We understand that there are certain situations in life that can happen that can cause owners to feel they are no longer able to keep their pet.  Sometimes you feel there is no other option.  Before you make the decision to give up  your furry family member, consider what other options there may be to help you.  When there are no alternatives, and owners feel they must surrender their pet, we are here to help.  

Your steps to surrendering your pet

Consider your options:
Before choosing to surrender your pet to a rescue, consider the other options that are available to you.  There may be alternatives that can assist you in being able to keep your furry friend a member of the family.
Behavior issues or concerns?  Consult with a certified trainer, behavioralist or your vet to determine what is needed to help with the situation.  Most trainers will offer consultations (sometimes free of charge) to assess your pet and then come up with a training plan that will help you and your pet be successful. Not sure which vet clinic to contact?  Check out our list of vet clinics that are local.
Medical concerns or an injury?  Before you decide to rehome your pet due to a condition or injury, have your vet or a local vet clinic assess your pet to determine what type of treatment they may require.  Many vet clinics have payment options or pet insurance plans that can help support you with the financial burden of some of these concerns.  Sometimes a simple change in diet, exercise regimen or medication change can make all the difference.
Moving to a new location?  Before you decide to move without your pet, research the area you are relocating to.  Many rentals and landlords provide pet friendly housing with a pet deposit or a reference check.  Even if you are moving to a smaller home, dogs will adapt to their new surroundings with your support.
Experiencing a temporary life event or change?  If you are unsure when you will be able to care for your pet again, or feel as if you cannot keep your furry friend, reach out to family members and close friends.  You may have someone close to you that is willing to help your pet until things for you change, and you are able to care for them again.  
Making the decision:
If you have decided that there are no other alternatives to help you in this situation, and you have chosen to surrender your pet, be sure to understand the decision you are making.  Surrendering your pet means that you will no longer be the owner or guardian of them.  You will be required to sign over ownership, and transfer any documentation to the rescue.  Your pet will come into rescue, and be placed into a suitable temporary foster home to receive love and care.  Once available for adoption, they will be posted on our website and possibly promoted on our social media pages and at local events so a new furever family can be found.  
Surrender criteria:
When we receive a request for an owner to surrender their pet, there are many criteria that come into consideration before accepting them into rescue.  We do not have a shelter building, therefore all of our animals reside in foster homes with families.  The rescue is only able to bring a new animal in if we have a foster home that is available, suitable, and willing to take the animal in.  Things that come into question are breed, age, size, temperament, medical conditions and history.  Reviewing this criteria helps us to better make our decision.  We also receive many requests from other sources needing help such as local pounds, vet clinics, or other rescue organizations.  In obtaining as much information as possible, we are better informed and are able to determine if we can help each animal.  Each decision is made on a case by case basis, and it is not first come first serve.  Nor do we have a waiting list.
Completing the Surrender Request Form
Once you have chosen to proceed with your request, you will need to complete the Surrender Request Form.  This form will ask you for all the details we require to make our decision.  Completing this form does not guarantee placement in the rescue.  That decision will be made by our Intake Team once the form has been received.  It can take a several days for a response to this request.  We are all volunteers so please be patient with your request.  You can find the Surrender Request Form here.

Our steps:

Review
Once your request has been received, our Intake Team will review it and the included information.  We will determine whether we have a suitable foster home available for the animal, depending on the criteria listed above.
Decision
After our review, we will make our decision if we are able to accept your request or not.  Once the decision has been made we will contact you via the information provided and notify you of our decision and any necessary steps to take next.  These will be either to make arrangements to bring your animal in to care, or provide you with alternatives if we are unable to complete the request.
Arrangements
If we have decided that we are able to complete your request, we will contact you to review the process of bringing your animal into care.  This will include signing a Owner Surrender Contract which will transfer ownership of the animal to Funds for Furry Friends.  We will obtain any medical information and files that were not included in the original surrender request.  Once we have received this information, we will complete the process by having the animal brought in by an Intake Coordinator and taken to their new foster home.
Alternatives
If we have made the decision that we are unable to complete your request at this time, we will reach out to you and provide you with alternatives that you can try.  This may be other rescues, vet clinics, or options based on the information and situation for the surrender.  We would love to be able to help every animal in need but depending on certain circumstances are not always able to do so.