Menu

Giving Up a Pet

Giving up a pet is a difficult decision. Homeward Trails believes in encouraging pet owners to do all things possible to address issues they may be having with their pet before deciding to give their pet up. 

Giving up a pet is a difficult decision. Before coming to the conclusion that you need to give your pet up, please consider the following options and sources of support.

Shelters across the country are filled with animals who have been given up for a variety of reasons. Investing in positive training and keeping your animal current on vaccines and preventatives can go a long way to keep your pet happy and healthy in your home. Please scroll down for information we hope will be helpful.

Is Your Pet a Homeward Trails Pet?

Please remember that you are contractually obligated to contact Homeward Trails if you are no longer able to keep your adopted pet. Please contact your HT rep and complete the following application and someone will reach out to you.

Dogs
Cats

Expensive Medical Issues

If your pet is facing a medical issue or an injury that you cannot afford, there are resources to help you so. Please contact the following organizations for assistance. If you are unable to secure assistance from these organizations, you may contact Homeward Trails.

Please note that our funds are very limited and in most cases limited to Homeward Trails animals only.

Behavioral Issues

Many animals are given up each year due to behavioral issues that could and should have been addressed much earlier. Investing in positive training with your dog can set you both up for success.

See our helpful document on WHY YOU NEED TO TRAIN YOUR DOG

Visit our lists of trainers and behavior consultants.

Spay/Neuter

Spaying/neutering your pet can prevent negative behaviors and keeps your pet healthier. It is also a vital part of addressing the animal overpopulation and helping to end needless euthanasia. Click here to find low-cost spay/neuter vets in the DC area. 

Rehoming a Pet

If you need to rehome your pet, the best option is for you to keep the animal in your home until another home can be found. This will reduce stress on your pet and help ensure a safe and lasting transfer. Please consider the following options when looking to rehome:

  •  If your pet is a purebred, use www.petfinder.org to locate a Breed Rescue in your area who may be able to help.
  • If your pet is not a purebred, contact a local rescue group in your area (find them on www.petfinder.org) and ask if they will assist you by putting your pet’s info on their website, helping you with a contract, home visit and advice on finding a good home.
  • Post flyers at your vet, doggie daycare, local coffee shop.
  • Use your friends, family and colleagues to help you find a home. Social media can help a great deal!
  • Consider creating a contract that your new pet’s owner must sign, obligating them to provide good care of your pet.
  • Stay in touch with the person who takes your animal.
HometoaHome-LOGO-Final-1-1024x477
Homeward Trails’ Home to a Home program promotes keeping animals out of shelters.  Like most shelters, we are often full and cannot physically take any more animals into our shelter or foster homes. 
 
We may be able to have your pet posted on our Home to a Home rehoming board.
 
Pets posted on Home to a Home must be spayed or neutered. We strongly encourage you to have your pet up to-do-date on age appropriate vaccines. There is a $30 fee to have your pet posted on Home to a Home to offset our administrative costs. 
 
Please complete the dog or cat rehoming questionnaire below and someone will reach out to you.
 
Cat Rehoming Application
Dog Rehoming Application
Visit Our Home to A Home Rehoming Board
Rehome-Badge

We recommend posting your pet on Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet, a free, nationwide rehoming site. Rehome allows you to safely review prospective adopters for your pet. 

Relinquishing a Pet that is Not A CAT OR Dog

If the animal you are relinquishing is not a cat or dog, please contact these groups:

Rabbits

The House Rabbit Society
Maryland/ D.C./Northern Virginia Chapter
www.rabbitsinthehouse.org

House Rabbit Sanctuary
www.houserabbitsanctuary.org

Friends of Rabbits
P.O. Box 1112
Alexandria, Virginia 22313
tel: 703-548-6793
FriendsOfRabbits@Erols.com

Birds

RESCUE ME Avian Sanctuary
Post Office Box 534
Ark, VA 23003
804-693-5997
fax: 804-695-9475
Rescuemeinfo@aol.com

Tiny Wings In Need
tinywingsinneed@aol.com
2309 Apple Tree Crescent
Virginia Beach, VA
757-430-0475

Guinea Pigs, Gerbils, Rats, Hamsters and Ferrets

Small Angels Rescue
Guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, and more
Frederick, MD 21703
301-668-0404
info@smallangelsrescue.org

The Ferret Inn Shelter and Rescue
410-531-4936
ferretpassion@comcast.net

Ferrets R #1 Shelter & Rescue
Falls Church, VA
703-998-3151
ferretsr1@aol.com

Rocky’s Ferret Rescue and Shelter
Vern Strahler, (410) 483-4919
Barbara Clay, (410) 329-6111
rocky_rrr@yahoo.com

More News from the Trail!

