Lisa Philp: Greyhounds as Pets collaborate with The Simpsons in mass adoption effort

More than 2,000 greyhounds urgently need new owners following the Government's decision to ban greyhound racing in 2026.  

Now comes news that The Simpsons have taken the unusual step of getting involved, lending New Zealand the use of one of the world’s most recognisable dogs: Santa’s Little Helper.

Behind this effort is the charity committed to finding safe homes for retired racing greyhounds: Greyhounds as Pets.  

Lisa Philp from Greyhounds as Pets told Matt Heath & Tyler Adams, "(greyhounds) are the best. They're lazy, gentle, loyal, gorgeous, and quiet."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
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Speaker 2 (00:16):
This is a great story, so many people would know.
More than two thousand greyhounds urgently need new owners following
the government's decision to bean greyhound racing next year. Now
the news comes through that the Simpsons, one of the
most iconic TV shows of all time, they have taken
the unusual step of getting involved lending New Zealand the

(00:36):
use of arguably what I think he is the world's
most famous cartoon greyhound. Greyhound sends as Little Helper, Hey, Barney,
which one is Whirlwind number six? That's our lucky dog
right over there, he's one as last five races.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
What that's browny little bag of polls? Come my dad?
That all scorny little bags of boons.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yeah, you're right, I guess WL winners are only hope
for a merry Christmas.

Speaker 1 (01:05):
We have a lady race a.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
Race Little Helper once again been by Little Helper.

Speaker 3 (01:16):
Uh did you hear that?

Speaker 1 (01:17):
What a name? Santa's Little Helper.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
It's a sign, it's an omen.

Speaker 1 (01:21):
It's a coincidence.

Speaker 3 (01:22):
Dad.

Speaker 1 (01:23):
One of the odds on Sanna's Little Helper ninety nine
one whoa.

Speaker 2 (01:27):
Ninety nine times thirteen equals very Christmas good. Behind this
effort is the charity are committed to finding safe homes
for retired racing greyhounds Greyhounds is as Pets and Lisa
Philip from Greyhounds as Pets joins us on the phone
right now, Lisa, very good afternoon to you.

Speaker 3 (01:47):
Hi, how are you doing?

Speaker 2 (01:49):
Very good? So how did this partnership with the Simpsons
come about and what does it mean for the rehoming effort?

Speaker 3 (01:56):
So it came about through Special the very special PR
company who know people, who know people, and they came
up with this incredible partnership which blew us away and
it is the most iconic greyhound in the world' the
send a little helper So yeah, for us to be
able to use him to help us rehome all these
greyhounds is just amazing. That is so good.

Speaker 4 (02:17):
It's very very cool. How many greyhounds need to be
housed in New Zealand rehomed?

Speaker 3 (02:23):
Well, at the moment we have a steady stream of
them coming through as they retire from racing. But when
racing finishes middle of next year, there will be Probably
by then we will have had about two thousand needing homes.
So at the moment it's a steady stream that when
racing finishes, will be a whole lot finishing that are
looking for a couch.

Speaker 4 (02:41):
Are they good pets greyhounds?

Speaker 3 (02:42):
Goodness? Absolutely, they're the best steps. They're lazy, gentle, loyal, gorgeous.
I think quiet.

Speaker 4 (02:49):
What do you mean lazy? Because they're fast. They're really
really fast. Are they sprinters as opposed to marathon runners?
Is that what you're saying?

Speaker 3 (02:56):
Exactly? They've built for about thirty seconds of speed and
the rest of the day is sleeping. Can infact, one
of my colleagues, Daniel, likes to say, they may be fast,
but usually they're fast to sleep.

Speaker 4 (03:07):
Yeah, because I I read somewhere that they're rated one
of the best dogs for apartment living because they don't
need to run around that much.

Speaker 3 (03:16):
Exactly, they don't even need a garden, and they can
live in a garden. They can live in an apartment
that you know, a twenty minute walk around the block
in the morning, and then they'll sleep for the rest
of the day while you're working.

