DO YOU NEED TO RE-HOME YOUR DOG?
Sometimes, things get to a point where a pet parent is just no longer able to keep their beloved dog. Hopefully that never happens to you and YOUR pooch, but with the current economic crisis the shelters are beyond inundated with turn-ins due to people losing their homes, having to down-size to places that don't allow animals, and just plain being unable to afford the dogs anymore. Sometimes an elderly person has to go into assisted living, passes away or is unable to physically care for the pet, sometimes families with children find out the kids are allergic and the dog can't remain in the home for medical reasons.
Juggling Daisy wants to see as many homes KEEP their pets as possible, and if it's simply a training or behavioral issue, we urge you to continue to work on it rather than re-home the dog. Please think long and hard about the dog's future and what could become of the dog if you give it away, and before you give a dog up, go walk through a few animal shelters so that you REALLY understand the level of the "homeless pet" crisis, as well as what your dog in particular may be in for if you don't keep it in your home.
In the event that you have tried everything and just can't do it, here's a couple of things you should know:
1) If you bought this dog from a LEGITIMATE BREEDER, that is THE first phone call you should be making. All GOOD dog breeders continue to care very much about their animals after they leave the breeder's house, and will WANT you to let them know if you get to a point where you cannot keep the dog. Most REQUIRE you to sign an agreement that you will not re-home the dog on your own, but bring it back to them. If you've purchased a pure-bred dog from a breeder, CALL THE BREEDER and ask them for help! Sadly, if you made the grave mistake of purchasing your dog from a pet store, this option is not available to you, as they do not deal with legitimate dog breeders who would be willing to take the dog back themselves for re-homing. Your task will be much more difficult.
2) If you adopted this dog from a shelter or rescue organization - THEY should be your first call. Let them know that the dog is facing a homing crisis, and see what suggestions they can make. Perhaps they will have a foster program that the dog can go into until a new permanent home is found. If you did get the dog from a local shelter, you had to sign an agreement with them that if you could no longer keep the dog, you would BRING IT BACK THERE for care, shelter and re-homing.
3) If you have a specific breed of dog, or even a dog that's a mix but shows clear signs of a particular breed (ie: a Pit Bull mix, Rottweiler mix, Jack Russell mix, Chihuahua mix etc.) CONTACT A BREED RESCUE ORGANIZATION. Most folks don't know that for EVERY dog breed out there, there are a number of volunteer rescue organizations that specialize in saving dogs in crisis that fit each breed. Generally they pull dogs of their chosen breeds out of shelters and from abusive/neglectful crisis situations, but many of them will accept turn-ins from families, so it's worth talking to them. They will require that you supply information about the dog, they will need to meet the dog and interview you, they may not have immediate placement in a foster home available so there could be a waiting period, and you may have to jump through a few hoops to work with them, but it's well worth it to get the dog into one of these groups, because they will screen the next prospective parents very carefully to ensure that the dog is going to the best possible home. They will often take mixes of a breed too, as long as it's clear that the dog possesses characteristics of the breeds they sponsor.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) has put together a list of breed rescue orgs, this is a good place to start. This is also a GREAT place to go looking for a dog to adopt, if you are thinking of a specific breed. Please click on this link: