​​​​​​​​​​​Can Your Pet Safely Be Rehomed?

 

First things first: You have to be honest with yourself about whether it is safe to rehome your pet. Here, I am referring to HUMAN welfare. If the decision to rehome is due to a behavioral issue, it is important to assess whether there is a home better suited to your pet or whether the safety risk the pet presents is too significant. Triggers can be managed in the proper environments, but these homes can feel like a needle in a haystack, or the risk of management techniques failing is too great. Veterinary and behavior professionals are available to help you assess this.

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As we know, there are many circumstances that lead to the heartbreaking decision to rehome a pet. If safety is not a concern, as a shelter Intake Specialist, I recommend owners who have the time and resources take an active role in choosing their pet's next home. Additional factors to consider include whether the pet can be safely and responsibly managed in your home until another placement is found, and how much time you realistically have to find placement. Below, you can read more about the benefits of self-rehoming.

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Are You Willing To Try Rehoming On Your Own?

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If you have the time and ability to rehome your pet directly, the following tips will help you find a new home responsibly. If your attention span isn't great (me too), feel free to scroll past the next few paragraphs to get to the resources...I know that I can be wordy.

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Today, many animal welfare organizations are empowering and encouraging owners to bypass shelters and rehome their pets independently. There are a growing number of organizations dedicated to supporting parents considering self-rehoming, and shelters are providing resources on how to responsibly find a pet's next home.  Adopt-A-Pet has been a major driver of this movement with its "Rehome" program which allows pet owners to list their pets in a searchable database that potential adopters use to find adoptable animals in their area. Previously, such searches were limited to animals affiliated with shelters and rescue organizations, so this is a major game-changer in my opinion. In addition to advertising the pet, they provide advice and guidance throughout the process to make sure owners feel supported.

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Why self-rehome?

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In addition to bypassing the stress an animal can experience in a shelter setting, self-rehoming lowers  the number of shelter intakes. This frees up cages for the next animal that will inevitably be surrendered, who does not have the option to be rehomed privately. It could literally save a life. 

 

The reality is that there will always be more animals in need of homes than space to house them. It's not as easy as taking a pet to a "No-Kill" shelter or rescue. They often have admission guidelines and waitlists due to high demand. (Learn more about the difference between "kill" and "no-kill" shelters here.) ​ So, if you have the right combination of time and circumstances, you may want to take the lead in selecting your pet's new home. NO ONE knows your pet better than you, and by self-rehoming, you can choose the adopter whose lifestyle best suits your pet's needs.
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Another benefit to self-rehoming is that you are setting your pet up for a smoother transition to their next home. Abruptly transitioning from a loving home to a shelter cage can be stressful, and it becomes even more of a concern if your pet is already a Nervous Nelly. Knowing this, it makes sense that in a shelter environment, an animal may not be presenting its best self, and it is common for them to exhibit behaviors they wouldn't normally display in their home setting. While entering the shelter system is not a death sentence, you need to know that, in addition to limited space, they may lack the resources to safely address an animal's medical or behavioral concerns in that environment; therefore, humane euthanasia is always a possibility. 

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It is often assumed that a shelter or rescue organization will find your pet the perfect home, and many times they can - but here's the thing: Animal rescue organizations vary in the comprehensiveness of their adoption screening processes.  While some organizations conduct in-depth screenings that assess whether the applicant's lifestyle is conducive to the particular pet, criminal background checks, review of history with veterinary care and previous pets, long interviews, home visits, contact references, and charge adoption fees, others animal rescue organizations only require being 18+, a photo ID, and no history of animal abuse related charges. Please know that I am not pointing this out to disparage any organization or scare people away from seeking help from a shelter,  but to give you the confidence to know that you can do the basic screening, PLUS more.

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The reality is you may not be able to find your pet's next home. Again, there are more animals in need than space to house them, and you may face this same barrier.  I want to be clear, self-rehoming is an option I want to bring awareness to, but it is not your only option, and it is not going to be right for everyone. Again, a combination of circumstances must be right to take this on. Never  hesitate to reach out to an animal welfare organization for help if you need it.

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Because this can feel like an overwhelming endeavor, below are sites that walk you through the process, including advertising, writing a bio, screening adopters, providing safety tips for meets, and transferring ownership agreements.

