We know that rehoming or surrendering a pet can be a very difficult decision. We hope these resources can help you and your pet find a positive solution.
If your pet is friendly, healthy, and adoptable, consider using sites like Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet. This allows you to create a profile, screen adopters, and schedule meet and greets. This helps you ensure that your pet is going to the best possible home. Another site that helps with direct rehoming is Home to Home
Having some financial difficulty or need training for an unruly pet? Check out SPCA of Texas’ Resource page. They can offer financial assistance, training assistance, and more!
Best Friends also has some great information on rehoming your pet and keeping them out of your local shelter.
We also suggest reaching out to local rescues in your area to see if they have room to take in your pet or have other resources available.
Requesting an owner surrender from your local animal shelter for a healthy, happy, adoptable pet should be your last resort. Here’s why:
- Most shelters, including ours, are overcrowded and have animals on waiting lists for weeks or even months, for owner surrender
- You know and love your pet. You will work harder than anyone to get them into a new, loving home
- You will have no control over the outcome of your pet. Shelters try really hard to get pets adopted, but they can’t promise adoption or rescue
- Any shelter is a stressful place and animals confined to shelter life are more prone to kennel anxiety, depression, fear, and stress. Rehoming the pet yourself eliminates this for your pet and allows them to remain in their home while they wait for a new family
Other Considerations
If your pet has significant behavioral challenges, is aggressive to people or other pets, they should not be rehomed to another person, family, or even a shelter without full disclosure, so that the person/place taking in your pet can make an informed decision. If your pet is aggressive, this can be a liability to you should the pet attack or bite someone in the future. In this case, if training and behavioral modification is not an option for you or your pet, the most humane outcome for the pet, your family, and for the public, may be to have your pet humanely euthanized. Contact your local Veterinarian or animal shelter for more information
MAS Owner Surrender Policy
Municipal Animal Services only accepts owner surrenders for humane euthanasia from residents within the city limits of Everman, Forest Hill, Edgecliff Village, and Kennedale.
The fee for humane euthanasia is $120. If you wish to schedule this service, please contact us at 817-561-5495 or EMAIL us.
