How NorCal Shiba's Surrender Process Works
If you need to rehome your Shiba, we can help. We handle surrenders without judgment, with confidentiality, and with the goal of finding the dog the right next home.
Three paths
Path 1 — Lifetime Placement Promise. If you adopted your Shiba from NorCal Shiba and purchased the Lifetime Placement Promise at adoption, your surrender is covered at no charge. Email us, sign the Surrender Intake Agreement, and we coordinate intake.
Path 2 — Surrender Concierge. If you did not adopt from NorCal Shiba (or you did and did not purchase the Promise), our Surrender Concierge is a paid service. Three tiers:
- Standard: $295. Listing, screening, placement coordination.
- Concierge Plus: $695. Standard plus interviews, family transition support,
and post-placement contract administration.
- Concierge Priority: $1,495. Concierge Plus plus expedited placement (target
72 hours from intake to placement), urgent intake handling, and full rehoming concierge support.
Path 3 — Reclaim under prior adoption. If we placed your dog and you are in breach of the Adoption Agreement, the return is handled under that Agreement.
What to expect, regardless of path
- Contact us. Email norcalshiba@gmail.com. We respond within 5 business
days (often the same day for urgent cases).
- Triage call. A short conversation to understand your situation, the
dog's history, and urgency.
- Surrender Intake Agreement. Before any physical transfer, you sign
the Surrender Intake Agreement. This document captures the dog's current medical and behavioral status, transfers ownership back to NorCal Shiba, and releases us from claims arising from prior or future events.
- Disclose everything. We need complete medical and behavioral history,
especially bite incidents and animal-control involvement. Withholding material information may expose you to liability if a future incident traces back to undisclosed history.
- Physical transfer. At a location and time we agree on, in California.
- Re-placement. We assume care of the dog and work to find the right
next home. We do not share information about the dog's next adopter with you.
Disclosures
We are not a public shelter and not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We are a privately operated business. We accept surrenders at our discretion and may decline if we cannot safely place the dog (severe aggression, terminal illness, etc.) or if we lack capacity at the moment. If we decline, we recommend resources for you.
Payment for paid Concierge cases
The Surrender Concierge fee is paid in person at the intake meeting via Zelle to our business account, bank transfer, or check. We never request payment by DM or text. See our Payment Policy and verify any payment request directly with us at norcalshiba@gmail.com.
Outside California?
We operate in California. If you are outside California, we can still provide referrals to breed-specific or regional rescues that may be able to help. Email us and tell us where you are; we maintain a state-by-state resource directory.
Questions
Email norcalshiba@gmail.com. Subject line "Surrender inquiry" helps us triage faster.