Where to Rehome a Dog in the UK: 7 Safe Options Compared (2026)

Deciding to rehome a dog is rarely easy, and how you do it matters for the dog's safety. Free "to good home" adverts can attract people with bad intentions, while a careful route gives your dog the best chance of a settled future. These are the safest places to rehome a dog in the UK in 2026, from national charities to websites that check listings, with practical steps to protect your dog whichever you choose.

Rehoming options at a glance

Option	Type	Who finds the new owner	Good for
Dogs Trust	Charity	The charity	Welfare-first rehoming with expert matching
Blue Cross	Charity	The charity	Owners who want support and a rehoming service
Battersea	Charity	The charity	Owners in or near London and the south east
Woodgreen Pets Charity	Charity	The charity	Advice before you decide, plus rehoming
Companimal	Website	You, with a person-checked listing	Owners who want to choose the new home themselves
Petify	Website and app	You	Low-cost rehoming adverts with identity checks
Pets4Homes	Website	You	The largest audience of pet seekers

The safest ways to rehome a dog in the UK

1. Dogs Trust

Dogs Trust is the UK's largest dog welfare charity and can help find your dog a suitable new home, assessing both the dog and potential adopters. In some cases it can help while your dog stays with you, which avoids the stress of kennels. It is a strong choice if you want experts to handle matching.

2. Blue Cross

Blue Cross offers a rehoming service for owners who can no longer keep their pet, along with advice on whether rehoming is the only option. Its teams match pets with new owners and provide support during the process.

3. Battersea

Battersea takes in dogs from owners who can no longer care for them and rehomes them from its centres. Space can be limited, so contact them early.

4. Woodgreen Pets Charity

Woodgreen rehomes pets and publishes clear advice for owners who are thinking about selling or rehoming. It recommends speaking to a rehoming centre before advertising privately, which is good advice whatever route you take.

5. Companimal

Companimal is a dogs-only UK marketplace that lists four kinds of seller: licensed breeders, hobby breeders, owners rehoming an adult dog, and registered rescue charities, which are matched against the Charity Commission register. Every listing is checked by a real person before it goes live, and dealers cannot list. It suits owners who want to meet applicants and choose the new home themselves, while being listed in a place where adverts are checked rather than among unfiltered classifieds. Enquiries come straight to you, and you can say no to anyone.

6. Petify

Petify allows one private rehoming advert a year, costing £4.99 and running for 12 weeks. Rehoming sellers may have their identity checked through Stripe Identity, adverts are checked manually, and dogs must be microchipped. Registered rescue charities can post unlimited rehoming adverts.

7. Pets4Homes

Pets4Homes has the biggest audience of people looking for a pet, which helps an older or less common breed find interested owners. With that reach comes more enquiries to screen, so be ready to ask questions and say no.

How to rehome your dog safely

Talk to a charity first. Even if you plan to rehome privately, a charity may offer behaviour or practical support that changes your decision.
Ask a rehoming fee. Many sites, including Freeads and Preloved, require dogs to be listed at £50 or more. A fee discourages people looking for free dogs to sell on or use for breeding.
Be completely honest about health, temperament, behaviour around children and other animals, and why you are rehoming.
Screen applicants. Ask about their home, working hours, garden, other pets and experience with dogs, and visit their home if you can.
Hand over at your home or theirs, never at a halfway point, and check identification.
Transfer the microchip registration to the new owner and pass on vet records, insurance details and any medication.
Ask for updates, and agree that the dog comes back to you or a charity if it does not work out.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the best place to rehome a dog in the UK?

If you want experts to handle it, a national charity such as Dogs Trust, Blue Cross or Battersea. If you want to choose the new owner yourself, a website that checks listings, such as Companimal or Petify, is safer than unchecked classifieds.

Should I rehome my dog for free?

It is safer not to. Several UK sites require a minimum asking price of £50 for dogs, and a fee helps deter people who intend to resell or breed from the dog.

Do I need to transfer my dog's microchip?

Yes. Keeping microchip details up to date is a legal requirement, so the registration should be transferred to the new keeper when they take the dog home.

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