Jim Gillies CAB | CDBC( Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant )

Jim Gillies CAB, CDBC is a Clinical Animal Behaviourist based in Glasgow with over a decade of experience across a wide range of canine behaviour issues. He is an APBC Full Member, ABTC Registered, and IAABC Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant — and works across clinical consultations, veterinary collaboration, and expert witness instruction. His practice is welfare-led and evidence-based throughout. Jim runs CBT Dog Behaviour & Training and shares behaviour insights through his blog and podcast.

Getting to the point of rehoming a dog is extremely stressful, made even harder when they have complicated or aggressive behaviour. It can feel like there are no alternatives and choices are limited. This is completely understandable — feelings of hopelessness when caring for an animal we love is a heavy burden to carry. There are no easy choices in cases involving a history of aggression. Hopefully, there are some useful tips and pointers in this article although if you are struggling then reach out to a professional such as your vet or qualified behaviourist.

Last updated: April 2026

Before You Consider Surrender

Rehoming a dog is a difficult decision for everyone but it’s made even more difficult if your dog has complicated behaviour issues. Aggression is the primary reason most mainstream rescues and adoption agencies will refuse a dog. This can make a difficult process feel almost impossible to navigate. Before you make the final decision, there are a few measures you can take.

1. Contact a qualified behaviourist

Getting in touch with a qualified behaviourist can help with safeguarding and improve welfare as you will receive the most appropriate advice and support. The APBC and ABTC both hold directories of accredited practitioners if you need help finding someone.

2. Contact your vet

Contact your local practice and explain the situation. They can help support you through any difficult decisions that may have to be made.

3. Consider whether management is viable

Before deciding that rehoming is the only option, it is worth asking whether the behaviour can be managed safely while a proper assessment takes place. This might include muzzle training, avoiding known trigger situations, or making some changes to the environment at home. None of these are long-term solutions, but they can buy some time and keep everyone safer while you get the right support in place.

Understanding Why Dogs Become Aggressive

Being aggressive is not a personality trait. It is a functional response — something a dog does because, in that moment, it serves a purpose. Dogs may use aggression to create distance when they feel threatened, to protect themselves, to hold onto something they value, or in response to pain, frustration, or conflict. Understanding that function is where any meaningful assessment has to start.

Living with a dog that shows aggressive behaviour can be deeply distressing and can place real strain on the whole household. Family members may feel worried, unsafe, or unsure how to respond — particularly where there are concerns about biting. Even so, it is worth resisting the urge to reduce the problem to the label of an “aggressive dog.” That label describes what happened. It does not explain why, under what circumstances it is more likely to happen again, or what would need to change.

It is also worth saying clearly: any dog is capable of using aggression under the right circumstances. Self-protective behaviour is a normal part of how dogs respond to the world, and it may occur where a dog feels threatened, overwhelmed, cornered, or is in pain or discomfort. Aggression is not always irrational. The more important questions are what is driving it, how predictable it is, and what that means for the dog’s welfare, the safety of those around them, and what — if anything — can realistically be done.

When a Bite History Is Involved

Rehoming decisions become significantly more complex when a dog has a known bite history. Aggression can present in different ways and previous bite does not automatically rule out future placement, but it does require careful consideration of risk, prognosis, and the practicality of long-term management. The relevant questions are not simply whether a bite has occurred, but how severe it was, in what context it happened, how predictable the behaviour is, and what level of restriction or supervision would be needed in any new home.

Potential adopters may reasonably have concerns about safety and liability, particularly where there is a risk of recurrence. Rescue organisations may therefore decide that rehoming is not appropriate in some cases, especially where the dog would require an unusually controlled environment, highly skilled handling, or management that is unlikely to be sustained reliably over time. The difficulty lies not only in public perception, but in finding an outcome that is safe, realistic, and fair to both the dog and the people involved.

Exploring Your Options

If rehoming is being considered, it is important to explore the available options carefully rather than making decisions under pressure. The key issue is not simply whether another home can be found, but whether that placement is likely to be safe, appropriate, and sustainable. Being open about the dog’s behaviour is an essential part of that process. Rescue organisations, breeders, and prospective adopters need a clear picture of the dog’s history, triggers, management needs, and any known safety concerns.

In the UK, options may include contacting reputable rescue organisations, approaching the breeder, or speaking to the shelter or rescue the dog originally came from. Some organisations will have waiting lists, geographical limits, or strict criteria for the dogs they can accept, but early contact is still worthwhile. Where practical barriers such as distance arise, it may help to ask whether transport or transfer arrangements are available.

