So you need to rehome your pet?
The following information explains some of the steps you can take if you are thinking about rehoming your pet
1. Is there an alternate option?
Is your situation temporary?
Could a family member or friend be able to help?
2. Try contacting the pet’s breeder or rescue who you adopted the dog from
Reputable registered breeders will offer lifetime support for the dogs they have bred and sold. you should try to make contact with the breeder to let them know an animal they bred is in need of rehoming.
If your dog originally came from a rescue group please contact them, most would be very concerned and will try to help.
3. Contact other rescue groups
If the breeder can not take the pet back for whatever reason, try to contact a rescue group.
Our surrender forms can be found here
Always ask relevant questions on how your dog will work within their rescue, if they are elderly or have behavioural issues do they have the resources to help your dog. Be honest with the rescue with any health or behavioural issues your animal has, this will give the rescue the best chance of helping your pet.
For further rescue links please See: Dogzonline Rescue List
4. If you are trying to rehome the pet yourself
If you are unable to find an alternative solution then you may need to try and find your pet a new home yourself.
5. Our best advice for the future wellbeing of your dog when rehoming
A) Microchip your pet if not already done, if already done, ask your vet to scan your pet to make sure the microchip is still working (yes, it has happened that microchips have stopped working) Check the information on the microchip has all your current details including phone numbers, email address and home address. This is so important. This act can save your pets life should your pet go missing at any stage in their life, in the time of being moved to a new home, your pet could escape or on occasion, people have let their newly acquired pet go as they are not working out (yes, this really happens!!). If the microchip is not up to date, you will never get that letter or call that your pet has been found and could end up in a pound unclaimed. If deemed unrehomeable, your pet could lose his/her life. THAT IS HOW IMPORTANT IT CAN BE!!
B) Is your pet desexed? If not, why? We would implore you to desex your pet before rehoming if there is no valid reason. So many people will exploit pets they acquire to breed from. Some of the worst cases could be a puppy farmer or backyard breeder. You could be selling or giving your dog away to someone who will be interested in gaining your pet, not as a pet, but a breeding pet to make them money.
We all need to do what we can to prevent more unwanted animals from being born.
C) Update your pet’s vaccination if not up to date. Parvo is a terrible virus for a dog to get, for the price of a vaccination you can prevent your dog being vulnerable to catching the highly contagious disease that can live in soil for up to 7 years.
D) Prepare a history of your pet. Include as much information as possible such as
- his/her likes and dislikes,
- current food preferences or dietary needs,
- if your pet is good around other animals,
- whether he/she likes to play with certain types of toys etc.
All this information will help make the transition easier on the animal.
6. Advertise
NEVER advertise your pet as free to good home. Ask a reasonable fee to discourage unscrupulous people such as re-sellers from responding to your advertisement even if you donate the money to your favourite charity, or ask enough to cover microchipping, registration, vaccination, desexing. If you don't like the home offered it's OK to say no.
7. Network
To your veterinarian.
To your work.
Show your family and friends.
8. Interview potential new owners
When someone responds to your advertisement, you have an opportunity to interview them over the phone before introducing them to the animal. Ask questions about the person’s home environment to help you decide whether they can provide a suitable and loving permanent secure home.
Keep the new owners contact details permanently - name, address, phone numbers, email address
It is the previous owners responsibility to change the microchip In NSW into the new owner's name. Make sure you microchip details when you transfer ownership of your pet when you are satisfied your have found a safe and loving home that will keep your pet for the rest of their life. You can leave your details in the Secondary Address part on the Change Of Owner form. In NSW this form is known as a C3A.
9. Take the pet to a pound or shelter
Australian council impound facilities operate to provide their community a place for lost animals to be held. In NSW pounds are legally required to hold lost dogs for 7 days if unmicrochipped, 14 days if microchipped. After which time your pet can be rehomed, rescued or euthanased if the pound deem your dog unsuitable for rehoming.
If you choose to surrender your pet to a pound you will pay a fee and sign a form relinquishing ownership. Once this is done, your pet is not a lost animal, your pet is no longer yours and has no legally required holding time and can be rescued, adopted or euthanised at any time. Some pounds endeavour to remain low-kill, but will not hold a dangerous, feral or menacing animal for adoption.
Do not kid yourself if your pet has serious untreatable health or behavioural problems. There is the real possibility, that not keeping your pet will result in the pet's death, either directly at a shelter, or in not finding an appropriate permanent home.
10. Last resort
If your pet has critical health or behavioural issues that you can't deal with. For example, if your dog is a danger to itself or others, then please take responsibility for your pet and take him or her to your own vet for euthanasia. Stay with him or her to the end, as painful as that might be for you.
11. Never abandon your pet
Releasing any pet into the wild is a death sentence.
Whatever you do, do not turn your pet loose in the street or ‘out in the country’. This is one of the cruelest fates any domestic pet could meet. The danger, fear, and suffering they will encounter is heartbreaking even if they manage to survive for any length of time. Your domesticated pet isn't going to suddenly know how to live without you.
That includes pocket pets, birds, poultry, rabbits, ferrets, cats and dogs. All will fall prey to dehydration, starvation, disease or predators within hours or days.
A special note regarding ferrets; they can in no way survive in the wild when they have been domestically breed
1. Is there an alternate option?
Is your situation temporary?
Could a family member or friend be able to help?
2. Try contacting the pet’s breeder or rescue who you adopted the dog from
Reputable registered breeders will offer lifetime support for the dogs they have bred and sold. you should try to make contact with the breeder to let them know an animal they bred is in need of rehoming.
