How Do I Surrender My Newfoundland?

Having to say goodbye to a beloved pup is never easy. If you find yourself needing to surrender or rehome your Newfoundland, you may be wondering how to safely find them a new, loving home. If you’ve concluded that rehoming or surrendering your Newfoundland is the best decision, this guide is for you. Read on to learn how to safely adopt your Newfie into a new, loving home.

There are several reasons why you may need to rehome your Newfie, including financial troubles, sudden life changes, or developing severe dog allergies. Or, you may be facing challenges with your Newfoundland’s behaviors, such as being a giant-breed dog who consistently knocks into people, heavily pulls on their leash, or is constantly counter-surfing. (We always encourage pet parents, whenever possible, to first work with a qualified, ethical canine behaviorist to try to resolve behavioral issues before rehoming.) 

What does it mean to rehome a dog?

To rehome a dog means you are directly placing your pup into a new, adoptive home. The process of rehoming typically involves sharing your dog adoption information, selecting the best application (after screening potential pet parents with questions and reference checks), meeting the possible adopter, and if all goes well, placing your dog into their new, loving home. 

How to rehome your Newfoundland

To rehome your Newfoundland, begin by considering the type of home your Newfie needs. This is a giant dog who requires plenty of space to stretch out, loves being with their people, and prefers cooler climates. They tend to do extremely well with children and other pets, and adore being part of the family. They have higher-than-average grooming needs thanks to their thick double coat, so they need an attentive adopter who can consistently keep their coat in good condition. These dogs also typically adore water, so they’ll do well with a family who loves to spend time at rivers, lakes, or ponds. 

You’ll also want to be transparent about any behavioral challenges your Newfie might have. While they tend to be gentle giants who are laid-back, it’s important to have an honest assessment of any issues a potential adopter may encounter. For example, if they have issues with pulling on the leash, this could present a safety concern for senior adopters. Being upfront about any behavioral or health conditions your Newfoundland has also helps potential adopters make more informed decisions about whether or not to adopt the dog. 

Next, put together an adoption profile for your pup that you can share with friends, family, and acquaintances. This charming biography should include contact information, some endearing and eye-catching photos of the Newfie, plus information about their sex, age, vaccination and spay/neuter status. 

Find someone you already know to adopt

When rehoming, your first step should be to consider someone you already know to adopt your Newfoundland. Think about who might be an excellent match given the pup’s unique needs and behaviors. Send the dog’s adoption profile to anyone you know who might be a good fit. Directly adopting them to someone you know and trust is one of the safest and easiest ways to rehome your Newfoundland. 

Network in your larger personal community 

After reaching out to people you already know well, try networking with acquaintances in your larger personal community. Ask people you know to spread the word to friends, neighbors, and coworkers they can vouch for. If your Newfie is social, put an “adopt me” harness and leash on them and take them to events in your community. Bring copies of their adoption profile with you to share with potential adopters. 

Look into pet adoption sites 

You can also reach out to reputable pet adoption sites, such as Rehome by Adopt a Pet, to widen your search for a reliable adopter. These pet adoption sites allow you to post your pet’s adoption profile and receive applications. Some animal shelters also offer pet parents help, sharing adoptable pets’ profiles through direct rehoming programs. This lowers the number of pets admitted into already crowded shelters.  

Surrender to a shelter or animal rescue

If you are unable to successfully rehome your Newfoundland, you may consider surrendering them. You should always reach out to rescue organizations before contacting shelters. With a rescue (especially a breed-specific one), your Newfoundland is much more likely to stay in a foster home and experience a less stressful transition — in contrast to being moved into a kennel at a shelter. Keeping them out of a shelter frees up more room there to take in strays or pets in need of immediate care. 

