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Rehoming Your Pit Bull: Facts & Tips
If you want to know if we’ll take your pit bull, the answer is: sadly, no. We're tiny, and we don’t have space. We receive TONS of surrender requests every week--far more than foster and adoption inquiries.
Right now, the entire Chicago rescue system is in crisis. People are abandoning and surrendering dogs in record numbers. Rescues and shelters can't keep up. Open-door shelters are euthanizing perfectly healthy, loving pets every day for lack of space.
The fact that you searched us out tells us that you don't want your dog to be one of them. The good news is: you have options. There are solutions.
Fact: The best way to do right by your dog is to find a way to keep them
In our experience, dog owners usually give up their pets for one of several reasons, including financial, behavioral or housing issues.
There is help for all these problems. Find some Chicago-area resources here.
But if none of these solutions work for you, here’s some rehoming ideas.
Contact Your Original Rescue
Contact Your Original Rescue
Contact Your Original Rescue
If you adopted your pup from a rescue, shelter or legitimate breeder, your first move should be to contact them. They may take your dog back or offer assistance, such as training or help rehoming. (Tip: check your adoption contract; you may be legally required to contact them first.)
Tell Friends & Family
Contact Your Original Rescue
Contact Your Original Rescue
Besides you, your dog's best chance of a loving family is someone who already knows and likes your dog—someone you trust.
So, put the word out to friends, family, neighbors and coworkers--plus your doggy day care providers, groomers, trainers, etc.
Talk to Your Vet
Contact Your Original Rescue
Talk to Your Vet
Reach out to your veterinarian, too. Your vet not only knows your dog, they may have a client who wants a dog and is a great fit.
IMPORTANT: if you’re rehoming your dog due to a behavior change, you’ll want your vet to examine your dog for potential health issues (see more below).
Create a Profile for Your Dog
Whoever you plan to contact, a good description of your dog is essential. In addition to your pup's name, age and gender, the description should include:
- A health summary – Is your dog spayed/neutered? Up-to-date on vaccines? Have any health issues/special prescriptions?
- A personality snapshot – Is your pit calm or high-energy? Friendly or shy? Good with other dogs/cats/kids/people? (These are big pluses.)
- An honest description of any behavior challenges.
Be positive but truthful about your pet and why you want to rehome him/her.
Pair your profile with a few great photos of your pup. People fall in love with pictures more quickly than words.
If you plan to reach out to local rescues, definitely create a profile first.
Try to Rehome Your Dog Directly
There are a number of programs/websites created to help owners rehome their pets, including:
- Home-to-Home - a local program offered by the Anti-Cruelty Society
- Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet.com and HometoHome.org - free, national websites where you can post your dog.
- Pit Bull Rescue, Foster and Networking - a Facebook group for rehoming pitties.
These programs will help guide you through the rehoming process, from creating a profile to screening applicants to signing an agreement.
That said: screen applicants CLOSELY. Interview and google them. Check references. Avoid posting on Craigslist-type sites. The danger is real. Make sure your dog ends up in safe, loving hands!
About Behavior Problems...
If your dog has a behavior problem, please don’t give up on them.
For one thing, it’s very difficult to rehome dogs with behavior issues. With so many perfect dogs available, why would someone choose one that... [fill in the blank]?
For another, most rescues aren’t equipped to deal with serious behavior problems. Our fosters are volunteers, not trainers. Tiny, wildly-busy rescues can't give your dog the one-on-one attention that you can.
So, before anything else, do these 2 things:
1. Take your dog to your vet
Sometimes, changes in behavior are driven by illness or pain. Your dog may be trying to tell you something is wrong. We’ve seen changes in behavior driven by things as fixable as untreated arthritis and as dire as a brain tumor. Not to mention anxiety driven by changes in the home (which is very treatable!).
You owe it to your dog to cross these things off your list first.
2. Consult a behaviorist trainer
Dogs don’t misbehave to spite us. There’s always a reason; we just don't know what it is.
A good behaviorist can help you identify the reason—which is often more fixable than you think. Even if you don’t plan on keeping your pup, a positive temperament evaluation can make your dog more adoptable. For more on trainers, see here.
Remember...
You are the most important thing in your dog's life. Please do right by them, even if it takes a little work. They would do it for you in a heartbeat.
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