Where to rehome a dog for free in the UK
Checked 6 October 2026
Giving up a dog to Dogs Trust is free (“it won’t cost you a penny”, it says), and listing your dog on LocalPetFinder is free too. Other charities may ask for a donation. What’s risky isn’t paying nothing; it’s advertising a dog “free to good home” to strangers.
Looking to adopt a dog rather than rehome one? See dogs for rehoming in England, dogs for rehoming in Scotland, dogs for rehoming in Wales and dogs for rehoming in Northern Ireland.
List your pet for free
Every listing checked by a person. Adopters message you through the site; your details stay private.
Free routes
Dogs Trust. Free, with Homestay so your dog can stay home while it finds an adopter.
LocalPetFinder. Free to list; a person checks every listing, and adopters message you through the site.
Battersea asks for a suggested £50 donation; many other rescues ask for a donation but, the RSPCA says, would still help if you’re struggling financially.
Why “free to good home” goes wrong
PAAG explains its worry about “free to good home” adverts: people “may get animals they have seen advertised on impulse”, and a free advert “may devalue an animal” (PAAG). If you list privately, a rehoming fee paid at the handover, after the adopter has met your dog, is the usual answer. Never accept a deposit, and never send a dog by courier.
In England, whoever you rehome to, the microchip has to be transferred at the handover (2023 Regulations, reg. 9). In Northern Ireland the new owner also needs a council dog licence before taking the dog (nidirect).
Questions
Tap a question to expand
Is it free to give a dog to Dogs Trust?
Yes: Dogs Trust says giving up your dog to it “won’t cost you a penny”.
Should I charge a rehoming fee?
It’s up to you. PAAG says free adverts can attract people taking an animal on impulse (PAAG); a modest fee, paid at the handover after the adopter has met your dog, is a common middle ground. Never take a deposit.
More help
- Rehome your pet on LocalPetFinder
- How to rehome your cat
- Surrendering or giving up a dog in the UK
- Where can I rehome my dog? Your options compared
- Need to rehome your dog urgently? What to do today
- Rehoming safely: a guide for adopters and owners
- Rehoming in London
- Rehoming in Birmingham
- Rehoming in Manchester
- Rehoming in Leeds
- Rehoming in Glasgow
- Rehoming in Bristol
- Rehoming in Llanelli
- Rehoming in Wakefield
- Rehoming in Colchester
- Rehoming in Chelmsford
- Rehoming in Warrington
- Rehoming in Solihull
- Rehoming in Cardiff
- Rehoming in Bolton
- Rehoming in Bury St Edmunds
- Rehoming in Cheltenham
- Rehoming in Chesterfield
- Rehoming in Truro
- Rehoming in Coventry
- Rehoming in Derby
- Rehoming in Doncaster
- Rehoming in Dumfries and Galloway
- Rehoming in Falmouth
- Rehoming in Guildford
- Rehoming in Kingston upon Hull
- Rehoming in Ipswich
- Rehoming in Luton
- Rehoming in Mansfield
- Rehoming in Bath and North East Somerset
- Rehoming in Milton Keynes
- Rehoming in Wirral
- Rehoming in Northampton
- Rehoming in Belfast
- Rehoming in Norwich
- Rehoming in Oxford
- Rehoming in Peterborough
- Rehoming in Plymouth
- Rehoming in Reading
- Rehoming in Scunthorpe
- Rehoming in Sheffield
- Rehoming in Sleaford
- Rehoming in Southampton
- Rehoming in St. Helens
- Rehoming in Southport
- Rehoming in Stoke-on-Trent
- Rehoming in Middlesbrough
- Rehoming in Torbay
- Rehoming in Wellingborough
- Rehoming in Wolverhampton
- Rehoming in Worcester
- Rehoming in Worthing
- Rehoming in Wrexham
- Rehoming in York
- Rehoming in Watford
- Rehoming in Crawley
- Rehoming in Stockport
- Rehoming in Wigan
- Rehoming in Barnsley
- Rehoming in Bradford
- Rehoming in Leicester
- Rehoming in Rotherham
- Rehoming in Great Yarmouth
- Rehoming in Huddersfield
- Rehoming in Blackpool
- Rehoming in Liverpool
- Rehoming in Edinburgh
- Rehoming in Maidstone
- Rehoming in Spalding
- Rehoming in Walsall
- Rehoming in Carlisle
- Rehoming in Durham
- Rehoming in Swansea
- Rehoming in Preston
- Rehoming in Canterbury
- Rehoming in Margate
- Rehoming in Dover
- Rehoming in Folkestone
- Rehoming in Ashford
- Rehoming in Lancaster
- Rehoming in Chester
- Rehoming in Hartlepool
- Rehoming in Darlington
- Rehoming in North East Lincolnshire
- Rehoming in Nottingham
- Rehoming in Brighton and Hove
- Rehoming in Portsmouth
- Rehoming in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
- Rehoming in Exeter
- Rehoming in Eastbourne
- Rehoming in Gloucester
- Rehoming in Lincoln
- Rehoming in Grantham
- Rehoming in Lowestoft
- Rehoming in Newcastle upon Tyne
- Rehoming in Sunderland
- Rehoming in Newport
- Rehoming in Newquay
- Rehoming in Hayle
- Rehoming in Kendal
- Rehoming in Penrith
- Rehoming in Barrow-in-Furness
- Rehoming in Kidderminster
- Rehoming in Chippenham
List your pet for free
Every listing checked by a person. Adopters message you through the site; your details stay private.
Sources: PAAG: Free to a good home adverts · nidirect: Dog licensing and microchipping · Dogs Trust: Our process · Battersea: Giving your dog up · RSPCA: Giving up a dog · Microchipping Regulations 2023