Can I Drop My Dog Off At An Animal Shelter?

Depending on the rules of your local shelter, you can sometimes drop your dog off at an animal shelter, but they may need advanced notice or to follow specific shelter procedures to do so. Some do allow walk-in surrenders, but some do not. Instead, they require pet owners to work with an intake specialist. Once that process is complete, the owner can bring the pet to the shelter, pay the fee, and sign over the dog.

What happens when a dog is surrendered?  

Organizations such as the SPCAs, Humane Societies, and other limited intake organizations only have so much room. That’s why, in many cases, you’ll have to wait weeks or even months before they can take your dog. Once they do, what happens to the pet is completely up to them.

An alternative to surrendering your dog to a shelter is to rehome the dog yourself.

Rehoming your dog yourself

This may take a bit of time and a little work, but it is well worth it knowing that the outcome will be a safe, happy home for your pet. Of course, the best option is to find a way to keep the dog in your home. Sometimes, that’s not possible and it’s not the owner’s fault — and it’s certainly not the dog’s fault.

Fortunately, resources exist that can help you find the right home for your pet so you can avoid surrendering them to a shelter. One example of such a resource is a site called Rehome. Simply create a profile for your pet (you can even add a video to get him noticed!) and wait for applicants. The site provides tips about what to look for in an application, how to screen potential adopters, and more.

If you’re asking, "Can I drop my dog off at an animal shelter," consider the rehoming option instead. As the responsible pet owner you are, you’ll be glad to be in control of where your beloved pet goes and rest easy knowing he’s in a loving home.