I Need to Re-home my Dog or Cat
We’re very sorry that you find yourself in a position to have to give up your dog or cat. Have you explored all options available to you in order to try and hang on to your pet?
Unfortunately, HOPE isn’t going to be a good fit for you. Our dog and cat adoption program is designed primarily for strays that people have rescued.
HOPE is an in-home foster group, we do not have a shelter. All the dogs and cats in our adoption program stay in the home (the foster home) of the person that rescued them while they go through the adoption program. Sadly we rarely have a foster home who is looking for a dog or cat to foster as there is an endless array of strays in need. A dog or cat in our program can sometimes be adopted quickly or it can take several months or even years for the right person to come along. We screen any potential adopter by calling personal references and checking with their vet and landlord. This helps to ensure a good home for the dogs and cats in our program.
The best thing would be if you can find a home for your dog or cat on your own, either through the internet, friends, relatives, co-workers, etc. This article has some good suggestions that may help: http://www.bestfriends.org/Resources/Pet-Care/General-Pet-Care/Miscellaneous/Finding-a-New-Home-for-a-Pet
Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are excellent places to network. Many vet’s offices will allow you to post Flyers whether you are a client or not. Starbucks, Petco and PetSmart allow you to post flyers. Many large corporations have electronic message boards where they allow employees to post animals for adoptions. You should check with friends and family to see if their companies allow such postings if your new employer does not.
Petfinder.com has a current list of other Houston area organizations and shelters that may also be able to help you re-home your pet.
http://www.petfinder.com/awo/index.cgi?&action=state&state=tx&city=Houston&limit=25
If you can’t find someone to foster him/her and you’re not successful in re-homing him/her on your own or through another group, your only choice may be to take your pet to a shelter. We hope that this would be your very last resort, but if that should happen, we’d suggest you try the following shelters in this order:
Special Pals: a No Kill (Limited Intake) shelter on the west side of townhttp://www.specialpalsshelter.org
Bay Area Pet Adoptions: a No Kill (Limited Intake) shelter in San Leon (around the Clear Lake area) http://www.bayareapetadoptions.org
Friends For Life: a small No Kill shelter in The Heights (primarily for cats), http://www.adoptfriends4life.org/
Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP): NOT a No Kill shelter, on the west side of townhttp://www.cap4pets.org
Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care (BARC, the City Pound): NOT a No Kill Shelter,http://www.houstontx.gov/barc/index2.php
**Houston SPCA: NOT a No Kill shelter (but they do prefer OTIs, Owner turn Ins),http://www.houstonspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homepage_new
**Houston Humane Society: NOT a No Kill shelter, http://www.houstonhumane.org
**If your dog is a Pit Bull (or even a Pit mix) these shelters will not adopt it out so please do not take a dog there!
Before taking any animal to a shelter, it’s really a good idea to get it a set of vaccinations first. Many pets don’t make it out of a shelter alive due to space limitations but many also die because they get sick once they get there. Shelters are rampant with illnesses, particularly kennel cough (dogs) and distemper (dogs and cats) so if you can make sure your pet is up-to-date on its vaccines (there are many low cost Wellness Clinics in the greater Houston area – SNAP, the Houston Humane Society, The Greater Good, PetCare Express, PetWorks Express, The KAAWS Clinic, PANDA Wellness Center, Texas Litter Control, Economy Pet Clinic, Palm to Paws, Katy Pet Wellness Services, PetCheck), that would help his/her chances.
If, after reading the above information, you have further questions, please email us at rehome-my-cat@homelesspets.net or rehome-my-dog@homelesspets.net