Helping Sighthounds Worldwide

What is a sighthound? Sighthounds are dogs in the same family as Greyhounds, click to see some examples of different sighthounds who have passed through Fast Friends on their way to forever homes.

Fast Friends Greyhound Adoption is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to educating the public about Greyhounds and sighthounds from around the world with the primary goal of finding responsible, loving homes for them. Fast Friends envisions a world where no Greyhound or sighthound lacks for a loving home and these breeds are valued and celebrated for their uniqueness.

At the core of Fast Friends’s adoption mission is the belief that every dog deserves a warm bed, good food, and loving home, no matter where in the world they are.

Fast Friends works closely with both international and domestic partners to bring retired racing Greyhounds and other sighthounds in need of homes from countries where they have little to no chance of a local adoption to the facility in Swanzey, New Hampshire. Here, each dog receives high-quality care with a focus on one-on-one staff time. Dogs from more challenging circumstances, like Spanish Galgos and Portuguese Podengos rescued from hunters, receive individualized plans to help them overcome any neglect or trauma they have experienced so that they can be successful in a home. The facility was built with the needs of these exceptional dogs in mind and features large exercise yards and spacious 8’ x 8’ kennels with raised beds and heated floors.

Retired Racing Greyhounds in the US

Finding loving, forever homes for retired racing Greyhounds from US tracks has always been at the heart of the Fast Friends’ mission. Over our more than 30 years, well over one thousand Greyhounds have come here, receiving medical care when needed, and gone on to their new lives. The local Hinsdale track closed years ago, but Fast Friends has welcomed Greyhounds from Florida, Alabama, Kansas, and West Virginia. Fast Friends is committed to finding homes for retired racers for as long as tracks are operating in the US.

Retired Racers around the world

While racing has waned in the US, Greyhounds continue to race in countries around the world. In Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Australia, more dogs leave the track than can find local homes. Young, healthy dogs with great personalities may wait months for space at a rehoming center, then wait even longer to be chosen by a family. Fast Friends works with multiple international partners to bring these retired racers to the US where families are eager to adopt them.

Sighthounds in Need

Fast Friends also works with partners around the world to save sighthounds from truly desperate situations. We are so grateful to these organizations who are on the ground, seeing heartbreaking stories of neglect and abuse every single day.

Most recently, Fast Friends partnered with the SPCA International to transport two Galgos from Romania. How these dogs ended up in a municipal shelter outside Bucharest is a mystery, but untold numbers of Galgos and Podencos are abandoned or killed each year in Spain when the rabbit-hunting season ends. Overbred, underfed, and unloved, these dogs flood the countryside and face a harsh life on the streets or a brutal death unless they are fortunate enough to be rescued. Almost none of these abandoned dogs are spayed or neutered, compounding the problem with large numbers of vulnerable puppies.

Portuguese Podengos face much the same fate as their counterparts in Spain. Used for hunting and not commonly considered to be pets, these sensitive dogs are often kept outdoors and have little positive human interaction. When no longer wanted, they are frequently dumped in the countryside, where the lucky ones are found by rescuers.

Greyhounds and whippets are among the countless dogs found in the meat trade in China, where they face an absolutely gruesome fate. Rescue is only the beginning for these dogs, who have a long road back to health. Still, as with all the other sighthounds who have every reason to be wary of humans, the meat trade survivors adapt quickly and become trusting and affectionate companions.

Fast Friends has also helped find homes for street dogs in the Middle East, sato dogs from Puerto Rico, and a pariah dog from India.

So many dogs are still in need. With your support, we can save them together.

Your support of Fast Friends saves not only the dog that comes here, but the one that takes its place in the local shelter. Working together, we will continue to welcome retired racing Greyhounds and rescued sighthounds from around the world, finding them all the loving homes and bright futures they deserve!

Please make your gift using the form below, or

– through PayPal
– through Venmo (@fastfriends in the app)
– by calling 603-355-1556 with your credit card
– by sending a check or money order to: Fast Friends, PO Box 10093, Swanzey, NH 03446

Fast Friends is a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit. Tax ID# 02-0460134