Rehome Your Pet
We understand that sometimes keeping your pet is just not feasible — and that making the decision to rehome your cat or dog can be heartbreaking. We offer two options to help you with next steps: You can find a home on your own by posting your animal’s availability within our Community Pet Listings, or you can inquire about surrendering your pet to the Santa Cruz SPCA.
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- If your pet’s behavior is a problem, talk with your veterinarian to rule out possible medical issues that can lead to certain behaviors. If you’ve ruled out health issues, seek the advice and assistance of a trainer or behaviorist. Read through the Pet Behavior resources on this site. You may also be able to take advantage of our free Ask the Dog Trainer monthly meeting.
- If housing is an issue, review our Pet-Friendly Housing tips on negotiating with landlords or finding alternative housing that allows pets.
- Check in with friends or family to determine if they might be able to take over the ownership of your animal.
If you must rehome your pet, consider our Community Pet Listings. You can create your own ad for a pet of any kind. Your post is live on our site for up to 30 days. Community members who have questions or would like to adopt your listed pet, will simply contact you directly by phone or email. With a little research, you can develop a good screening and interview process to make sure your pet will be going to a safe and loving home.
In addition to posting in our Community Pet Listings, we recommend you list your pet on as many animal rescue sites as possible and utilize social media to get the word out that your dog or cat is looking for a new home. (Avoid posting your animal on classified sites like Craigslist.)
The Santa Cruz SPCA accepts owner surrenders of both cats and dogs. We do our best to provide a comfortable, safe, and loving environment for all the animals that come to us. However, not all sizes and behaviors can be appropriately housed in the shelter setting we offer.
We accept surrenders on an appointment-only basis. To speak to a staff member about the possibility of surrendering your dog or cat, please call 831-465-5000.
2601 Chanticleer Ave.
Santa Cruz, CA 95065
(P) 831-465-5000 (F) 831-479-8530
Mon & Tues - CLOSED
Animal Browsing Wed to Sun 11am - 5pm
*PET FOOD PANTRY - Fridays 1:00pm - 3:00pm
The Santa Cruz SPCA is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the welfare of animals. We receive no government funding, and depend solely on financial support from our friends. Our organization is not affiliated with any other SPCA or Humane Society.
Tax ID: 94-6171565
© 2017 Santa Cruz SPCA
