When retired Olympian Zuzana O'Hanlon faced a dramatic career transition she found companionship and support from former athlete Argos.
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The three-year-old greyhound was once a star of the racing track but is now more comfortable slumped on her living room couch.
"As a retired athlete myself, it is so nice to hang out with an animal that has served the same purpose as me but is now happy to just lounge on the couch," Ms O'Hanlon said.
Ms O'Hanlon, who represented the Czech Republic as a race walker at the Beijing Olympics, called on the Canberra community to give retired racing dogs another shot at life.
"They are amazing dogs and amazing pets, great company and very chilled," she said. "People need to start looking at these dogs and realise they are gentle and friendly rather than mean."
She feared a ban of greyhound racing in NSW and ACT could lead to a wholesale slaughter of dogs, with many to be left behind given a limited number of rescue homes.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr announced the ban on Thursday afternoon, criticising the racing industry for turning a blind eye to animal cruelty and abuse.
It is not clear when the practice will be banned in Canberra but it is likely to match the NSW deadline of mid-2017.
RSPCA chief executive Tammy Ven Dange said the historic decision was a win for "gentle giants everywhere".
There are 6809 registered greyhounds in NSW and many more in the ACT. NSW government plans for the transition of the industry include the re-homing of greyhounds if possible, transfer to interstate trainers, or euthanasia
Canberra Greyhound Racing Club chairman Ron Peck was unsure how many dogs would need to find new homes before the industry was banned in the ACT.
"We try to find a home for as many as possible ... all we can do now is hope and pray that they can be all re-homed," he said.
Ms O'Hanlon said greyhounds had an undeserved bad reputation and were seem as aggressive rather than gentle, lazy and sensitive animals.
"Argos would never harm anyone," she said. "They require a small amount of exercise but are otherwise complete couch potatoes and are low intensity.
"If I was to walk him off the lead and he saw a kangaroo, I would probably not see him again until I walked around the corner and found him passed out"
Ms O'Hanlon said Argos had been treated well by his former trainer and she had taken him back to see his siblings.
"But there are so many less fortunate dogs that have suffered injuries or have been malnourished, scared and treated poorly," she said.
Greyhound rescue organisations across the country have called on those considering a new dog to turn their attention to the track stars, who are more gentle than many realise.
