Moving and Can't Take Your Dog? Rehoming Guide

The short answer

Moving is one of the most common reasons families rehome a dog, and it is a responsible thing to do when relocation truly is not workable. Submit a free listing on LocalPetFinder in about 5 minutes. Approved within 24 to 48 hours. Your dog appears alongside rescue dogs on your city's adoption page, visible to vetted adopters across all 7 LocalPetFinder cities. Most placements happen within 2 to 4 weeks. Faster than shelter waitlists, safer than Kijiji, and you stay in control of who meets your dog and when.

The 6 most common move-related rehoming scenarios

Not every move forces a rehoming decision, but some genuinely do. Here are the six scenarios we see most often in Canadian families who reach out to us for help.

1. International move or immigration return

You are moving overseas for work, school, family reasons, or returning to your home country. Some destinations make pet relocation straightforward (the UK, most of the EU, Australia after quarantine). Others are extremely difficult (Singapore, the UAE for certain breeds, countries with strict rabies-free quarantine like Japan, or destinations that ban specific breeds outright). Cost ranges from $1,500 to $5,000 for professional pet relocation via IPATA (International Pet & Animal Transportation Association) member companies. Larger breeds and longer flight routes push toward the higher end.

2. New rental that doesn't allow pets (strata or landlord)

This is the dominant scenario in Vancouver and the GTA. Strata corporations and individual landlords can legally restrict pets in most Canadian provinces, and many do. Common patterns: no dogs at all, no dogs over a certain weight (often 20 to 30 lbs), no dogs of restricted breeds (typically Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Doberman, German Shepherd, Mastiff), or no more than one pet per unit. Vancouver strata law in particular is strict because BC allows individual stratas to set pet bylaws by general vote. Before you assume the move forces a rehoming, read the workaround section below.

3. Move to a smaller space

You are downsizing from a house with a yard to a downtown condo, or from a 3-bedroom to a 1-bedroom for cost reasons. Sometimes this works for the dog (especially small or low-energy dogs), and sometimes it does not (high-energy working breeds in a 500 sq ft condo with limited outdoor time). Be honest about whether your new lifestyle will give your dog enough exercise, mental enrichment, and time at home. A bored, under-exercised dog in a small condo develops separation anxiety, destructive behaviour, and noise complaints from neighbours fast.

4. Job relocation to a different city or country

You got a new job in a city or country where bringing the dog is impractical: a 60-hour-a-week role, frequent travel, no time to walk a dog, temporary corporate housing that does not allow pets, or a destination without easy pet relocation logistics. If the job is in Canada, you almost certainly can bring the dog (domestic pet travel is straightforward). If the job is abroad, weigh the relocation cost against the alternative. Many owners regret rehoming for a job they end up leaving 18 months later.

5. Eviction (urgent, often less than 30 days)

This is the most stressful version. You have been evicted from your current rental and the timeline is tight. The next rental will not allow your dog, or you cannot find a pet-friendly rental in the timeframe. Eviction rehomings need to be handled honestly. List immediately, write the timeline directly into the listing, and contact your local humane society's emergency surrender line in parallel as a backstop. Most Canadian humane societies prioritize eviction cases over routine surrenders.

6. Move to assisted living or long-term care

An older owner is moving into assisted living, palliative care, or a long-term care facility that does not allow pets. This is one of the gentler rehoming scenarios because the dog is usually well-loved, has settled habits, and the adopter pool for calm older dogs is real and warm. Several Canadian rescues run senior-to-senior matching specifically for this case. Reach out to your provincial humane society or start a LocalPetFinder listing with clear language about the dog's temperament and ideal home.

Before rehoming: try harder to take your dog

Rehoming should be a last resort, not a first response. Most moves do not actually force a rehoming if the owner has runway to plan. Work through this checklist first.

