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Thinking About Surrendering Your Pet?
At Journey Home Animal Rescue, we understand how overwhelming and emotional it can be to consider surrendering a beloved pet. Life can throw unexpected challenges our way—housing instability, financial hardship, medical issues, behavioral struggles, and more. You are not alone, and we’re here to help guide you through this difficult decision with compassion and support.
Before surrendering your pet, we ask you to please take time to consider the following—and explore every possible option to keep your pet in your home if it is safe and feasible to do so.
🐾 Before You Surrender: Things to Think About
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Our average waitlist is 5-20 pets long at any given time, with triaging the most serious and at risk out of the group.
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We typically can only take in about 5 animals from this list per month - Your pet could stay on the waitlist longer if a specialized home or situation is needed.
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The average cost to accept a pet into rescue is about $300 per cat and $450 per dog.
1. What’s Really Causing the Need to Surrender?
Take a moment to reflect on what’s driving your decision. Is it behavioral issues? Medical needs? Lifestyle or housing changes? Many issues that lead people to surrender their pets can actually be resolved with the right resources and support.
2. Can the Situation Be Temporary?
If your current hardship is short-term—such as temporary housing instability or illness—there may be other options available while you get back on your feet.
3. Have You Explored Support Services?
There may be community resources, nonprofits, and local programs that can help with pet food, supplies, veterinary care, housing guidance, and more.
🧠 If You’re Struggling With Behavior…
Behavioral issues are one of the top reasons pets are surrendered—but many of these challenges are fixable.
Before You Surrender a Pet for Behavior, Please Consider:
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🐕 Training Classes – Basic obedience or one-on-one training can work wonders, especially for issues like jumping, barking, pulling, or poor recall.
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🧑⚕️ Veterinary Check-Up – Sometimes behavior problems are linked to pain or undiagnosed medical conditions. Always rule this out with your DVM first.
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🧠 Veterinary Behaviorist or Certified Behavior Consultant – For more serious concerns like aggression, separation anxiety, or reactivity, a credentialed expert can make a life-changing difference.
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🦴 Enrichment and Exercise – A bored or under-exercised pet is often a misbehaving one. Mental and physical stimulation are essential.
If you need recommendations for trusted trainers or behaviorists, please reach out—we’re happy to connect you with professionals we know and trust.
Some Training Options We Recommend:
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Chilly Dogs, Northwood, ND (willing to travel)
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Wag N Train, Grand Forks, ND
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Down Dog Studio, Fargo, ND (can do virtual)
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Dr. Boas, Casselton Veterinary Service (Behavioral Medicine)
💔 When Rehoming Feels Like the Only Option
If you've exhausted all other avenues and rehoming your pet truly is the best (and safest) option—for your family or for your pet—please consider doing it responsibly:
✳️ Surrendering to a Rescue
Our intake resources are extremely limited, and space is not always available. Journey Home prioritizes animals in urgent situations with no other safe options, but we’re happy to talk with you and assess the situation.
If we cannot take your pet immediately, we may be able to help you:
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Join a waitlist
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Get behavior support to help while you wait
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Access other community resources
❤️ We’re Here to Help
Please remember: surrendering a pet is a serious, permanent decision.
We’re here to listen, guide, and support you in doing what’s best for both you and your pet. If you’re considering surrender, please email us at info@journeyhomeanimalrescue.org with specific information regarding your pet such as:
Age, gender, breed(s), completed vetting and/or vet records, reason for rehoming, location of pet, how is your pet with other animals, any health or behavioral concerns, and pictures of your pet.
Together, we can work toward the best possible outcome—because every pet deserves a safe, loving home through tough times.
If you can no longer keep a pet you have adopted from us and need to surrender it, please email info@journeyhomeanimalrescue.org as the adoption contract requires us to be notified. We are committed to the animal and want to help ensure the best life possible for it.