Speaker 2 (03:25):
It's a perfect dog.

Speaker 4 (03:26):
What about people that are concerned because of course the
ones that have been in the industry are trying to
chase after a little rabbit. What about concerns that they
go little dogs and they go other little mammals.

Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, that's a fair concern. Well, they're all this use
and some of them just are simply not interested like
some of mine and the others. You know, they once
they're venus. Yes, we know which ones are going to
be better not around small animals, and we just make
sure we put them in a home where they're not
around small animals. And we do encourage new owners to
use precautions like you know, having a muzzle on them
when they first go out a few times, and just

(04:02):
until they get to really know the dog, until the
dog knows that it's a pet now it doesn't need
to chase things.

Speaker 2 (04:06):
Yeah, and so what is their re home in process
involve for both the dog and adopter. You mentioned some
things there, but is there trial periods that sort of thing?

Speaker 1 (04:16):
Is there?

Speaker 3 (04:16):
What?

Speaker 2 (04:16):
Sorry, trial periods.

Speaker 3 (04:18):
They're thought it. So what happens is that dogs get
assessed when they first come into the rehoming program and
then we match them based on that to adopts. So
once an adopter comes to us, they fill out an
application form and we match them with what we believe
is going to be the perfect dog. Then really we
support them through that. So we support them pre adoption,

(04:39):
during adoption, and post adoption to make sure we've done
everything we can to make that adoption a success, because
we all want to see their dogs stay there forever.

Speaker 4 (04:49):
So how can people holp out? How can people get involved?
How can they get themselves a greyhound h.

Speaker 3 (04:55):
Absolutely so they just need to jump on our website.
So greyhounds are sets dot or body and said, I know,
go along to some of our events, but you know,
come along and meet our rehomers. Low putting in an
application and start meeting some dogs. It's as it's as
easy as that, really, And once once we've talked to
talk to our adopts, then we met your dog to them.
And that's the other thing is they can foster, They

(05:18):
can foster to a DoPT. If they want to foster
a dog, then adopt it, you know, sometimes that's the
way to go. And then of course there's the very
famous foster fails And I don't think there's one staff
member that isn't the haven't got a couple of foster
fails in their health exactly, and we encourage that. We
encourage that, you know. And then there's you know, there's
lots of there's the way of opportunities for people to
volunteer at at adents, to come along and help us

(05:40):
introduce people to greyhounds.

Speaker 2 (05:42):
Yeah, they're pretty lean dogs, but obviously very big dogs.
Are they expensive to feed or are they They don't
eat that much.

Speaker 3 (05:48):
They don't really get that much, to be honest, they
don't eat as much as you stand the germanshipperd for instance. No,
not not too bad. They're pretty low maintenance, easy to
easy to keep dogs.

Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, it sounds like the perfect bet. Yeahst are the
perfect pet, all the very best to you. So if
people want a bit more information, where can they go?
You mentioned the couple of the dropping sessions there, But
you've got a website, yeah, we do.

Speaker 3 (06:11):
So go to www dot Greyhounds as pets, dot org,
dot and z. You'll find everything you need there. You'll
find our contact numbers and you'll find the application form.
Which doesn't mean we're going to tune up on your
doorstep with a greyhound. It means we're going to start
the conversation with you and match you with the perfect one.

Speaker 4 (06:27):
Good on you and what a cool story with the Simpsons.
Lane can send us little helper it. It's very very
awesome and it's so cool. Yeah, you're doing great work
out there.

Speaker 3 (06:36):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (06:36):
Well, thanks so much, Lisa, Thank you very much for
having a chat with us, and all the best with
that campaign. Again. If you're interested in adopting a Greyhound,
which are fantastic dogs, just go to Greyhounds as pets
dot org dot n Z for.

Speaker 1 (06:52):
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