Kit
Coordinator
“My partner and I moved down from Queensland many years ago, and without friends or family here in Melbourne, we decided to bring a foster greyhound into our home to fill our quiet days. As it turns out there was an entire community just waiting to welcome us (not just in person but on social media too!) and we very quickly ended up surrounded by wonderful like-minded people and their hounds, with our lives soon revolving around meet ups and playdates.
I like to tell people that when you adopt a greyhound, you need to be prepared to get adopted by a big extended family in return.”
What inspired you to get involved with greyhound rescue and adoption?
Our first "foster fail" Sid came from a trainer named in the 2015 NSW Special Commission of Inquiry for live baiting. His rehabilitation journey was complex, challenging, and also incredibly rewarding; and I feel that through helping other greyhounds in need it is a way to honour Sid, and the amazing resilience he showed through his ability to trust us and open himself to life as a well loved pet.
Sid also instilled in me a love of the chaos goblins, and as a result I have undertaken study and micro-credentialing in handling and training methods. I am fascinated by the science of behaviour and passionate about supporting other guardians to improve the quality of life on both ends of the lead.
What's your role at Gumtree Greys?
As a Coordinator I work alongside Brian in helping prospective adopters find the perfect hound for their lifestyle. I love getting to see all parts of the journey from the initial application and discussions, the meet and greet, and the counselling through to finalising the adoption. The matchmaking is my favourite part though, considering the needs of both humans and hounds and what will be an enriching and enduring relationship, it's the foundation for many happy years ahead for both parties and it is magic to play a role in that.
You'll also find me dabbling in copywriting, and content creation for our social media team.
What do you find most rewarding about helping greyhounds find their forever homes?
Getting to watch a greyhound go from this timid new arrival at their first market, and grow into a quirky opinionated thing, often with a great sense of humour. At Gumtree Greys the Coordinators have so much contact with the dogs and foster carers that we really get to know and fall in love with them, so we all celebrate their little wins and enjoy seeing them become their best selves with patience and time.