Finding a new home for your dog can be a difficult task. Each year, 5 million dogs and cats are killed in American animal shelters because they have not found a new home. Start looking for a new home immediately after making the decision to rehome your pet.
Ethical Considerations
There are some circumstances when it is not ethical to rehome your dog. If your dog is aggressive, it is morally and possibly legally wrong to rehome the dog without precautions. If you believe the dog is dangerous, then do the right thing for the dog and society, take the dog to the veterinarian and have the dog humanely euthanized. You must tell any potential adopter if your dog is a biter. You should also tell potential adopters if the dog is aggressive towards other animals.
Is Your Dog Up to Date?
Your dog will be more attractive to potential adopters if vaccinations, heartworm testing and preventative are current. In addition, your dog should be spayed or neutered. This is better for their health, will save the adopter money and will make your dog unattractive to puppy millers.
Do Not Give the Pet Away as Free to Good Home
In the United States, research labs still buy pets to use for experimentation. People called USDA Class B Dog Dealers buy homeless pets and resell them to labs for large profits. Dog dealers have been convicted of pretending to be good adoptive families and instead, have taken dogs and housed them in horrible conditions before reselling them to laboratories. Do not let your dog fall victim to the research industry.
Another danger of the free to good home ad is the pit bull fighting ring. Never advertise any bully breed as free to good home. Free bully breeds often meet a horrible fate. Many end up in fighting operations, either as fighting dogs or as bait dogs. Others end up chained to doghouses as guard dogs. You owe your dog a better fate.
Animal hoarders are another real threat to your dog's safety. Animal hoarders are thought to be kindly people who love pets. However, they are unable to control their need to “save” animals even when they are not capable of providing for the animals they already have. Each year thousands of animals are rescued from hoarders homes, many thousands never make it out alive. Always visit the home where you are placing your dog.
Unethical breeders and puppy mills will also take free to good home dogs to use in their breeding operations. Puppy mill dogs lead horrific lives of neglect and confinement.
Family and Friends
The best new home for your dog is with a trusted family member or friend. Ask all of your family and friends to help in your search for a new home for your dog. Do they know anyone looking for a dog? Work through your network and hopefully you will strike gold that will make your dogs happy for the rest of his life.
Businesses that Service Your Dog
Contact the kennel that your dog stays at; ask if they have any suggestions for a new home with any of their clients. Your veterinarian and groomer may also know of a great home, so do not forget to contact them.
Animal Rescue Groups
If you are striking out, contact local rescue groups. It is best to ask friends and family for recommendations since some rescue groups are no better than puppy mills or animal hoarders. Interview the rescue group. Do they interview prospective adopters? Does the rescue group check vet records and do they conduct a home visit? What about returns - does the group take back their adoptees? If the answer is no, move on to another group. You can search for rescue groups in your area using
Petfinder.
Animal Shelters
Not all shelters are alike. You must find out about your local shelter before you give your dog to it. There are shelters in the United States that kill almost all incoming animals using gas chambers or giving almost all animals to research dealers. Please do right by your dog and investigate the shelter's practices before you give them your pet.
When You Find the Right Home
When you find a good adopter, make sure you take the dog to the new home. Ask yourself would you want to live there, if not, take the dog back home with you. Ask to see the adopter's driver license and make certain that the address matches the home you are at. Have the adopter sign a piece of paper agreeing to give the dog back to you if they no longer want the dog. Also, exchange telephone numbers and email addresses so you can keep in contact.
Take you dog's medicine, if any. Bring his bed, food and toys, even his dishes to his new home.
Remember, you made a lifetime commitment to your dog. It is your responsibility to find the best possible home for him if your circumstances change. You will be happy that you made the effort.
