Rehome your dog, cat or rabbit in Salisbury

Before you rehome

• Responsible breeders and most rescues take an animal back; the RSPCA's first suggestion is to contact the original seller.
• If the problem is behaviour or money, Battersea's Behaviour Advice Line helps dog owners and PDSA is a vet charity for people who qualify.
• Never leave an animal outside a centre: Blue Cross warns it "could put them at risk". Arrange a handover first.

Your options in and around Salisbury

1. List your pet on LocalPetFinder

Free, about ten minutes; a person checks every listing, adopters message you without seeing your email or phone, and you hand over in person.

2. Local rescues that take owners’ pets

• Cats Protection Salisbury & Districtcats · A volunteer branch covering postcodes SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4, SP5, SP6 and SP9

  The Salisbury & District branch page lists those postcodes and takes enquiries on 01722 664 606 or by email. Cats Protection’s guide to giving up a cat asks you to contact your local Cats Protection, which checks you have explored your options and then arranges a time to bring your cat in, to a cat centre or a volunteer fosterer; it warns there “can often be waiting lists”, so plan early. Use the find your nearest search on Cats Protection’s site if your postcode is not on that list.

• Cat Watch Rescue Sheltercats · Amesbury, Wiltshire (SP4), about 7 miles north of Salisbury; a volunteer-run shelter with fosterers

  Its Rehome My Cat Guide asks you first to contact the shelter to register, and says it is “highly unlikely” to have space straight away, so plan as far ahead as you can (it tries to speed things up in an emergency). Have your cat’s age, temperament, neutering, vaccinations and recent vet history ready; a neutered, vaccinated and vet checked cat comes in sooner. You sign a surrender form before the handover, and once your cat is surrendered it will not tell you about the new home and you can’t visit. Contact details are on its contact page.

• Dogs Trust Salisburydogs · 45 Amesbury Road, Newton Tony, Wiltshire (SP4), about 8 miles north east of Salisbury

  With Homestay “your dog stays with you in your home while we look for their new home”. Otherwise there is “usually a wait” before a kennel place, and it can’t offer temporary boarding. Call 0300 303 2188 or use the form on its giving up your dog page.

• Hairy Hounzdogs · A Southampton-based charity whose dogs all live in foster homes; it has no walk-in centre

  Its home page says it rehomes dogs of all ages, breeds and sizes “providing we have appropriate foster care available”, and asks owners who can no longer care for their dog to call first for an informal, non-judgemental chat about the options.

• Second Chance Animal Rescue (Southampton)dogs · Mansbridge, Southampton (SO18), about 21 miles south east of Salisbury

  When it has no space for a dog that needs rehoming, and kennels would not suit the dog, it can add the dog to its Home to Home page and pass suitable enquiries to you; you make the decision, no money should change hands, and the dog is not adopted through the rescue. Start by contacting it.

• Waggy Tails Rescuedogs, cats, rabbits · Canford Magna, near Wimborne, Dorset (BH21), about 21 miles south of Salisbury

  Waggy Tails runs an advice service that deals with pet problems and directs enquiries to the best available help when it can’t help itself. Call or email its office, open 10am to 4pm on weekdays and until 1pm at weekends (contact page).

• St Francis Animal Welfaredogs, cats, rabbits · Fair Oak, near Eastleigh, Hampshire (SO50), about 24 miles south east of Salisbury

  Its FAQ says it does take in animals for rehoming: ring the shelter staff to ask about bringing yours in. It often has a waiting list, so an animal can’t always come in straight away.

• Margaret Green Animal Rescuedogs, cats, rabbits · Lincoln Farm, Winterborne Kingston (DT11), its dog centre, about 27 miles south west of Salisbury, and Church Knowle, near Wareham (BH20), about 33 miles

  Its Home Match scheme finds a new home for your animal while it stays at home in your care, so it never has to enter a rehoming centre. Contact your nearest centre for advice about giving up an animal.

Found a cat rather than giving up your own? Cats Protection’s Salisbury & District branch takes reports of lost and found cats in the Salisbury area on 01722 664 606. Cat Watch Rescue Shelter’s cats are not listed on LocalPetFinder; ask the shelter directly.

3. National charity schemes

• Dogs Trust: Dogs only, and free. Homestay keeps your dog with you while a new home is found; call 0300 303 2188.
• Blue Cross: Dogs, cats, rabbits and small pets. Home Direct keeps your pet with you, because its own space "is very limited"; call 0300 777 1960.
• Cats Protection: Cats. Contact your local branch or centre, where "there can often be waiting lists", or ask about Home to Home, which keeps your cat at home.
• Rabbit rescues: The Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund points owners to Rescue Review, Save a Fluff and Rabbit Rehome to find a local rescue. Keep a bonded pair together.

Waiting times and how each scheme works: rehoming in England.

What’s listed in and around Salisbury right now

Right now LocalPetFinder lists 55 dogs, 18 cats and 8 rabbits from 10 rescues reachable from Salisbury.

Looking to adopt instead? Rescue dogs in and around Salisbury · rescue cats · rabbits

More help

• Rehoming your pet: how LocalPetFinder works
• 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
• Where to rehome a dog for free in the UK
• Rehoming safely: a guide for adopters and owners
• Rehoming a pet in England: the law and your options

Owner pages nearby: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Southampton, Trowbridge, Chippenham, Bath and North East Somerset, Portsmouth, Bristol, Reading, Oxford