  • Come See Us at the Washington Auto Show

    We are thrilled to be joining our friends at Subaru of America, Inc. at the The Washington Auto Show again this year from January 19-28. We had a blast showing off our dogs and puppies the last two year! We love the opportunity to introduce Homeward Trails to lots of new people and see so many old friends and adopters. Come out and meet and adopt some great dogs at the Subaru booth. We are also still in need of volunteers are needed for many shift to help handle dogs and transport dogs to and from the Adoption Center and foster homes. The convention center is metro and bus accessible if you are not transporting dogs. You can enjoy the auto show for free before or after your shift. Volunteers must be 18 years and older. Sign up and come join us! https://www.signupgenius.com/…/20F084EA8AE2DA5F49…

  • Helping Happy Hounds – Fee Waived Hound Adoptions

    As you may or may not know, Virginia animal shelters are filled with Hounds. These amazing dogs are most often discarded by callous hunters, found starving wandering the countryside. Many never make it as hunters and are then tied up to chains or left along the side of the road like old furniture. A good number of them do not make it out of shelters alive.But these dogs – like all dogs – are amazing and worthy of families. We just cannot get them families fast enough to stop them from dying in our shelters when there is no more space.And so we are trying something new here. ALL HOUND DOGS ADOPTED FROM HOMEWARD TRAILS WILL BE FREE. Yes, we are WAIVING ADOPTION FEES for Hounds for the foreseeable future.We hope that will entice well-matched applicants to consider a Hound now. Use the money you save on training, treats, toys.We think all dogs are worthy. But the reality is that some take extra incentives. Some have more barriers to getting adopted. And the result is well, more end up dying. And no – this does NOT mean we are just giving dogs away. All applicants will still go through our application/screening process to ensure good homes. This is just us trying to save more dogs by eliminating one more barrier to adoption. And hey, Hound lovers can use all the extra money they can get to buy treats, right?Help us help these Hounds. Our program Helping Happy Hounds is live NOW. Let’s save some lives!

  • Our Current Supply Needs – Can You Help?

    Each year Homeward Trail spends thousands and thousands of dollars on supplies to care for our animals and support the general operations of our organization. We always strive to keep our costs as low as possible so that we can spend every extra dollar saving more lives.  One simple way you can help is by donating these supplies – everything from postage stamps, to cleaning supplies, to ink cartridges and paper, to dog and cat food and litter. Our wish lists are updated regularly so you can always find our most current needs. Please consider donating supplies to help us cover the cost of these items. The more we are able to get donated, the more animals we can help. Thank you! Adoption Center Wishlist Meow Palace Wishlist Dog Enrichment Wishlist Trails Home Farm Wishlist Farmhouse Wishlist Trails UP Wishlist  Puerto Rico Wishlist

More News from the Trail!

  • Come See Us at the Washington Auto Show

    We are thrilled to be joining our friends at Subaru of America, Inc. at the The Washington Auto Show again this year from January 19-28. We had a blast showing off our dogs and puppies the last two year! We love the opportunity to introduce Homeward Trails to lots of new people and see so many old friends and adopters. Come out and meet and adopt some great dogs at the Subaru booth. We are also still in need of volunteers are needed for many shift to help handle dogs and transport dogs to and from the Adoption Center and foster homes. The convention center is metro and bus accessible if you are not transporting dogs. You can enjoy the auto show for free before or after your shift. Volunteers must be 18 years and older. Sign up and come join us! https://www.signupgenius.com/…/20F084EA8AE2DA5F49…