The short answer
If you need to rehome a dog in Western Australia, 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 Western Australia 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 Western Australia rule to know: a dog must be microchipped and registered before it changes hands, and the microchip number belongs in your ad.
Rehome your dog in Western Australia, 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. See our honest self-assessment if you are unsure whether the issue is fixable.
- Financial hardship. If the problem is money, help exists. Many 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 WA rules: microchipping and registration
Western Australia governs dogs under the Dog Act 1976 and cats under the Cat Act 2011. WA has no source-number or Pet Exchange Register scheme, so there is no number to obtain before you advertise. The requirement is on the animal itself: a dog must be microchipped and registered, and a cat microchipped and sterilised, before it can be sold or transferred to a new owner.
The practical step for a rehomer is to make sure your pet is microchipped and (for a dog) registered, then include the microchip number in your listing so adopters can see the pet is traceable. Our rehoming safely and legally guide covers this and the screening steps.
Surrendering to a Western Australia shelter
If owner-to-owner rehoming is not right for your situation, surrendering to an established Western Australia 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 WA at its Animal Care Centre at Malaga; surrenders by appointment.
- Dogs’ Refuge Home a dogs-only, pro-life shelter at Shenton Park (established 1935).
- Cat Haven Western Australia’s largest cat shelter, at Shenton Park, for cats.
- SAFE a large statewide foster-based rescue taking dogs and cats across metro and regional WA.
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 Western Australia?
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 Western Australia 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 Western Australia?
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 Western Australia 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 WA law require when I advertise my dog for rehoming?
Western Australia has no source-number or Pet Exchange Register scheme, so there is no number to obtain before advertising. Under the Dog Act 1976 a dog must be microchipped and registered before it can be sold or transferred (and under the Cat Act 2011 a cat must be microchipped and sterilised). Make sure your pet meets those requirements and include the microchip number in your listing so adopters can see it is traceable.
Is rehoming better than surrendering to a Western Australia 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 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 Western Australia?
Established options include RSPCA WA at Malaga, the dogs-only Dogs’ Refuge Home at Shenton Park, Cat Haven at Shenton Park for cats, and SAFE, a large statewide foster-based rescue. Intake is appointment-based at most organisations and waitlists are common, so call ahead and contact more than one.
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 Western Australia rescue afterward.
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 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 Western Australia 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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