Rehoming pets

• The person you care for may be very worried about who will look after their pet when they are very ill or after they have died. It may be helpful to them for you to help them plan for their pet’s future either by finding a new home for them or to find some extra help to look after their pet whilst they are very unwell.
• There may be other family or friends who can help look after a pet or you could pay a local person to help, for example, a dog walker. There are also charities and organisations that will help, for example, The Cinnamon Trust organises volunteers to help walk dogs and look after pets while someone is in hospital.
• If looking to rehome a pet, it can help to make a list of things that the person you care for feels are important to their pet and put in priority order for example the amount of inside and outdoor space needed, type of care needed or the amount of exercise. If you or other family/friends are unable to rehome the pet, some charities and organisations will help, for example, Blue Cross, Cats Protection, Dogs Trust, and RSPCA.
• If the person is distressed at planning their pet’s future care, the Blue Cross offers a service to support people who have lost or rehomed a pet.

1. Talk to the person you care for about different options in relation to more help or rehoming.
2. Help them to make a list of what type of home their pet might need.
3. Get help and advice from different local charities and organisations about rehoming.
4. Gather information about the pet and its care needs for example food, activities, vet records and so on so it is all to hand when needed.

Useful websites include:

• The Cinnamon Trust
• Blue Cross
• RSPCA
• Dogs Trust
• Cats Protection