 

Additionally, in many states, you can conduct a case search of public records through the court system's website. If your state does not offer this, consider contacting a local animal rescue organization to inquire about their adoption policies and procedures.

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For more benefits to self-rehoming and why we need to change the stigma around it, please read:

Benefits, Myths, and Risks of Self-Rehoming Pets - And why we shouldn't be so quick to discourage it

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"Self-Serve" Rehoming Platforms

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Rehome by Adopt-A-Pet

Rehome by Adopt-A-Pet allows you to place a courtesy posting on their site to advertise your pet. They also include steps for writing a bio, screening potential adopters, and safety tips for scheduling meets. Adopt-A-Pet has partnered with shelters nationwide to provide their communities with a unique code that offers a courtesy listing or substantially discounted rate.  Contact your local animal shelter to inquire about a discount code.

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Home To Home

Home to Home is a nonprofit online platform that helps people find new or temporary housing for their pets without involving the stress of the shelter environment. Their goal is to connect pet parents directly with potential adopters or fosters. The site takes you through a step-by-step process to post your pet, either for temporary fostering or rehoming.

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​​Rehome With Love

If the process feels overwhelming, Rehome with Love is a full-service program that handles everything from creating your pet’s profile and advertising to communicating with and screening potential adopters. This is especially helpful for harder-to-place animals or for owners who do not have the time or feel uncomfortable taking on this process alone. ​​​​​​​​​

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Advertising Your Pet​​​

 

FIRST THINGS FIRST: Describe your pet and what their ideal home looks like.

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Getting Pets Noticed With Better Bios (Heartspeak)

Tips on writing the bio, and fill-in templates to guide the process

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Finding a New Home for Your Pet: A Compassionate Guide

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Getting a great photo (Heartspeak)​

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Optimizing your pet's profile (Adopt-A-Pet)

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NEXT UP: Spread the Word!

I highly encourage you to use one of the formal platforms listed above. However, if that's not your thing, or you're looking for ways to do some additional advertising, these are my recs:

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Paper Flyers

- Include a photo of your pet, a brief bio, and how to get in touch with you.​

- Hang flyers on community boards (library, gym, coffee shop, veterinary office, workplace, grocery store, etc.)

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Post on Social Media/Next Door/Email Blast

- Make sure your post is shareable and includes how to get in touch with you outside of social media. Especially when a post is shared, the name of the original poster can get lost, and privacy settings may not allow for private messages.

- Check Facebook for local rehoming pet groups.

- Compose an email that contains a bio and photo of your pet. Make sure to include your direct contact information. Email it to acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family, and ask them to share with their contacts. Good people tend to know other good people.

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​​SCREENING APPLICANTS

Finding a New Home for Your Pet: A Compassionate Guide

Tips on every step of the rehoming process - Rehome With Love

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​​Tips for Finding a Home for a Pet

Article by PetFinder that includes questions to screen potential adopters

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Rehoming a Pet: Finding a Good New Home

Best Friends Animal Society Questions to screen applicants​

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MEET AND GREETS

​​Adopt-A-Pet provides suggestions for conducting safe meet-and-greets.

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TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP

You want to be sure you are protecting yourself from liability and providing formal documentation that ownership has been transferred. I am not able to advise on this process, but the links below and self-service rehoming platforms can provide additional information on the transfer-of-ownership agreement. For additional information, please seek legal advice in your home state.

Adopt-A-Pet provides a transfer-of-ownership form.​​​​

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Other suggestions....​

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​​​​​​Is the Pet Returnable?​​​
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Breeder?

Many reputable breeders will take back their animals regardless of how much time has passed.​

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Return the pet to the shelter/rescue organization from which you adopted it.

When you adopted your pet, you likely signed an adoption contract asking you to return the pet to the organization if you are unable to keep it. In many cases, animal rescue organizations will take back their pet. There are times, however,  when they do not have the space to accept the animal back into their adoption program and may suggest that you try to find a home on your own, informing them of the change of ownership. Policies vary, but checking the contract and contacting them is a great first step. If nothing else, they may be able to offer advice and resources.​​​​​​​​

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Breed Specific Rescues

If your pet is a purebred, start with a Google search for a rescue designated to take breed "X." 

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