The mission of Southeastern Greyhound Adoption/Greyhound Pets of America-Atlanta (SEGA) is to find good permanent homes for former racing Greyhounds. In furtherance of this mission, SEGA seeks to educate the public about why Greyhounds make good pets.
Southeastern Greyhound Adoption (SEGA) is a chapter of Greyhound Pets of America (GPA), a national network of Greyhound adoption groups, as well as a project of the Southeastern Greyhound Club, Inc., a Georgia non-profit corporation. SEGA is staffed by unpaid volunteers and all donations and other revenues are dedicated entirely to supporting its Greyhound adoption program.
SEGA currently houses its Greyhounds in its adoption kennel or in foster homes of experienced Greyhound owners to ease the transition from track life to pet home life. Before any hounds are released for adoption through SEGA, they are thoroughly examined by a veterinarian. The dogs are spayed or neutered, brought current on shots, given a heartworm test and preventative, microchipped, and teeth are cleaned as needed.
SEGA promotes Greyhound adoption through a variety of methods ranging from our web site to public gatherings (known as Meet and Greets) and participation in community events, such as parades and festivals.
We welcome volunteers from all walks of life, regardless of whether they have adopted a Greyhound. All that is required is a love of animals and a willingness to work. SEGA volunteers have discovered that having fun and doing fulfilling work in the service of Greyhound welfare are not mutually exclusive!
As of Summer 2024, SEGA will place adoptable Greyhounds in:
If you live outside these states, please visit Greyhound Pets of America or call them at 800-366-1472. They can route you to the closest adoption group.
On March 16, 2002, SEGA held the grand opening for its adoption kennel, realizing a long-held goal to have a dedicated facility for housing some of its Greyhounds awaiting adoption. The adoption kennel is supported solely by donations and adoption fees, an achievement of which SEGA is very proud.
Located in Acworth, Georgia, the adoption kennel was made available through the generosity of one of the veterinarians for the SEGA adoption program. SEGA has exclusive use of up to 7 indoor runs. There is adjoining office space which serves as the adoption center, and SEGA has a stainless steel tub in which to bathe new arrivals. In addition, there is a fenced turnout yard which gives the kennel residents a place to stretch their legs and run each day. Some Greyhounds reside in the adoption kennel until they are adopted, and some live with a foster family, depending on the individual needs of the Greyhound and the availability of foster homes.
The kennel staff provide daily cleaning of the runs, feed the Greyhounds, and walk them in the morning and afternoon. In the evenings, SEGA volunteers give the Greyhounds their final turnout for the night. If you are interested in volunteering at the kennel, visit our Volunteer page to learn more.
SEGA takes no position regarding the issues surrounding Greyhound racing, but encourages its adopters and volunteers to reach their own informed conclusions. We continually strive to emphasize the fine qualities of Greyhounds as pets rather than the “plight of the Greyhounds” approach that was more popular in the early days of the adoption movement. SEGA believes that there is value in working with members of the Greyhound racing community in the adoption process, thus learning as much as possible about the history of each dog to find the optimum pet home.
Consider the Commitment
Give serious thought to whether you and your family are prepared to make a commitment to responsible Greyhound ownership:
Complete An Application
Complete our online application for Greyhound adoption. Please see the notice above regarding the very limited supply of Greyhounds available to adoption groups right now. A member of our Screening and Placement Committee will contact you when we have a hound available for your consideration.
Choose the Right Greyhound
Once your application is approved, we will make arrangements for you to see adoptable Greyhounds at one of our foster homes, at our kennel, or at a Meet and Greet (see Meet and Greet section below). We will assist you in choosing the right Greyhound for your family.
Complete the Adoption
When you pick up your Greyhound, we will have you sign our adoption contract and give you a packet of other useful information.
After you take your Greyhound home, we will remain available to answer questions and assist in helping the former racer make a successful transition into your home. You can join our affiliated organization, the Southeastern Greyhound Club, which is a great way to meet other Greyhound owners, exchange ideas, and explore a variety of ways to have fun with your Greyhound!
Meet and Greets are a wonderful way to meet Greyhounds up close and to talk to their owners about the joys of adopting an ex-racer. Meet and Greets are hosted by SEGA volunteers who typically bring their own pets. Be certain to check the SEGA calendar to confirm dates and times, or to see notices of cancellations and additions.
You are more than welcome to attend a Meet & Greet near you to meet some lovable hounds, scratch a few ears, and gather information about our organization.
We do not adopt Greyhounds out onsite at the Meet & Greets — these events are intended to be a starting point for those who are curious about Greyhounds. If you decide that a Greyhound is right for you, simply fill the adoption process above. After we receive, review, and approve your adoption application, you’ll be able to meet hounds who are currently seeking a loving home.
We look forward to seeing you as we’re out and about around metro Atlanta!
The information below is about our regularly scheduled Meet and Greets. Please be aware that changes are sometimes necessary. If you have any questions, visit our Contact Us page and select Meet and Greet Inquiry.
