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Surrender a Yorkie form

Click for the Surrender Form

Looking to adopt a Yorkie instead? See the Yorkies available for adoption →

Finding my Yorkie a new home

Fill in the form below to surrender a Yorkie anywhere in South Africa, and we will contact you to help you through the process. During business hours we usually get back to you within an hour.

We will help you to find your Yorkshire Terrier the ideal new forever home with all the love and care that your doggy needs.

Our help is free and confidential. Where safe and practical, your Yorkie stays with you while we look for the right new home.

Prefer WhatsApp? Chat to our rehoming team on 071 489 2917

▶ Watch: how rehoming your Yorkie with us works (56 sec)
⏰ How quickly will my Yorkie find a home?

Usually very quickly. In 2026, more than half the Yorkies we helped were with their new family within a week, and about 4 in 5 within two weeks. One in four went within just three days.

When it's urgent, we move fast. Lucky, an 8-year-old whose family was moving overseas, went to his new home the next day. Scrapy and Pixie, a pair whose family was emigrating, were settled in three days.

Now and then it takes a little longer, usually for a senior Yorkie, a bonded pair who must stay together, or a dog with special needs. We wait for the right family rather than the first one. Your Yorkie stays with you, where it is safe, until that family is found.

🏠 Moving house? Read this first
Yorkie lying on top of a packed travel bag

Moving house is the most common reason owners contact us. Usually the problem is a “no pets” rule that the owner only finds out about after signing the lease or buying the home.

  • Not signed yet? Ask the landlord, complex or estate in writing whether your Yorkie may come, and get their answer in writing. In a complex, the trustees have to give written permission.
  • Already told “no pets”? Ask the trustees or landlord for a little more time. Some will let you keep your Yorkie a little longer while we look for the right home.
  • Complaints about barking? Landlords and complexes object to constant barking more than anything else, and sometimes to howling while you are out. Calm, reward-based training can reduce it. Our guide to stopping your Yorkie barking explains how.
  • Think there might be a problem? Contact us as soon as you know. When a Yorkie must go the same week, we have far less choice of family, and a Yorkie with special needs can take longer to place. A few weeks' notice gives us time to find the best home.

If keeping your Yorkie isn't possible, fill in the form below. It's free and confidential.

💛 Illness or a family change?
Senior Yorkie in a blue jersey resting on an older owner's lap, held by her hands

Has illness or a family change made caring for your Yorkie hard?

Illness, a move into frail care or an owner's death often means the family has to find the Yorkie a new home. A new baby, allergies or a separation can also change what a household can manage.

Filling in the form for someone else? Choose “Not me, I am filling in this form on behalf of the current owner”. You need the owner's permission, or the authority to decide for them, and we will try to confirm it with them.

Tell us:

  • who owns the Yorkie, who is caring for them now, and any deadline
  • the owner's contact details, where possible
  • vet records and the daily routine, including toilet accidents, growling or not liking being handled
  • whether you need short-term help or a permanent new home

Your Yorkie normally stays where they are until we find the right family. If it's an emergency, tell us and we will look at foster care where a suitable home is available.

If rehoming is the right step, fill in the form below. It's free.

5 short steps, about 5 minutes. Questions marked * are required. Your answers are kept on this device until you send them.

Step 1 of 5

About your Yorkie

The basics first.

How many Yorkies need to be put up for adoption?

Select your province

Please give the age in years and months where known. If unknown, provide your best estimate.

What is your Yorkie(s) gender?
Is your Yorkie(s) sterilized?

Step 2 of 5

Health and personality

This helps us find the right family.

Please include any diagnosed conditions, medication, allergies, dental problems, past injuries, ongoing treatment, or recent veterinary concerns. If there are no known health concerns, please write “No known health concerns.”

Please describe your Yorkie’s energy level, favourite activities, fears, routines, affection style, and how he or she behaves around unfamiliar people.

