Handing Over An Animal

Finding a new home for your pet

PLEASE NOTE: Due to such a high demand of animals needing to be handed over to rescue, our waiting list is currently closed.

We advise that if you are needing to rehome your pet for any reason, please contact as many other rescues as possible. We will open our waiting list again once we are able too.

We know that sometimes people's circumstances change. There are many reasons why you may not be able to keep your pet. We are non-judgemental. We request a donation for accepting future ownership of your pet.

No matter how desperate you may be feeling, please don’t abandon your pet outside our centre. This will be very traumatic for them and may be dangerous. We also require as much history about your pet as possible as it will make it much easier for us to find them a new home, so please always knock our door.

The Process

  • When you contact us we will ask for the following information: Breed, colour, age, vaccination/health history, temperament, the reason you are parting with the animal and anything else you can tell us about the background of the animal so we can look after them as well as possible, and find the right home for them in the future.

  • We will put you on our waiting list and contact you as soon as we have a space. Spaces become available when we rehome other animals already in our care. Dogs will be booked in for an assessment before being put on our waiting list so that we can check that they would be suited to cope in a kennel environment.

  • When we have a space available we will ask you to bring your pet to us with all of your paperwork (microchipping, vaccinations etc). 

  • We will ask you to sign a Disclaimer Form which transfers responsibility for your pet to Wythall Animal Sanctuary. After signing this disclaimer, you, your relatives or friends will no longer be able to claim ownership of the animal.  Should any relatives or friends wish to offer your pet a home, they will need to follow our usual adoption policy procedures.

  • We ask for a donation for taking your animal into our care to help to cover their costs whilst here. These donations help us to pay for neutering, microchipping, vaccinations, vet health checks and our daily costs including food for the animals.

  • Once settled. your pet will be assessed by a vet and given any special care they need. When they are ready for adoption, we will make their details available on our website and start our search to find them a loving new home.  We will usually rehome your pet to a home outside the area where you live.

  • We always accept back any past residents who have been cared for at our rescue centre previously, but can only take them when a space is available.

  • Your details will remain confidential at all times and only essential information about the animal concerned will be disclosed to future adopters.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to such a high demand of animals needing to be handed over, our waiting list is currently closed.

Strays

Since 2016 by law stray dogs need to be collected by the dog warden employed by the council which covers the area where it is found. Your first point of call should be to inform your local dog warden. We are happy to help where we can. We are happy to scan any animal brought to us to check for a chip as that can assist with reuniting it with its owner. We will very occasionally take stray animals IF we have space. As a rescue we are usually full to capacity and work from a waiting list of surrendered animals waiting for a space, but if we can help we will. If not we will refer you to other places who may be able to help.

Wildlife

We do not have facilities to take in wildlife. Ideally, injured wildlife should be taken to a veterinary surgery rather than brought to us. We do not have vets on site nor the skills to treat serious injuries. Most vets do not charge if you take wildlife to them. We will advise where we can, but we will probably refer you to a vets or a wildlife specialist centre. If you need help you could try  Amicus vets  or Vale Wildlife Hospital 

Other places to try

Please find a list of other organisations you may wish to contact. We are unable to recommend any other centres specifically because we have not vetted them, however organisations that are members of the following associations adhere to best practice, which is a useful guide.

Association of Dogs & Cats Homes: http://www.adch.org.uk/centres_map
HelpWildLife: http://helpwildlife.co.uk/directory/map/