We are sorry to hear you need to consider rehoming your dog.

Unfortunately where we are a small branch reliant on volunteer fosterers we have no facilities for taking in dogs at this branch (other than occasional foster place for puppies), however we hope we can still offer you some sound advice.

Before you rehome your dog, you should ideally ensure that he or she is neutered. This will prevent anyone using your dog for breeding purposes and will also save either the new owner or the rescue centre an immediate expense, which may make rehoming easier. If you are unable to afford the cost of neutering then please email us at stourbridgerspca@hotmail.co.uk and we will see what we can do to help.

If your dog is a specific breed, then there will be rescue or welfare groups specific to that breed who may be able to help. These can easily be found on the Internet and, even if not local, may be able to give you sound advice and other people to contact. If your dog is young then you should get in touch with the breeder you had him/her from, as most reputable breeders will either take your dog back - or again be able to offer advice.

It's worth contacting Dog Rescue Associations such as Blue Cross (Bromsgrove) or Dogs Trust (Evesham, Kenilworth or Telford). These are national organisations who, if they have space to take them, will rehome your dog carefully and responsibly. There are also other, smaller, local rescues who may be able to help. You should however be very careful - ask where the dog is going to be kept and go to look if possible, also ask if any prospective new homes are checked before placing a dog there, and ask if dogs are ever put to sleep. Do not feel embarrassed to ask these questions, any reputable rescue will not have a problem with you asking and will appreciate you are only trying to do the best for your dog. If the rescue is not happy with you asking questions then don't let your dog go there!

If your dog is a bull-breed, unfortunately you will find it more difficult to secure a rescue place as there are already large numbers of these dogs waiting for homes, so be prepared that you may have to go on a waiting list.

One thing you must consider (especially if your dog is elderly) is the trauma your dog may endure being in a kennel environment,  particularly if he or she has never been in one before. Trying to find a home with friends, family, or a work colleague is far preferable for all dogs, but especially those that are elderly as they do not get rehomed easily and may spend a long time confined to a kennel.

You should NEVER advertise your dog as 'free to a good home' as dog fighters scour the Internet looking for 'free' animals to use as dog bait. If anyone you don't know offers your dog a home, you should ask if you and your dog can come for a visit beforehand, again, any genuine home offer should be happy to accommodate this. If someone is not prepared for you to do this, again think twice about whether it is the right home for your dog.

If you are wanting to rehome your dog because of his or her temperament or anti-social behaviour, you should first seek professional advise e.g. from a vet, a dog club or a behaviourist. It is irresponsible to pass on a 'difficult' dog.

If you have a very genuine reason for needing to find your dog a new home, and you are able to keep him or her temporarily, we may be able to put a picture and profile on our website in an attempt to help you rehome him/her directly. If you would like to discuss this option then please email us at stourbridgerspca@hotmail.co.uk with your name, address and a contact number, as someone will need to phone you initially to discuss this in more detail.

Finally, when your dog is lucky enough to find a new caring home, you must ensure that his or her microchip details are changed to those of the new owner.

We hope you have found this advice useful in ensuring you rehome your dog responsibly.

Kind regards
Stourbridge and District RSPCA