Options to exhaust first

Pet-friendly rentals. They exist, even in Vancouver and Toronto. Use rental-listing filters that include “pets allowed.” Talk to landlords directly. Offer a larger pet deposit, references from a previous landlord, a signed pet resume, and a meet-and-greet with the dog. Many landlords say “no pets” on the listing but flex for a polite, well-prepared tenant.
Strata bylaw amendment. In BC, strata pet bylaws can be amended by 75% vote at an annual general meeting. If you are moving into a building you partly own (or the seller does), this is sometimes possible. In Ontario and Alberta, your residential tenancy act may protect a tenant whose pet was disclosed before the lease was signed.
Temporary boarding while you settle. If the issue is “we are between leases for 30 days” or “we need corporate housing for 90 days,” professional boarding ($30 to $60/night) or a friend who can foster solves it. Many Canadian rescues also run owner-foster programs for genuine crisis cases (eviction, hospitalization, deployment).
Pet relocation services. If you are moving overseas and the only barrier is logistics, an IPATA member can handle the paperwork, flights, and quarantine. Companies like World Care Pet Transport, Jet Pets, and Air Animal Pet Movers serve Canadian routes.
Government of Canada pet import / export. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency publishes official rules for taking a dog out of Canada and bringing one back. Read the CFIA pet import requirements before assuming international travel is impossible.
Family or friends as foster. Even 60 to 90 days of foster care from a family member buys you time to find a pet-friendly rental from your new city. This is one of the most underused options.

If you have worked through these and rehoming is still the right answer, the decision is not weakness. It is the right call. Keep reading.

Start early. Give yourself runway.

The single biggest predictor of a good rehoming outcome is time. Owners who list 4 to 6 weeks before their move date have time to be picky, do thorough meet-and-greets, and place the dog with the right family. Owners who list 7 days before moving usually still find a home, but the screening window is tighter and the stress is higher.

The story we hear from owners is consistent. The ones who started early describe the rehoming as a hard but settled experience. The ones who waited until move week describe it as a blur of stress. If you have any runway at all, use it.

Eviction cases are different. Be honest about the timeline in your listing, and contact your nearest humane society in parallel. Most Canadian shelters have crisis intake protocols.

And do not post on Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace. Those platforms attract dog flippers, scammers, and people looking for free pets to sell or use as bait in dog fighting. The risk is real, especially for restricted breeds and young, healthy dogs.

The 4 rehoming routes, honestly compared

A Canadian owner who is moving has four practical paths. Each has real tradeoffs.

Route A. Surrender to a municipal shelter or humane society

Most Canadian cities have a humane society or municipal shelter that accepts owner surrenders. Examples: Calgary Humane Society, BC SPCA, Edmonton Humane Society, Winnipeg Humane Society, Saskatoon SPCA, Regina Humane Society, and Victoria Royal Oak Burnside SPCA. Tradeoffs: surrender waitlists are typically 6 to 12 weeks for non-emergency cases, intake fees range from free to $300 depending on the shelter, and you give up all control over who adopts the dog. Pros: it works for crisis cases, the shelter handles all screening, and the dog goes to a vetted home. Cons: the dog spends weeks in a kennel before placement, you have no say in the adopter, and shelter stress is real.

Route B. Foster-based breed rescue

If your dog is a specific breed (Husky, Border Collie, Pit Bull, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd), there is usually a breed-specific rescue in Canada that focuses on that breed. They are often foster-based (the dog lives in a foster home, not a kennel) and they have a vetted adopter network. The catch: most do not take owner surrenders unless there is a medical or behaviour need they specialize in. Email them first to ask. Some will say yes if your dog matches their adopter list well.

Route C. Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace

Do not do this. Kijiji and Facebook attract the highest-risk applicants in Canada: dog flippers (who buy cheap and resell), bait-dog collectors (who use small or young dogs for training fighting dogs), and people who pressure for fast handoff with no screening. The risk is especially high for restricted breeds (Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Mastiff) and young, healthy dogs of any breed. A free-to-good-home post on Kijiji is statistically the most dangerous way to rehome a dog in Canada. Even a $200 fee filter does not fully solve this, because flippers will pay $200 if they can resell for $800.

Route D. LocalPetFinder direct rehoming

Free vetted listing. Submit a 5-minute form, get approved in 24 to 48 hours, and your dog appears alongside rescue dogs on your city's adoption page. Adopters contact you through a magic-link-verified form (no anonymous strangers), so spam and bad-faith messages get filtered out. You screen the applicants yourself, do the meet-and-greet, and complete the handoff on your own timeline. Most placements happen within 2 to 4 weeks. The dog stays in your home (not a kennel) the entire time. We do not take a cut of any rehoming fee you charge the adopter.

