Do you have to give up your animal?

Taking on any animal comes with a responsibility that everyone who takes an animal must be able to bear for the whole of the pet's life. If this is not possible, you must try to find a new home for your pet.

Think about why you really want to give up your animal

Cat Image by José Ángel de la Banda from Pixabay

For example, the cause of many behavioural problems may in fact be an illness. Have you recently visited a vet with your pet or asked them for advice? Perhaps contacting a behaviour specialist would help? Perhaps temporary fostering would help? You can find dog walkers, animal hotels and temporary shelter providers all over Estonia on the Petify website. We have also covered many issues on our blog.

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Look for a new home for your animal yourself. Only that way can you be sure that they end up in the best and most loving family possible.

Turn to Koduotsija

Koduotsija is a positive and proactive programme we have created for finding new homes for animals without them ending up in a shelter in the meantime. We were prompted to consider this alternative by the ever-growing number of animals surrendered by their owners in our shelters.

Contact the shelter

If we have enough free space, we can also take in animals from owners.

  • If you wish to give up a cat, contact our centre; to give up a dog, turn to the nearest shelter.
  • Surrendering an animal must always be arranged in advance.
  • The animal must be vaccinated with a combination vaccine and a rabies vaccine at least 10 days before hand-over, and a corresponding document confirmed by a vet (vaccination certificate, pet passport or similar) must be provided, or you must pay for this procedure on site (if the animal has never been vaccinated, two vaccinations must be given).
  • If the animal has already been vaccinated, spayed/neutered and marked with a microchip, it will find a new home much faster.
  • When giving up the animal, the owner fills in a form with information about the animal's previous living arrangements and other necessary details, so that finding a new home is as quick and efficient as possible.
  • The owner signs the animal surrender deed, after which the right of decision and ownership passes to Varjupaikade MTÜ.
  • If the animal turns out to be unmanageable/uncontrollable, is aggressive, or its state of health does not allow it to find a new home, the shelter has the right to euthanise the animal. We cannot guarantee that a new home will be found for every animal.
  • When surrendering an animal to the shelter, you must pay an intake fee, as well as pay for or carry out, before bringing the animal to the shelter, the procedures needed for the animal to go to a new home: a valid combination vaccine and pet passport (or vaccination certificate), parasite treatment, an FIV test for cats, microchipping, spaying or neutering.
  • Please send along with the animal items familiar to it: bed, toys, food bowls, etc.
  • Animals taken from Varjupaikade MTÜ shelters we will always take back into the shelter. The shelter does not refund the surrender fee when an animal is brought back. The shelter does not charge a fee for taking the animal in, but you must pay for or carry out, before bringing the animal to the shelter, the procedures needed for the animal to go to a new home: a valid combination vaccine, microchipping, spaying or neutering, if these have for some reason not been done.