REHOMING YOUR DOG
The situation for rescue organizations of all types has been very challenging lately. All rescues are struggling due to the number of intake requests. Niagara Dog Rescue does our best to ensure that all of our adoptions are set up for success from the beginning. Unfortunately, there are some dog owners who do not believe in the importance of ongoing training, and those who truly do not understand the lifelong commitment of bringing a dog into their lives. At this time, Niagara Dog Rescue has made the difficult decision to limit our rehome resources to dogs originating from our organization.
Niagara Dog Rescue has implemented new criteria for accepting rehoming requests. Please read the following carefully to ensure that you meet these criteria:
- You adopted your dog from Niagara Dog Rescue within the last 2 years.
- You are able to keep the dog until a foster or forever home is found.
- If your request is based on behaviour that is out of the ordinary for your dog, you have had the dog fully vetted to rule out pain, injury, or other health concerns that could have precipitated the behaviour.
- If you are having an ongoing issue with your dog’s behaviour, you can answer yes to at least 2 of the following before submitting a request to surrender your dog:
a. Did you request support from Niagara Dog Rescue Training team at training@niagaradogrescue.org?
b. Have you sought training with a professional force-free positive reinforcement trainer or behaviourist? If so, please provide the details regarding this training in your rehome submission.
c. Did you complete the webinar "The Rescue Plan" offered through EduCanine, an organization of certified, professional dog trainers. If so, you may be required to provide your Certificate of Completion during the rehome assessment process.
d. Did you use the 30 days of free support from Petcademy to address your concerns? (applies to adoptions after July 2023)
If you were not provided with the resources listed in c or d above when you adopted your dog from Niagara Dog Rescue, please reach out to our training team ( training@niagaradogrescue.org ) to inquire about gaining access to these resources.
Niagara Dog Rescue may, at its discretion, require any, up to all of the training related criteria in #4 above to be completed PRIOR to being able to accept your rehome request. NDR believes that there is always more that any adopter can learn regarding training and behaviours of their rescue dog. Training is an educational journey that should start from the day you decide to adopt a dog and continue through the entire life of your precious pet. Some rescue dogs can have trauma associated with certain situations or object/people triggers that they might not be exposed to in their day-to-day lives with you. However, one exposure to such a trigger can have a significant impact on your dog’s behaviour. Training and continuing education can help you to identify those instances and support you in addressing these behaviours.
REHOMING YOUR RECENTLY ADOPTED DOG
This form is for dogs that have been adopted from Niagara Dog Rescue within 4 months of today's date. If the dog has been in your home for over 4 months please see the Owner Surrender Process as the dogs behaviours may have changed due to it's current circumstances and the dog will need to be assessed before being surrendered to our rescue.
Looking to rehome a dog that was not adopted through Niagara Dog Rescue within 4 months of today's date? Jump down to surrending section.
Owner Surrender Process
PLEASE NOTE: Niagara Dog Rescue may not be capable of accepting all rehome requests. Each surrender application will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
Due to recent issues with owner surrenders we’ve implemented the follow process and we will not deviate from this process under any circumstance.
If you can answer "YES" to any of the questions below, please take the time to explore those options before surrendering your dog.
Did you acquire him as a puppy from a breeder?
If so, have you contacted that person? If he or she is at all reputable, you would have signed a contract at the time you purchased your puppy, stipulating that the dog should be returned if you decide to no longer keep him. If you do not want to keep your dog, contact your breeder first.
Did you acquire your Dog from a Rescue Organization?
If so, have you contacted that rescue organization? If they are reputable, you would have signed a contract at the time you adopted your dog, stipulating that the dog must be returned to them if you decide to no longer keep him or her for any reason.
Does your dog need spaying/neutering?
Both Welland and St Catharines offer low cost spay and neuter clinics:
New baby in the family?
How lucky for you that most dogs are fantastic family pets! If you can take care of your new little human baby, you can take care of a dog. Some of our educational materials are listed below to help you ease the transition:
Moving?
The Humane Society lists Moving as the number one reason people surrender their pets to shelters. There are plenty of apartments, townhouses, condos and hotels that accept medium and large breeds of dog. Many places will even allow you to spread payment of your pet deposit over multiple months as part of your rent. Please check with your real estate agent, or company relocation services when possible.
Residential Tenancies Act: Tenant Rights for having Animals.
In the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) there is a section that has a title: “No pet” provisions void (RTA, 2006, c. 17, s. 14). In other words, a provision in a tenancy agreement prohibiting the presence of pets at the premises is void. Even if you signed a rental agreement with a “no pets” clause, you cannot be evicted just for having a pet if the pet is not a problem for anyone.
The RTA specifies the situations when a tenant can be evicted for having a pet. You can be evicted only if your pet:
- is making too much noise, damaging the unit, causing an allergic reaction, or
- is considered to be inherently dangerous.
A landlord cannot evict a tenant because they have a pet in violation of a “no pets” clause in the rental agreement. However, a landlord may have grounds to apply to evict a tenant for having a pet, if the pet damages the property or bothers other tenants.
You do not have to move or get rid of the pet unless the Landlord and Tenant Board issues a written order to do so.
Think you don’t have enough time for your dog?
Experts in the animal field agree that a dog requires a mere 15 minutes of one-on-one time with his person per day, to be happy, healthy, and well-adjusted! That could be simply spent laying in bed at night watching t.v. together, playing ball in the backyard for 15 minutes while dinner is cooking, or going for a walk or jog! Surely you can spare 15 minutes per day. Pets reduce personal stress and can add years to your life – make the time for you AND your dog.
Are there behavioral issues?
Is your dog having trouble getting along with other animals in the household or are there other behavioral issues that have led to the decision to give up your dog? If so, let us help you. Send us an email – we can most likely recommend a trainer in your area. If you didn’t socialize your dog as a puppy, it’s never too late to enroll him in obedience school. It’s fun and can count as your 15 minutes of bonding time!
Recommended Dog Trainers:
View full list of recommended dog trainers.
Experiencing financial issues?
The following groups exist to assist people who truly want to keep their pets, but are experiencing financial difficulties. They may be able to help you.
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