Breed-Specific Considerations

Some dogs bring additional legal or practical considerations to the rehoming process. In the UK, certain dogs may fall within the scope of breed-specific legislation, which can affect whether and how rehoming can lawfully take place. If a dog is of a restricted type, or has physical characteristics that may place them within that framework, it is important to be transparent about this when approaching rescue organisations and to seek appropriate legal or professional guidance before proceeding.

Breed-specific rescues exist for many types of dogs, including those that more general shelters may be less able to place. These organisations may have greater familiarity with the breed’s typical characteristics, needs, and common challenges, and may therefore be better placed to assess whether rehoming is realistic, safe, and sustainable.

UK Shelters and Rescue Centres for Aggressive Dogs

Dogs Trust

Dogs Trust provides behaviour information and support that may be useful to some owners managing aggressive behaviour in dogs. Their resources cover topics such as resource guarding, fear-related responses, handling issues, and aggression in veterinary settings. They also offer support through Dogs Trust Dog School, which focuses on training and behaviour guidance for dogs experiencing fear, anxiety, and related difficulties.

RSPCA/SSPCA

The RSPCA, or SSPCA in Scotland, may be relevant organisations to contact where rehoming is being considered for a dog with aggressive behaviour. They provide rescue and rehoming services and can advise on their own processes for intake, assessment, and suitability on a case-by-case basis.

As large organisations with centres across the UK, they may be able to help in some situations, although capacity and criteria will vary. It is usually best to contact the relevant local branch or centre directly to discuss the dog’s history and the options available.

Breed-Specific Rescues

For some dogs, breed-specific rescues are worth considering. These organisations often have more experience with the breed’s typical characteristics and temperament, and may be better placed to make an honest assessment of whether rehabilitation or rehoming is realistic and safe — particularly where the behaviour is complex or has a long history.

The Role of Veterinary Input

Veterinary input is a central part of any proper assessment where aggressive behaviour is present. From a behaviour perspective, a veterinary assessment is not simply a procedural step to complete; it is an essential part of understanding the case. Pain, discomfort, endocrine change, neurological disease, sensory decline, gastrointestinal disease, and other medical factors can all influence behaviour and may lower threshold, increase irritability, or alter a dog’s capacity to cope.

Where aggressive behaviour is emerging, escalating, or appears difficult to explain from context alone, veterinary involvement is particularly important. In some cases, the most concerning presentations have a significant medical or pain-related component that has not yet been fully explored. Treatment recommendations may include further investigation, pain management, pharmacological support where appropriate, and collaboration with a qualified behaviour professional to guide behaviour modification and day-to-day safety management.

Veterinary behaviour medicine sits at the point where medical and behavioural assessment overlap. In more complex cases, referral to a veterinary behaviourist may be appropriate, particularly where underlying pathology is suspected, where progress is limited, or where medication may need to form part of the treatment plan. If your usual vet is not confident managing behaviour cases in depth, it is reasonable to ask whether referral or further behavioural input would be appropriate.

When speaking to your vet, useful areas to discuss include:

• possible underlying medical or pain-related contributors
• whether further investigation is indicated
• treatment options, including analgesia or behavioural medication where appropriate
• how behaviour modification and safety management should be supported alongside veterinary care

Legal Responsibilities and Full Disclosure

Rehoming a dog with a history of aggressive behaviour brings clear ethical and legal responsibilities. Anyone considering surrender or onward placement should give a full and honest account of the dog’s behaviour history, including known triggers, management needs, previous incidents, and any relevant safety concerns. Transparency matters, both to protect other people and animals and to allow informed decisions about whether any future placement is realistic and responsible.

In the UK, owners and people in charge of dogs can face serious consequences if a dog is dangerously out of control. Government guidance states that this can include fines, imprisonment, disqualification from keeping dogs, and destruction of the dog, depending on the circumstances and severity of the incident. The safest and most responsible approach is therefore full disclosure of any known aggression history, bite incidents, and relevant veterinary or behaviour information when approaching a rescue, organisation, or prospective new home.

Preparing Your Dog for Rehoming

Before rehoming is pursued, some practical preparation is usually needed. Vaccination status should be up to date, as many rescue organisations will expect this before accepting a dog into their care. Where there is a known bite risk or concern about aggressive behaviour in public or clinical settings, appropriate safety measures should already be in place. This may include the use of a well-fitted muzzle, particularly for transport, veterinary visits, or other higher-risk situations.

