Surrendering Your Pet
Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter helps thousands of dogs, cats and other pets each year with temporary shelter and finding loving homes. We are an open-intake shelter, which means we take in animals regardless of health, age, breed or behavior. If you have a pet you can no longer keep, we can accept your pet. There is no “surrender fee” if you are a resident of Santa Cruz County. See table below for surrender fees for out-of-county residents. Surrenders are accepted at both the Santa Cruz and Watsonville locations during regular business hours.
Since we are open intake and cannot guarantee adoption of all animals, we recommend you exhaust all other options before surrendering to a shelter. Some tips and information can be found below the fee listing.
If you would like to try re-homing your pet yourself, our friends at the Santa Cruz SPCA have a listing service here.
Out of County Surrender Fees
| Puppy or altered adult dog | $125 |
| Unaltered adult dog (over 6 months) | $200 |
| Kitten or altered adult cat | $40 |
| Unaltered adult cat (over 6 months) | $75 |
| Rabbit (s/n adult or under 6 months) | $50 |
| Unaltered adult rabbit (over 6 months) | $100 |
Surrender is a last resort that can sometimes be avoided with proper intervention. We understand that parting with an animal can be especially difficult, and we’re committed to working with you to ensure the best possible solution for you and your pet. Before you make the final decision to surrender your animal to us, consider the following possibilities:
- Is there a behavior issue? Consult a reputable trainer or behaviorist for help. There may be simple techniques that can alleviate the problem.
- Talk with your veterinarian to rule out possible medical issues that may be causing difficult behavior.
- Talk with friends or family to determine if they would assume responsibility for your pet. Placing your pet in a trusted new home can be accomplished gradually and will be easier for your pet.
Please be responsible!
- DON’T drop your pet off in the woods or countryside, assuming that it can take care of itself. Pets lack the skills to survive on their own and may die of starvation or injury.
- DON’T abandon your pet in a house or apartment you are moving out of, thinking that someone will eventually find it. New occupants may wait a month or more before moving in, and landlords may not inspect empty units for weeks or longer.
- DON’T give your pet away to a stranger without any kind of screening or conversation. Pets may end up neglected, abused, abandoned, or even sold to research laboratories.