Author: Chris Luther, Pet Help and Special Ops Manager

Why should you try to rehome a pet before taking it to a shelter?

The Lynchburg Humane Society encourages and helps owners rehome their pets so they never have to set a paw in our center.  Our Center for Pets is very nice, but it can still be very stressful for pets and because of the unknown background of the pets at our center, illnesses can spread and pets can get sick.  Stress also increases the likelihood of illness..  Rehoming is better for the pets, and it also saves lives.  You see, if we can divert pets from entering the shelter and have them go right from one home to another, we are able to help more pets, pets that don’t have owners and are at risk for euthanasia at other shelters.

Lynchburg Humane Society’s Rehoming Program

How do we help someone rehome their pet and avoid the shelter?  First, we talk with the owner to see if there is anything we can do or provide so that they can keep their pet.  If that’s not possible, we gather information about the pet, we market them on our social media and our website and we provide information to the owner on how they can help find their pet a safe, loving home.  We check up with the owner to see if there is anything we can do to help, and get updates on their progress.  Keep in mind, we will always take a pet in instead of asking the owner to rehome, if the pet or a person is at risk or in danger.

It is important for us not to judge anyone when they have to rehome their pets.  This is typically an emotional situation for the person, and they are just trying to do what is right for the pet.  It’s not up to us to judge someone who is looking for help for their pet or their family.  

Learn more about our program

There are so many benefits to rehoming a pet rather than bringing them into a shelter.  But the bottom line is –  rehoming saves lives.  

To learn more about our rehoming process, visit our Pet Resource Center on our website at https://lynchburghumane.org/services/pet-resource-center/