The short answer
To rehome a dog for free in Australia, list it yourself owner to owner rather than surrendering it to a shelter. Gather the dog's records, write an honest listing with good photos, set a modest rehoming fee or none at all, and post it free on LocalPetFinder. Then screen the people who apply, meet them in person, hand over with all the records, and update the microchip registration to the new owner. Your dog stays in your home the whole time, and you choose the family it goes to.
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It is free. Your dog stays at home, your email stays private, and you choose the family.
List your dog free →Why free owner-to-owner rehoming works
Rehoming your dog yourself means you find the new home and the dog stays in your care until the handover. There is no surrender fee and no kennel stay. You review the people who apply, choose the family you trust, and hand the dog over directly with its records and history.
It asks more of you than dropping the dog at a shelter does, but the payoff is real: your dog never enters the shelter system, you control who it goes to, and you can take the time to find a genuinely good match. It also eases pressure on shelters like RSPCA NSW, the Animal Welfare League NSW, and Sydney Dogs and Cats Home, which are consistently near capacity. Every dog rehomed owner to owner is one fewer surrender for an overloaded system.
The step-by-step process
Rehoming a dog well is not complicated, but the order matters. Work through these steps and you will end up with a good match, a dog that settles quickly, and the legal microchip transfer done properly.
- 1
Decide rehoming is the right call
Before you list, be sure this is the path. If the reason is a behaviour problem, a money crunch, or a short-term crisis, some of those are fixable and worth checking first. See our honest self-assessment.
- 2
Gather the dog's records
Collect the desexing certificate, vaccination and vet records, the microchip number, the food the dog eats, and a written note on the dog's personality, routine, and triggers. This is what the new owner needs to keep the dog healthy and settled.
- 3
Write an honest, warm listing
Use clear recent photos and give the real age, breed, size, and desexing status. Describe what the dog loves and what it struggles with, and state your genuine reason for rehoming. Honesty attracts the right family.
- 4
Decide on a rehoming fee
A modest fee is safer than free to good home, because it discourages the few people who collect free animals for the wrong reasons. Set it in the range a shelter adoption would cost, or choose zero if you prefer. See why free to good home carries risk.
- 5
List your dog free on LocalPetFinder
Post your listing on LocalPetFinder. Your email is verified and kept private, the listing is reviewed, and your dog appears beside rescue dogs where real adopters are already looking. It is a safer alternative to a raw Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace ad.
- 6
Screen the people who apply
Ask about their home, their other pets, their fencing, and how much the dog would be alone. Watch for red flags before you agree to any meeting. See how to screen adopters.
- 7
Meet in person, ideally more than once
Meet the applicant and watch how they and your dog are together. A second meet before the handover gives you a clearer read and gives the dog a chance to warm up.
- 8
Hand over with all records, then transfer the microchip
Send the dog with its records and some familiar food. Then update the microchip registration to the new owner through the NSW Pet Registry, a legal step under the Companion Animals Act, so the dog's details follow it to the new home.
- 9
Help the dog settle
Share the routine, diet, and quirks with the new owner, and let them know settling can take a few weeks. A calm, predictable start helps the dog relax into its new family. See our settling-in guide.
One legal limit to know first
Restricted breeds cannot be rehomed. In NSW it is illegal to sell or give away a restricted-breed dog. Restricted breeds include the American Pit Bull Terrier and four others named under the Companion Animals Act. If your dog is a restricted or declared dangerous breed, do not list it for rehoming; speak to your council or RSPCA NSW about your obligations. For every other dog, owner-to-owner rehoming is a safe and legal path.
Free listing, and the fee is your choice
Listing on LocalPetFinder costs you nothing. Whether you charge the new owner a rehoming fee is a separate decision, and a modest fee is generally safer than free to good home. A small fee, roughly in the range a shelter adoption would cost (often around $300 to $600 for an adult dog), discourages the few people who collect free animals for the wrong reasons and signals that the dog is valued.
The fee is far less important than the screening you do. If you would rather charge nothing, that is fine, as long as you still screen carefully. Our free-to-good-home guide explains the risks of a no-fee ad and how to protect against them.
Rehome your dog for free, on your terms
List your dog on LocalPetFinder at no cost. Your dog stays with you, your email stays private, you screen the people who apply, and you choose the family. No surrender fee, no kennel.
List your dog for free →Related guides
A no-judgment framework to help you decide with evidence, not panic, before you list.
The questions to ask, the red flags to watch for, and how to choose a family you trust.
How shelter surrender works, what it costs, and when it is the better fit than rehoming yourself.
