What Does It Mean to Surrender a Pit Bull?

If you can no longer keep your pet, you might be wondering: What does it mean to surrender a Pit Bull? Surrendering your dog means you’re giving up all your rights as the Pit Bull’s pet parent and transferring them to a rescue or shelter. Once surrendered, you no longer have a say in what happens to your dog, whether they are put down or adopted, or who adopts them. This can be difficult for anyone who loves their pet, so surrendering your Pit Bull should be a last resort.

Things to keep in mind

While animal welfare organizations do their best to provide the best care for the pets that come their way, your pet may not receive as much attention as you would like. Before you surrender your Pit Bull to any shelter or rescue group, do some research and be aware of the limitations some organizations face.

Here are some things to keep in mind when looking for a place to surrender your pet:

• Does the organization euthanize? Some shelters have very high intake rates and low resources, which can cause them to run out of kennel space quickly. When organizations run out of space, they may be forced to put even healthy, adoptable dogs to sleep. Know an organization’s policies before you decide to drop off your pet.

• Your pet’s personality: Even if you have the friendliest dog in the world, your Pit Bull may not feel like themself in a shelter. The loud, crowded shelter environment can make your dog anxious or appear aggressive, and they may be labeled unadoptable. Consider how you Pit Bull might react to this type of situation before surrendering.

Other rehoming options

If you find that your local shelter may not be a safe place to surrender your Pit Bull, consider other solutions:

Keep your dog

Are you giving up your pet because of behavior issues? In many cases, these are easy to solve with the help of a vet or trainer. Many behavioral issues stem from medical needs a veterinarian can address. Others can be remedied with the support of a qualified animal behaviorist. Give your dog every chance to stay in your family by working through their issues.

Do You Need to Rehome Your Pet?

If you’re considering finding a new home for your pet, check out Rehome by Adopt a Pet. It’s a safe, simple program that helps pet parents safely rehome their pets. So pets can find new loving homes without entering a shelter.

Explore options

Ask a private rescue

Reputable, privately run rescues are a wonderful option — if you can find one with a spot for your dog. This can be difficult, but excellent rescues will usually work hard to locate a perfect home, so it’s worth the trouble.

Rehome your dog yourself

This option will probably take the most effort, but it also lets you decide what happens to your Pit Bull. Rehome by Adopt a Pet provides valuable advice and tools to make the process easier and to ensure you find the best possible home for your dog. With Rehome by Adopt a Pet, you can post your adoptable pet to be seen by millions of pet adopters on Adopt a Pet’s main site.

Knowing what it means to surrender your dog might make you change your mind about going through with it. If so, it’s good to know there are other options and resources to help you.