A guide to rehoming

If you end up in a situation where you have absolutely no choice but to re-home your puppy or adult dog, please read these warnings below first.

In a private sale, you have no rights either as a purchaser after you have left with the dog, or as someone selling a dog.

If you find out you find out that the new owner lied about their circumstances, or even that they have sold the dog on, there isn't anything you can do about it.

If you re-home your dog badly, or you have lied about its problems, it will come back very quickly.

Think about what you will charge for the dog and whether you are also selling the papers with it. A lot of current puppy farm breeding dogs were bought privately from pet homes. Would you want that to happen to your dog? There is also a huge current market for dogs being sold abroad for fighting,fur farming and puppy farming. It's a hard process, but find out as much as you can about your prospective new owner, and if possible visit their home to ensure conditions are appropriate.

Even though a sale agreement is a legal contract, and as such both parties are required by law to adhere to its conditions, this doesnt always happen!

Good, responsible breeders will take back a dog they have bred or if that isn't possible then they will try and help. If you have bought from a reputable breeder, give them a call and ask for help. If they for whatever reason they cant help, there are other options.....

Breed Rescue Clubs

Specialise in a particular breed

Rescue Organisations

Options:

If you have a pedigree dog, even if it hasn't got papers, the best option is to try and rehome through a Breed Rescue Club. Some of these clubs will take crosses if they bear a good resemblance to the pure dog. Organisations specialising in their own breed can usually provide a more experienced home than general rescue organisations.

Like all rescues, there are good and bad rescue organisations and clubs, so make sure you ask questions.

Breed Rescue clubs frequently do not have premises, and rely on donations to care for the dogs they rescue, they also, rely on breed club members and volunteers to offer temporary foster homes until a more permanent home is found.

For The Neapolitan Mastiff Wefare, contact Kathy South: 01268 455791 details are also on our links page. The Kennel Club can also help you to find the Rescue Club for your breed so please call: 0870 6066750

Rescue Centres

As already mentioned, there are good and bad ones. Ask the right questions. You need to know if any home checking is done, before and afterwards. Do your homework make sure your dog is being left in the right hands, don't assume because it is a rescue centre they know what they are doing and are conscientious enough to find a suitable home for your dog.