See dogs being rehomed by their owners near you, and where your listing will appear.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really rehome my dog for free?+
Yes. Listing your dog on LocalPetFinder is free, and rehoming owner to owner has no surrender fee at all. Your dog stays in your home the whole time, you screen the people who apply, and you hand over directly to the family you choose. The only costs are the ones you already cover: keeping your dog fed and cared for until the new home is sorted. You can also charge the new owner a modest rehoming fee if you want, but that is your choice, not a cost to you.
Should I give my dog away free, or charge a rehoming fee?+
A modest fee is generally safer than free. A small rehoming fee discourages the few people who collect free animals for the wrong reasons, and it signals that the dog is valued. It does not need to be large. Many responsible rehomers set a fee roughly in the range a shelter adoption would cost and put it toward the dog's final vet check or the microchip transfer. The screening you do matters far more than the fee, but a fee plus real screening is the responsible combination. Our free-to-good-home guide covers why free ads carry more risk.
What records do I need to hand over with my dog?+
Everything you would want if you were taking the dog on. The desexing certificate, vaccination and vet records, the microchip number, the food the dog is used to, and a written note about the dog's personality, routine, and any triggers. Include how the dog does with kids, cats, and other dogs, and be honest about any behaviour history. A clear written handover is the single most useful thing you can give the dog's next chapter, and it helps the new owner settle the dog faster.
How do I update the microchip registration to the new owner?+
Once the dog goes to its new home, transfer the microchip details to the new owner. In NSW this is done through the NSW Pet Registry (petregistry.nsw.gov.au), and it is a legal step under the Companion Animals Act, not an optional one. The new owner needs to be recorded as the dog's owner so the dog can be reunited with them if it is ever lost, and so registration and lifetime records follow the dog. Other states run their own registries, so check the process for your state and confirm the transfer is done before you consider the rehoming complete.
How do I write a good rehoming listing?+
Be honest and be warm. Use clear, recent photos in good light, ideally a few showing the dog's face and full body. Give the dog's real age, breed or mix, size, and desexing status. Describe the personality, the routine, what the dog loves, and what it struggles with. State the real reason you are rehoming, because genuine adopters trust honesty far more than a listing that sounds too perfect. A listing that names the dog's quirks attracts the right family and saves everyone a wasted meeting.
Is rehoming my dog myself better than surrendering to a shelter?+
They are both responsible, and the right one depends on your situation. Rehoming yourself keeps the dog in your home, costs nothing, and lets you choose the family, but it takes more of your time. Surrendering to a shelter is faster and the shelter does the screening, though many charge a fee and the dog waits in a kennel. Rehoming owner to owner also eases pressure on shelters like RSPCA NSW and the Animal Welfare League NSW, which are consistently near capacity. Many owners try rehoming first and keep shelter surrender as a backup. Our surrender guide covers that path.
How do I screen the people who want to adopt my dog?+
Ask questions before you agree to meet. Where will the dog live, who else is in the home, are there other pets, how much time will the dog be alone, and is the property fenced and suitable. Watch for red flags: someone who will not share their address, wants the dog sight unseen, pushes to collect immediately, or seems focused on the dog being free. Meet in person, ideally more than once, and watch how the dog and the person are together. Our screening guide lists the questions to ask and the warning signs to trust.
Are there dog breeds I cannot legally rehome in NSW?+
Yes. In NSW it is illegal to sell or give away a restricted-breed dog. Restricted breeds include the American Pit Bull Terrier and four others named under the Companion Animals Act. If your dog is a restricted or declared dangerous breed, do not list it for rehoming. Speak to your council or RSPCA NSW about your legal obligations first. This is the one situation where owner-to-owner rehoming is not the right path, and getting it wrong carries real penalties.
How do I handle the handover day?+
Bring everything the dog needs and the new owner will want. Hand over the desexing certificate, vaccination and vet records, the microchip number, and your written summary of the dog's routine, diet, and personality. Send some of the food the dog is used to so the change is gradual. Take a few minutes to walk the new owner through the dog's habits and any commands it knows. Then follow up on the microchip transfer. A calm, well-prepared handover sets the dog up to settle faster in its new home.
How can I help my dog settle into its new home?+
Set the new owner up with what works. Share the dog's feeding routine, walk schedule, favourite spots, and how it copes with being alone. Suggest keeping the first days calm and predictable, with the same food and a familiar blanket or toy from your home. Let the new owner know it can take a few weeks for a dog to relax into a new place, so early wobbles are normal, not a sign the match is wrong. Our transition guide walks through the settling-in period for the new family.
Rehoming a cat instead? See our guide to rehoming a cat for free, or head back to the rehoming hub to start your listing.
Sources
- NSW Pet Registry: microchip and ownership transfer under the Companion Animals Act
- RSPCA NSW: rehoming, surrender, and restricted-breed guidance
- RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase: responsible rehoming and animal welfare advice
- Scamwatch: avoiding classified and pet-rehoming scams