PET SURRENDER PROCESS
To match your surrendered pet with the most suitable adopter, we need to know as
much as possible about your pet. Potential adopters ask a lot of questions about
the personalities and behaviors of the animals they may adopt, to insure that
they choose an animal that will thrive in their home. Only you can make
it possible for us to answer their questions. For this reason, we ask for a
great deal of information about the history of your pet. Providing this level of
detail is the greatest gift you can give your pet, because it increases the
likelihood that he/she will end up in a permanent, loving home.
Please be aware that if you choose to surrender your pet to WCHS, legal
ownership is transferred to the shelter, and all decisions about the animal will
be made by shelter staff, including whether euthanizing the animal is necessary.
(See WCHS Euthanasia Policy.) Please note, additionally, that, feral cats and dogs
with a bite history will not be accepted by the shelter.
WCHS has established
a pet
surrender process to facilitate and streamline your transferring custody of your
pet to us. If you need to surrender your pet, please follow these steps:
Step 1:
Call the Shelter and Speak with the Appropriate WCHS Animal Specialist
Before bringing in your pet, you will need to discuss your situation with Keri
Roberts, our feline specialist, if you want to surrender a cat; or Anna Mefferd,
our canine specialist, if you want to surrender a dog. If the specialist agrees
to accept your pet, she will schedule an intake appointment for you to surrender
your pet to us. The shelter cannot accept animals that pose a danger to
others, including feral cats and dogs with a bite history.
Step 2: Complete and Submit an Animal Intake Profile
Once the
specialist has agreed to accept your pet, please complete our online
Animal Intake Profile. This provides us with the basic information we
need to know about your pet. Please submit the
Animal Intake Profile at least a couple of days before your intake
appointment. DO NOT SUBMIT THIS INFORMATION UNTIL YOU HAVE MADE AN APPOINTMENT
WITH THE APPROPRIATE ANIMAL SPECIALIST!
Step 3: Gather your Pet's Vaccination Records
Your pet cannot be made available for
adoption until it is up-to-date with all required vaccinations. You can help us
make your pet available sooner by providing us with your pet's most recent
vaccination records. This also helps us to avoid over-vaccinating, as we will
have to vaccinate your pet in the absence of records. If you do not have
this information, please request it from your vet, and bring your pet's
vaccination
records with you to your intake appointment. Additionally, if your pet has any
medical condition that requires monitoring or treatment, please gather any
relevant medical records and bring them with you to your intake appointment.
Step 4: Complete the
Appropriate Animal Surrender History Questionnaire
The
Animal Surrender History Questionnaires focus on the behavior and personality of your pet. This information is invaluable to us in matching your pet with the best possible
adopter. Please print the Canine Surrender History Questionnaire or the
Feline Surrender History Questionnaire (as applicable) and complete the form as comprehensively and accurately as possible. Remember, this is how you can help
us to get your pet into a new permanent, loving home. Bring your completed questionnaire with you to your intake appointment.
Step 5: The Intake Appointment
Please bring to your appointment your
completed Canine Surrender History Questionnaire (dogs) or Feline Surrender History
Questionnaire (cat), vaccination records, medical records (if your pet has a medical condition), your pet's favorite toys, any unused food, and of course, your pet.
When you arrive at the shelter, please leave your animal in your vehicle until we have completed the final step
of the intake process. If you have completed all the previous steps, the intake appointment will be brief. You will simply need to sign the Owner Surrender
Agreement and pay the surrender fee, which is as follows:
We will then help you bring your pet into the shelter through the animal entrance. Please do not bring your pet in through the shelter's front entrance.
We appreciate very much your attention to the details of this
Pet Surrender Process. This is how you help
us to find the best possible home for your pet. And rest assured, we will provide loving care to your pet until he/she finds a new, permanent home.
