Tips on Rehoming Your Pet

Groundwork

Plan to devote some time to re-homing your pet. It can take a while to find a good home for your pet. You will have an easier time rehoming your pet if they are up to date on all vaccines and already spayed or neutered. Take your pet to a veterinarian and save the records. Ask our staff for information on low-cost vet care. The following are some tips on how to rehome your pet:

Reaching Out

1. Friends and family are the number one way pets find new homes. Don’t forget co-workers, church or any groups you are a member of. Contact everyone!
2. Post on Facebook and Nextdoor. Include a picture and details about your pet – age, health, behavior, has your pet lived with other pets or children?  Be sure to include your contact information so someone who is interested in your pet knows how to contact you directly.
3. Place an ad in the local newspapers. Many people read them, and many ads are FREE!
4. Post flyers on bulletin boards at grocery stores, community centers or vets offices. When preparing a flyer/handout include:

• • Appearance, size and age –add a good photo.
  • Describe their nature and what you like about them.
  • Describe your pet’s health status (see Groundwork above!).
  • Put your name, phone number and a time for people to reach you.
  • Make it fun. For example: Felix is a fun 3-year-old tabby looking for a sunny window to sit in. He is good with other cats and dogs. I must give him up for adoption because I am moving into a retirement home. Please call XXX-XXXX after 8 p.m.

Posting Your Pet Online

You can post your pet through Adopt-A-Pet: an online rehoming assistance portal offered by our partners at The Petco Foundation. Remember the more information you provide during this process, the better the match is likely to be between your pet and a new owner.

Uploading a digital photo of your pet is required. The photo must be a low resolution JPEG. If your photo won’t load, it’s probably too large. Try photos under 200K.

Key Ingredients to Writing a Good Pet Profile:

With so many pets in need, an interesting and flattering description of a pet looking for a new home is extremely important in setting your pet apart from all the others. The description not only needs to be catchy enough to grab a potential adopter’s attention, but thorough and honest as well. Matching families with pets ensures a forever connection. Connections that are of the “tried, but didn’t work out” variety not only waste time and resources, but can also be traumatic to the dogs and discouraging for the adopter. Here are some useful tips and ideas for writing your pet’s profile:

• Try writing from the pet’s point of view.
• Encourage the reader to want to help the pet.
• Be sure to include personality and stories. The form already takes care of the pet’s physical attributes.
• Be clear about restrictions or limitations.
• Don’t forget to include all relevant contact information and links.

Screening Potential Adopters

You care that the pet makes it to a good, permanent home, so now you must “screen” the people who contact you. Asking some key questions will help with this, but be sure you have a conversation with the person and not an “interview” because you will get more from the exchange! Here are some questions to ask:

• Is this pet for you or someone else?
• Is it okay to have pets in your home/apartment/condo?
• Have you had pets before? If so, why are you interested in taking ________?
• Do you have any children?
• Are you willing to have me visit your home?
• Will the pet be supervised outside?

Meeting the People

You can meet people at their place or have them come to your home, but the safest way is to meet in a neutral spot. Bring the pet with you. What you want is to see:

• How the person interacts with your pet.
• Did they bring additional people (kids)? Is everyone there who needs to be?
• Set this up as a meet and greet and not the actual adoption. This way if you aren’t okay with the interaction, feel pressured or have doubts, don’t proceed! Continue looking for someone else.

Completing the Re-Homing

Once you have selected a new home for your pet, then prepare the pet and gather materials for the new owner. Meet at an agreed-upon time and place to give your pet to the new owner. You are giving up ownership rights, so be sure to:

• Provide the person with all veterinary records.
• Take toys, beds, food, medications, etc. so the pet has these for comfort.
• Get the person’s contact information so you can obtain an update, if you like.
• Provide the person with any behavioral information she or he will need.
• Document that you transferred ownership and materials.
• If you are not able to find a new home for your pet please call us back to discuss surrendering options at the MD SPCA.

*If you decide to surrender your pet, you need to call the admissions department at 410-235-8826, ext. 2502, to set up an appointment. Please bring a valid photo ID and all veterinary records for your pet with you to your appointment. There is a $30 fee to surrender a pet. Note: The Maryland SPCA does not accept personal checks for surrender fees. We are a charity, and the fee helps cover our costs. Once you decide to turn over your pet, it is a final decision and we ask that you do not call for updates.