Owner Surrender Program

Waggin' Tails Dog Rescue takes on Owner-Surrender dogs on a case-by-case basis. Our organization's primary focus is on shelter animals that are at risk of euthanasia so we are infrequently able to take in owner-surrendered animals. We do not own a shelter. As a small, non-profit rescue run completely by people who volunteer their personal time, we can only help as many dogs as we have space/room for within our homes.

Making the decision to give up your dog can be a difficult one. If you are considering re-homing your dog due to behavioral issues, please visit our training page for tips on training techniques and how to find a trainer/behaviorist at www.waggintailsdogrescue.org/dog_training.html. We find that many pet parents haven't learned the art of communicating with a canine and many a relationship has been mended with a training consult/class/education. It is possible that your pet may be suffering from a medical condition causing some unwelcome behaviors, as well. Therefore, a trip to the veterinarian may be in order for a check-up.

**If your dog displays signs of aggression or behaviors that may lead to aggression, you must understand that you are putting others at risk. No matter how much you love your dog, if he has ever bitten anyone, you need to take him to a professional trainer for assessment and rehabilitation. Please see our training page for recommended trainers / behaviorists in southeast Michigan: www.waggintailsdogrescue.org/dog_training.html

We wish that we had a magic wand to wave and make every dog non-aggressive. Sometimes bad genes and poor training/socialization combine to create an unpredictable dog. Of course, not all dogs that bite are vicious. Circumstances must be carefully considered surrounding a bite or act of aggression. We urge you to consult a veterinarian and/or a behaviorist for help. We do not have the resources to rehabilitate vicious/aggressive dogs.

 Our Owner Surrender Program works as follows:

1. You complete a Waggin' Tails Dog Rescue Owner Surrender form and email it to wtdr2008@yahoo.com.
   
   
2. You provide a copy of your pet's vet records to Waggin' Tails. Your pet must be up to date on vaccines (DHPP, Rabies); be spayed or neutered; and been tested negative for Heartworm within the last 12 months. If you cannot afford to have your dog vetted, spayed or neutered, please let us know.
   
   
3. You agree to keep your dog until a new home can be found. We are a small group and are always short of foster homes. The foster homes we have take dogs that are in danger of being euthanized at area shelters. Waggin' Tails cannot make any guarantees on how long it will take to find a new home for your dog, so if you have a specified timetable by which your dog must find a new home, our program will not likely work for you.
   
   
4. You agree to bring your dog to some of our Saturday adoption events (locations vary by week) from 12:00-3:00 (or for at least an hour or two). This will provide much needed exposure for your dog and will allow the public to meet your dog in person.
   
   
5. You agree not to place your dog with a person/group while Waggin' Tails is actively trying to re-home your dog. We ask this because we may have potential adopters lined up. If you give your dog away to another person or group while we are trying to complete an adoption, it will reflect badly on our rescue.
   
   
6. You agree to release your dog to the adopters of Waggin' Tails choice. Owners will have input on their dogs adoption but final approval will come from Waggin' Tails.
   
   
7. You understand that Waggin' Tails will collect an adoption fee for your dog's adoption and will keep said fee. Waggin' Tails never "makes" money on any adoption. In cases where we have not spent money to vet a dog, the money earned goes towards paying bills on dogs that have cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars to treat.

 In return for your commitment as outlined above, Waggin' Tails will:

1. Post your dog's bio and pictures on our Petfinder and Adoptapet websites where thousands of people search for new pets everyday.
   
   
2. Review and screen potential adopters. Waggin Tails has an excellent applicant screening process which will ensure your dog goes to a home where it will be treated like a family member, will receive proper veterinary treatment and where he/she will live out the rest of their life.
   
   
3. Perform a vet check on potential adopters to ensure their pets have been properly cared for.
   
   
4. Perform a visit to the home of any potential adopters to ensure the home is suitable for your dog.
   
   
5. Follow up on a regular basis with the new adopters to ensure your dog is settling nicely into his/her new home.

If you have any questions or require additional information about our Owner Surrender / Canine Rehoming Program, please email wtdr2008@yahoo.com.