If you are considering surrendering your dog, we understand that this can be an incredibly difficult decision. We are glad you reached out. Our goal is to help dogs who need specialized support, and to treat people who contact us with compassion, honesty, and respect.

 

Please know: A history of aggression, reactivity, fear, or biting does not automatically disqualify a dog from consideration. We want to understand the whole dog and the circumstances—not make a decision based on a label.

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Who we are

 

Until Such Time is a rescue and sanctuary with a particular focus on dogs with complex behavioral needs. Some dogs need more than a traditional adoption program can offer. They may need specialized handling, careful management, rehabilitation, or a permanent sanctuary environment. We also recognize that people sometimes reach a point where they cannot safely or realistically continue caring for a dog. We want to be a resource for people who have tried to help, people facing circumstances beyond their control, and dogs who need a different kind of support.

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The dogs we are especially equipped to consider:

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• Dogs with significant fear, anxiety, reactivity, or other complex behavioral challenges.

• Dogs with a history of aggression toward people or other animals.

• Dogs with bite histories, including serious incidents, subject to an individual safety and care assessment.

• Dogs who have struggled in traditional foster, rescue, or adoption settings.

• Dogs whose needs may require specialized rehabilitation, management, or long-term sanctuary care.

 

A bite history is important information, but it is not an automatic reason for us to say no. We will want to understand what happened, the circumstances surrounding the incident, the severity of any injury, what the dog’s triggers may be, and what management the dog needs.

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When we may be able to help

 

We encourage you to contact us if:

• You have worked to address your dog’s behavioral and/or medical needs, but have reached the limits of what you can safely or reasonably provide.

• You have sought training, veterinary care, or other support and the situation has not improved enough to make your home safe or sustainable.

• Your circumstances have changed because of illness, disability, housing instability, domestic violence, financial hardship, or another serious event.

• Your dog’s needs are beyond what you can manage, and you are trying to make a responsible plan for the dog.

• You are worried your dog may be at risk of being abandoned, placed unsafely, or euthanized because of behavioral challenges.

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What we may not be able to take on

 

We have limited space, staffing, funding, and specialized care capacity. We are not able to accept every dog whose owner needs to rehome them. Requests based primarily on convenience (such as moving, a change in schedule, getting another pet, or deciding that dog ownership is no longer a good fit) may not be a priority for our specialized program, particularly when other reasonable options remain. That does not mean we will judge you or assume we know your circumstances. Life can change quickly, and what sounds straightforward from the outside may be much more complicated in reality. Please explain your situation fully and honestly so we can consider the full picture.

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How we evaluate a request

 

Every request is considered individually. We look at:

• Your circumstances and why you are seeking help now.

• What you have already tried, what support was available to you, and what barriers you faced.

• Your dog’s behavioral history, including any bites, injuries, triggers, and management needs.

• Your dog’s medical history and current health requirements.

• Whether we have the appropriate space, people, experience, and resources to provide safe and humane care.

• Whether we can offer your dog an improved quality of life in our environment.

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We may ask for veterinary records, training history, incident details, photographs, or videos when useful. Please be as open and accurate as possible. Information about difficult behaviors helps us plan for safety; it does not automatically mean your dog will be rejected.

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What to expect if we cannot accept your dog

 

Sometimes a dog’s needs fall outside our current capacity, or we do not have an appropriate opening. If we cannot accept your dog, we will try to provide relevant resources or referrals when possible. We cannot guarantee that another organization will have space or accept the dog, but we want to be honest about our limitations and helpful where we can.

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Before contacting us...

 

If possible, please gather the following information:

☐  Your dog’s name, age, breed or best estimate, weight, and current location.

☐  A clear description of why you are considering surrender.

☐  Any known medical conditions, medications, veterinary records, and vaccination information.

☐  A description of behavioral concerns and when they occur.

☐  Details of any bite or injury incidents, including what happened and how serious the injury was.

☐  How your dog responds to adults, children, dogs, cats, strangers, and routine care.

☐  Training, veterinary, or behavior support you have tried and what the results were.

☐  How urgent the situation is and whether anyone is currently at risk.

 

If there is an immediate risk of injury, keep people and animals safely separated and contact an appropriate local professional or animal-services agency for urgent guidance. Do not attempt an unsafe transfer or place anyone at risk to obtain videos or additional information.

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Our promise

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We will consider each request with compassion and without automatically dismissing a dog because of age, breed, behavior, or bite history. We will also be honest about what we can and cannot safely provide.

 

Our guiding belief is that dogs should not lose their chance at help because they are difficult. At the same time, responsible rescue means making commitments we can actually fulfill. Our responsibility is to the dog asking for help and to every dog already depending on us.

 

Contact us about a possible surrender

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If you are looking to surrender your pet, please fill out our surrender application form found HERE.

​​If you are looking to gain more expose for your pet, but are willing to retain ownership and conduct the adoption process yourself, please fill out our Courtesy Listing form found HERE.

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Please do not bring a dog to the facility without an appointment and confirmation from our team. This allows us to plan for safe handling and determine whether we have the capacity to help.

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Our position on Behavioral Euthanasia

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We believe compassion means being willing to have the difficult conversations and make the difficult decisions. We do not shy away from humane euthanasia when it is the most responsible and compassionate option for a dog. We believe in rehabilitation, second chances, and exhausting all reasonable alternatives whenever there is a realistic path toward a safe and fulfilling life. But we also recognize that keeping a dog alive is not always the same as giving that dog a good life. When suffering cannot be adequately relieved, safety cannot be responsibly maintained, or a dog's quality of life cannot be made acceptable, we believe choosing a peaceful and humane end can be an act of compassion rather than a failure.

 

We will never make that decision casually, out of convenience, or simply because a dog is difficult.

Every dog deserves an honest evaluation, every reasonable opportunity, and a decision guided by their best interests—not our desire to avoid an uncomfortable outcome.