The Emotional Weight of This Decision

Making a decision about whether to give up a dog because of aggressive behaviour can be emotionally overwhelming. For many people, it is a painful and upsetting position to be in, particularly when they have already spent a long time trying to manage the situation and keep everyone safe. The emotional strain of living with serious behaviour concerns, and then having to make decisions about the future, can be considerable.

It is important to approach that process with compassion toward yourself as well as realism about the situation. In some cases, difficult decisions are made not because someone has given up too easily, but because they have reached the limits of what is safe, sustainable, or fair for all involved.

When to Consider Behavioural Euthanasia

Behavioural euthanasia is one of the most difficult decisions an owner can face. It is something that may need to be considered where a dog presents a serious and ongoing risk to people or other animals, where safe management is no longer realistic, and where quality of life — for the dog — is genuinely poor.

It is not a decision to be taken lightly. Before reaching that point there should be a proper behaviour assessment, appropriate veterinary input, and honest consideration of whether treatment, management, or rehoming are safe and realistic options for that individual dog.

From a clinical perspective, behavioural euthanasia is more likely to be the appropriate outcome where a full assessment has been carried out, relevant medical factors have been properly explored, rehoming is not safe or appropriate, and the dog’s welfare is significantly compromised on an ongoing basis. Where those steps have not yet taken place, further assessment and support may still change what is possible.

This is a subject that does not get discussed enough openly, and owners who find themselves facing this decision often feel isolated and judged. If you are in that position, please speak to your vet and a qualified behaviourist before making a final decision.

Key Points

Before surrender is considered, a proper behaviour assessment should have been carried out and any relevant veterinary factors explored. Where rehoming is the right decision, full disclosure of the dog’s behaviour history, known risks, and management needs is essential. For many owners in the UK, Dogs Trust, the RSPCA, and, in Scotland, the Scottish SPCA may be the most realistic first points of contact. Not every dog with aggressive behaviour can be rehomed safely or responsibly, so decisions of this kind should be made with care, realism, and appropriate professional input.

Further Reading

• Bradshaw, J. (2011). In Defence of Dogs. Allen Lane. A clear overview of canine behaviour and why dogs behave the way they do.
• Reisner, I.R. (2003). Differential diagnosis and management of human-directed aggression in dogs. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 33(2), 303–320.
• UK Government: Controlling your dog in public. Sets out the main legal framework on dogs dangerously out of control. In Scotland, this sits alongside additional Scottish legislation, including Dog Control Notices under the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010.
• Dogs Trust: Behaviour Advice and Support. Free guidance for owners dealing with aggression and other behaviour concerns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I take an aggressive dog in the UK?

If rehoming is being explored, start with the rescue, breeder, or organisation the dog came from, if that applies. Beyond that, established welfare organisations such as Dogs Trust, the RSPCA, and, in Scotland, the SSPCA may be realistic options. Breed-specific rescues may also be appropriate for some dogs.

However, not all rescues are able to accept dogs with a significant aggression history, especially where there is a recent bite history or substantial ongoing risk. In such cases, rehoming should not be treated as a simple handover. A proper behaviour assessment and appropriate veterinary involvement should come first, so that decisions are based on risk, welfare, and the realistic scope for safe placement.

How can I manage my dog’s aggressive behaviour?

Begin with proper assessment. Aggressive behaviour does not happen in isolation, and effective management depends on understanding what is driving it. Until that is clearer, the priority should be safety and prevention of further incidents. This may include avoiding known triggers, reducing exposure to difficult situations, and using practical management measures such as barriers, leads, or a well-fitted muzzle where appropriate.

Will a rescue take a dog with a bite history?

Sometimes, but not always. The answer will depend on the nature of the bite history, the circumstances in which it occurred, the level of ongoing risk, and the individual rescue’s capacity and criteria. Full disclosure is essential from the outset, and owners should be prepared for the possibility that rehoming may not be considered appropriate in every case. Where risk is more significant, proper assessment should come before any attempt to secure placement.

When should behavioural euthanasia be considered?

Behavioural euthanasia should only be considered following proper assessment. It may become relevant where risk is severe, safe management is no longer realistic, rehoming is not a safe or appropriate option, and the dog’s quality of life is significantly compromised. This is a serious decision and should be made with appropriate professional support.

Can aggression in dogs be caused by pain or illness?

Yes. Pain, underlying medical conditions, and neurological change can all influence behaviour and may contribute to aggressive responses. Veterinary input is therefore an essential part of proper assessment and should form part of the decision-making process.