The reality of Shelters

By law, stray pets must be kept several days to give their owners a chance to reclaim them, after that they are able to be destroyed. These laws don't extend to pets that have been given up by their owners - they may be killed at anytime.

Shelters don't want to kill pets - they just need to make space for the new pets arriving every hour. Shelters today are so busy that your pet could be killed the same day it arrives.

If your pet is old, large, plain, has health problems or is easily spooked and wary of strangers it's chances of adoption are zero. Being purebred does not help the pets chances.

True no-kill shelters are limited and are very selective about the pets they bring in, selecting for adoptability. They are normally at capacity as they can only take in new pets when the existing ones are rehomed - they usually have waiting lists lasting several months.

The reality of Rescue

You can contact as many rescues as you can, but what you will likely find is that the rescue is already over its capacity and cannot take any more animals. We get lots of emails from people trying to find new homes for their pets telling us that they have received mean responses from the rescues they have emailed. People in rescue are not mean. They are broke and overpopulated and receive hundreds of emails like yours a week asking for help.

You might get lucky, but don't rest all your hopes
on a rescue finding your pet a home for you.

Most rescues will be glad to try and help if they know that you have done everything you can to try and find your pet a new home. Be sure that you, as the owner, have done as much as you can before asking for their help.

The best way to rehome a pet

• To ensure your pet goes to a really great home
• to ensure your pet will be cared for and not onsold to a puppy-farmer
• to ensure that your pet doesn't spend a lonely night in a cell only to be killed surrounded by strangers

...the best way to rehome a pet is to do it yourself.

A note about rehoming a pet:
Finding a new home can take a while!

There are dogs and cats that have been sitting in shelters for months waiting for the right home, so you have to accept that it can take some time to find a pet a home. Rescues get emails every day from people telling them that they only have a couple of days to get rid of their pet. Miracles happen, but not as often as we would like!

Continue to page 3 of this article - Getting Ready to Rehome Your Pet