- Author:
- Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
- Date:
- 16 Jan 2024
Wildlife can make interesting pets, but life changes can sometimes make it challenging to continue providing them with the care they need. Despite best intentions, wildlife owners may face challenges that make looking after their wildlife tough. This may be due to health reasons, financial hardship, growing responsibilities or other changes in personal circumstances.
Rehoming can be a difficult decision for many, and it is important to prioritise the welfare of the wildlife in your care. This guide shows the steps you should take to ensure your wildlife is looked after.
Before rehoming
Explore the different support and resources that may be available to you.
Immediate support
If you are experiencing a personal crisis, support services are available in Victoria. We also encourage you to reach out to family or friends who may be able to provide social, emotional, practical, or material support during a time of crisis. This could include supporting you to look after your pet.
In the event of an emergency, you should call 000
Telephone and online services
A range of telephone and online mental health crisis services.
health.vic.gov.au/mental-health-services/telephone-and-online-services(opens in a new window)
Crisis and emergency accommodation
Assistance during a housing crisis.
housing.vic.gov.au/crisis-emergency-accommodation (opens in a new window)
Family violence support services
Support for people experiencing family violence.
vic.gov.au/family-violence-support-services (opens in a new window)
Emergency preparedness and recovery
Information and supports from the Victorian Government to prepare for, and recover from, emergency events.
vic.gov.au/safety-and-emergencies(opens in a new window)
Discuss with those closest to you
Have an open conversation about the decision to rehome your wildlife, particularly with others in your household. If you live alone, talk things through with somebody you trust. Investigate if anybody else in your household, or local friends and family, can provide help, even it’s short‑term.
Financial hardship
If you are facing financial hardship, you can:
- Reach out to a financial counsellor, who can offer free and confidential information, advice and advocacy.
- Explore affordable pet insurance options.
- Talk with your vet about payment plans if vet care is needed.
- Explore financial supports that may be available to you. This could be assistance through government programs or supports offered by local not-for-profit organisations, such as once-off financial assistance, food or material goods.
- If you have are experiencing hardship following an emergency, explore whether payments may be available through the Personal Hardship Assistance Program.
Financial counselling providers
Personal Hardship Assistance
services.dffh.vic.gov.au/personal-hardship-assistance-program(opens in a new window)
How to sell or give away wildlife
If you have made the decision to rehome your wildlife, this section will explore different options based on the type of wildlife in your care.
Ask your networks
Friends, family and wildlife associations may be able to put you in touch with someone looking for a native pet.
Advertise
Explore using community notice boards, online buy/swap/sell forums, social media or traditional advertising platforms where appropriate. If choosing to advertise, remember you must include your private wildlife licence number in the advertisement if you’re required to have one.
Approach a wildlife dealer
A licensed wildlife dealer, such as a pet shop that sells wildlife, may accept your wildlife for rehoming.
Contact the Conservation Regulator
If you’re still unsure about rehoming your wildlife, please reach out to us to discuss your individual circumstances by calling 136 186(opens in a new window) or emailing Conservation Regulator(opens in a new window)
Licensing requirements when rehoming
It’s important to understand which wildlife species require a private wildlife licence to legally keep them as pet. You can find out more by visiting our Private wildlife licences page(opens in a new window).
If your wildlife doesn’t require a licence, you can sell or give it to any person who is able to provide adequate care to the animal.
If your wildlife does require a licence to keep, you can only sell or give it to another licensed person or business. It is your responsibility to check whether the person or business has a licence. You should ask to see their licence during the rehoming process. Any advertisement must include your wildlife licence number.
Private wildlife licences(opens in a new window)
All wildlife transactions for wildlife that require a licence, must be documented in your record book on the same business day. The record must include the receivers’ licence number.
Further guidance about your record keeping responsibilities is available on our Private licence obligations and record keeping(opens in a new window) page.
If your licence has expired or you don’t have a licence, but you do have wildlife that requires a licence in your possession, you can’t sell or give your wildlife away legally. Other licence holders can’t receive the animal from you without a valid licence.
If you are in this situation, please reach out to us directly to discuss options for rehoming. Email Conservation Regulator
You must have an import and export permit to bring any wildlife into Victoria or export any wildlife out of Victoria.
Import and export permits for wildlife(opens in a new window)
Don't abandon your wildlife
While your pet is a native Australian animal, it cannot be released into the wild.
Wildlife which are bred to be pets are bred in captivity, which means they are not experienced with natural behaviours such as hunting and foraging or adapted to survive in all Australian climates.
Releasing domesticated wildlife is likely to cause significant suffering or death to the animal, and negatively impact local flora and fauna populations.
Releasing wildlife can also introduce new diseases which can harm wild populations, including threatened species in the area.