How to Rehome Your Dog Safely and Responsibly If You Have No Option

Taking on a pet is a lifetime commitment. It’s one that includes financial responsibility and emotional responsibility. There will probably be (some) difficult times. On the other hand, it’s also the beginning of an incredible journey full of love.

Every so often, a pet parent may feel that they are in a position where they need to give their pet up. It’s worth noting that more people than ever are finding themselves in this position right now, due to the cost of living crisis. The latest figures from Dogs Trust reveal that in 2022 the charity had 7,875 dogs handed over to them by owners who could no longer look after them. The same year, the RSPCA announced a six percent rise in dogs being surrendered to them and a 30 percent drop in adoptions.

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Main Takeaways

• Rehoming a dog should be a last resort after pet parents have explored and exhausted all other avenues.

• People may seek to rehome their dog for a number of reasons including the cost of living crisis and behavioural issues.

• If you do have to rehome your dog, seek to do it through the original breeder or rescue centre, a trusted friend or relative with experience, or a charity with rehoming experience.

• Do not try to rehome your dog through social media or Gumtree or advertise it as ‘free to a good home’.

There are other reasons a pet parent might feel as if they have no option but to give their pet up. From behavioural issues to lifestyle changes, it’s always worth finding an expert to talk it through with first.

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Considerations before rehoming your dog

“ Giving up a pet should always be a last resort as it’s an incredibly difficult decision to make, and can be really upsetting for everyone involved, including the animals,” the RSPCA tells Kinship.

For those dealing with financial constraints, there are a number of resources out there that can help pet parents over the hump, whether it’s free nutrition consultations to help you find an affordable diet that doesn’t put your pet’s health at risk, to pet food banks. There are also vet payment plans, alternative ways to buy medication and charities providing free or low-cost vet treatments. Find out more about what to do if you’re struggling to afford your pet here.

If it’s behavioural issues that are driving you towards the decision of giving up your pet then there are behaviourists and trainers that can help pet parents deal with any number of issues, from reactivity to anxiety. Finding the right behaviourist can be key for this.

Dog rehoming options

Even after exploring options, some pet parents may still find they have no choice but to give their pet up. If you are unable to continue to provide a loving home for your pet, then it’s important that you seek a new home for them in a responsible way to ensure that your pet is left in safe hands and has the best option of being adopted into another home that can give them the care that they need.

Animal shelters

“First, you could try to contact their breeder or original seller to see if they’re willing to take them back,” say the RSPCA. “If your pet was adopted from a rescue organisation, then it is usually policy that they must be returned to them so please contact them for advice.” Alternatively, you can speak to family and friends to find out if any of them are in a position where they might be able to meet your pet’s needs and welcome them into your home. If none of these are a possibility then you should contact a charity or rescue centre for help. You can find your local rescue centre via the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes.

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“Unfortunately, animal rescue organisations are under a huge amount of strain at the moment and most centres are full with long waiting lists. If you need to rehome your pet, try different organisations and please be patient – you may need to wait for a space to open up,” the RSPCA explains. “While the RSPCA doesn’t generally take in unwanted pets – because our centres prioritise animals being rescued by our inspectors from cruelty and neglect – there are other charities that specialise in this work.”

“Some charities have rescue centres that will take animals in, others use fosterers to care for animals in their homes while they search for an adopter, and some may try to help find your pet a new home while they stay with you, to reduce the disruption they’re experiencing. You will be asked to sign a document that explains that you’re passing ownership of your pet over to the charity to rehome.”

Rehoming services

“We would not advise owners to rehome their pets via social media or Gumtree as it is difficult to ensure your pet is going to a home where they will be well looked after, and we’d never advise offering your pet as ‘free to a good home’.” The RSPCA also stresses that owners should never abandon their pets. “It is incredibly distressing for them and can also leave them in extremely vulnerable situations.” Sadly, last year they responded to 20,999 reports about animals being abandoned – more than in 2022, 2021 and 2020.

If you do decide to go against advice and rehome your pet privately to a person you do not know, then it is advised that you meet them in person, with your pet, more than once, to get an idea of how they interact with the pet. Make sure the meeting situation is safe for you; take a friend and ask for ID beforehand and on the day. Make sure you ask them lots of questions. And ask for their contact details. Perhaps the new owner will be happy to stay in touch and provide updates. On the flip side, you may be able to advise on any issues that come up as your pet settles into their new home.

There are now rehoming services available that try to make the rehoming process safe for pets, their parents and potential adopters. PetRehomer is a new charity that seeks to add some safety nets to giving up your pet to someone online. The service is free for those who need to rehome their pets and adopters are vetted by the charity, home checks are performed and communication is set up between the adopter and the person giving up their pet. The person giving up their pet is allowed to make the final call on who adopts their pet. The pet has to remain in their home until the adoption goes through as PetRehomer is not a shelter and doesn’t have facilities to take pets in. 

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For adopters, it’s important to note that while PetRehomer does ask the pet parent giving up their pet about health conditions, they do not verify health records so you may wish to request those separately from the dog or cat’s vet. Some pets on their site have not been microchipped or neutered and remedying this will be the responsibility of the adopter. An adoption fee is paid by the adopter to cover costs of the charity. These vary depending on the age and type of animal from £60-295.

