Resource Index
(Click on the orange topics below to jump to that section or directly to its link for more information.)

Surrendering an animal - "Owner Surrender"

 

One thing we are asked to do often, is to take in people’s animals when they can no longer care for them. This is called “Owner Surrender”.

 

​For us to consider taking in your animal, we need you to fill our our Owner Surrender Form – though please read on before filling out the form as we cannot take every animal we are asked to.  Thankfully, many times we can help- or will otherwise try to help by referring your case to other organizations who may be available when we are not.

 

​Another option is Rehome, for owners seeking to rehome pets. You create a profile for your pet, review the applications, meet the adopters and finalize the adoption. Whether or not our rescue (or any other) has room, you can do what we do, with the help of a team of people skilled and experienced in doing so.

 

We cannot take all the animals we are asked to.

 

​As a foster-based rescue, we can only take the animals we have foster homes ready, willing and capable of managing each animal we take in.​  This means someone (a volunteer) must be willing and able of caring for the needs of the animal in question. Someone must be capable of managing that animal’s medical needs or behavioral challenges- then also willing and available at the same particular time.

 

Because of this, our availability changes often- especially for specialized or difficult cases. What we had room for yesterday we may be full on today and there is no rhyme or reason, just logistics.  Either way, finding someone ready, willing and available is not easy to do with happy go lucky, loving animals - it is near impossible when it comes to those animals who have questionable behavior in their history.​ Because of this, we must realistically limit the animals we take in to those that we consider safe and otherwise adoptable.  Sadly, many animals we are requested to take are neither and we must decline.

 

​While we understand people want to give their animals a second chance, we can’t take unreasonable risks with our organization’s foster volunteers any more than an owner can with the people in their lives. In truth, our organization has more to lose than any individual owner- and we can’t gamble our organization’s future (and ability to help more animals) to take in one that we cannot realistically rehome.

 

Disclaimer:
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We try to be a resource for anyone seeking information. We often have suggestions and ideas which may be able to help you- however, we will also be very open and honest about the situation.  We can only give suggestions from experience, and each dog is different.​  We are not licensed/ professional trainers, but work with licensed, professional trainers and seek guidance from them- as well, we can make referrals.​  There are some matters we may not be able to help directly to resolve, but we will always try to offer a suggestion, idea or other resource that may be more direct help.

​The key to “training” your pet is to try, try again. We are not magicians, but what we do, is with vigor, motivation and the belief that we don’t have the option of failure. Many times the reality is, we are the pet’s last chance.

 

​There are however, many issues that pet guardians can tackle themselves, before they become terribly frustrating or problematic- not necessarily requiring extensive time or funding, but instead may require a change in thinking, or habit on the part of the humans. In living with pets, problems are equally shared between the animal and the human- and sometimes this realization is very much the key to resolution.

 

​We are not doling out opinions, and any suggestions we make or advice we may give, should be pursued further with a licensed, professional trainer- especially regarding serious matters.  We will not make blanket statements over the phone or via email, and in seeking our advice; you may be referred directly to a trainer or behaviorist for an evaluation first, before we can even determine the root of the matter.

 

​Many of these folks will do a free evaluation, so do not let that stand in the way of ensuring safety for you and others when it comes to your pet- especially an aggressive one.