Surrender an Animal

The Wisconsin Humane Society offers resources and education to help you maintain the treasured bond that you have with your animal companions. But, we do understand that there are circumstances that prevent you from being able to keep your animal and we are willing to help.

When you bring your animal in to the Wisconsin Humane Society for surrender, he or she will receive a health and temperament evaluation. There is no time or space limit at our shelter, which means that if your animal is selected for adoption, he or she will remain with us until a new, loving home is found. Be aware, an animal that has been friendly to you may react differently under the stress of being around strangers and other animals.

In order to help your animal remain healthy, both at home and for surrender, we suggest that you complete the following activities prior to coming to the shelter:

• complete and submit a dog surrender profile or cat surrender profile online;
• make sure your animal is clean and well groomed, with nails trimmed;
• your animal should be free of parasites, such as fleas and ear mites;
• your animal should be current on vaccinations, including distemper, rabies and kennel cough for dogs;
• tests for feline leukemia and heartworm should be recent; and
• your animal should be social and easy to handle.

At the time of surrender, you should bring in all medical records for your animal as well a photo ID for yourself. The minimum fees for surrendering animals are listed below. It costs the Wisconsin Humane Society at least $150 to provide care for each animal that comes to us, so you are welcome to leave more than the minimum fee. Please make arrangements with WHS staff if you are unable to afford the fees.

There are some circumstances where animals cannot be placed for adoption. These include:

• When animals show signs of aggressive or unsociable behavior during the administration of a nationally recognized temperament test. Some animals that you know to be friendly may not react well to the stress of being handled by strangers in a shelter environment.
• When a veterinarian, after an examination, determines that the animal is physically unsuitable for adoption.

If you change your mind after surrendering your animal to the Wisconsin Humane Society, you can call us at 414-ANIMALS to discuss your options. If your animal is available, and it is in the best interest of the animal, you may reclaim him or her. The minimum fee for reclaiming an animal is $75 and it can be more if boarding and medical fees are assessed. This cost is in addition to the original surrender fee.

We recommend that you explore solutions to the problems you face with your animal prior to surrender. The Wisconsin Humane Society has many resources to help you keep your animal in your home. Just ask us for help.

Click here to see our shelter hours and location. For more information about surrendering an animal to the Wisconsin Humane Society, call 414-ANIMALS.