What Does It Mean to Surrender a Catahoula Leopard Dog?

When you surrender your Catahoula Leopard Dog, you’re giving up your legal rights to them and handing them over to the shelter or rescue. You’ll find that the policies for these organizations can vary greatly depending on where they’re located and the type of facility.

Check the Website

Before you try to bring your dog to them, you’ll want to learn more about their organization. Step number one should be checking out their website. They may have an FAQ or other information that can help you get the answer you need and decide whether bringing your dog to them is the right decision or not. In the case of rescues, they’ll often have a notice on their site of whether they have enough room to accept new dogs or not, as well.

Contact the Shelter or Rescue

The best way to learn about the policies of the facility is to contact them and ask any questions that you have that weren’t answered or that weren’t clear on their website. The personnel at the shelter will let you know what you’ll need to bring with you when you drop off your dog, including the surrender fee. The fees for surrendering your dog can vary based on location and other factors, such as the breed in some places. Typically, it will be at least $50 and up.

The shelter will also want to know more about your dog. What’s their temperament like? Will they get along well with other dogs? How old are they and do they have any health issues? They need to know whether they can be around other dogs, and this information can help to give them a better idea of whether they’re adoptable or not.

The staff might also want to know more about why you have to give up your dog. Sometimes, they’ll have some resources they can let you know about. For example, they may know of some low-cost vets in the area. If you have trouble giving your dog enough walks during the week because of work, they might know of dog walkers in the neighborhood you could hire.

Ultimately, their goal is to do what’s best for your dog. Sometimes, that means finding a way to stay with you.

Considering Other Options

You may want to look at some other choices instead of surrender. For example, if you know someone who is looking to adopt a dog, and they have the ability and room to care for your Catahoula Leopard Dog, this could be a good option. Talk with them to see if they might want to adopt your dog. It’s a fast and easy way to rehome your dog. Since you already know the person, you’ll have a better idea of whether they’re a good fit or not.

You could also use a pet adoption site like Rehome. This allows you to create a profile for your Catahoula Leopard Dog and connect with people online that are looking to adopt. You’ll be able to review their applications and find the new home that you feel will work well for your dog. Knowing that they’ll be going to a good home will give you a warm feeling inside.

Photo credit: Krystal Hamlin