01/06/2023
Greyhound options when thinking adoptions.
Greyhounds Make Great Pets is pleased to announce a very special keynote speaker at Hounds of The World 2023. We will be welcoming Derarca O’Mahony, Vice President of Racing 2 Rehome Inc., a not-for-profit volunteer-based greyhound rehoming (adoption) group in Australia. In addition to her presentation, Derarca will also be available for limited one~on~ones with US not-for-profit 501c3 adoption group leaders to discuss availability and transport of Australian retired racers to the Southwest and Western states.
Following is Derarca O’Mahony's bio ~
As an animal lover, and after many years owning pedigree dogs, Derarca wanted to focus her efforts on those dogs most in need of rehoming. Having owned dogs that ran off-leash every day, she was unsure of how she would cope with an on-leash only breed. So, she fostered her first greyhound as a trial. A big, black boy bounced into her life and within a few hours she was totally besotted and naturally foster-failed! And it goes without saying, it's these big black boys that are still her firm favorites!
That was 15 years ago. Since then, Derarca’s passion and compassion for the greyhound breed has continued to grow. This has led her to foster over 70 greyhounds, with a penchant for the more difficult dogs with behavioral issues. Over this time, she has also held key volunteer roles within Australian rehoming groups, promoting greyhounds as pets and finding them new homes.
Today, Derarca is the Vice President of Racing 2 Rehome Inc – a not-for-profit volunteer-based greyhound rehoming group, and the trailblazers bringing Australian Greyhounds to USA families. In 2019, President of Racing 2 Rehome, Rebecca Miller on a visit to the USA, identified the shortage of available greyhounds for rehoming and saw this opportunity to address the low rehoming rate of greyhounds within Australia. It was from this idea that the USA Flight program was born, in partnership with two USA rehoming groups. With four flights between November 2019, and February 2020, and a hiatus due to COVID, the program was restarted in June 2022 with an expanded number of USA rehoming group partners and additional support from the Australian Greyhound Racing industry. Racing 2 Rehome have now achieved over 24 successful flights to America. Working alongside a dedicated team, Derarca is instrumental in the continuation of this highly successful program.
