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We’re very sorry to hear that you’re facing challenges in staying together with your pet. At PetRescue, our goal is to assist owners who are navigating the heartbreaking reality of needing to find a new home for their beloved companion. We hope the information provided here can offer you some guidance and reassurance.
Home2Home, PetRescue’s owner-assisted rehoming program, is available for pet owners who have at least six weeks to find a new home for their pet — you can learn more about Home2Home here. Unfortunately, this program is currently not open for dogs, and we don’t have a physical shelter or the capacity to take pets into care.
We understand how incredibly difficult it can be to make the decision to rehome a pet. Please know that we’re here to support you with compassion and without judgement during this challenging time.
Let's explore some options for when you have less than the minimum six weeks:
This may be particularly difficult to prepare for, but throughout this process, you might encounter people who are unsupportive of your decision. While receiving negative feedback can be deeply hurtful, please try to keep in mind that not everyone will understand the complexities of your circumstances or the depth of your bond with your pet. It’s important to remember that their reactions are not a reflection of your love, care, or commitment as a pet owner. It takes immense courage, compassion, and responsibility to prioritise your pet’s wellbeing — even when it means making a painful decision.
As you’re working within a short timeframe to find a home or carer for your pet, we recommend exploring as many options as possible, as early as you can.
Below, we’ve included advice and resources to help you navigate this situation and find the best possible path forward for both you and your pet.
Resources to keep your pet or bring them home after a temporary separation
Pet sitting services
There are a variety of pet sitting and boarding services available, from boutique boarding kennels to live-in pet boarding, or even house sitting. You can connect with local pet sitters who can take care of your pet through apps like Paw Shake, and Mad Paws. Some of these services even offer discounts for long-term care in emergency or crisis situations, so it may be worth asking if you are worried about the cost of longer-term care.
Finding a temporary foster carer
It’s always worth reaching out to your local support network to see if someone who knows your pet, or lives nearby, might be able to care for them while you’re unable to. If you do find someone, be sure to have a clear agreement in place about who will cover the costs of your pet’s care and what should happen in the event of an emergency before leaving your pet in their care.
In addition, some rescue groups and animal welfare organisations offer temporary foster care for pets in specific situations, such as hospitalisation, family violence, or while you’re searching for a new place to live. A quick online search using terms like ‘temporary foster care for my dog/cat’ along with your location can sometimes help you find local options.
Help with housing challenges
If you’re moving and finding it difficult to secure rental accommodation that allows pets, don’t give up - persistence can pay off!
Rental ads that state ‘no pets’ aren’t always set in stone. Many landlords are open to considering pets if you approach them directly or work with a real estate agent who’s supportive of pet-friendly rentals.
To improve your chances, it’s a good idea to prepare a Pet CV. This could include your pet’s medical records, any training certificates, and references from neighbours, previous landlords, or your veterinarian.
You might also offer to sign a pet agreement that outlines expectations for your pet’s behaviour on the property. Where possible, encourage the landlord to meet your well-behaved, well-groomed, and flea-free pet — sometimes, a face-to-face introduction can make all the difference.
How to ask your landlord for a pet
How to add pets to your rental application on Realestate.com.au
Reaching out to family, friends and your local community to find a new guardian for your pet
Opening up to family and friends about the challenges you’re facing can be difficult, especially if you’re not used to asking for support or you’re concerned about being judged.
While no one else can decide whether reaching out to your wider support network is the right step for you, we encourage you to thoughtfully consider whether someone in your life — someone who already knows and cares for your pet — might be able to welcome them into their family. Sometimes, the right solution is closer than we realise. And in some cases, becoming a much-loved ‘first family turned extended family’ is a beautiful way to build your pet’s own support network, with the added joy of possibly being their holiday home in the future.
You can read about one brave guardian’s experience finding a loving new home for her beautiful girl Luna by reading their story here.
Reach out to the person or organisation you got your pet from
Many dedicated rescue groups and responsible breeders are often willing to help if a pet they placed is in need of a new home. This support may include taking the pet back into their care or assisting you in finding a new owner and guiding you through the rehoming process.
While it’s generally easier to reach out if you’ve maintained contact with them, it’s still worth exploring this option even if you haven’t been in touch since bringing your pet home.
Owner-assisted rehoming through a local organisation
An increasing number of rescue and shelter organisations now offer owner-assisted rehoming services. This is a wonderful option, as it combines the best of both worlds: they offer support to help you find the perfect new home for your pet, while your pet stays with you until it’s time to join their new family.
