FINDING A NEW HOME FOR YOUR HOUND

Sometimes, no matter how hard we try to avoid having to give up our hounds, conditions and life changes get beyond our control, and we have to find them a new home.

• Read your adoption contract if you adopted your hound through a rescue or a shelter.
  
  Many organizations have a return clause and ask that you contact them. Each organization has its own guidelines regarding returns
  
  Some organizations will ask you to keep your hound in your home if possible, while they post a photo and information. Some will ask you to keep your hound until they have a foster home or shelter space available.
  
  If you have a family member or friend who is interested in adopting your hound, the organization might only do a counseling session and vet reference before having them sign an adoption contact. .

• Take the time for find the best possible home.
  
  Call shelters and rescues and ask to be wait-listed while you are searching. If you are unable to find an appropriate home, the other option is to surrender your hound. Find out if the rescue or shelter has a section on their website for courtesy listings.
   
• We provide courtesy listings for owners that need to find homes.
  
  Submit our online form with an adorable picture of your hound. As soon as you find a home for your hound, please contact us. We will remove your posting after 60 days.
   
• You can also use Petfinders to list your hound.
   

Before Rehoming Your Hound

• Be sure your hound is spayed or neutered and up to date with vaccinations..
  
  Have a veterinarian examine your hound. Make sure that the new owner is aware of any medical issues.
   
• Be honest about your hound’s behaviors and medical issues.
  
  It is important not to put him through a series of failed relationships.
   

Questions to Ask the Prospective Family

Meet the family and visit where your hound will live. Be a good listener. If your instincts tell you that this is not an appropriate home, encourage them to look elsewhere.

• If they rent, ask for a landlord’s phone number to confirm that pets are allowed.
• Ask for a veterinarian reference.
• A scent hound follows his nose without regard for his own safety. How will they exercise your hound and provide for his safety?
• What qualities of a hound do they find appealing?
• What activities are they hoping to do with your hound? if the hound is to be used for hunting, point out that many hounds are surrendered or abandoned because they do not perform as expected. Many hounds in shelters and rescues are failed hunting dogs.
• What kind of training will they provide for your hound?
• How will they discipline your hound?
• Are there any dogs already in the home? What is their social behavior?
• Were there any previous dogs in the home? What happened to them?
• What is the neighborhood like? Do the adopters and their neighbors get along? Are there other dogs in the area? Remember: hounds love to bay!
• Do they have children? What are their ages? How will they care for the family hound?
• Does anyone in the family have allergies?
• Where will the hound sleep at night?

The Adoption

• Have the new owners sign an adoption agreement.
   
• Ask for a fee. People place more value on a hound if they have to pay for him.
   
• Many, many hounds that end up in shelters and rescues are lost. Stress the importance of updating the microchip information and keeping ID tags on the hound at all times.
   
• Do follow-ups on your hound. If the adoption is not working, offer to take him back.