Texas Italian Greyhound Rescue

TIGR, Texas Italian Greyhound Rescue INC is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit group incorporated within the State of Texas, operating in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex and surrounding areas. We are dedicated to finding loving forever homes for Italian Greyhounds and Whippets.

Mission Statement

Educate the public about the desirability of adopting Italian Greyhounds as companions and family pets in the home. Facilitate placing Italian Greyhounds in loving, responsible, forever homes. Provide continuing educational support to the Italian Greyhound family after placement to ensure a successful adoption. Support, welcome, and encourage an active, organized volunteer base of Italian Greyhound lovers who share the passion and vision of finding loving, responsible, forever homes for Italian Greyhounds to live out their natural lives. Stress the importance of spay and neuter as a means of controlling the number of unwanted animals. Connect with other groups and people that assist and adopt Italian Greyhounds to promote adoption worldwide. Enjoy the spiritual connection we all share with Italian Greyhounds and each other in loving and helping one of the most loving and loyal creatures put on this earth.

All steps of our Adoption Process MUST be completed before you will be considered for any dog or be scheduled for visits, but please feel free to come to any of our upcoming events to meet Italian Greyhounds/Whippets during the application process.

Step 1: Your Application. We cannot move forward without an adoption application, so please submit one by email, fax or USPS to the PO Box. Applications can be downloaded under the Fostering and Adoption Tab of our website. Applications received by email and fax will most likely be the first to be reviewed as the PO Box gets checked once a week.

Step 2: Reference Checks. Yes, we do call both personal references as well as your veterinarian and ask questions. If you are not comfortable with this or any other part of our adoption process, then please go to your local shelter and adopt a dog that would otherwise be euthanized.

Step 3: Phone Interview. A TIGR representative will call you to discuss your application and any issues or concerns that there might be as well as talk about your lifestyle. TIGR’s goal is to match the best dog with the best FOREVER home.

Step 4: Home Visit. We will schedule a home visit at a time that is convenient for the Volunteer TIGR Representative and the applicant. We will be inspecting the fencing as well as seeing the overall environment in which the dog would be living. Depending on who is doing the home visit will depend on whether a dog is brought to your house at that time. Our volunteers are spread out through the DFW area and the one closest to your area will most likely be the one that visits with you, it’s not always the one that has the foster dog in which you are interested. All parties interested in adoption must be present at the time of the visit as well.

Step 5: Meeting the Dogs. Once you have been approved, you may then begin meeting the dogs. You will be put in touch with the foster parents and they can tell you about the daily life with that particular dog and if that foster dog would fit in with your lifestyle. All meetings will be scheduled between the two of you. If the first visit goes GREYT, then the second visit can be to adopt the dog.

TIGR realizes that the process can be lengthy, however it is effective! There are many IG’s and Whippets in loving forever homes. The average lifespan for IG’s and Whippets is 12 -16 years, with some living longer. This is a long term commitment.

Please note: Just because you fall in love with one particular IG/Whippet doesn’t always mean that it is the right dog for you or your family. TIGR volunteers are here to help you with this process and to educate you as well on each individual IG/Whippet.

OUT OF STATE ADOPTION INFORMATION

While on occasion we will consider out of state adoptions, we always encourage local adoptions or neighboring state adoptions first as it is easier on the human as well as the potential pet. We do not adopt out of the USA at all.

TIGR as a “part” of its adoption process requires all potential adopters to have phone and a home interview. Here is a link to our adoption process and well as applications http://txigrescue.org/fostering-adopting/ Home visits sometimes are impossible for us when we have out of state applicants, which is absolutely required.

TIGR does let the foster home have a part in the decision making process as well (as they know the foster dog best) and some volunteers are not comfortable sending their dogs out of state.

TIGR does not ship/transport/fly any of our foster dogs, so potential adopters are required to come to Texas to meet the dog (two meetings) to see if it is match as well as complete the adoption process.

It is our goal to make sure that each and every dog be matched with the appropriate forever home which is why each step of our adoption process is important. While on occasion there are returns to TIGR, the adopted dog must always come back to TIGR and would have to be brought back to Texas.