We understand there are circumstances that may prevent you from being able to keep your pet, and the Wisconsin Humane Society is here to help!
If you are struggling to keep your pet:
- Check out our Pet Resources page to see if we offer a program or service that could help you keep your pet.
- Contact our Community Resource Navigator to talk through possible resources and alternatives to surrendering your pet at 414-431-6115 or petresources@wihumane.org.
- Explore online re-homing to find your animal a new home without having to bring them into the shelter.
- If you have not had success with the options above, the Wisconsin Humane Society is here to help. See below for information on our surrender process.
Surrender Process
Surrendered animals are accepted on a walk-in basis at all WHS campuses during open surrender/arrivals hours. No appointment necessary.
When you bring your pet to WHS for surrender, he or she will receive a health and behavior assessment. There are no time or space limits at our shelters, which means that if we are able to place your pet in our adoption program, he or she will remain with us until they find a good match.
- Please bring a government-issued photo ID (such as a drivers license)
- If you have them, please bring your pet’s medical records and list of any medications/supplements they may be on
- For everyone’s safety, all dogs must be leashed, and all cats must be in carriers. If you do not have a leash or a carrier, please leave your pet in your vehicle and request one from the shelter.
- Please complete and print the appropriate form below (form can also be filled out at WHS if a printer is unavailable to you):
- Dog Intake Profile
- Cat Intake Profile
- Bird Intake Profile
- Reptile/Amphibian/Invertebrate Intake Profile
- Small Animal Intake Profile (rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, ferret, etc.)
These fees go toward the care of animals while we help them find new homes.
Fees can be reduced or waived if they are a barrier; we will never turn an animal away due to financial constraints.
| Animal | Single Animal (Fee Per Animal) | Multiple Animals (Fee Applied to Group) |
|---|---|---|
| Dogs | $40.00 | $75.00 |
| Cats | $40.00 | $75.00 |
| Rabbits | $30.00 | $55.00 |
| Small animals | $20.00 | $35.00 |
| Exotics | $75.00 | No group discount |
There are some circumstances where animals cannot be placed up for adoption at WHS.
All safe, healthy animals are placed into our adoption program and have as long as it takes to find a new home. Whether or not we can place other animals into our adoption program is determined based on several factors. These include the severity of the medical or behavioral condition, quality of life, risk to other animals in our care, public safety, and the ability to manage significant medical or behavioral issues. Click here to learn more about our outcome decision-making philosophy. Upon surrendering, you can choose whether or not to be notified if we cannot place your animal in our adoption program.