A new greyhound owner has seen her relationship with the agency that gave her the dog sour over what she regards as a gag clause in the adoption conditions.
The adoption agency – Nightrave Greyhounds – had conditions that adopters were to never call the dog a rescue, nor use it for promoting anti-greyhound racing causes.
Tess Ford adopted her dog from them in February and said she thinks some kennels may be more concerned about protecting the reputation of greyhound racing, than finding the dogs homes.
Ford said when she put in an application to adopt former racing greyhound Spot, she did not spend too much time reading the terms and conditions on the adoption page.
“I’m one of those people that just never does that. In hindsight, probably a good idea.”
As well as the conditions about anti-racing activity, Nightrave Greyhounds said it is “proudly pro-racing”, something Ford said she was not aware of until a representative from the agency was on the way to drop the dog off.
Eddie, the dog at the centre of the dispute, once called Spot. Photo: Supplied/Tess Ford
When Ford received her new pet, she took to Facebook to raise what she considered were concerns about his condition and made negative remarks about the racing industry.
Nightrave got in touch and demanded she give her new greyhound back.
When she would not comply, Nightrave’s owner Rachel Rae made a Facebook post of her own, calling Ford an anti-racing activist, and alleging she had lied about her background in order to make a pre-meditated attack on the agency.
Ford denied any ulterior motive and said she did not misrepresent herself.
“I don’t have capacity to make those kinds of activism decisions. It was just purely [because] we absolutely love animals and wanted to give an animal a home.”
The whole ordeal has led Ford to get legal advice, despite not signing any agreements with Nightrave.
Nightrave refused to be interviewed by RNZ, or provide a statement.
Greyhound Racing New Zealand chief executive Edward Rennell said Nightrave had kept it informed about the dispute, and said agencies are within their rights to place conditions on adoption.
“It is perfectly reasonable to support our industry’s greyhounds not being exploited further by anti-racing groups. Misrepresentation of greyhounds with photos of others, or media material from outside NZ, along with a continual flow of misinformation, is damaging and therefore should an agency place conditions on its adoptions relating to this, that is their prerogative.”
Rennell said if adoptees have an issue with that, they can go to another agency.
Greyhound Racing New Zealand works with four adoption agencies: Nightrave; Kiwikiwi Hounds; Mayhounds; and Greyhounds as Pets. Rennell said all are pro-racing, aside from Greyhounds As Pets, which is neutral.
Mayhounds has similar conditions on its website regarding referring to the animal as a rescue and using them in anti-racing activities.
University of Otago law professor, Simon Connell, said it’s rare to try and unwind a contract after the deal is done, but when no agreement has been signed, it can be difficult to enforce.
“If it was a different sort of transaction, so if it was something that happens by email, catching up in person and handing over the dog without that step of sitting down and signing something with these conditions written on it, there might be a more arguable question as to whether these conditions are part of the agreement at all.”
Ford believed the industry should be more focused on ensuring the former racing dogs go into good homes, rather than prioritising the reputation of greyhound racing.
The Government has committed to ending greyhound racing by August 2026.
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