How Do I Surrender My Saint Bernard?

If you’re facing the difficult decision of surrendering or rehoming your Saint Bernard, know that you aren’t alone. There are many reasons pet parents may need to rehome their dog. They might be facing financial stress, have unsafe living conditions, be going through a sudden life change, have health issues, or be dealing with turmoil from their pet’s behavior. Other times, an adopter simply realizes that their lifestyle or schedule — and their pet’s needs or energy levels — aren’t compatible. 

Rehoming a dog can feel daunting, so we’re here to guide you through the process of finding your Saint Bernard a new, safe, and loving home. Read on for more important details.

What does it mean to rehome a dog?

Rehoming a dog means finding them a new home, usually by directly placing your pet with an adopter whom you’ve chosen. In contrast, surrendering a dog typically involves placing your pet in the care of an animal shelter or rescue, and transferring legal ownership to the organization. The rescue or shelter will then care for the dog and put them up for adoption.

How to rehome your Saint Bernard

To rehome your Saint Bernard, you’ll need to decide if you’re going to find them a new home yourself, work with an adoption site, or surrender them to a shelter or rescue. 

Regardless of how you rehome your pet, it’s crucial to be honest and upfront about any medical or behavioral issues your pet may be experiencing. Trying to hide this information will likely result in an unsuccessful adoption. For example, if your Saint Bernard resource guards their food or toys, this is critical information for a rescue organization or potential adopter to have. 

Of course, make sure to also list all their best traits, too — like if they’re an absolute snuggle bug, the world’s cutest couch potato, or a rockstar swimming buddy.

Avoid pet classified sites

For the safety of both you and your pup, avoid putting up posts or classified ads on sites such as Facebook, Craigslist, or Local Sales Network (aka LSN). These online locations often treat pets as products to buy or sell. They can be full of questionable breeders listing litters of puppies, or even pet scammers who might pose as adopters to harm the pet or steal your personal information. 

Find someone you already know to adopt

One method of rehoming is to find someone you already know to adopt your Saint Bernard. The adopter could be a family member, friend, co-worker, neighbor, or acquaintance. When reaching out to people you know, think about your Saint Bernard’s needs, energy levels, and behaviors, and consider who might be a great match. 

For example, Saint Bernards can weigh more than 200 pounds, have a range of size-related health issues, be quite (some would say endearingly) drooly, and are more expensive to care for. You’ll want to make sure you find an adopter who has the space to accommodate them, is OK with a bit of puppy slobber, and has the financial means to care for a higher-maintenance dog. 

Network in your personal community 

You can also expand your search by networking in your larger personal community. Start by asking friends, family, and coworkers if they know of any reliable people who may be looking to adopt. Or take your pup to community events and other public spaces where you know people, as long as your pup is comfortable in these settings. 

Look into pet adoption sites 

Pet adoption sites are another option to find your Saint Bernard a loving, new home. These include programs by some shelters as well as organizations such as Rehome by Adopt a Pet, which will digitally advertise your pet. They help you avoid surrendering your dog, which subjects them to potential euthanasia if they don’t get adopted. These services provide you with tools to vet potential pet parents to make sure they aren’t adopting your pup for sinister reasons.

Surrender at a shelter or animal rescue

While it’s best to consider a shelter as a last resort by considering all available alternatives, surrendering your pet to an organization may be the only course of action available to you. Ideally, search for a breed-specific Saint Bernard or giant-dog rescue that can place your pet into a foster home. These organizations, such as Saints of the West, will know how to find appropriate homes for giant dogs and make sure they get the best care while awaiting adoption. 

While it’s possible to find a Saint Bernard or giant-dog rescue, many of these organizations are inundated with intake requests. So it’s best to cast a wider net, contacting those within several hours of your home. 

If you can’t find a rescue organization that will take your pup, you may need to surrender them to a local animal shelter. Some shelters have waitlists for owner surrenders, while others have an open admission policy — so call ahead and ask what your options are. 

