aim is to see more greyhounds move to their new homes quicker and we want to do everything we can to find the right home for the right greyhound.’’
Member for Euroa Steph Ryan didn’t attend the event but is a supporter of the centre and was pleased to hear about the grant.
‘‘The Greyhound Adoption Centre in Seymour does fantastic work to give greyhounds a happy life beyond racing. This funding will mean the wonderful work Jenny and her team does can continue,’’ Ms Ryan said.
‘‘GAP is well worth a visit for anyone thinking about getting a dog.’’
The centre decided to repeat the adoption event after the success of last year’s event which saw a recording-breaking 103 dogs find new homes.
Ms Duncan said this year they decided to waive the $75 adoption fee in the hope this would lead to a breaking of last year’s record.
The plan worked, with 70 of 115 dogs adopted on the first day of the adoption event.
Almost all of the dogs were adopted by Saturday afternoon, leading the centre to cancel the planned third day on Sunday.
Ms Symes and her family were among those who took home a new four-legged friend with the family adopting Clancy.
Ms Symes grew up with greyhounds and her grandfather, Roy Symes, trained racing greyhounds and had his greatest success in the late 1980s.
‘‘As someone with a proud family history in racing greyhounds, I am even more delighted to join the pet adopter club today providing a loving home to a retired greyhound,’’ Ms Symes said.
Ms Symes and her family weren’t the only ones looking for a new family member; Ms Symes’ media advisor Tom Whitty adopted Nessy.
■For more information about adopting a greyhound visit gap.grv.org.au
■See next week’s paper for some cute dog and very happy families at the GAP adoption bonanza.
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