If your dog originally came from a rescue group please contact them, most would be very concerned and will try to help.
3. Contact other rescue groups
If the breeder can not take the pet back for whatever reason, try to contact a rescue group.
Our surrender forms can be found here
Always ask relevant questions on how your dog will work within their rescue, if they are elderly or have behavioural issues do they have the resources to help your dog. Be honest with the rescue with any health or behavioural issues your animal has, this will give the rescue the best chance of helping your pet.
For further rescue links please See: Dogzonline Rescue List
4. If you are trying to rehome the pet yourself
If you are unable to find an alternative solution then you may need to try and find your pet a new home yourself.
5. Our best advice for the future wellbeing of your dog when rehoming
A) Microchip your pet if not already done, if already done, ask your vet to scan your pet to make sure the microchip is still working (yes, it has happened that microchips have stopped working) Check the information on the microchip has all your current details including phone numbers, email address and home address. This is so important. This act can save your pets life should your pet go missing at any stage in their life, in the time of being moved to a new home, your pet could escape or on occasion, people have let their newly acquired pet go as they are not working out (yes, this really happens!!). If the microchip is not up to date, you will never get that letter or call that your pet has been found and could end up in a pound unclaimed. If deemed unrehomeable, your pet could lose his/her life. THAT IS HOW IMPORTANT IT CAN BE!!
B) Is your pet desexed? If not, why? We would implore you to desex your pet before rehoming if there is no valid reason. So many people will exploit pets they acquire to breed from. Some of the worst cases could be a puppy farmer or backyard breeder. You could be selling or giving your dog away to someone who will be interested in gaining your pet, not as a pet, but a breeding pet to make them money.
We all need to do what we can to prevent more unwanted animals from being born.
C) Update your pet’s vaccination if not up to date. Parvo is a terrible virus for a dog to get, for the price of a vaccination you can prevent your dog being vulnerable to catching the highly contagious disease that can live in soil for up to 7 years.
D) Prepare a history of your pet. Include as much information as possible such as
- his/her likes and dislikes,
- current food preferences or dietary needs,
- if your pet is good around other animals,
- whether he/she likes to play with certain types of toys etc.
All this information will help make the transition easier on the animal.
6. Advertise
NEVER advertise your pet as free to good home. Ask a reasonable fee to discourage unscrupulous people such as re-sellers from responding to your advertisement even if you donate the money to your favourite charity, or ask enough to cover microchipping, registration, vaccination, desexing. If you don't like the home offered it's OK to say no.
7. Network
To your veterinarian.
To your work.
Show your family and friends.
8. Interview potential new owners
When someone responds to your advertisement, you have an opportunity to interview them over the phone before introducing them to the animal. Ask questions about the person’s home environment to help you decide whether they can provide a suitable and loving permanent secure home.
Keep the new owners contact details permanently - name, address, phone numbers, email address
It is the previous owners responsibility to change the microchip In NSW into the new owner's name. Make sure you microchip details when you transfer ownership of your pet when you are satisfied your have found a safe and loving home that will keep your pet for the rest of their life. You can leave your details in the Secondary Address part on the Change Of Owner form. In NSW this form is known as a C3A.
9. Take the pet to a pound or shelter
Australian council impound facilities operate to provide their community a place for lost animals to be held. In NSW pounds are legally required to hold lost dogs for 7 days if unmicrochipped, 14 days if microchipped. After which time your pet can be rehomed, rescued or euthanased if the pound deem your dog unsuitable for rehoming.
If you choose to surrender your pet to a pound you will pay a fee and sign a form relinquishing ownership. Once this is done, your pet is not a lost animal, your pet is no longer yours and has no legally required holding time and can be rescued, adopted or euthanised at any time. Some pounds endeavour to remain low-kill, but will not hold a dangerous, feral or menacing animal for adoption.
Do not kid yourself if your pet has serious untreatable health or behavioural problems. There is the real possibility, that not keeping your pet will result in the pet's death, either directly at a shelter, or in not finding an appropriate permanent home.
10. Last resort
If your pet has critical health or behavioural issues that you can't deal with. For example, if your dog is a danger to itself or others, then please take responsibility for your pet and take him or her to your own vet for euthanasia. Stay with him or her to the end, as painful as that might be for you.
11. Never abandon your pet
Releasing any pet into the wild is a death sentence.
Whatever you do, do not turn your pet loose in the street or ‘out in the country’. This is one of the cruelest fates any domestic pet could meet. The danger, fear, and suffering they will encounter is heartbreaking even if they manage to survive for any length of time. Your domesticated pet isn't going to suddenly know how to live without you.
That includes pocket pets, birds, poultry, rabbits, ferrets, cats and dogs. All will fall prey to dehydration, starvation, disease or predators within hours or days.
A special note regarding ferrets; they can in no way survive in the wild when they have been domestically breed
When contacting SSR
SSR also has a breed specific rescuer of all ages Silky Terriers and Yorkshire Terriers. See the contact form on this website if you are rehoming these breeds. We also take other breeds when we have room and the right carer.
Important things:
As much as it pains us, sometimes there is nothing we can do to help but please understand, we're a small group with limited spaces and limited funds.
Anna@SSR
admin@seniorsandsilkies.org.au
Important things:
As much as it pains us, sometimes there is nothing we can do to help but please understand, we're a small group with limited spaces and limited funds.
Anna@SSR
admin@seniorsandsilkies.org.au
