Find a New Home

Re-Homing Your Pet (PDF) - we understand that sometimes pet guardians find themselves unable to continue providing care for their pet. When this difficult situation arises, the best thing you can do is try to re-home your pet so they won't have to enter a shelter. Entering any shelter environment is extremely stressful for pets and should be avoided if possible.

Surrendering your pet to a shelter should be a last resort, not a first option.

Tips

With dedication and effort, many people find success re-homing their pet on their own! Here are some tips on re-homing your pet:

• Post a profile of your pet to a Re-homing community forum such as PetFinders. Be sure to include detailed descriptions and appealing photos to help your pet find a new home quickly!
• Ask friends, family members, or other trusted individuals for support and explain the situation. They may be interested in adopting your pet, or able to temporarily foster him/her while you're in the process of finding a permanent home. Do you have a certain friend or relative who has bonded strongly with your pet when they have visited your home? Contact them first!
• Begin searching for your pet's new home within your networks: your workplace, religious organization, neighborhood, or any other group you are affiliated with; you can do this by advertising in an internal newsletter, sending out a mass email, or posting flyers with a description and photos of your pet.
• Utilize social media. Post your pet's photo and description to your Facebook page and local pages you like.
• Post a classified ad to be viewed by the general public, either online or in a printed publication. Popular options for Gaston County residents include online Gaston Free Pets, Craigslist, and print ads in the Gaston Gazette are free. The Gazette will let you place a "give away" ad for free.
• Contact Breed and Rescue groups. There are numerous small pet rescue groups working to help pets find new homes and keep them out of the shelter environment. View a list of rescue groups you can contact.

Be sure to screen the family interested to ensure a safe, loving, permanent home for your pet. It is crucial to evaluate your pet's individual needs and create a list of specific questions to ask interested parties. Most importantly, you will want to ensure that your pet will be treated humanely and provided with basic necessities. It is reasonable to request a brief home visit and small rehoming fee to guarantee that your pet ends up in an optimal environment. Individuals who are seriously seeking a long-term companion animal will likely consent to these stipulations.

Responsible pet owners will undoubtedly have many questions for you too, as they will be interested in obtaining detailed information about your pet's behavior, temperament, and any medical concerns to determine whether or not they can commit to providing lifelong care for the animal.