Alexander County Animal Services

Mon., Wed., Thurs. & Fri.
8:30am–12pm & 1pm–4:30pm
116 Waggin’ Trail Taylorsville, NC 28681
Phone: (828) 632-1199 | Fax: (828) 635-7185
Home / Rehome a Pet

Rehome a Pet

One of the largest challenges facing animal welfare organizations today is the sheer number of animals in need of assistance. Every year, approximately 6.3 million companion animals arrive at one of the community animal shelters nationwide. Here at Alexander County Animal Shelter we are often at capacity so you can do your part by helping keep animals out of the shelter.
If you’ve made the decision that you can no longer keep your pet, finding a new home and family for your pet is the best thing you can do for them. Your pet will be less stressed staying in familiar surroundings until a new home is found.
Before deciding to bring your pet to an animal shelter, there are many things you can do on your own. Here are some helpful tips to get you started on a search for the best place for your pet to call home. With careful consideration, time, and effort, you can find a great new home for your pet.

Rehoming Preparation

  • Make sure your pet is up-to-date on vaccinations and is spayed or neutered. Animals that are spayed or neutered are more likely to be adopted. They are also less likely to be desired by people looking to adopt an animal for the wrong reasons, and will help stop irresponsible breeding.
  • Evaluate your pet’s adoption potential. You will need to be realistic in your own expectations. Older, larger animals are more difficult to find homes for. If your pet has a medical or behavioral problem that you are not willing to address, you must consider that a potential adopter may not want to take on that responsibility either.
  • Fill out a personality profile/animal history form to let interested people know more about your pet. Be honest – creating realistic expectations is the best way to ensure a new home is a forever home. You can find examples online but include things like health (spayed/neutered, food allergies, etc.), behavior (house-trained, destructive, likes toys, exercise needs, etc.), sleep conditions (bed, crate, indoors), reactions to others (animals, kids, men, strangers, etc.) — the more information you provide, the better the potential outcome.
  • Get your pet’s medical history records from your vet so you can pass these along with the new owner.
  • Take your pet to a groomer. A pretty and clean pet is a more adoptable pet!
  • Include great photos of your pet on posts, flyers, and emails.
Taking Great Pet Photos
Writing Better Bios

Information to include when reaching out for rehoming:

  • Pet’s name and Age
  • Spay/Neuter and vaccination status
  • Photos and videos
  • Socialization – Does your pet get along with dogs, cats, and/or children?
  • House training – Is your dog crate trained? Does your cat use the litter box?
  • Health and Behavior – Does your pet have any medical or behavioral issues

Spread the Word

  1. Start with your circle: Talk with your friends, relatives, neighbors and co-workers. Let them know that you need to find a new home for your pet, to see if they or someone they know is looking to get a new pet. Ask them to ask ten friends as well.
  2. Contact the individual/breeder/shelter/rescue group where you acquired your pet. Many organizations would be willing to take your pet back or assist you in finding a new home
  3. Place signs at your veterinarian’s office, pet supply stores, grooming shops, grocery stores, churches, gyms. Include a color photo in the advertisement and description of your pet, along with contact information. If your pet is spayed or neutered, be sure to mention this. Give copies to your friends and family and ask them to do the same.
  4. Share your pet of your personal social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Craigslist, Next Door.

Contact Rescues

    Reach out to rescues to see if they can help with your pet. Rescues can be searched on Petfinder
    Rescues take mixed breed as well as purebred dogs and cats. If you have a purebred dog or cat you may be able to find a rescue organization that specializes in helping pets of that breed. Search for breed rescues in your area by visiting Petfinder and looking for pets of a certain breed near your zip code. The American Kennel Club also has a list of pure breed rescue organizations which may be able to help. Many national groups have regional or even state chapters. Reaching out to the rescues and Humane Society Groups outside this area is helpful. It is recommended to contact rescues in surrounding states as well as the northeast US.

Post Your Pet on a Rehoming Website

Post Your Pet on the Various Facebook Groups

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