Rehome your dog, cat or rabbit in Taunton

Checked 11 November 2026

The short answer

Contact St Giles Animal Welfare at Wrantage, about 5 miles from Taunton, which takes in dogs and cats from families who can no longer care for them; Dogs' Friends and Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard have owner forms too. Keep your pet until a rescue confirms it has space; in the meantime a free LocalPetFinder listing lets you vet the next owner yourself.

List your pet in Taunton for free

Every listing checked by a person. Adopters message you through the site; your details stay private.

Start your listing

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 Taunton

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

  • St Giles Animal Welfaredogs, cats · St Giles Animal Centre, Wrantage, Taunton TA3 6DJ

    Besides strays, it cares for cats and dogs that come to it straight from families who can no longer look after them. Visits are by appointment only, so get in touch before you go, and ask whether a hand-in charge applies, as none is printed.

  • Dogs' Friendsdogs · Foster homes across Somerset; kennels at Westbury-sub-Mendip

    Fill in its Owner Surrender Form. It is nearly always full and can't promise to help, and if it can take your dog it will ask for the vet history.

  • Ferne Animal Sanctuarydogs, cats · Wambrook, Chard TA20 3DH

    Complete one online form for each animal. Ferne can't take every dog or cat, and points owners to other rescues when it can't help; it is careful with cats whose jabs are not up to date. We don't list its animals.

Adopted from Rushton Dog Rescue near Langport? It offers its adopters a lifetime rescue back up, so ring Rushton before anyone else if the dog can't stay with you.

Holding a stray, not your own pet? Somerset Council's dog wardens collect strays, which go to the St Giles kennels for 7 clear days. The council page describes no route for an owner handing in their own dog.

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.

If you rehome privately: the must-dos

  • Microchip. In England a dog or cat must be microchipped before it goes to a new keeper, who then updates the database (2023 Regulations, reg. 9). Do the transfer at the handover.
  • No deposits, no couriers. Take no money before an adopter has met your pet, and hand over face to face. A deposit request is the classic pet scam sign.
  • Banned dogs and XL Bullies. In England it's against the law to give away a banned dog, and in England and Wales it's illegal to "rehome, sell, buy, or transfer ownership of an XL Bully" (gov.uk). If your dog could be an XL Bully, contact your local police force rather than listing.
  • Adults, and honesty. Adopters must be 18 or over, and your listing must be honest about health and behaviour.

The full wording, with each regulation: the law in England when you rehome a pet.

What’s listed in and around Taunton right now

Right now LocalPetFinder lists 31 dogs, 5 cats and 0 rabbits from 5 rescues within about 25 miles of Taunton, plus 1 pet listed by its owner.

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

Rehoming a particular breed? Our breed rehoming guides cover what to tell adopters and the breed rescues that take owners’ pets.

Rehoming a pet in Taunton: your questions

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Who will take a dog I can no longer keep in Taunton?

Contact St Giles Animal Welfare at Wrantage, which takes dogs and cats from families who can no longer care for them. While you wait for an answer, a LocalPetFinder listing lets you meet possible adopters and decide for yourself.

Will Somerset Council take my dog?

No. The wardens handle strays only, which go to the St Giles kennels, and the council sets out no hand-in service for owners. Try a rescue such as St Giles or Dogs’ Friends.

Can I rehome my cat near Taunton?

Yes. St Giles Animal Welfare and Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard both take cats from owners when they have room, and Ferne asks for one online form per cat. A LocalPetFinder listing is another option.

Does it cost anything to hand a pet to St Giles?

Its website prints no charge for animals handed in by owners, so raise it when you first get in touch.

How do I rehome my dog in Taunton?

List your dog on LocalPetFinder (free, and checked by a person), ask one of the rescues above, or use a national scheme such as Dogs Trust Homestay. Your dog must be microchipped, with the chip transferred to the new keeper.

Is it free to rehome my pet?

Listing on LocalPetFinder is free. Giving up a dog to Dogs Trust is free; many other rescues ask for a donation but, the RSPCA says, will still help if you're struggling financially.

Can I charge a rehoming fee?

Yes, paid at the handover after the adopter has met your pet, never as a deposit. A fee makes it a sale, so no buyer under 16, and be honest about your pet's health. PAAG warns a "free to good home" advert "may devalue an animal" (PAAG).

Will the RSPCA take my pet?

Usually not: the RSPCA says its national centres "can't take in unwanted pets" because it prioritises cruelty and neglect cases. A local RSPCA branch may be able to help, and it points owners to other rehoming charities.

How long does it take to rehome a pet?

Dogs Trust says Homestay dogs "generally find a new home within two weeks"; a kennel space "could take a few weeks". A LocalPetFinder listing is usually reviewed within a day. If you have to move your pet today, see our urgent guide.

Can I rehome a puppy or kitten?

Not on LocalPetFinder: we only list animals aged 6 months or older, in the spirit of Lucy's Law. If you have a young animal or a litter, a rescue can help.

More help

Owner pages nearby: Exeter, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, Trowbridge, Torbay, Chippenham, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Salisbury

List your pet in Taunton for free

Every listing checked by a person. Adopters message you through the site; your details stay private.

Start your listing

Sources: St Giles Animal Welfare: about (animals from families) · St Giles Animal Welfare: contact (appointments) · Dogs' Friends: owner surrender form · Ferne Animal Sanctuary: surrendering an animal · Rushton Dog Rescue: adoption process (lifetime back up) · Somerset Council: dog warden service · Dogs Trust: Giving up your dog · Blue Cross: Giving up a pet · Cats Protection: Giving up a cat · RSPCA: Giving up a pet · RWAF: Rehoming rabbits · Battersea: Giving your dog up for adoption · PAAG: Free to a good home adverts · Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023 · gov.uk: Get your dog or cat microchipped · gov.uk: Ban on XL Bully dogs (England and Wales)