Commonly Used Terminology

Below is a list of terms commonly used by The Dog Rehoming Project, including throughout our website and in social media posts. Following each term is an explanation of how we use it in this context.

 

  • Dog shelter – used as an umbrella term to refer to any type of animal control, shelter, or rescue/rehoming organization; it is acknowledged that the breadth of such organizations is wide and can vary considerably in terms of several factors (e.g. municipal versus private, multiple branches versus single location, dogs housed in a dedicated facility versus individual foster homes)

  • Shelter dog – refers to any dog that is part of any type of animal control, shelter, or rescue/rehoming organization 

  • Dog rehoming – refers to the act of finding and placing a dog in a new home

  •  Adopt and rehome [a dog] –  refers to the act of acquiring a dog from a shelter/rehoming organization (the latter tends to be used less commonly in the US)

  • Relinquishment [of a dog] – refers to the act of surrendering an owned dog to shelter/rehoming organization, regardless of the origins of the dog or from where the dog was acquired