How Do I Surrender My Weimaraner?

Facing the difficult decision of needing to surrender or rehome your Weimaraner? Whether it’s due to a major life change such as moving, financial struggles, developing a health condition, or a work schedule that no longer affords you time for their high-energy needs, Weimaraners can be particularly tough to care for if your living circumstances change. Read on to learn about ways to responsibly surrender or rehome your Weimaraner. 

Some pet parents may also find that their Weimaraner needs much more exercise and enrichment than they can provide, has destructive tendencies when bored or anxious, or is exhibiting a consistently high prey drive around smaller pets. No matter the reason, finding the right new home is crucial to ensuring your Weimaraner gets the love, structure, and activity they need to thrive.

While we encourage pet parents to pursue alternative solutions first before rehoming — such as seeking a qualified canine behaviorist or reaching out to animal shelters about pet care assistance programs and resources — sometimes life throws you unexpected challenges that make finding a new home the best choice for both you and your dog.

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What does it mean to rehome a dog?

Rehoming a dog means finding them a new home yourself, instead of placing them with a shelter or rescue organization. You do this by searching for the right adopter, carefully screening them through questions and reference checks, meeting with them, and if it all feels like a good fit, helping your dog settle into their new home.

How to rehome your Weimaraner

Rehoming your Weimaraner is a big decision, and finding them the right home takes some planning. First, consider what kind of home would be the best fit. These are large, high-energy, and markedly intelligent dogs who do best with active families and need plenty of exercise, mental enrichment, and companionship. 

Does your Weimaraner love running and hiking? Do they need lots of daily enrichment and exercise to feel content and not fall into destructive behaviors? Are they good with other dogs or more of a single-dog household type of pup? Do they struggle with separation anxiety or have any specific training needs? Weimaraners can also suffer from health conditions such as hip dysplasia and Von Willebrand disease, and are prone to developing gastric torsion due to their deep chests. Being upfront about their daily care needs and any behavioral challenges or health issues will help potential adopters decide if they’re the right match and can meet your pup’s needs. 

Once you know what kind of home would be best, create an adoption profile with plenty of details about your pup, along with cute, eye-catching photos. Share their profile online, with friends, and in local pet-friendly spaces to help spread the word. Rehoming isn’t just about finding any home — it’s about finding the right home where your Weimaraner can live their best life.

Find someone you already know to adopt

When rehoming your Weimaraner, start by thinking about friends, family, or acquaintances who might make a good pet-parent match. Do they have the time, energy, and patience for a high-energy, playful, people-loving dog? Take into account any behavioral struggles your Weimaraner may have, such as chasing smaller pets, and think about who in your circle could best accommodate them. If someone comes to mind, reach out and share adoption details. Placing your Weimaraner with someone you already know and trust can make the transition smoother and give you peace of mind knowing they’re in good hands.

Network in your larger community

Once you've checked with folks you personally know, it’s time to spread the word in your larger community. Ask people you know to mention your Weimaraner to their friends, neighbors, and coworkers — sometimes an amazing adopter is just a connection away. 

Look into pet adoption sites

If you want to cast a wider net, look into reputable pet-adoption sites that can help you find a loving home for your Weimaraner. These platforms, such as Rehome by Adopt a Pet, allow you to post your dog’s adoption profile and review applications from potential adopters. Some local shelters also offer programs to help with rehoming pets directly, which can be a great way to connect with someone ready to adopt without your pup needing to enter the shelter system.

Surrender at a shelter or animal rescue

If you’re having trouble finding the right home for your Weimaraner, you might need to surrender them to a shelter or rescue. It’s a good idea to reach out to rescue organizations first, where your Weimaraner is more likely to stay in a foster home and have a less stressful transition, compared to staying in a kennel at a shelter. Plus, it helps prioritize space at the shelter for other animals in need.

Start by looking into Weimaraner-specific rescues, such as Weimaraner Rescue of the South or Great Lakes Weimaraner Rescue. These groups are usually better equipped to handle this breed’s high-energy needs and help find a home with someone familiar with, and specifically looking to adopt, a Weimaraner. Many of these rescues are regional, so you may need to be flexible on location and open to being on a waiting list. If you can’t find space with a breed-specific rescue, broaden your search to all reputable, well-reviewed dog rescues within the distance you’re willing to drive. Make sure they accept surrenders and have a good track record of placing dogs into loving homes.