Reasons you might consider rehoming your dog

There are many reasons you might be considering rehoming your pet. Financial reasons are currently at the forefront. Budgeting for an extra mouth is something that’s become increasingly difficult for many over the past few years as the costs of things have gone up while wages have remained stagnant.

Sadly, because of the cost of living crisis, animal rescue centres in the UK are experiencing their toughest time yet. The RSPCA says their centres are at breaking point as the gap between the number of animals they are taking in and the number of animals that are being adopted widens. Before deciding to rehome your pet, consider some of the help on offer to see if you can get yourself through this difficult period. Try visiting the cost of living hub on the RSPCA website – it has links to where you can find your nearest pet food bank, advice on how to get help on your vet bills, money saving tips for pet parents and more.

Elsewhere, pet parents may be struggling with behavioural issues. Whether your dog is anxious, reactive, overly barky, doesn‘t get on with a child who might have joined your family or more, there is usually a solution and if you can afford to work with a reward-based trainer that relies on positive reinforcement, that’s a great place to start. If a behaviourist is out of your price range, try Dogs Trust Behaviour Support Line for free from Monday to Saturday, 9:30am-5pm on 0303 003 6666, or email them here.

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New puppy or dog parents might be overwhelmed by the lifestyle change welcoming a four-legged friend into a family and seek to rehome their new pet. Rest assured, the puppy blues is real and causes many new pet parents to feel like they may have made a mistake. Speak to your friends and family with dogs, they’ll likely reassure you that they felt the same at the beginning and despite the initial upheaval they felt, now wouldn't change their four legged friend for anything in the whole world.

If you‘ve adopted and are panicking you‘ve taken on too much, give your dog and yourself time. It'll be an adjustment period for both of you, especially if the dog has come from a traumatic background – anxiety (on both sides!) is totally understandable. Try to remember the 3-3-3 ‘rule’ (by no means a hard and fast rule, every dog is different), which suggests that it takes three days for a dog to stop feeling anxious in their new surroundings, three weeks to start to feel comfortable, and three months before they’re fully settled in. Don‘t make any rash decisions about rehoming, your dog may just be settling in.

Rehoming your dog: frequently asked questions 

What to do with a dog you can't keep?

If you have explored every avenue and come to the conclusion that you are unable to keep your dog, please do make sure that you rehome them responsibly. This means staying clear of advertising to strangers on social media, offering them up as ‘free to a good home’, or simply just abandoning them. All of these put your pet at risk and an increased pressure on animal charities and rescue organisations who are already struggling.

Instead, try contacting the original breeder you purchased them from to see if they are willing to take them back. If you adopted, contact the rescue centre for what they suggest is best to do. Otherwise, find your local animal rescue centre and arrange a conversation with them to see if they're able to take your pet in. Bear in mind that rescue services are stretched and you may need to speak to several.

Alternatively, consider family and friends who are familiar with dogs. If you know people who could give your pet a good home, contacting them may lead to a happy rehoming experience.

You can also consider PetRehomer, a new charity dedicated to helping people who need to rehome their pets find vetted and home-checked adopters for pets in need.

What is the 3-3-3 rule with dogs?

By no means a hard and fast rule, the 3-3-3 rule with adopted dogs says that it’ll take three days for a dog to adjust to their new surroundings, three weeks to start to feel comfortable, and three months to settle into their new home. However, as Rima Chehlaoui, behaviourist at  Even Better Dogs K9 Behaviour and Training, and Lynne Spencer, founder of overseas adoption organisation Give a Dog a Home told Kinship previously, it’s best to take 3-3-3 with a pinch of salt, warning that your dog’s progression is fluid, rather than milestones being stamped in time. “A dog can go forwards and then regress and then move forwards again,” Rima says, whilst Lynne suggests treating 3-3-3 as a minimum.

Is there a way to temporarily rehome a dog?

If you need to give up your pet for a short amount of time, the best thing to do would be to rely on a trusted family member or friend who has experience with dogs and who already has a good relationship with your dog. This should be the first option you explore.

Some charities provide temporary fosterers for pets whose parents can't look after them for a number of reasons. If a pet parent is escaping domestic violence then Dogs Trust has a special service called Freedom to look after their dog whilst they leave and settle into a new and safe home, whilst Cats Protection has partnered with Refuge to provide the same temporary fostering system for people with cats. Refuge4Pets also exist to help people and animals escape domestic abuse. Elsewhere, in London, Mayhew provides shelter and care for pets whose parents are in crisis through it's Pet Refuge programme. Other organisations like The Cinnamon Trust do similar work.

Ask your vet, too, they may be aware of local charities, organisations or even individual fosters who may be able to take on your pet temporarily while you work through a difficult period.

The RSPCA has rehomed 405,839 pets in need of a new home since 2013 thanks to its network of 140 branches and animal centres across England and Wales – which equates to 111 animals every day.

References

Dog’s Trust. “ Behaviour Support Line: Dogs Trust.” Free Specialist Advice | Dogs Trust. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.