What Does It Mean to Surrender a Pug

Can you bring your Pug to the animal shelter?

No, you can’t simply head to the animal shelter or rescue with your dog and expect them to take them the same day. You’ll need to call first and set up an appointment. Before you jump on the phone, here’s what you should do:

1. Learn about the organization

It’s a good idea to learn more about the shelter or rescue you’re considering before you surrender your Pug, such as the policies they have in place and how the facility operates. There are two types of animal welfare organizations.

Private or non-profit rescues: These rescues often have limited admission policies, meaning they can fill up quickly and may not have space for your Pug. The upside? If they do take your Pug, you can be confident they’ll be safe and cared for.

Municipal animal shelters: These shelters usually have open-admission policies, which means they accept all dogs regardless of space. However, they typically keep dogs for a limited time, and how long they can stay varies by location. The shelters, like rescues, do their best to ensure that they find people to adopt the dogs in their care, but it isn’t always possible.

2. Set up a surrender appointment

Once you learn more about the facility, you can then contact them to set up a surrender appointment. They’ll want to know more about your Pug, including their age, health, and other pertinent information. The staff might also want to know why you have to give them up. This gives them a better sense of your dog and lets them know if they have any resources that might help you. For example, they may have information about local trainers for behavioral issues, or a low-cost vet in your area.

But remember, when you surrender your Pug, you no longer have legal rights to them. This means that you don’t have any control over who adopts them or even if they get adopted. It’s out of your hands.

Rehome your Pug — an alternative to surrendering

Just because you must give up your dog doesn’t mean you need to surrender them to a rescue or shelter. There are other options you can consider, too. One of the first things to consider is to give your Pug to someone you know. Maybe a relative or one of your friends has talked about getting a dog and would like to bring home your dog.

If you don’t know anyone who wants to adopt, use a trusted site like Rehome from Adopt a Pet. This helps to ensure that you have a good batch of potential adopters from which to choose. You can set up a profile for your dog and then review the applications that come in for adoption. This gives you control over who becomes your Pug’s new pet parent and ensures that they go to a good home.