How Do I Give Up My Australian Cattle Dog?
How to rehome your ACD without risking their safety.
How to rehome your ACD without risking their safety.
by Kelly Villa, | March 7, 2025
AJ Spearman / Pexels
To give up your Australian Cattle Dog will likely be a tough decision, but you might find yourself in a situation where you do not have a choice. You may be in a tough financial spot, which means you can’t take proper care of your dog, or maybe you have to move to a location that does not allow pets. Any number of things could happen. If you need to give up your Australian Cattle Dog, you have several options from which you can choose.
However, some of these options are better than others—let’s dive in and see what your options for surrender are.
No, giving up your Australian Cattle Dog by listing them in an online classified is the worst choice. When you list your dog online through typical classified sites, you never know who will try to get your dog. Having a rehoming fee can help to weed out some of the undesirables, but it is not perfect. There is no way to determine whether you are choosing a good home for your dog or not.
Giving up your Australian Cattle Dog to shelters and rescues is another option to consider. While many people naturally worry about putting their dog in a shelter, these facilities do try to care for the dog properly and find them a good home. This can sometimes be difficult, though, so adoption is not a guaranteed outcome.
You could also look for Australian Cattle Dog rescues that specialize in this breed. They can take good care of your pet, but rescues are often strapped for resources and may not be able to take in your pup. Still, it tends to be better and safer than giving the dog to a random stranger from sites such as Craigslist.
Another option that you may want to consider is having the dog be adopted by someone you know. This might be a coworker, friend, or family member, for example. One of the benefits of this is that you will likely still be able to get updates on your dog to see how they are doing. If you know someone who is looking for a dog, and you trust them to care for your dog properly, you might want to talk with them. Just make sure that they are a good fit for the dog’s needs.
Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet is a peer-to-peer platform that allows pet parents to create a profile for their dog. They can add a bio for their dog with pertinent information, such as their temperament, appearance, and health status. You can let the potential adopters know whether the dog is good with children and other pets or if they try to herd them, as some Cattle Dogs will do. You can also add photos and videos of the pet to help encourage adoption.
Kelly Villa is a freelance writer and contributor to various pet publications.
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