Rehome your dog · California

Life changes.
Let’s talk rehoming.

Tell us about your dog and your situation so we can discuss whether we can help. The care arrangements and fees for each service are explained below.

Purebred Shiba Inu Full Intake → Mixed breed or other breed Matching Service →
Ask about rehoming ↗
A Shiba from the NorCal Shiba photo collection
Find a way forward.Talk about rehoming
Start the conversation

Tell us about your dog.

We respond within 5 business days. Urgent cases are flagged for same-day response when we can.

The two paths

One fee, two ways forward.

Track A · Purebred Shiba Inu

Full Intake

Fee
$295 (non-refundable once work begins)
Custody
NorCal Shiba foster network
Timeline
4 to 12 weeks from intake to placement

What is included:

  • Triage call to understand the situation
  • Written Surrender Intake Agreement
  • Foster care during transition
  • Veterinary check
  • Matching to a new family using our breed-specific adopter list
  • Placement coordination and contract
  • Written notification when your Shiba is settled

Best for: Pure Shibas whose owners cannot continue care, in California, ready to hand off the dog within 1 to 2 weeks of intake.

Ask about full intake
Track B · Mixed breed or other breed

Matching Service

Fee
$295 (non-refundable once work begins)
Custody
You keep the dog during the matching process
Timeline
8 to 16 weeks of active matching

What is included:

  • Triage call to understand the situation and the dog
  • Written Surrender Intake Agreement
  • Marketing through NorCal Shiba's audience and breed-rescue network
  • Adopter screening
  • Match coordination once we have a candidate family
  • Handoff support when a match is confirmed

The next family's adoption fee is discussed during the consultation, case by case based on the dog. Best for: Owners with a non-Shiba dog who need help finding the right home but can continue care while we search.

Ask about matching
Honest about the fee

What the $295 covers.

The $295 fee covers our intake work, written agreements, marketing, adopter screening, and coordination. It is non-refundable once intake or matching work has begun, regardless of outcome. See our Payment Policy. We do not take a cut of the next family's adoption fee for non-Shiba matches; that conversation happens between you and us during the consultation.

How it works

Your rehoming path.

You email us.

Send a note to norcalshiba@gmail.com with "Surrender inquiry" in the subject and a short description of your situation.

We respond within 5 business days.

Sooner for urgent cases.

Triage call.

15 to 30 minutes to understand the dog, your situation, and which track fits.

Surrender Intake Agreement signed.

Track A: in person at intake handoff. Track B: signed before we start marketing.

Matching begins.

Track A: dog moves to our foster network. Track B: dog stays with you while we find candidates.

Honest disclosures

What you should know.

Cases we cannot accept.

We may decline cases involving documented bite history, severe medical needs requiring round-the-clock care, or capacity limits at our foster network. We tell you honestly during the triage call.

If we cannot find a match.

For Track B matching cases, if we cannot find the right family after our typical timeline, the dog stays with you. We did the work, you did the right thing trying, and the $295 stays with us.

California only.

We do not operate outside California. If you are out of state, we are happy to refer you to a regional rescue. Scroll to the bottom of this page.

Payment policy.

All fees are paid in person at signing via Zelle to our business account, bank transfer, or check. We never request payment by DM or text. See our Payment Policy for details.

Frequently asked

Common questions.

What if my dog has bitten someone?
We need to know honestly during the triage call. We may still take the case under a separate review, or we may decline and refer you to a veterinary behaviorist.
What if I cannot keep my dog during the matching service?
Then Track A (full intake) may be the better fit if your dog is a purebred Shiba. If your dog is mixed or non-Shiba and you cannot keep them, we may not be the right resource. Honest answer.
How do I know you will actually find a good family?
We screen prospective adopters and discuss the dog's known history, health, and behavior. A match depends on the dog and the home. We cannot promise a placement.
Can I meet the new family?
Generally no. We protect the new family's privacy and the dog's clean transition. We will write to you when the dog is settled.
What if I am in California but very far from the Bay Area?
Travel logistics for handoff can be discussed during the consultation. Sometimes we coordinate a meeting point.
Is the $295 fee tax deductible?
No. NorCal Shiba is privately operated, not a 501(c)(3).
Before we talk

What to prepare.

You do not need a polished account of the situation. Honest detail is more useful.

Your dog and daily life.

Age, how long you have had them, their routine, training history, household and the reason you need help.

Health and behavior.

Known conditions, medications, behavior with people and other animals, fears, triggers and any bite incidents.

Photos, videos and records.

Recent everyday photos or videos, veterinary records, vaccination and microchip information, and existing training records.

Timing and care arrangements.

How soon help is needed and whether you can continue caring for the dog. Discuss where the dog would stay and any fees before agreeing to proceed.

Outside California?

We do not operate outside California, but we want you to land somewhere good. Here are the Shiba and multi-breed rescue resources we can vouch for, with a national referral network for regions we do not cover directly:

If you are surrendering an aggressive dog or a dog with a bite history, contact a board-certified veterinary behaviorist (DACVB) before rehoming. Placement without honest disclosure creates a downstream problem, not a solution.