NOTICE: Chico Animal Shelter is not accepting walk-ins at this time. Chico Animal Shelter is not an adoption agency and can only accept owned dogs on a space available basis. Please call to get on the waiting list, and see below for alternatives to surrendering your pet to the shelter. If you are a City of Chico resident and are in need of pet food, please call 530-894-5630 during regular business hours for our food pantry.
Re-homing Your Pet
Making the Decision
Deciding to give up a pet that has been a part of your family can be a difficult and emotional experience for both you and your pet. Whatever your reason may be, you owe it to your pet to consider all your options and choose the one that is best for both of you. Below are some common reasons people consider re-homing their pets and some suggestions as to how you may be able to keep the animal in that situation.
Other Options
Before contacting the Chico Animal Shelter, consider some of the other options that may be available. Finding a new home won't happen overnight and it is very important to give yourself adequate time to find an appropriate placement. It may take weeks, or even months to re-home your pet. Re-homing your pet yourself is best because you know you pet better than anyone. You can screen for the best home, and potentially stay in touch with the new owner. Below are suggestions on ways to find a home for the pet yourself:
- Moving - Often times pet owners give up too easily when looking for housing that will allow them to keep their pets. Be flexible but persistent, and refer to pet-friendly housing directories. Build a "pet résumé" with items such as medical records, training certificates, and reference letters to show your potential landlord you are a responsible owner with a well-behaved pet. Below are some links to pet friendly housing in Chico:
- Behavior Problems - Many behavior issues can be solved by training, either in the home or with professional classes. Research positive reinforcement training methods on the Internet or in a library. Shelter staff can also provide resources. You can also try goodpup.com where you can get training over video chat and a personalized training program for your dog.
- Allergies - Consult a physician before assuming an allergic reaction is caused by your pet. If keeping the animal will not seriously risk a person's health, making small changes such as using a humidifier or keeping the pet out of the bedroom may help manage the symptoms. Many owners find the benefits of having a pet outweigh the inconveniences of allergies.
- Medical Issues - If your pet has an illness or injury and the cost of treatment is more than you can afford, first talk to your vet to see if there is an alternative treatment that is less expensive, or tests that can wait. Here are some resources to help with vet expenses:
- Apply for Care Credit or Scratch Pay for financing,
- Apply with AlignCare, who will work with your veterinarian to assist with the cost of treatment,
- Consider a GoFundMe, CoFund My Pet, Waggle, or other social media fundraising platform,
- The Animal Foundation and the Dogington Post have links to other resources to help with vet bills.
- Click HERE for a comprehensive list of resources, with links to other websites.
- Find Resources - please contact the shelter if you need food or other items from our pet food pantry. We can help based on availability of on hand. For help with housing or other issues, please visit Butte-Glenn 211. To search for more resources, visit pets.findhelp.com where you can search for services based on your zip code.
Other Options
Before contacting the Chico Animal Shelter, consider some of the other options that may be available. Finding a new home won't happen overnight and it is very important to give yourself adequate time to find an appropriate placement. It may take weeks, or even months to re-home your pet. Re-homing your pet yourself is best because you know you pet better than anyone. You can screen for the best home, and potentially stay in touch with the new owner. Below are suggestions on ways to find a home for the pet yourself:
- Where You Adopted the Pet - If your pet was adopted from a breeder or a rescue group, you may have signed a contract that requires you to return the animal if you can no longer keep it. Even if this is not the case, the person or organization you got the pet from may be able to help, or be willing to take the animal back.
- Rescue Groups - Rescue groups are private, volunteer organizations that often specialize in a specific breed, smaller dogs, specific types of pets, or do general pet rescue. Sometimes there is a waiting list to get your pet into a rescue, but often they have people already waiting to adopt a pet, and may be able to match your pet to a new home right away. Please see our Rescue Links page for contact information for local rescue groups, call the shelter for recommendations, or do a google search.
- Your Veterinarian - Your veterinarian not only knows your pet, but may also know of a client that has recently lost a pet or is looking to add another pet to their family.
- Friends or Family - A friend or family member may also be familiar with your pet, and may even be willing to care for your pet for a period of time if the circumstances for needing to rehome are just temporary.
- Advertising - Never underestimate the power of networking with people you already know. Sites like Nextdoor, Facebook and Craigslist are free to use. If you choose to place an ad on a public forum, be sure to screen any prospective new family very carefully. An unfit placement will only result in your pet being displaced again, or worse. Never simply give away a pet for free. Not specifying the rehoming fee in your ad gives you more leverage with placement. If you choose to rehome on your own, here are some resources you can use:
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Rehome through Adopt-A-Pet - (Any type of pet) Click on the link to the right to take you to the Adopt-A-Pet site where you can post your pet for millions of pet adopters to see! This is the same site used by Chico Animal Shelter to highlight pets available for adoption. You get to review applications and Rehome will provide you with an adoption contract to protect the transfer of your pet ownership.
Use coupon code RCXHAQTL2U8AD8Z to list your pet for free. Rehome through How I Met My Dog - (Dogs) Click on the link to the right to take you to the How I Met My Dog site. You create a profile by posting a picture and answering some questions about your dog. The site searches applicants for the best match and sends them to you to screen and set up a meeting with potential adopters. Rehome through Get Your Pet - (Dogs and Cats) Click on the link to the right to take you to the Get Your Pet site. There is no fee for the pet owner, and the adoption fee for the adopter, paid only if they adopt a pet, includes a free vet visit. |
 
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- Temporary Foster Home - If the reason you have to give up your pet is short term, consider trying to find a temporary foster home. Here are some resources for finding a foster home for your pet:
- 911fosterpets - post your pet(s) here to find a foster home
- fosterdogs - website with many resources to keep your pet or find temporary foster
- Euthanasia - Pets that have medical or behavior issues can be very difficult to place in a new home and older pets that have been with the same family most of their lives often have a hard time readjusting. In these cases, the most humane option may be to consult your veterinarian and discuss having the animal humanely put to sleep. These animals are less likely to kennel well in a shelter environment and with limited shelter resources, euthanasia may still be the end result. It is less stressful for the animal if you are there for support in the end.
Surrendering to the Shelter
The shelter should be used as your last resort, only when all other options have been exhausted. As of February 1, 2013 the City of Chico Animal Shelter does not accept surrendered cats. If you need to surrender your cat, please contact the Butte Humane Society: 343-7917, or contact Chico Cat Coalition.
The City of Chico Animal Shelter accepts DOGS from owners living within Chico city limits. Please call to have your dog put on the waiting list and we will call you when there is space at the shelter. Please call as soon as you think you might have to surrender your pet, and don't wait until the last minute as there might not be a space available right away. Please bring all your pet's medical records at the time of surrender. There is no required surrender fee, however donations of any size are gratefully accepted.
The shelter should be used as your last resort, only when all other options have been exhausted. As of February 1, 2013 the City of Chico Animal Shelter does not accept surrendered cats. If you need to surrender your cat, please contact the Butte Humane Society: 343-7917, or contact Chico Cat Coalition.
The City of Chico Animal Shelter accepts DOGS from owners living within Chico city limits. Please call to have your dog put on the waiting list and we will call you when there is space at the shelter. Please call as soon as you think you might have to surrender your pet, and don't wait until the last minute as there might not be a space available right away. Please bring all your pet's medical records at the time of surrender. There is no required surrender fee, however donations of any size are gratefully accepted.
