How to Surrender Your Pet

Toledo Area Humane Society understands that there may be times when it is necessary to give up a pet. TAHS operates as an "Open Door" shelter offering a safe place for any animal at risk of being neglected, abused, or abandoned.

Relinquishing a pet is not only difficult for humans, but stressful for the pet, who do not understand why they are being taken from the family that they have loved. For an animal, this can lead to depression, a feeling of abandonment and increased behavioral issues. Consider all of your options before removing your pet from its home. For almost every problem, the Toledo Area Humane Society offers a solution.

Common reasons animals are surrendered and solutions

• Moving: Some apartments and mobile home parks do not allow dogs and cats.  Use the Toledo Area Humane Society’s database of apartments and mobile home parks that allow pets before signing a new rental agreement. 
• Behavioral: Almost every behavioral or aggression issue can be corrected.  TAHS employs a full time certified behaviorist and dog trainer to help readjust negative behaviors. TAHS offers training classes and a behavior helpline to help people correct undesirable behavior before they need to surrender an animal. 
• Economic: TAHS offers a one-time assistance program to provide pet food when you need financial help. We also work with Mobile Meals to provide pet food to low-income households. Humane Ohio’s pet food bank provides pet food to pet parents in need and to people caring for free-roaming cats.
• Domestic violence: The "Safe Place" program provides temporary shelter for the animals of people who have been displaced by domestic violence.  Arrangements are made through the YWCA Crisis Hotline - 888-341-7386.  Safe Place arranges temporary foster care for animals of people who require a lengthy hospitalization stay. Contact your hospital’s Social Services Department.

Is surrendering your last option?

What kind of pets?
TAHS accepts dogs, cats and other small domestic pets for relinquishment. We are not equipped to shelter livestock, wild animals or exotic pets. Call 419-891-0705 for surrendering these animals.

Intake schedule
Our intake area is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday - Sunday. Please schedule an appointment to surrender your pet. TAHS will accept "at risk" walk-ins, but appointments help regulate the number of animals in our facility and will decrease the risk of euthanizing animals for space issues. Call 419-891-0705 for an appointment.

Owners/strays
TAHS only accepts animals brought in by their owners. Non-owners surrendering on another’s behalf need required documentation when scheduling an appointment. TAHS cannot take stray dogs. Contact the Lucas County Dog Warden at 419-213-2800 for stray dogs.

Information needed
Bring your pet’s recent vaccination and medical records to assist our staff in evaluating your pet’s medical needs. You will be asked to provide detailed information about the pet’s daily habits and behaviors. Select a profile questionnaire:

• Dog Owner Questionnaire
• Cat Owner Questionnaire   
• Pocket Pet Questionnaire 

Fill out the questionnaire before arriving to help expedite the surrender process. Honest, accurate detail including information about negative behaviors and medical issues enable TAHS to place your pet in a suitable environment.

Surrender fee
TAHS asks for a $25 surrender fee when you bring an animal to the shelter. Caring for the “donated’ animal costs the shelter more money than earned adoption and relinquishment fees. A dog may spend 1-2 weeks at the shelter and a cat – 3-6 months. The Toledo Area Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. TAHS does not receive government funding or funds from ASPCA. The TAHS shelter operates on private donations, adoption and relinquishment fees, grants and fund raising events.

Evaluation
TAHS evaluates each animal on health and behavior before placing for adoption. An animal shelter is foreign and stressful to many animals. They are surrounded by strange people, scents, sounds and animals.  Some animals adapt quickly, others have a harder time handling shelter life and may display new behaviors. TAHS uses the SAFER (Safety Assessment for Evaluating Rehoming) canine aggression assessment program. We cannot guarantee the placement of any animal, but TAHS is proud to adopt more than 4,000 pets into new homes every year.

When you arrive
Please enter through the green door at the back of the building labeled "Animal Intake Entrance." You will need to make sure your pet is confined before you enter the building. Dogs should be on a leash and cats should be in a carrier. If you need a leash or carrier, ask to borrow one from the intake receptionist before bringing your animal into the building.