Some organisations that provide owner-assisted rehoming are listed below:
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Arctic Breed Rescue - Assisted Rehoming Service (Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Samoyed, Siberian Husky and their crosses)
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BMD Cat Welfare Assisted Rehoming (Blue Mountains and Surrounds)
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Canberra Pet Rescue Direct Rehoming Service (Dogs and cats in Canberra region)
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Iron Dog Rescue (For Rottweilers and crosses)
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Paws A Moment & Rescue (Gosford area NSW)
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Second Chance Animal Rescue Owner Assisted Rehoming Program (Northern suburbs of Melbourne)
It can also be a good idea to ask local rescue groups that you reach out to if they have an owner-assisted rehoming program.
Surrendering your pet to a local rescue organisation
If you feel that surrendering your pet to a rescue organisation that can care for your pet and find them a well-suited home is the best way forward, you may wish to use our Rescue Directory to find suitable rescues in your area.
Rescue organisations are usually volunteer-run, and many are reliant on public donations and adoption fees to pay for the care they provide to pets in need. It might be necessary to contact a number of rescue groups to find one that has the space and resources available to take your pet into care.
Be aware that rescue organisations vary almost as much as our pets do! Some work with specific types of animals only, some have access to specialist veterinary or behaviour services, while others are more restricted in what they can offer. As you will be working with the rescue groups you choose for your pet and entrusting them with your pet’s life, it is important that you are well informed and ensure that you are comfortable with how the rescue you choose does what they do.
Find out more about What to look for in a rescue organisation: Key standards and practices for pet adoptions on our website.
To maximise your pet’s chance of securing a placement with your preferred rescue, try to take as many of the steps below as possible:
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Reach out for help early, and if you can keep your pet at home for a while, make sure to let them know you are happy to go on a waiting list.
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Gather all of your pet’s medical records and any behaviour history you have (e.g. reports from trainers or Behaviour Vets), along with your pet’s microchip details and a change of ownership form, and have these ready to go
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Write down a detailed chronological history of your pet, from the time you got them until the present. This should include:
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Information about their health and any injuries or treatments they have received, even if this is no longer a problem
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Information about their behaviour, including their likes, dislikes, their normal daily routine, and how they respond to common experiences for pets, like visitors to your home, storms or fireworks, any behaviours of concern, their training history, and what their favourite ways to interact with their family are.
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Any care specific care requirements for your pet. This could include that they like to eat out of a certain bowl, that foods with chicken in them upset their belly, or that a particular brand or style of harness fits them best. Include anything you can think of that will help a new family develop a bond with your pet quickly.
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The details of your pet’s normal care services, like their vet clinic, their trainer, their groomer, and their pet sitter. Some owners will prefer to keep using the same services if the pet has a positive history with them, and this helps your pet settle in more quickly
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If possible, offer to pay a surrender fee and organise transport to get your pet to the rescue group. Your generosity can make it easier for the rescue to facilitate rehoming and care for your pet, so please give what you’re able.
Rehoming your pet using social media and local networks
Alternatively, you can also look at advertising your pet yourself on social media and through your local community, by putting up posters, doing a letterbox drop or chatting to local vet clinics and pet services in your area.
We have put together some tips for advertising your pet here.
You can find some advice on finding the right home for your pet, including how to have conversations with potential adopters and do a meet and greet for your pet, here.
What to do if you need to surrender to your closest shelter or council
Surrendering your pet to your local animal shelter or council animal management services should be considered a last resort. Even well-run shelters can be stressful environments for animals, so when possible, it’s always better to look for an organisation that can care for your pet in a foster home, rather than a kennel or cattery.
When working with rescue groups or shelters, it’s important to understand how they care for animals and place them in new homes. Make sure you feel comfortable with their approach and policies.
Be aware that some councils don’t have their own adoption programs. If you surrender your pet to a council without a rehoming program, your pet’s future may be uncertain. They might be transferred to a rescue group or shelter partner, or, unfortunately, euthanised if no suitable placement can be found or if the council determines that your pet isn’t a good candidate for adoption.
To learn more about what to look for in a rescue organisation and the key standards and practices for pet adoptions, you can read this article.
Before surrendering your pet, be sure to ask as many questions as you need to feel comfortable with the organisation you’re working with. Once you’ve surrendered ownership, you’ll no longer have a say in your pet’s future or care.
