Far from vicious, greyhounds are the sleepy cats of the canine world, says Rebecca Wilson, who volunteers for an organisation that rescues former racing greyhounds.
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The transition of nearly two dozen greyhounds from racetrack to retirement as pets has been documented in Project Hound by Fairfax Media photographer Chris Pearce and artistic director Sarah Vandepeer.
"People have this misconception of greyhounds as being vicious because of the racing, actually they are the most wonderful pets," said Ms Wilson, a Sydney law student who volunteers for a greyhound rescue organisation. "After a short walk they can sleep all day; they're like the cats of the dog world," she said.
Adopting a former racing greyhound called Bruno was "life changing" for upholsterer Anthony Kennedy.
"I would say to anyone, even those that might think badly of dogs, adopt a greyhound, you'll be making a lifelong friend," Mr Kennedy said.
Since Bruno was adopted by Kennedy and his partner, the dog has become nearly a business mascot for the upholsterer. Pearce's photos show Bruno relaxed among the rolls of fabric in Mr Kennedy's workshop. "He's practically my apprentice, my workmate … he's here every day," he said.
Vandepeer and Pearce came up with Project Hound when former NSW premier Mike Baird imposed a ban on greyhound racing in July 2016 in response to the Special Inquiry into Greyhound Racing in NSW. The inquiry uncovered evidence of widespread live baiting and other illegal activities including the administration of prohibited substances. Baird overturned the ban in October following protests.
"What happens to all of those greyhounds who aren't racing or who have retired?" Vandepeer said, "We'd heard about people adopting these former racing dogs and knew it was an issue that had to be documented."
Project Hound celebrated ex-racing greyhounds and the diversity of their new owners, who are featured around their homes and in work environments, said Ms Vandepeer.
"Our chief aim is to show what elegant pets greyhounds make," she said.
NSW Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi said, "every greyhound adopted is a greyhound saved".
The project includes photos of Faruqi – an outspoken critic of the greyhound industry – and her silver greyhound Bo.
"Project Hound is an amazing project showing greyhounds how they are meant to be – off the tracks and in loving homes," she said.
Figures released in June 2016 by the Special Commission of Inquiry into the Greyhound Racing Industry in NSW estimated there was a 50 and 70 per cent wastage rate in the greyhound racing industry each year.
"Applying the 50 to 70 wastage percentages, of the 7548 greyhounds that need to be bred for a racing schedule similar to this year, somewhere between 3774 and 5284 will be destroyed," said the report.
The commission – established after an explosive ABC Four Corners story aired in 2015 – found that in the 2014-15 financial year 412 greyhounds were able to be adopted by private volunteer organisations and a further 173 were rehomed through the industry's adoption body.
Using the most optimistic adoption projections from Greyhounds Racing NSW, the commission estimated that around 7.6 per cent of whelped greyhounds would be rehomed this year, a total of 598 dogs.
Since Project Hound was launched on Instagram last year, it has attracted nearly 900 followers and more than 20 case studies.
