How Do I Rehome My Dog?

You can rehome your dog yourself by searching for a new family for him – this will give him the best chance of finding a safe and loving home. There are tools out there to help you with this, such as Rehome, where you can post your pet on Adopt-a-Pet.com for millions of potential adopters to see. You can also find a local rescue organization willing to take him in. It is important to note that giving your dog away for free via a classified ad could put him in danger, so this should be avoided.

What NOT to Do When Rehoming a Pet

If you’ve never rehomed a pet before, you may not have given much thought to the various options available. That means you haven’t considered the dangers some pose. At the top of the list of what not to do when rehoming your dog is listing him "free to a good home" on a classified site or yard sale pages. Why is this not a good idea? There are a few reasons including:

• People troll such sites looking for animals to use for dog fighting, as bait dogs, and other illicit activities.

• Well-intentioned people try to help pets listed in this way by taking as many as they can find into their home. This often leads to a hoarding situation that isn’t healthy for the pet.

  Another thing not to do is to make the decision to rehome hastily. Whatever the issue that makes you want to rehome the pet, you can likely find resources to help that would allow you to keep the dog. Rehoming should be a last resort after all other options are exhausted.

What You SHOULD Do When Rehoming a Pet

If you’ve made the decision to rehome the pet, the safety of your dog should be your first priority. With that in mind, consider these three options:

Friends or Family

Reach out to family members and other loved ones to see if any of them would be willing to take your dog into their home. You may be surprised to learn that someone you know has fallen in love with your dog and would love to adopt him.

Rescue Groups

If you adopted your dog from a rescue organization, reach out to them to see if they have the ability to take your dog back into their care. You can also check with other local rescues to see if any of them have room for your dog. They will either place the dog in a foster home or care for it at a facility until they are able to find a good home. Note that rescues are not the same as municipal shelters, many of which may have to euthanize your dog for lack of space and lack the resources to screen adopters.

Finding a New Home Yourself

Another great option is to find a new home for your pet yourself. This allows you to try to find the perfect home based on everything you know about your dog and gives him an excellent chance at happiness. Our service called Rehome helps pet owners like you by providing a platform on which you can create a profile for your dog, screen applicants, and ultimately find your dog a great new home.

Rehoming a pet is a big decision. If you find you have no other choice, take the time to ensure your dog will have another chance at happiness in a new, loving home.