Is your Yorkie an escape artist?
Is your Yorkie(s) House-Trained?
How is your Yorkie(s) with children?
How is your Yorkie(s) with other dogs?
How is your Yorkie(s) with cats?

Step 3 of 5

Rehoming wishes

So we know what you would like.

Are you willing for your Yorkie(s) to find a home in another province?
Will you provide a vet card for your Yorkie?

For example: Beds or Doggy bowls

When do you want your Yorkie(s) to be adopted?
Will you let SA YORKIE RESCUE know when their help is no longer needed?
Are you willing to give SA YORKIE RESCUE your contact details for them to give to a possible new owner?

Contact details will only be shared with an applicant after SAYR has reviewed the application and believes the person may be a suitable potential match. Your details will not be published publicly.

Step 4 of 5

Contact details

Your details are kept private.

When you tap Next, we save the answers you have given so far, so our team can help if you get stuck. Only SA Yorkie Rescue sees them.

With whom shall SA YORKIE RESCUE be in contact with RE the adoption procedure?

If you are completing the form for someone else, please confirm that the current owner has given permission for the Yorkie to be re-homed and for their contact details to be supplied.

If the current owner has an email address

Name of person filling in this form

Step 5 of 5

A little more about your Yorkie

Everything on this step is optional. Skip anything you are not sure about.

Please include anything that could affect placement, including separation anxiety, guarding, biting history, fear triggers, toileting concerns, medication, grooming sensitivity, sleep habits, food guarding, or difficulty being handled.

Is your Yorkie microchipped?

If yes, please mention in the final information box whether the registered contact details are current.

Please explain whether your Yorkie walks comfortably on a lead, pulls, freezes, barks at dogs, or is not used to walks.

Please mention whether the Yorkie can swim, avoids the pool, or needs supervision around water.

Please provide the most recent known weight in kilograms. An estimate is acceptable.

Please describe what usually triggers barking, such as visitors, noises, other dogs, being left alone, or excitement.

How did you hear about us?

Stuck or unsure? WhatsApp us on 071 489 2917, or just press Send and we will help with the rest.

Having trouble? Use our Google form instead or WhatsApp us on 071 489 2917.

Frequently asked questions:

What will happen to my Yorkie after surrendering him or her to SA Yorkie Rescue?

  1.  When will my Yorkie be adopted: How long are you still able to keep your doggy with you before he needs his new home? Does he need emergency medical care? The answers to these questions and a few others will help us determine whether to place him first in approved temporary foster care or directly to his new loving forever home. We act as fast as necessary.

  2. Do I have a choice as to the new home: Although we are very experienced at finding the perfect new family for a Yorkshire Terrier, we acknowledge that you know your doggy best and that you are the best source of information that we can use to help us find him the most suitable home. We discuss the potential pre-approved homes with you and consider any pros and cons with you.

  3. How much does it cost to surrender my Yorkie: There is no charge to you. We never want a price to stand in the way of helping a doggy in need. We do have costs along the way, and these are usually covered by the adoption fee paid by the new family. Please note: once we have talked the process through with you and started looking for a new home, a cancellation fee applies if you then decide not to go ahead.

  4. What must I give when I hand over my Yorkie: That is totally up to you. Many parents who have surrendered their doggy want to buy new things for their doggy as parting gifts, but please remember not to throw your doggy's old things away. His old blanket or dog bed will be familiar to him in his new surrounds and can help him to relax with the old familiar smells of his own bed. After it is clear that your Yorkie is relaxed and happy his new bed and toys should be gradually introduced to him.

We help to ease your already stressful situation and always put your doggy's interests first. We never want a doggy to have to go to a shelter where he would only get impersonal food and shelter. All our temporary foster families really love animals a lot and go the extra mile to make them happy and give them the care that they need. In many cases we find our Yorkies their perfect new forever homes directly from their previous home, thereby eliminating undue stress, especially for older doggies needing to adapt to their new surroundings. We have countless special success stories to tell.