If rescue options don’t pan out, your next step is to contact a shelter. Remember that this option should be a last resort due to how stressful living in a shelter can be for pets, and because most shelters are already overflowing with animals in need of homes. For high-energy, intelligent, and sensitive dogs like Weimaraners, staying in a kennel at a shelter can be immensely stressful.

You’ll want to focus on contacting shelters that have a good reputation and strong community involvement, such as those with active volunteer programs, foster care options, and frequent adoption events. These shelters tend to elicit better outcomes because they put a lot of effort into getting dogs adopted into the right homes through public engagement.

Avoid social media and pet classified sites

Pet adoption websites can be super helpful for reaching a wider audience. However, it’s best to steer clear of social media platforms, such as Nextdoor or Facebook, and pet classified sites, including Craigslist and LSN. These platforms can attract breeders, scammers, or individuals with harmful intentions, like those looking for pets as bait dogs in fighting rings. For the safety of your Weimaraner and to better protect yourself from scammers, stick to reputable adoption-focused sites and rehoming groups.

Do you have to pay to rehome a Weimaraner?

If you end up needing to surrender or relinquish your Weimaraner to a shelter or rescue, you may need to pay a fee. While not all organizations require pet parents to pay a surrender fee, some do to offset the cost of caring for surrendered animals. This fee often costs between $25 to $150 and is sometimes set up as a voluntary donation rather than a requirement. 

What is a rehoming fee?

When rehoming your Weimaraner, it’s a good idea to set a rehoming fee. This fee, which is paid by the adopter, helps discourage impulse adoptions and can weed out those looking to get a free dog for harmful purposes. A rehoming fee tends to attract more serious, committed adopters who are willing to invest in your pup’s care and future.

What’s a reasonable rehoming fee for a Weimaraner?

Typically, a fee of around $100 to $300, though this can vary based on factors like where you live and the dog’s age, health, and vaccination status. You want to make sure the rehoming fee is high enough to prove that the adopter is serious, but not so much that it seems like you’re trying to profit off your pup. 

Should you charge rehoming fees?

If you’re rehoming your Weimaraner, it’s a good idea to ask for a rehoming fee, especially if you don’t know the adopter personally. This helps ensure they’re serious about taking care of such an active, high-energy dog. Along with the fee, make sure to ask them what your Weimaraner’s new home life would be like. Getting references, for example, from a vet, is a great move, too. 

What about rehoming with pet adoption sites?

When rehoming your Weimaraner, using a pet adoption site like Rehome by Adopt a Pet is a solid option. This resource helps you connect with a larger group of potential adopters while guiding you through the whole process with expert advice. Here’s how it works: You’ll set up a profile for your dog, then you can review applications, meet and vet the adopters, and wrap things up with an adoption contract. The contract helps lay out the care you expect your Weimaraner to get in their new home.

Commonly asked questions

How do I surrender my dog?

To surrender your dog, contact animal shelters and rescue organizations in your area, making sure to provide these organizations with plenty of information on your pup so they can find a great adopter. 

How do I rehome an anxious dog?

To rehome an anxious dog, make sure to search for adopters with a laid-back lifestyle and quiet household. Be honest with potential adopters about your dog’s anxiety. Ask them how they will help your pup settle into their new home. And ask how they will support your dog in feeling safe and secure. It can also help to find an adopter who is willing to meet your pup several times, so they can become acclimated to the adopters before going to their new home. 

Where can I put a Weimaraner up for adoption?

You can put a Weimaraner up for adoption by searching for an adopter through people you know, networking through your friends and family, posting on pet adoption sites and reputable rehoming groups, or surrendering them to a rescue or shelter if you can’t rehome them directly. 

References

Great Lakes Weimaraner Rescue. GLWR. https://greatlakesweimrescue.com.

How to rehome your pet. (n.d.). City of Albuquerque. https://www.cabq.gov/pets/education-resources/how-to-rehome-your-pet.

Pet financial assistance resources. (n.d.). Best Friends Animal Society - Save Them All. https://bestfriends.org/pet-care-resources/pet-financial-assistance-resources.

WRS Weimaraner Rescue of the South, Adopting weims to loving homes. (n.d.). WRS. https://www.weimrescue.com.