It’s best to begin by reaching out to Newfoundland-specific or giant-dog rescues. They are most equipped to care for your Newfie’s needs and find them a fitting home. You may need to be willing to get on a waitlist and drive many hours to place your Newfie at a good rescue organization, since they may not immediately have space. But it’s worth the effort when you consider the care your dog will get in return. If you are unable to get your Newfie placed in a breed-specific rescue, contact reputable, well-reviewed rescues within driving distance that accept surrenders.

If you have exhausted all rescue organization options, you may need to reach out to an animal shelter. Some shelters only accept animals within their county of operation, so make sure to learn about their policies on their website. It’s best to contact shelters that are highly reviewed and have an interactive, online presence. Shelters with strong volunteer and foster programming, plus lots of adoption events, often have higher adoption rates. 

Avoid pet classified sites

Pet adoption sites can be a great tool for expanding your adoption search, but you should avoid using pet classified sites, which allow for the buying and selling of pets and often feature lots of breeders. These sites, such as Craigslist and Local Sales Network (or LSN), have higher chances of attracting scammers or people looking to get pets for harmful reasons, such as to use in backyard breeding. Sketchy potential adopters may also frequent social platforms such as Nextdoor and Facebook, so it’s best to avoid them, too. 

Do you have to pay to rehome a Newfoundland? 

You might have to pay to rehome a Newfoundland if you surrender them to a shelter or rescue organization that charges a surrender fee. Most surrender or relinquishment fees range between $25 and $150. Not all organizations will charge a surrender fee, and some may ask for it as a voluntary donation. These fees can help cover a small percentage of the cost of care for surrendered pets. 

What is a rehoming fee?

A rehoming fee is set by the pet parent and paid by an adopter. Setting a rehoming fee, rather than adopting your Newfie out for free, helps prevent impulse adoptions, discourages those looking for free pets for harmful reasons, and can attract more serious adopters committed to investing in a pet’s care. 

What is a reasonable rehoming fee for a Newfoundland? 

A reasonable rehoming fee for a Newfoundland dog runs around $100 and shouldn’t exceed $300. The exact amount you set can depend on factors such as where you live and the health, age, and vaccination status of your Newfie. 

Should you charge rehoming fees?

Unless you are rehoming your Newfoundland to a known and trusted person, you should always charge a rehoming fee to ensure a safer adoption. In addition to charging a rehoming fee for adopters you’ve vetted but don’t know well, make sure to ask detailed questions about what your Newfie’s day-to-day life would be like in their care, ask for references, and draw up an adoption contract. 

What about rehoming with pet adoption sites? 

Rehoming through pet adoption sites such as Rehome by Adopt a Pet is a great way to reach a wider pool of potential adopters, and has the benefit of providing you with a guided process created by pet adoption experts. With Rehome's four-step process, you can set up a profile, review applications, meet adopters, and finalize the rehoming with an adoption-contract template. This contract can stipulate the care you expect your Newfie to receive in their new home. 

Commonly asked questions

Does the vet take surrendered dogs?

No, although an individual vet may agree to take in a surrendered or stray dog, this is not a standard channel for surrendering pets. Typically, this might only occur if someone brings a stray dog to the vet for serious medical attention. If you need to surrender a dog, it’s important to contact an official rescue or animal shelter.

Where can I put up a Newfoundland for adoption? 

To put a Newfoundland up for adoption, you can try rehoming them through your personal network or a pet adoption site. If that doesn’t work out for you, you can look into surrendering them to a breed-specific rescue or, as a final resort, a shelter.

References

Maryland SPCA. (2023, July 17). Tips on rehoming your pet - Maryland SPCA. https://www.mdspca.org/resource/tips-on-re-homing-your-pet.

National Newfoundland Rescue – dedicated to saving Newfoundlands & Newfoundland mixes across America. (n.d.). https://nationalnewfoundlandrescue.com.

This, C. O. (2024, March 19). Study: Can short-term foster care increase a dog’s chances of adoption exponentially? Chew on This. https://chewonthis.maddiesfund.org/2024/03/study-can-short-term-foster-increase-a-dogs-chances-of-adoption-exponentially.