The Greyhound Starter Kit consists of those items we suggest you obtain before you bring your Greyhound home. Having these items on hand when you bring your new companion home will make life a little easier for both of you, and will let you spend your time helping the former racer make a smooth transition into your home rather than running around shopping for supplies.
Most of the items in the starter kit can be purchased from local pet supply stores, such as PetSmart, Petco, or Pet Supermarket. For those who like to order online, we recommend 1-800-PetMeds, KV Supply, and Care-A-Lot Pet Supply.
Note: You will NOT need to purchase a collar and lead. A new Premier martingale collar and 6-foot lead are included in your adoption fee. SEGA will also provide a very humane plastic muzzle, which is an excellent safety device for introducing your new Greyhound to the family cat or a dog and for other pet friends and neighbors. These are the same muzzles that are used in the turnout yard on the track, so your Greyhound is very familiar with the muzzles.
View the Adoption Manual page for details of the Starter Kit.
We are here to help you solve problems after adoption before they become larger issues. If you are an adopter and need post-adoption support, visit our Contact Us page and select Post-Adoption Support Inquiry.
Occasionally a Greyhound will get loose or go missing. The quicker a search begins, the greater chance of a successful reunion. If your hound is lost or missing, visit our Finding a Lost Greyhound page for more details.
A squawker’s primary use is to “call back” a Greyhound that has gotten loose. It is often used to aid Greyhound owners who have lost a Greyhound to find and track the hound.
Springtime is the perfect time to purchase a squawker as more dogs tend to get loose in the spring and summer months, due in part to the increase in outdoor activities and backyard gates being left open by accident. The number one day of the year for the most lost dog calls is the 4th of July.
SEGA is pleased to offer squawkers to Greyhound owners to have as one tool to aid in the event you have a missing hound. Squawkers are small and fit easily into a purse or glovebox (keep one in both!).
Congratulations on the addition of a Greyhound to your family! This truly is an exciting time in your life. You have done everything you can to give your new friend the comforts of a home–a warm bed, a quiet place to sleep, toys, and lots of love. And as much as anyone hates to think about you two becoming separated, you have no doubt protected your friend by putting SEGA’s star tag and another identification tag with pertinent contact information around its neck.
But within the Greyhound racing registry, you are still not the registered owner of your Greyhound. Someone else is — someone known to the National Greyhound Association (NGA), officially recognized by the Greyhound industry as the sole registry for racing Greyhounds on the North American continent. The NGA maintains officials records of all Greyhound litters and their registered owners.
It is important for you to transfer registration of your Greyhound from its registered owner to you. That way the NGA shows you as the registered owner. Should the NGA ever be contacted by someone who has found your hound, they can help reunite you and your friend.
So take a few minutes as you are beginning to get to know each other and complete the transfer process by visiting the NGA’s pet transfer page and following the steps on their site. Don’t forget to designate Southeastern Greyhound Adoption as the pet agency to receive $10 of your registration fee.
The Greysitting Exchange is a group of SEGC members, who are willing to pet sit your Greyhound(s) while you are away from home. This could be for a day, overnight, a weekend or for a vacation. Read the Greysitting Brochure for more information.
The use of the Exchange is a benefit of your membership in the Southeastern Greyhound Club (SEGC). So, plan for the unexpected and join the club today! It is not necessary to be a Sitter yourself in order to use the Exchange, though of course the more SEGC members who are willing to sit for others, the better the system works.
All SEGC members can make use of the Exchange by contacting the coordinator (see contact link below), who will provide you with a copy of the current GreySitting Exchange Roster. The Roster is arranged by city to help you locate the closest sitter. You make your own sitting arrangements. Call or email anyone on the list, depending how far you want to drive. You may want to consider meeting with the Sitter before your departure date, to be sure you are all comfortable with the arrangements.
The cost for GreySitting is $5/dog/night for fellow sitters, and $10/dog/night for other SEGC members. There is an obvious benefit to being a member of the GreySitting Exchange!
Users of the service must supply their own and their vet’s contact information, their pet’s food, treats, favorite toys, crate (if necessary), bed (maybe more than one if the Sitter has a two story home) and medications plus instructions. All dogs must be current on their vaccinations. There is a GreySitting Agreement the Sitter may ask you to sign. It is not mandatory, but you should both be familiar with the contents. A copy will be sent to you with the current Roster.
Contact the coordinator (see contact link below) to have your name added to the Exchange roster. The requirements are:
The coordinator will provide you with the information that is needed. When your information is received and membership in SEGC is verified, you will be added to the Exchange roster and emailed a copy. This process may take a few days, so please plan ahead.
For more information about the Exchange, visit our Contact Us page and select Greysitting Exchange Inquiry.
As hard as it is, at some point all Greyhounds will cross the Rainbow Bridge and leave us. Visit our Greyhounds We Have Lost page to read tributes posted by SEGC members in memory of their beloved Greyhounds.
Visit our Resources and Shopping page for Greyhound links and Greyhound shopping that might be of interest. We list these links only as a service to the Greyhound community, and no endorsement by SEGC or SEGA of the products, services, or information found therein should be inferred from the listing of them.
