Surrendering Your Companion Animal to the Ottawa Humane Society
Giving up an animal is never easy — for the owner or for the pet. If you need to surrender your pet to the Ottawa Humane Society, this is what you should know:
- We take animals in by appointment only, as we have limited space and resources. Please call us or email us to speak with our trained staff about surrendering your pet, and to make an appointment.
- We make the appointments for weekdays, between 12pm - 6pm. Please note that due to seasonal trends, there may be a two to three week wait for an appointment.
- There is an admission fee, based on your animal's age and whether it is neutered. You will be informed of the admission fee when you contact us to make an appointment. This fee goes toward caring for your pet while she is with us.
- You should make sure that your pet's vaccinations are up-to-date before surrendering her, since we do house so many stray and lost animals. There is always a risk of illness in a shelter environment.
- All animals brought to the OHS must be properly restrained (that is, on a leash or in a carrier).
| We ask you to provide the following: |
| • Your pet's medical records (or the name of your pet's veterinarian clinic) |
| • A piece of photo identification for yourself |
| • Proof that you are the owner of the pet: such as a photograph; a City of Ottawa registration tag; bill of sale; or a receipt from your veterinary clinic |
| • One favourite toy, a blanket, and one cup of your pet's food |
When an animal is surrendered to the OHS, we keep it in a separate area to evaluate its health and temperament. As long as your pet passes the evaluation, she will be made available for general adoption. However, some pets have medical or behaviour issues that make them very difficult to rehome. We also cannot adopt out any animal that we believe to be a public safety risk.
We keep all healthy, adoptable animals as long as it takes to find them a new home.
The decision to surrender your pet is a permanent one. Once you have surrendered your animal, she becomes the property of the OHS. We realize that surrendering your pet is an emotional decision which you have made for a good reason. It would not be responsible of us to return an animal to someone who has told us that they are unable or unwilling, for whatever reason, to provide care for their animal.
Pet History Questionnaires: Dogs/Puppies: Cats/Kittens: Other Animals (Small animals, reptiles, birds, etc.) |
If you have any further questions, or would like to make an appointment, please contact us. We will do our best to find your former companion the happy, healthy home he deserves.
