Rehoming a Pet

How Can We Help You Keep Your Pet?

We will do anything for our pets, often putting their needs ahead of our own. However, sometimes the barriers put in front of us can make it seem impossible to care for the furry members of our family. While rehoming your pet is an option, let’s see if some of the resources we have available can help you keep your pet.

Find Resources Now

Select a question below for quick tips to help you keep your pet.

Facing eviction or need rental assistance? Contact ALIVE! at AEPP3@alive-inc.org or 703-837-9300. Español disponible.You may still have time to work something out before rehoming your pet. In Virginia, landlords must provide written notice of eviction and give you 21 days to rectify the situation and 30 days before they can physically remove you from the property. You have rights as a tenant and can reach out to local housing resources, including legal assistance and access to counselors who can help with landlord issues they can physically remove you from the property.
City of Alexandria residents can contact the Office of Housing for more information on Housing Crisis Services and Eviction Prevention.
We may be able to provide assistance through our emergency boarding Crisis Care Program.

We can help with low-cost vaccinations and spay and neuter surgeries. Learn more about our low and no-cost clinics here. Find out more about our spay and neuter vouchers here.
If your pet needs emergency veterinary care, you may be eligible for a small grant to help with the cost (for city residents with an income of less than 50k). Please contact us at community@AlexandriaAnimals.org or 703.746.4774 for more information.

Here is a helpful resource on renting with pets.
Consider asking your landlord if they are open to making an exception.
Under the Fair Housing Act, if you have a disability-related need, you have the right to ask your landlord or property manager for a reasonable accommodation for an emotional support animal. You will need to talk with your medical provider to ask if they are able to provide an ESA prescription letter (be wary of websites promising to certify your pet as an ESA). Click here for more information.

Reach out at behavior@alexandriaanimals.org or 703-746-5654. We can see if we can talk you through and provide advice on how to manage problem behaviors.
Learn more about our Alexandria Animal Academy for low-cost behavior and training for dogs (scholarships available).
Get a free week of training through the GoodPup app and 10% off future training.
You can also check out lots of great free and low-cost resources on behavior and training here.

Many people have to work long hours and feel they don’t have enough time to spend with their pet. Sometimes doing more in the time you do have to spend with your pet and leaving them with some things to keep them busy while you are gone is enough to make a difference. Often pets are better off in the homes where they are loved. Some things to think about:

Hire Help: Can you get someone to drop in for your pet and give them a potty break in the middle of your work day? This could be a paid for service, but it could also be a neighbor, family member, or friend.
Exercise, Play, Sniffing: Dogs who have had a good amount of exercise, playtime, and sniffing generally do better when left alone. Can you make a little more time before your work day to tire your dog out? Even 5-10 minutes of playing tug, chasing a flirt pole, or letting your dog have a good sniff on their walk can make a big difference. For very social dogs, you might see if you can find a playmate in your neighborhood, even once a week. For cats, even two sessions of 5 minutes playing with an interactive wand toy can make a big difference.
Keeping Your Pet Busy: Dogs and cats who have plenty of mental stimulation are much less likely to get bored when left alone. (These activities can also be done when you are with your pet too). Consider leaving your dog with a stuffed kong or other toy that they have to work at to get their food or treats. You can even feed all their meals from puzzle toys. Even a rolled up towel can be a great food or treat puzzle. There are lots of simple DIY things you can do to give your dog some time to use their brain. For cats, making some changes to their environment so they have more places to climb, perch, and play gives them much more to do. Cats (and dogs) even enjoy watching a little TV with birds or other critters. Just google “videos for cats” or “dog TV” and there are lots of free online videos. Below some resources to get you started, but if you’re struggling with ideas, feel free to reach out.

Consider Rehoming Your Pet Yourself

Still need to rehome your pet? There are great benefits to taking charge of the process to you and your pet. We can guide you through the process and provide resources to help you!

Here's how we can assist you:

You can post your pet on our rehoming website. You can find our rehoming animal listings here.
We can help you craft a compelling bio for your pet and take eye-catching photos.
We can provide templates for things like questions to ask people interested in your pet and adoption agreements.
We can provide low-cost vaccinations and help with low-cost vouchers for spay-neuter surgeries to get your pet ready for adoption.
We can help with food and supplies through our Pet Pantry.

Benefits of rehoming your pet yourself:

Your pet does not need to stay in a stressful shelter environment.
You will have more control over the rehoming process.
You will be able to provide the best information to potential adopters about your pet.
We will have more space at the shelter to save more animals!

To get started, call us at 703-746-5651 or email rehome@AlexandriaAnimals.org.

Rehoming or Returning Your Pet

If you have exhausted all of your options, are experiencing an emergency, or cannot rehome your pet yourself, please reach out to us at rehome@AlexandriaAnimals.org or call 703-746-5651.

In order to rehome a pet through our shelter you need to be a resident of the City of Alexandria or have adopted your pet from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.

If you are not sure if you are a resident of the City of Alexandria (parts of Alexandria are in Fairfax County or Arlington County), please get in touch and we can advise you.

Please contact us before coming to the shelter. Rehoming is done by appointment only. If you come to the shelter without an appointment and your situation is not urgent, you may be asked to make an appointment and come back later. If you did not adopt from us or are not a resident of the City of Alexandria, we will direct you to your local shelter and resources.

If you adopted your pet from another shelter or rescue organization, please contact them first. Most shelters or rescues are happy (or even prefer) for you to return adopted pets to their organization.

Fairfax County Animal Shelter | 703-830-1100
Animal Welfare League of Arlington | 703-931-9241
Prince George's County Animal Services | 301-780-7200
SPCA/Humane Society of PG County | 301-262-5625
Humane Rescue Alliance (DC) | 202-723-5730