How to use LocalPetFinder for a moving rehoming

Step-by-step, end to end:

Submit the form. Takes about 5 minutes. Start your listing here. You will fill in your dog's name, breed, age, gender, size, photos, compatibility profile (good with kids/cats/dogs), the reason for rehoming (moving), your city, your move date if applicable, your contact email, and your asking rehoming fee (if any).
We review the listing within 24 to 48 hours. Our team checks photo quality, listing completeness, and basic safety criteria. Once approved, your dog is live.
Your listing appears alongside rescue dogs. Visible on your city's main adoption page (Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria, Saskatoon, Regina, or Winnipeg). Adopters browsing for dogs see your dog right next to dogs from local rescues (Calgary Humane Society, BC SPCA, AARCS, MEOW Foundation, etc.). This is high-quality traffic because adopters arrive ready to adopt.
Adopters contact you through a verified form. Each interested adopter must verify their email through a magic link before they can message you. Your email stays private. You see who is genuinely interested and respond on your own schedule.
You screen, meet, and hand off. Ask the screening questions, schedule a meet-and-greet, and complete the rehoming on your terms. Sign a rehoming agreement with a return clause for the first 30 days. Once handed over, ownership has legally transferred under most provincial animal welfare conventions.

How to write a listing for a moving rehoming

Honesty wins. Adopters who read a thoughtful, transparent listing self-select for being thoughtful adopters. The listing copy is your first filter.

Be direct about why you are rehoming. Write the actual reason. “Moving to a rental that does not allow dogs over 30 lbs.” “Relocating internationally and the destination quarantine is impossible.” “Eviction on [date], looking for a new home before then.” Most adopters appreciate honesty far more than vague phrasing like “life circumstances.” Vague phrasing makes thoughtful adopters suspicious that there is a hidden behaviour problem.

State the timeline. “Need to rehome by June 15.” Adopters who can move quickly will reach out fast. Adopters who cannot will not waste your time.

Describe the ideal home honestly. “Best fit: a quiet adult home with no small children. Has lived with cats and is good with them. Pulls on leash but walks well in a front-clip harness. Needs at least one good walk per day plus 20 minutes of training or puzzle work.” The more specific, the better the match.

Include behaviour, history, energy, and compatibility. Reactive on leash? Say so. Separation anxiety? Say so. Loves swimming at off-leash parks? Say so. Anything you would want to know if you were the adopter, write it down. Honesty here saves both sides time and prevents a return.

Ready to list your dog?

Submit a free rehoming listing in about 5 minutes. Approved in 24 to 48 hours. Your dog appears on your city's adoption page next to rescue dogs, and verified adopters contact you directly. No fees, no Kijiji risk, no shelter waitlist.

Start your free listing →

Rehoming fee: charge something, donate the rest

Most owners hesitate on this. The instinct is to give the dog away free to whoever loves them most. The reality is the opposite: charging a modest fee ($50 to $300) is the single most effective adopter filter you have, and it protects your dog.

Why a fee works. Free-to-good-home posts in Canada attract dog flippers (who resell for $500 to $1,500), bait-dog collectors (who use small or young dogs for training fighting dogs), and people who do not respect the cost of pet ownership. A $200 fee is high enough that flippers and collectors usually skip it, but low enough that genuine adopters happily pay it.

What to do with the fee. If you do not want to keep it, donate it to a Canadian rescue. Most LocalPetFinder rehomers donate to the rescue closest to their dog's original adoption (often Calgary Humane Society, BC SPCA, AARCS, or the local breed rescue). The fee is a screening tool, not a profit centre.

Cost recovery is fine, too. If you spent $1,500 on training and recent vet work in the last 6 months, charging $300 to recover a small fraction of that is reasonable and transparent. Just say so in the listing: “$300 rehoming fee, partial cost recovery for recent vet bills.”

