Surrender Your Pet

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Governor’s recent stay at home order, the New Hampshire SPCA is closed to the public until further notice. For this reason, we have had to suspend all programs, including surrenders in our typical fashion. We are however, offering a virtual surrender option for select animals.

A virtual surrender option will allow some animals to be admitted into our care during this time for re-homing. Virtual surrenders are surrenders that can be completed via email and phone. Please note that we are currently functioning on limited staffing and are receiving multiple inquiries daily. Our response time may be lagged due to this. Below is information on our Virtual Surrender Program.

Personality profiles and transfer of ownership form can be done via email.

  • A scheduled appointment will be needed for drop off.
  • This is a no-contact surrender which means the scheduled appointment for drop off will be you leaving the animal in our vestibule area for the staff to receive after you have left.
  • If you would like to help us out with a surrender donation, this can be done over the phone with a credit card.
  • Some animals may not be candidates for surrender through this program.

If you are interested in proceeding with this surrender model, please email us at [email protected] with the following information:

  • The town you currently reside in
  • The reason you need to surrender your pet
  • Brief description of your pet (breed, age, temperament)
  • Are there any medical issues we should be aware of?
  • Does this animal have a bite history or any incidents of aggression?
  • Feel free to provide a picture or video clip if you have one

 

At the NHSPCA, we understand that pet owners sometimes find themselves in the unfortunate situation of having to find a new home for their pet. If you are considering rehoming or surrendering your pet, we are here to help. Please contact us at (603) 772-2921 x 110.

If your animal was adopted from the NHSPCA, and you are no longer willing or able to care for the animal in the manner agreed to in our adoption contract, please contact us at (603) 772-2921 x 110 to return animal to the NHSPCA.

Making An Appointment

If you have exhausted all your options or don’t feel comfortable trying to place your pet yourself and need to surrender your pet to the Adoption Center, we first need you to call and make an appointment. At any given time, we can have over 200 pets in our care and making an appointment allows us to prepare for your pet’s arrival which will ensure they have the best experience and shortest stay possible. We do our best to accommodate surrenders in a timely manner. Please call us at (603) 772-2921 x 110 to speak to an adoption counselor about surrendering your pet.

Preparing Your Pet For Surrender

To prepare your pet for surrender, it is best to bring all their vaccinations current. This will help ensure they remain healthy during their stay here and allow us to place them for adoption in the shortest possible time so that they can move on to their new home as quickly as possible.

Please bring their veterinary records with you. This way they will have a history of vet care that can stay with them and potential new adopters feel more comfortable adopting a pet with a history of health care.

You will also be asked to provide a picture ID.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Surrendering Your Pet

  • Does it cost money to surrender my pet?

    While we do not charge a “fee” to you to surrender your pet, each animal that comes to us costs us an average of $250-$300 to care for and prepare for placement. Caring for your pet and promoting that pet for adoption is a valuable service so we do ask for a donation of whatever amount you feel you can afford to help us continue to do this work. We are a private, not for profit organization. The NHSPCA is not a national or government program, we receive no assistance from the state of NH or any national humane organization; we rely solely on support from fellow animal lovers and our community.

  • Can you guarantee that the pet will be placed in a new home?

    While we cannot guarantee that every pet will be placed in a home, it is certainly our goal to find every pet that comes to us the best possible placement. The outcome for a surrendered pet could be adoption, transfer, reclaim, death due to illness, or euthanasia. Previous owners are welcome to call and check on that pet’s progress after surrendering. If the pet is not doing well in this environment, sometimes the best option is for the owner to reclaim the pet. If a pet is too sick or does not respond to treatment, in these cases, despite our best efforts, euthanasia is often the kindest choice. In other cases, a pet may demonstrate such a significant behavior challenge that they are best placed with a breed specific group to work more intensively with them. Our placement rate is currently at 95%.

  • How long will the NHSPCA keep my pet?

    There is no set time that any pet may be with us and no limit to their stay. While it is difficult to predict how long a pet may have to wait to find a new home, you can significantly decrease their length of stay if you bring them current on their vaccinations and make sure they are spayed or neutered. Those pets with current shots are much less likely to become ill while waiting for a home which will help ensure they are adopted quickly. Those who must wait for vaccination and /or surgery can be here weeks longer than those who came in up to date and have already come and gone.

  • Can I reclaim my pet if it is not placed?

    Once the pet is surrendered, it is owned by the NHSPCA. If a pet is facing a negative outcome we will often call the previous owner to ask them to reclaim the pet to avoid a worst-case scenario for them. Sometimes, the owner’s situation that caused them to give up the pet changes and they can reclaim their pet. The NHSPCA reserves the right to make such decisions on a case by case basis and will not return any pet to an environment that is not suitable for that pet.

  • What if I have found a stray pet?

    Please make sure the animal you have found is truly a lost pet. Make every effort to find the animal’s owner before you surrender it to a shelter. A stray dog or cat may have ID tags with an owner’s name and number to call. Contact your local police station to report the found pet; its owner may have already called them to report it missing. Most towns employ an Animal Control officer or ACO, find out if yours does and call them. Often these are part-time employees so be sure to leave a message with a detailed description of the pet and location it was found.