Page Title

Our organization is 100% foster-based and run entirely by volunteers. While we would love to help every animal in need we do not always have the resources to do so. If you are in the unfortunate situation of having to re-home your pet please use the link below to submit an owner surrender request and a volunteer will be in touch. For more information please scroll to the information below.

Owner Surrender Requests

Ownership Transfer Form (Click HERE)

In a perfect world, you would never have to face the decision of whether or not it is time to find your pet a new home. Unfortunately, with the lack of pet-friendly housing, archaic breed-specific legislation laws, near-constant shifts in the economy, and the sometimes complex nature of animal behavior, it is possible that you might need to search for a new family for your beloved dog or cat. Don’t be too hard on yourself — you are far from the first person to go through this emotional undertaking. We hope our insights can help make the transition easier for you and your pet.

Other Assistance or Recommendations

Housing problems?

If you are having trouble finding animal-friendly housing, or experiencing other pet-related housing difficulties such as a nuisance complaint, check out our resources on keeping pets welcome in rental housing.

Pet allergies?

See resources on how you can have a happy, healthy life with your furry companions, even if you’re allergic to them.

Not enough time?

These days many owners are struggling with a work and home life balance, often leaving them with less time for their furry family members. Well we have some great news! There are a variety of resources available including utilization of doggie daycare and pet sitters/walkers.

Your pet would much rather you spend a few extra hours during the day/week out of the home versus being put in a shelter, foster home, left on the streets or being euthanized. Re-homing, sending to a shelter, or abandonment of a cat or dog can put a lot of stress on the animals. They often become confused, depressed, anxious, sometimes aggressive, and can develop various other behavioral issues that they did not have in your home. We encourage re-homing to be an absolute last resort.

Trouble affording your pet’s care?

Anyone can experience an unexpected financial crisis. Don’t panic: Many national, state and local organizations provide assistance with pet food and other essentials, behavioral advice and training, and low-cost or free spay/neuter and other veterinary care. Your local animal shelters or rescue groups can also be a great resource for free or low-cost pet assistance.

New baby?

You can keep your growing family safe, happy and together. Read our simple tips for avoiding toxoplasmosis exposure during pregnancy and for preparing your pet for the new baby.

Pet behavior issues?

Many behavior problems can be caused by a treatable medical condition. For example, a house-trained pet may begin urinating in the house due to a urinary tract infection that a veterinarian can diagnose and easily treat.

If there's no physical cause for the problem, remember that many common pet behavioral issues have simple solutions. Check out our tips below, or consider consulting an animal behaviorist or trainer in your community. PLEASE be sure to use a reputable trainer. Anyone can claim to be a trainer and many do not have any official training. We recommend seeking a certified professional dog trainer - knowledge assessed for a formal evaluation and training plan. Your local animal shelters or rescue groups may offer low-cost veterinary care or training services or be able to refer you to other organizations that offer these services.

Need help with your cat’s behavior? Check out our resources for information on how to reduce stress in cats, how to stop destructive scratching, how to prevent litter box problems, how to help pets get along with each other and more.
Need help with your dog’s behavior? Check out our resources for information on how to prevent chewing or digging, how to house train your dog, how to teach your dog to feel comfy in their crate, how to keep your dog from barking excessively, escaping your yard and more.

Finding a new home

If you decide that rehoming your pet is the best option, keep in mind that despite the best efforts of shelters and rescues to care for their animals, your home is usually the best place for your pet while you search for an adopter.

By taking on the task of finding your pet a home, you can also reduce competition for limited space and resources in shelters or rescues. Here are some tips for placing your pet in a loving new home.

Make your pet more attractive to potential adopters. Have your pet vaccinated and checked by a veterinarian. Making sure your pet is spayed or neutered may also make them more likely to be chosen by a new owner.
Advertise through friends, neighbors and local veterinarians. Your personal network is the best pool of adopters for your pet. Ask your veterinarian if you can place a poster advertising your pet’s need for a new home. Place flyers promoting your pet at work, school, church and other public places you frequent. Include a good-quality photo and appealing description of your pet.
Leverage your social network. Post your pet’s photo and story and ask your friends to share it on their social streams.
Be transparent with potential adopters. Be prepared to share details about your pet's personality and how they get along with other pets and people. Share your pet’s favorite things and not-so-favorite things. And share any medical or behavior issues your pet is experiencing so that potential new owners will have the information they need to determine if your pet would be a good fit for their family.
Get help from shelters and rescue groups. Some sheltering and rescue organizations may post your pet’s picture and profile on their website as a courtesy listing, while your pet stays in your home. Your local agencies may have other programs to help you re-home your pet.
Do NOT give your pet away for free! Ask for a reasonable re-homing fee to help ensure your pet does not end up in the wrong hands. Unfortunately, our world today is full of individuals who do not have the best intentions. We would hate to see more pets end up in deplorable, abusive, and back-yard breeding situations.
Be sure to thoroughly evaluate any potential person or family interested in adopting your pet. We recommending running a general internet search on the person/family. Screen social media accounts (Facebook, LinkedIn...etc.) for any flags. Request 1-2 personal and non-family reference contacts to chat with about the prospective adoptive family. Contact the applicant's veterinarian (this is an important reference!) as they will let you know if the family has previously and/or currently been taking proper care of their animals.
Do a home check! Virtual via photos/video or in person, but do please be cautious here and do your best to use good judgement for both your own and your pet's safety. Upon a meet/potential re-homing day it may be good to check the person's identification to be sure they are who they say they are and that their address matches what they had previously told you as well as matches the home check.

As a last resort, you may be able to surrender your pet to a local shelter or an alternative rescue organization. Each agency may have a different process for surrendering a pet to their care; learn more by visiting their website or calling ahead. Many shelters and rescue organizations have wait lists and it could take weeks to months before they have the ability to take your pet in.

** Please note, not all shelters and rescues offer the same level of care, treatment, and rehoming steps. Our organization encourages that any owner/family looking to surrender a pet perform thorough research on the organization they give their pet to. Read reviews, review their adoption process, check to see if they are a no-kill group, ask a TON of questions...etc. **