Crisis specifics: eviction, international, military, US transfer

Eviction (under 30 days)

List on LocalPetFinder immediately. Write the eviction timeline directly into the listing (“must rehome by [date]”). Contact your nearest humane society's emergency surrender line the same day as a parallel backstop: Calgary Humane Society, BC SPCA emergency surrender, Edmonton Humane Society, Winnipeg Humane Society, Saskatoon SPCA, Regina Humane Society, and Victoria Royal Oak Burnside SPCA all have crisis intake protocols for eviction cases. Most prioritize these over routine surrenders. In parallel, ask family or close friends if they can foster for 30 to 60 days while you continue searching.

International move (Canada return or overseas relocation)

Before assuming you have to rehome, read the destination country's pet import rules and weigh the cost. Most countries require microchip, updated rabies vaccination, health certificate, and sometimes quarantine. IPATA member relocation companies handle the logistics for $1,500 to $5,000. The Government of Canada and the destination country's consulate publish the official rules. Many owners later regret rehoming for a 2-year contract abroad they could have managed with the right relocation service.

Military deployment (Canadian Armed Forces)

Contact your base Military Family Resource Centre first. Most CFB bases (CFB Edmonton, CFB Calgary, CFB Esquimalt, CFB Shilo, CFB Petawawa) have informal foster networks where another military family takes the dog for the deployment cycle. Reach out to your MFRC before considering permanent rehoming. If permanent rehoming is the only option, list on LocalPetFinder and note in the listing that you are military, the timeline is firm, and the dog is used to structured routine. Many adopters specifically support military rehoming because of the circumstances.

US work transfer

The Canada-to-US dog import process is one of the most straightforward in the world. A current rabies vaccination certificate, a US CDC import form (now required for most dogs as of 2024), and a microchip is usually all you need. Most Canadian veterinarians can issue the paperwork in a single appointment. Cost is typically under $300 for the documentation, plus your normal travel costs. Before rehoming for a US transfer, get a quote from your vet. It is almost always feasible to take the dog with you.

What if the adopter pulls out at the last minute?

It happens. Plan for it. The fallback path is to have a backup adopter from your original applicant list (most LocalPetFinder rehomings get 3 to 8 applications) and to keep your listing live until handoff is complete. If you reach the move date with no replacement adopter, the short-term options are family or friend foster, professional boarding, or emergency surrender to a humane society.

Whatever you do, do not panic-list to Kijiji or hand the dog off to the first stranger in a parking lot. Crisis-tone listings attract bad actors. A calm, honest listing on LocalPetFinder with a clear timeline still gets quality applicants even with a 7-day window.

Frequently asked questions

How long does rehoming take when I have a move date?

Most placements happen within 2 to 4 weeks of being listed if your dog is healthy, friendly, and under 8 years old. Senior dogs or dogs with medical or behaviour needs typically take 4 to 10 weeks. If your move is more than 6 weeks out, you have plenty of runway. If your move is in 2 to 3 weeks, list immediately and be flexible on the meet-and-greet schedule. Owners who panic-list 7 days before moving usually still find a home, but the screening window is tighter.

Should I charge a rehoming fee or give my dog away free?

Charge a modest fee, typically $50 to $300. Free-to-good-home listings on Kijiji and Facebook attract the worst applicants in Canada: dog flippers, bait-dog collectors, and people who do not respect the cost of pet ownership. A small fee filters those out without limiting genuine adopters. If you do not want to keep the money, donate it to a rescue. The fee is a screen, not a profit.

What if my move date arrives and no one has applied?

You have three fallback paths. First, ask family or close friends to foster for 30 to 90 days while you continue searching from your new home. Second, contact your local humane society for emergency surrender (Calgary Humane Society, BC SPCA, Edmonton Humane Society, Winnipeg Humane Society, Saskatoon SPCA). Most have crisis intake protocols for genuine eviction or relocation cases. Third, board your dog professionally for 2 to 4 weeks while you keep searching. Never abandon, never dump in rural areas, never hand off to an unverified stranger in a parking lot.

Can the adopter take my dog before I actually leave?