Although many shelters do their best to provide a supportive space for animals, it’s important to understand that most shelters are stressful, loud, and confusing environments for pets, which is why surrendering to a shelter should be a last resort. The good news is that as long as your Saint Bernard doesn’t have severe behavioral issues, they have a great chance of being quickly adopted thanks to the breed’s charismatic nature, eye-catching looks, and popularity among giant dog enthusiasts. 

Do you have to pay to rehome a Saint Bernard? 

Depending on which route you take, you might have to pay to rehome your Saint Bernard. This will most likely occur if you surrender them to a shelter or rescue. (Not all shelters and rescues charge an owner surrender fee, but some do to offset the cost of care.) You may also need to pay a fee to use a rehoming site, although it’s more likely that you won’t pay a fee at all, or you can ask the adopter to pay an adoption fee to cover rehoming costs. 

What is a rehoming fee?

A rehoming fee is not the same as selling your dog and isn’t intended for profit. This fee exists to ensure the adopter is financially able and willing to care for your pet. The rehoming fee also weeds out those looking for free pets to use as bait dogs in fighting rings or for other harmful purposes. 

Since your giant-breed Saint Bernard has a much higher monthly food cost compared to smaller dogs, it’s important to set a rehoming fee that reflects their financial requirements. 

What is a reasonable rehoming fee for a Saint Bernard? 

A reasonable rehoming fee for a Saint Bernard can vary quite a bit depending on where you live and the cost of living in your region. For a giant breed, it’s best to set a fee of at least $100 to make sure the adopter can keep up with the monthly expenses, which are higher for big dogs compared to smaller dogs. 

Most rehoming fees for dogs, set directly by a pet parent, don’t often exceed $300. However, adoption fees from a rescue may be higher since the fees contribute to the organization’s operational costs. 

Should you charge rehoming fees?

Charging rehoming fees is advisable when adopting your pup to a stranger. A rehoming fee, asking for references, and drawing up an adoption contract that outlines care requirements can make adopting out your Saint Bernard to a stranger a much safer process. If you already know and trust the adopter, charging a rehoming fee isn’t really necessary. 

What about rehoming with pet adoption sites? 

Rehoming with pet adoption sites can be an excellent option to widen the pool of potential adopters for your Saint Bernard. 

Services such as Rehome by Adopt a Pet offer pet parents a safe, guided digital space where they can receive adoption applications and personally place their pup into a new, loving home. To use the service, a pet parent simply creates a pet profile, reviews applications, and meets potential adopters. When a perfect fit is found, you can finalize the adoption using a transfer-of-ownership template provided by Adopt a Pet. 

Commonly asked questions

Is a Saint Bernard a high-maintenance dog? 

A Saint Bernard can be a high-maintenance dog in terms of accommodating their giant size, increased grooming requirements, and a greater potential for health concerns compared to smaller dogs. However, they’re also well-loved for their laidback nature and gentle demeanors, making them lower maintenance in terms of energy levels and exercise requirements. 

Where can I put up a Saint Bernard for adoption? 

You can put up a Saint Bernard for adoption on pet adoption sites, through in-person networking, and by contacting an animal shelter or rescue. 

What are the cons of having a St. Bernard? 

The cons of having a St. Bernard can include their massive size, tendency to slobber, shedding, and shorter lifespan. If you’re planning on adopting a Saint Bernard, make sure your lifestyle is a good match for this gentle giant. 

References

“Alternatives to Surrendering Your Pet | Animal Humane Society.” www.animalhumanesociety.org/resource/alternatives-surrendering-your-pet.

“How to Rehome Your Pet.” City of Albuquerque, 2025, www.cabq.gov/pets/education-resources/how-to-rehome-your-pet.

“Saints of the West — Our Mission Statement.” saintsofthewest.com, 2025, www.saintsofthewest.com/our-mission-statement.