When There’s No Other Option: 6 Tips for Rehoming Your Pet

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Recently I was upset to learn that we can no longer keep the cat I rescued for my mother because he makes her allergies worse to the point where she can’t breathe. After not even owning him a year, I’m now charged with the task of finding him a new home. As difficult and necessary as this decision was, I know it’s for the best for my family and for my cat.

I’ve never had to rehome a pet before, so after some research I found some tips that can benefit others in my situation.

Here are 6 tips on how to rehome your pet.

  1. Do it yourself. The best way to ensure that your pet is going to a good home is to find it and speak to the potential companion(s) yourself. Going through a middleman can end in disappointment.
  2. Give yourself plenty of time. It’ll do no one any good if you rush through this process. While it is painful to find a new home for an animal you really care about, you want to be sure that where you send it is a good fit for the pet’s personality and energy levels. Find someone who will be responsible for them, and understand that it might take a little while before you find that right fit.
  3. If you got the pet from someone, can you return him or her? If you got your pet from another person and you need to rehome him or her, possibly start by seeing if the original owners can take them back and maybe they can find a better place for them if they don’t keep the pet themselves. Alternatively, if there’s no one to return the animal to (for example you found the pet on the street), putting ads and information out there can be a good way to find the animal a home. Maybe some of your friends are looking for a pet to welcome into their home.
  4. Strangers. Maybe no one you know is looking for a pet right now. You can put ads up on the internet and begin a screening process to find a new companion for the pet. Don’t let any stranger rush you or intimidate you into picking them; take your time to screen them and perhaps make arrangements to visit them and their home to see if they are a good fit for your furry friend and their home is set up to accommodate a new pet. If you want to be a little more certain that you’ll receive serious inquiries only, then set an adoption fee. $75-$150 will do, and most people that inquire from then on won’t be interested in wasting your time.
  5. Friendly reminders to the new family. Adjustment periods vary from animal to animal, so remind the new family to take it easy with the pet who will be “mourning,” the loss of their original family. Animals typically avoid eating the first day or two during a huge change, like joining a new family, so tell them not to worry if this is also the case with the pet they’ve gotten from you.
  6. Flyers. If you’re making a flyer then there are a few things you should include:
    1. A good photograph and accurate description of your pet’s appearance.
    2. Your pet’s name, size and age.

      Image Credit: Animated Heaven

    3. Any alterations of the pet (surgeries, etc.)
    4. A description of their attitude, behavior, favorite past times and the like.
    5. Limitations (i.e: bad with children, doesn’t like dogs, allergies, etc.)
    6. Include your phone number and the best times to reach you.

Sometimes there’s no other option aside from rehoming your pet. It’s for their benefit as well as yours; they deserve to get everything they need. If you don’t have time to play with them, find them a place where they will get to play as much as they want. If you’re allergic and you can’t breathe with the animal around, don’t sacrifice your health if it can be detrimental. We love our pets so we have to do what’s best for them.
Do you have any tips for rehoming a pet? Let us know in the comments!