The short answer
If you need to rehome a dog in Victoria, you do not have to choose between abandoning your dog and posting them on a classifieds site. Owner-to-owner rehoming on LocalPetFinder is free, your dog stays in your home until adopted, and you screen the new family yourself. Surrendering to a Victorian shelter or rescue is also a valid path, especially in a crisis. And if the issue behind the decision is fixable, behaviour support and financial help may let you keep your dog. One Victorian rule to know up front: any rehoming advertisement must show the pet's microchip number and a Pet Exchange Register source number.
Rehome your dog in Victoria, free
List your dog on LocalPetFinder at no cost. Your dog stays home until the right family is found, you screen adopters through a verified contact form, and you choose who adopts. Reviewed within 24 to 48 hours.
Before you rehome: things worth trying first
Some situations look like rehoming problems but are actually fixable problems with the right help. It is worth a short pause to check before you decide. If you have already been through this and rehoming is still the right answer, skip ahead. There is no shame in either path.
Try these first
- Behaviour issues. Reactivity, anxiety, destructiveness and lead pulling are some of the most common reasons owners consider rehoming, and they are often the most fixable. A force-free trainer, or a veterinary behaviourist for anything involving fear or aggression, can change the picture in a few weeks. Book one consultation before you list. See our honest self-assessment if you are unsure whether the issue is fixable.
- Financial hardship. If the problem is money, help exists. Many Victorian shelters run pet food bank programs, and some offer emergency vet cost assistance or can point you to a low-cost clinic. A temporary bridge through a hard stretch is often enough to keep a family together. Our guide to rehoming because of financial hardship walks through the assistance worth checking first.
- Temporary crisis. A move between leases, a hospital stay, or a few hard months are not always permanent reasons. Some rescues run crisis or temporary foster programs that hold your dog while you stabilise, and a friend or family member can sometimes bridge the gap. If the situation is genuinely short-term, a temporary arrangement beats a permanent rehoming you might regret.
For a fuller list of alternatives, read our alternatives to rehoming a dog guide. If you work through it and rehoming is still right, that decision is not a failure. It is the responsible call.
The Victorian rule: microchip number and a PER source number
Victoria runs the Pet Exchange Register (PER). Before you advertise a dog to sell or give away, you must obtain a free PER source number, and every advertisement must display the pet's microchip number and that source number. Advertising a dog or cat without both is an offence under the Domestic Animals Act 1994. It takes a few minutes to get a source number at per.animalwelfare.vic.gov.au, and it works in your favour: adopters can verify your source number on the PER before they come, which marks your listing as genuine. Have your dog's microchip number and your source number ready when you create your listing. Our rehoming safely and legally guide covers this and the screening steps in more detail.
Surrendering to a Victorian shelter
If owner-to-owner rehoming is not right for your situation, surrendering to an established Victorian shelter is a respectful path. Intake is appointment-based at most organisations and waitlists are common, so call ahead and it is worth contacting more than one. Options include RSPCA Victoria (Burwood East and the Peninsula centre at Pearcedale), The Lost Dogs' Home (North Melbourne and Cranbourne), Lort Smith (North Melbourne), and, for the Geelong region, the Geelong Animal Welfare Society. Many also run foster-based rescue partners they can refer you to if they are full.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I rehome my dog in Victoria?
You have two main paths. The first is owner-to-owner rehoming, where you list your dog yourself, screen adopters, and hand the dog directly to a new family. On LocalPetFinder this is free, your dog stays in your home the whole time, and adopters reach you through a verified contact form. The second is surrendering to a Victorian shelter or rescue, where staff take over screening and placement. Both are valid. If your situation gives you a few weeks, owner-to-owner rehoming usually means less stress for the dog and more control for you.
Is it free to rehome a dog in Victoria?
Listing your dog for rehoming on LocalPetFinder is completely free. No listing fee, no commission, no hidden cost. If you decide to ask the new family for a modest rehoming fee, that is arranged directly between the two of you and we do not take a cut. Shelter surrender is different. Many Victorian shelters ask for a surrender donation to help cover intake costs, which varies by organisation and is often flexible based on what you can afford.
What does Victorian law require when I advertise my dog for rehoming?
Victoria runs the Pet Exchange Register (PER). Anyone advertising to sell or give away a dog, cat, puppy or kitten must first obtain a free PER source number, and every advertisement must display both the pet’s microchip number and that source number. It is an offence to advertise a dog or cat without both. The upside for adopters is that they can verify your source number on the PER before they come, which is a genuine trust signal. Get your source number from per.animalwelfare.vic.gov.au before your listing goes live.
Is rehoming better than surrendering to a Victorian shelter?
Neither is universally better; they suit different situations. Owner-to-owner rehoming keeps your dog in a familiar home until the right family appears, lets you screen adopters yourself, and usually involves no surrender fee. The tradeoff is that it takes your time and can take a few weeks. Shelter surrender is faster and the dog gets a professional assessment, but the dog moves into a kennel and many Victorian shelters report being at or near capacity. If your situation is stable enough to wait, rehoming also helps shelters by keeping one more dog out of a stretched system.
Where can I surrender my dog in Victoria?
Most Victorian regions have a shelter that accepts owner surrenders by appointment, plus foster-based rescues. RSPCA Victoria takes surrenders at Burwood East and its Peninsula centre at Pearcedale, The Lost Dogs’ Home runs North Melbourne and Cranbourne, Lort Smith is in North Melbourne, and the Geelong Animal Welfare Society covers the Geelong region. Call ahead; intake is appointment-based at most organisations and waitlists are common, so it is worth contacting more than one. Your nearest shelter can usually point you to local rescues if they are full.
Can I rehome my dog without a fee?
Yes, you can set the rehoming fee to zero. That said, most experienced rehomers suggest a modest fee for a reason. A free-to-good-home dog attracts the wrong kind of attention, including people who resell dogs or take animals with no intention of caring for them. A reasonable fee signals the dog is valued and filters for serious adopters. If you do not want to keep the money, many owners donate it to a Victorian rescue afterward.
How long does rehoming a dog take in Victoria?
For a healthy, friendly, young-to-middle-aged dog with good photos and an honest listing, two to six weeks is typical. Senior dogs, dogs with medical needs, large dogs, and dogs with behaviour challenges usually take longer, sometimes two to three months. The process moves faster when the listing is honest, the photos are clear, and you describe the ideal home specifically.
How do I screen adopters?
Treat it like a thoughtful interview, not a sale. Ask about their household, other pets, daily routine, whether they rent or own, whether the landlord allows dogs, and who is home during the day. A genuine adopter answers happily. Always meet in person before any handover. Many Victorian rehomers also do a short trial period with a written agreement that returns the dog to you if it does not work out. Trust your gut; if something feels off, slow down.
I am in crisis and need to rehome fast. What should I do?
If you are facing eviction, a medical emergency, or another urgent situation, contact a Victorian shelter or a nearby rescue and explain; many prioritise genuine crises ahead of their regular waitlist. In parallel you can submit a free LocalPetFinder listing so more than one path is open at once. It is also worth a quick check of the alternatives in this guide, because some crises, especially financial ones, have help available that lets you keep your dog. But if rehoming is the right answer, do it through a screened process rather than a rushed post on an open marketplace.
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