RETIRED racing greyhounds are being sent to the doghouse to be trained by prisoners to be good pets.
The Second Chance at Life Prison Pet Partnership program is being hailed for saving the lives of dogs that would otherwise be killed, and for giving a bit of happiness to prisoners.
Since September, greyhounds from Seymour have been placed in six-week stints at nearby minimum security Dhurringile prison at Murchison, 160km north of Melbourne.
The prison`s supervisor, Roger Jorgensen, said prisoners volunteered to be part of the program in which a dog trainer taught them how to train the dogs to become domesticated pets.
"These are greyhounds that would otherwise be euthanased because racing is their reason for existence but that is not there anymore," he said.
"A lot of really good dogs were being put to death.
"The prisoners teach the dogs basic obedience commands such as sit, which greyhounds don`t naturally do, like heel, drop, stand and come."
Victoria`s Deputy Premier Rob Hulls today officially launched the program at the prison with participating inmates.
One of them, Paul, told reporters he hoped to use the animal husbandry skills he had learnt to get paid work with the greyhound adoption program once he was released.
Taking the program to prisons was Greyhound Racing Victoria`s idea because they had a shortage of foster homes willing to take greyhounds as part of the 11-year-old adoption scheme.
Spokesman Ben Davies said the organisation discovered a similar program was working well in the US and met with Corrections Victoria to set it up here.
"The greyhounds have never experienced anything normal outside the racing kennels, such as other breeds of dogs, slippery floor surfaces, the sounds of a vacuum cleaner, even a house," he said.
"Some of them are not suitable as pets because of their personality, instincts for chasing prey or injuries.
"Mostly they are docile and make good pets."
Most racing dogs are finished by the time they turn four years old, but often live to 13-14 and are rehomed with families that are a suitable match for the dogs, Mr Davies said.
The program greatly benefits prisoners too, who are dedicated to it, Mr Jorgensen said.
"These guys have often never experienced the unconditional love of a pet, or in any form, and greyhounds are the biggest sooks in the animal kingdom," he said.
"I have seen some really reserved guys open up and when the greyhounds leave, the guys are attached to them. But I tell them they get to say hello to new friends when new dogs come in."
Mr Hulls said the program would be extended to other minimum security prisons, including Beechworth, Tarrengower and Langi Kal Kal.
He said the pilot program had successfully trained and adopted out 18 dogs, while the wider Greyhound Adoption Program last year had turned 354 keen athletes into well-trained, loveable pets.
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