By this time next year, all greyhound racing will be banned in Aotearoa, allowing 2,500 dogs an early retirement - but also leaving them looking for homes.
This sometimes misunderstood breed makes wonderful pets, and in an effort to show that, the pooches got their own show at this year's New Zealand Fashion Week.
Six ex-racing dogs strutted their stuff at Auckland's Shed 10 in looks by iconic Kiwi designers like Karen Walker, Trelise Cooper, Stolen Girlfriends, Nom*D and more, in an initiative from Greyhounds as Pets.
The Greathounds show aimed to prove that "grey is the new black" as New Zealand faces its biggest ever breed-specific rehoming effort.
“Greyhounds aren't always the first pick for families looking for a new dog," explained Dawn Glover from Greyhounds as Pets. "But they are incredibly easy to live with - gentle, affectionate, and so deserving of a safe, loving retirement."
"This is much more than an adoption drive," she added. "It's about changing hearts and minds, and opening New Zealand homes to thousands of wonderful, retired racers.”
Dan Ahwa, the show's creative director and stylist, said he'd fallen in love with the breed - despite the adage that you should never work with children or animals.
"I love their resilience and calming personalities, and this initiative really captures the dignity of these amazing dogs," he said.
"It was important for the event to get behind this initiative and to spotlight greyhounds in a new light. To shift long-held perceptions and show they are anything but grey - they are indeed GreatHounds."
Nom*D founder Margi Robertson, who owns her own retired called Ziggy, jumped at the chance to support the kaupapa.
"Greyhounds are such gentle, soulful creatures," she said. "I know how much love and character they bring into a home.
"It’s about giving these hounds the chance to be seen for the companions they truly are, beyond the track," she added. "That’s something I feel very connected to.”
Kiwis wanting to learn more about adopting or fostering a greyhound, or supporting the rehoming drive, can visit the Greyhounds as Pets website.
