When Circumstances Mean Your Dog Needs a New Home

Deciding to find a new home for a dog you love is one of the hardest decisions a pet owner can face. This page offers honest, non-judgemental guidance and helps you identify the right next step — whatever your circumstances.

Common Circumstances — and What to Do

Emigrating and Cannot Take Your Dog

International pet transport is possible in many cases but can depend on the destination country's import requirements, airline regulations, your timeline and costs. If you have genuinely explored these options and they are not feasible in your circumstances, rehoming through an ethical rescue is the responsible alternative.

Contact the rescue as early as possible. Lead time improves the chances of a considered placement. Provide your dog's full veterinary records, an honest temperament profile, and your expected emigration date. A rescue cannot guarantee placement by a specific date, but early contact significantly improves the position.

Do not advertise your dog as "free to a good home" on classified sites or social media without a screening process. This exposes your dog to significant risk.

Body Corporate or Estate Rules

In South Africa, the rules governing pets in sectional title schemes are typically set out in the scheme's Conduct Rules. These rules can require owners to obtain written consent from the trustees under the applicable scheme conduct rules before keeping a pet, and may set conditions on that consent. The general framework for sectional title schemes is set by the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act 8 of 2011 and its Prescribed Conduct Rules. The prescribed conduct rules generally state that consent should not be unreasonably withheld, while approved scheme-specific rules may differ.

A scheme may have amended conduct rules, but those rules must have been adopted and approved through the applicable legal process. Request the current approved rules rather than relying on an informal notice or verbal instruction.

Whether a particular rule applies to your situation — including whether existing pets may be affected by a rule change — can depend on the specific wording of your scheme's rules and when they were adopted. These are factual and legal questions specific to your scheme.

Before rehoming: Request the scheme's current conduct rules in writing. If you believe a rule was applied incorrectly or passed irregularly, the Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS) provides a dispute resolution service for community scheme disputes. For advice specific to your situation, consult a property attorney or contact the CSOS.

For more detail on this topic, see our Body Corporate and Landlord Pet Rules guide.

Landlord Rules and Rental Leases

In a rental context, whether a tenant may keep a pet commonly depends on the lease terms and the surrounding legal circumstances. If your lease includes a no-pets clause, your landlord may be entitled to enforce it. If you are searching for new accommodation, BarkingMad's "Not Without My Dog" initiative specifically assists South African pet owners in finding pet-friendly rentals.

If rehoming is unavoidable, contact a rescue with as much lead time as possible and be clear about your timeline.

Owner Has Died or Can No Longer Care for the Dog

When a pet owner passes away or moves into residential care, family members or executors may find themselves responsible for a dog they are not in a position to keep. Contact a rescue as soon as possible and explain the situation. Rescues are familiar with these circumstances. Provide the dog's veterinary records and any temperament information you have.

If the situation is urgent, contact your nearest SPCA, municipal welfare service or veterinarian to ask what urgent assistance is available in your area.

Serious Illness or Moving Into Care

If you are seriously ill or moving into a care facility and cannot arrange alternative care for your dog, contact a rescue as early as possible — ideally before your situation becomes critical. If a family member or friend can provide temporary care while a placement is arranged, this can significantly improve the outcome.

Relationship Breakdown or Divorce

Separation can make it difficult or impossible for either party to keep a shared pet. Contact a rescue early and be honest about the dog's situation, temperament, and any known medical history. The rescue will assess whether they can assist.

Genuine Financial Hardship

If you are unable to afford your dog's basic care or veterinary costs, consider these steps before rehoming:

• Contact your veterinarian to discuss whether a payment arrangement is possible for outstanding treatment.
• Ask whether any local animal welfare organisations offer subsidised veterinary care or food assistance in your area.
• Check whether a temporary care arrangement with a trusted family member or friend is possible while your circumstances stabilise.

If rehoming remains the only option, contact a rescue and be transparent about your situation. SmallDogRescue.co.za does not charge for referrals. Each rescue sets its own surrender, veterinary and donation policies, so confirm any costs or responsibilities directly.

What You Should Never Do

• Never give your dog away without a screening process via social media, Gumtree or similar. Dogs placed without screening are at significant risk.
• Never abandon a dog. Abandoning an animal is an offence under the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962 and constitutes cruelty.
• Never hand your dog to anyone who cannot demonstrate a responsible rehoming process — references, a home assessment, a written agreement, and transparent communication.

Frequently Asked Questions