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I'm faced with surrendering beloved pets on a regular basis - I work at a kennel where we often host the overflow from local rescues, and I am a pet foster parent. There are only a few dogs that I didn't become attached to in some small way, and one or two I really hated to let go of, but I know I can't keep them all.

If you are faced with giving up a pet and there are legitimate reasons for doing so, make sure you take every precaution to ensure finding your pet a happy, healthy, forever-home.

1) Exhaust your options. Before you make your final decision, make sure you have exhausted all of your options for two reasons. First, there are hundreds of thousand of unwanted animals out there looking for homes, and unless your pet is very lucky, or you have the luxury of time or good connections, chances are your pet will not find a new home if taken to a shelter. Second, if you make a decision in haste, you will regret it all of your life.

There are many reasons for giving up a pet - finances, time, moving, conflicts with other pets, allergies - but if you do a bit of research and a bit of re-prioritizing, you may find an alternative that will allow you to keep them.

2) Prepare Your Pet. A well-behaved, well-groomed, healthy and "fixed" pet has a much better chance of being adopted. This is important to note if you're surrendering your pet because of behavior problems! Most "normal" people don't want a pet that is going tear their house apart, barks uncontrollably, refuses to use the litter box, or comes with fleas or a litter of puppies on the way. By "normal" I mean your typical pet lover - some one looking for a pet and not dog fight bait, puppy mill breeding stock, or another animal for the "collection".

3) Good Pictures and Description. A picture is worth a thousand words. Pets that look cute or "needy" in their pictures do better than pets who appear as a blur or in mid-snarl. And try to avoid the demonic red or white eyes - take the picture outside on a slightly overcast day for best effect.

Your description should be brief and accurate. If your dog has issues, don't lie about them - you don't have to highlight them, but don't mislead prospective adopters. Be honest about the reason you are surrendering them. And include your phone number and email address!

4) Your Own Contacts Talk to your own animal-world contacts, and ask if you can post notices at the vet's office, groomer's, the local pet or feed store and kennels. Most will be happy to help you locate prospective

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