Surrendering Your Pet

Owners who need to surrender an animal to the Shelter are asked to call first to schedule an appointment time. This will help us ensure a smooth transition process. We know that this can be a traumatic experience, and our staff will try to be empathetic.

Since we will be taking over the care of your surrendered pet, we will ask for a minimum donation of $25.00 per adult animal, and $10.00 for each puppy or kitten (six months or under), which as you know, doesn’t go very far toward caring for a pet.

You will be asked to complete paperwork that will provide us with appropriate information, so that we can evaluate your pet and give it every chance at a new life. However, we cannot guarantee that a new home will be found for any surrendered animal.

Please understand that you completely give up ownership and all rights to this animal when you surrender it to the ECCHA shelter. Once the animal is surrendered, we will decide if we can place the animal up for adoption. At the time we receive your animal we cannot guarantee that a new home will be found for it. Animals surrendered to the ECCHA will be examined by our staff soon after they are received to determine if they are suitable for adoption. Animals might not be placed for adoption if

1. They are under the age of 8 weeks or pregnant.
Animals between the ages of 6 to 8 weeks will be considered if they are robust. At this critical stage of their development, young animals are highly susceptible to disease and stress. Animals born into the shelter environment are also highly susceptible to illnesses.
2. They are over the age of 6 years.
Animals over the age of 6 years often do not adjust well to a kennel environment. They tend to experience separation stress from their owners, depression, and difficulties in adapting to a new home.
3. They are in poor health or physical condition.
Many diseases are easily transferred to other animals. One sick animal may infect all the animals in our shelter.
4. Their temperament or behavior is such that they would not adapt to a new home.
Potential temperament and behavior problems include the following characteristics: Overly shy or withdrawn, aggressive or snappy, has a history of biting; or adult animals that are not housebroken and/or destructive (problems which would force the animal to live entirely outdoors).
5. The animal is a hybrid.
Domestic dogs or cats mixed with wild animals are often unpredictable and can attack without notice.
6. The animal is suffering stress due to being placed in a kennel environment.
7. There is not enough cage space available for the animal.

Those animals not placed for adoption will be euthanized, (humanely put to death) by painless injection of sodium pentobarbital soon after they are examined. The ECCHA will not call you before the animal is euthanized.

For animals available for adoption there is no set holding period. It may be an hour, a day, a week, or longer. Once an animal is placed for adoption its condition is continuously evaluated. An animal will be euthanized from out adoption areas if there is a change in it's physical condition, or temperament, which makes it unadoptable, or if our adoption kennels become overcrowded. If you wish to inquire as to the disposition of the animals you surrendered to the ECCHA, please do so by calling the shelter.

Thank You.

Eau Claire County Humane Association