​​​​​​​​​​​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, and there are times that no matter how hard you try, some pets aren't wired correctly (so to speak), or the risk of management techniques failing is too great. Veterinary professionals are available to help you assess this and, when appropriate, suggest ways to find a home responsibly and transparently. 

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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 Counselor, I always recommend that owners who have the time and resources take an active role in choosing their pet's next home. Of course, this can be done when behavioral concerns are present, but it adds another layer to the process.

 

The other factor to consider is time. Can the situation be safely managed in your current environment while you search for an alternative placement? 

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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, below are some tips on finding your pet a new home. 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.

 

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. In addition to bypassing the stress of the shelter environment, this reduces the number of shelter intakes, thus saving lives by freeing up shelter cages. (There is only so much space.)

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So, if you have the right combination of time and circumstances, it is in everyone's best interest for you 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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The most common barrier I find to self-rehoming is people's wariness about their ability to find and screen potential adopters, and they prefer to leave it to the "professionals." And this is a totally legit concern - we've all heard horrific stories of people who use animals for dog fighting or are careless pet owners. However, according to the organization Humane World for Animals, "today, there is a growing understanding that nearly all adopters have good intentions (The Power of Supported Self Rehoming)."

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The truth is that animal rescue organizations vary in the comprehensiveness of their adoption screening processes. This is because many factors go into what an organization is permitted to ask. 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,  but to give you the confidence to know that you can do the basic screening, PLUS more.

 

Because this can feel like an overwhelming endeavor, below are sites that walk you through this process, from 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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AMAZING Services That Assist With Pet Rehoming​​

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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.

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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

Rehome. Yeah, it's a bit confusing that these organizations share a name, but the way I understand it is that they are separate entities...This "Rehome" is a service that takes a more active role in the rehoming process. They offer a range of supportive services from a complimentary 30-day courtesy listing, to handling the entire process from creating a personalized pet profile and adopter screening. They offer a 20-minute consultation, during which you can explore options to determine if rehoming is right for you and where to start.

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Rehome also has a blog that offers both emotional and practical support as you navigate the rehoming journey. Blog posts include the nitty-gritty of rehoming tips to introducing your pet to their new home.​

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Advertising Your Pet​

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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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Getting a great photo (Heartspeak)

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My Tips on Writing the Bio

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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:

 

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​

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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 tips on optimizing your pet's profile and meeting potential adopters safely, as well as suggestions for conducting safe meet-and-greets.

 

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-supported rehoming platforms can provide additional information on the transfer of ownership agreement.

 

Human Animal Support Services (HASS) offers a downloadable transfer-of-ownership agreement. Adopt-A-Pet also offers a similar 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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