The short answer
The gentlest path for a pet is straight from your home to the next one. Ask friends and family first, then list your dog or cat with real photos and an honest description. Meet every candidate, set a modest fee rather than listing it as free, and hand over the vet records with a short written agreement.
Your options, in order
The SPCA de Montréal recommends trying to rehome an animal through people you know before surrendering it. Someone you know is a family you can vouch for, and they can ask you questions in the first weeks.
If that does not work, an owner-to-owner listing keeps your pet in familiar surroundings while you look. You choose the family yourself. Our safety guide covers how to screen adopters and set a fee.
Shelter surrender is a valid last step. At the SPCA de Montréal it is by appointment only, after an online request. Other SPAs and SPCAs in Quebec set their own intake rules, so call before you go.
Plan around July 1
Quebec's moving day concentrates leases on one date, and the SPCA de Montréal has long tied that period to a rise in surrendered animals, though surrenders now spread across the year. If your new place does not allow pets, start your search several weeks before the move. Never leave a pet behind in an empty apartment.
After the handover
Quebec's provincial dog regulation requires the new owner to register the dog with their municipality within 30 days of acquiring it. Pass on the microchip number so they can update the registry, and check with your own municipality whether you need to report the change on your side.
Since 2015, article 898.1 of the Civil Code of Quebec has recognised animals as sentient beings rather than property. Until the handover, your pet's welfare is still your responsibility, and a written transfer to a named person protects you both.
List your pet for free
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Frequently asked questions
How do I rehome my dog or cat in Quebec?
Start with people you know, which is what the SPCA de Montréal recommends before an owner surrenders an animal. If nobody can take your pet, list it owner-to-owner so it stays home while you look for a family. Shelter surrender is the last option, and it is by appointment: at the SPCA de Montréal, an owner surrender happens only after an online request.
Is it free to list a pet for rehoming in Quebec?
Yes. Listing on LocalPetFinder is free, with no commission, and you can fill out the form in English or in French. Any rehoming fee you ask the new family for is between the two of you.
Can I list my pet in French?
Yes. The French form at /quebec/publier-une-annonce stores your listing as French, and every email we send you about it (review, approval, adopter messages, check-ins) arrives in French.
Does the new owner have to register the dog?
Yes. Under Quebec’s provincial dog regulation, the owner or keeper of a dog must register it with the municipality of their main residence within 30 days of acquiring it. For a puppy acquired before 3 months of age, the 30 days start when it turns 3 months. Fees and steps vary by municipality.
Why does moving day matter so much in Quebec?
The SPCA de Montréal has long linked the July 1 moving period to a rise in surrendered animals, though surrenders now spread across the whole year. If your new lease does not allow pets, start looking for a family several weeks before you move. A pet rehomed without a deadline goes to a better match.
Should I list my pet as free?
Most rehomers set a modest fee instead. Free listings attract people who resell animals, and a small fee filters them out without turning the handover into a sale. Our safety guide covers how to set it and how to screen adopters.