Yes, and many owners prefer this. If the adopter is local and confident, doing the handoff 1 to 2 weeks before your move gives the dog time to settle in their new home while you are still reachable for questions. Sign a written rehoming agreement before the handover. Include a return clause so the dog comes back to you (or your designated contact) within 30 days if it does not work out.

Can I take my dog overseas on the move instead of rehoming?

It depends on the destination and your timeline. Most countries require a microchip, an updated rabies vaccination, an EU-style pet passport or health certificate from a federally accredited veterinarian, and sometimes a quarantine period. The Government of Canada and the destination country's consulate publish the official requirements. Pet relocation companies (members of IPATA, the International Pet & Animal Transportation Association) handle the logistics for $1,500 to $5,000 depending on destination and dog size. If your budget and timeline allow, this is often the better answer than rehoming.

My new rental rejected my dog because of breed restrictions. What now?

In Canada, strata corporations and individual landlords can legally restrict dog breeds, sizes, and counts in most provinces. Before assuming you have to rehome, ask in writing for the exact restriction and try a few workarounds. Some landlords accept a larger pet deposit, a signed dog resume, references from a previous landlord, or a trainer's assessment. In BC, strata bylaws are amendable by 75% vote at an AGM. In Ontario and Alberta, your provincial residential tenancy act may protect you if the dog was disclosed before the lease was signed. Talk to a tenant advocacy line before giving up.

I am moving to assisted living and can't bring my dog. Is there a senior-specific path?

Yes. Several Canadian rescues run senior-to-senior matching programs or specifically prioritize older dogs from older owners. Calgary Humane Society, BC SPCA, and Edmonton Humane Society all have outreach programs that help match senior dogs with adopters who specifically want a calm, older companion. Many adopters seek senior dogs for exactly this reason. You can also list on LocalPetFinder and write "looking for a quiet adult or senior home" in the listing. The match often happens faster than expected.

I have an eviction notice with less than 30 days. What's the fastest path?

List on LocalPetFinder immediately and be honest in the listing about the timeline. Contact your nearest humane society's emergency surrender line the same day (Calgary Humane Society, BC SPCA, Edmonton Humane Society all have crisis intake protocols). In parallel, ask family or friends to foster temporarily. Do not post on Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace in a panic. Crisis-tone listings attract dog flippers and bad-faith adopters. A calm, honest listing on LocalPetFinder with a clear timeline ("must rehome by [date] due to eviction") often gets more genuine applications than you expect.

I'm military and getting deployed. Is there a specific resource?

Yes. The Canadian Armed Forces Family Resource Centres at most CFB bases (CFB Edmonton, CFB Calgary, CFB Esquimalt, CFB Shilo, CFB Petawawa, and others) can connect serving members with foster networks specifically built for deployments. Some bases have informal "military foster" lists where another military family takes the dog for the deployment cycle. Reach out to your base MFRC first before considering permanent rehoming. If permanent rehoming is the only option, list on LocalPetFinder and note in the listing that you are military, the timeline is firm, and the dog has lived with structure.

How do I screen adopters when I'm busy packing and stressed?

Keep it simple. Ask three questions in the first message reply: where will the dog sleep, who is home during the day, and have you had a dog before. The answers tell you a lot. Then schedule a 20-minute meet-and-greet at a neutral location like a park or your home. Trust your gut. If something feels off (vague answers, pressure to hand over fast, refusal to share basic info), say no. Genuine adopters expect screening and welcome it.

What if I move and the adopter contacts me with problems 2 months later?

If your rehoming agreement included a return clause within 30 days, that window has closed and you are no longer legally responsible. But human-to-human, you can offer to help. Refer them to a trainer, share what worked for you, or help them write a re-listing if they need to rehome again. After 30 days, ownership has legally transferred under most provincial animal welfare conventions in Canada.

Will the LocalPetFinder rehoming listing show up in search if someone Googles my dog?

Possibly, but the listing is brand-level (it appears on the city adoption page, not as a standalone Google result for your dog's name). Adopters find the dog by browsing local listings by breed, size, and compatibility, not by Googling the dog's name. If privacy is a concern (custody dispute, abusive ex-partner, anything sensitive), email us before listing and we can use a placeholder name and adjust photos.