Surrender Process

What to do if you need to surrender your pet.

You have a number of choices, and just one of them is surrendering your pet to Wayside Waifs. If you have exhausted alternatives to pet surrender, here is how our pet surrender process works. Wayside Waifs will accept the surrender of animals by appointment only.

Please note: Only the owner of record for an animal can surrender the pet unless a power of attorney is provided. 

The pet surrender process starts by filling out the online appointment application. This form is for owned animals only. Please note that it could be up to 10 days before you are contacted about a surrender appointment. Click on the following link by species: 

• Dogs: Click on this link for the online appointment application
• Cats: Click on this link for the online appointment application
• Small Mammals: Click on this link for the online appointment application

Pet Surrender Fees

• $75 - litters of puppies and kittens under the age of 5 months
• $55 - unaltered (not spayed or neutered) animals
• $45 - altered (spayed or neutered) animals
• $30 - small mammals (spayed or neutered)

Why A Surrender Fee?

• The average cost to care for each animal in our shelter during their stay at Wayside Waifs is $500. This includes: age appropriate vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, flea/tick control, food, shelter, and medical care. Some pets require more extensive care.
• Wayside Waifs is a private, not-for-profit charity organization that meets a specialized need in our community.
• Wayside Waifs relies on donations and fees to care for more than 6,000 animals each year. Wayside does not receive any government funding or tax revenue.
• Adoption fees do not offset the cost for care and comprise only a small revenue each year.
• There are no length of stay time limits for animals in our shelter.

What You Should Expect

• If we have space available in our shelter, we will schedule a behavior and/or medical assessment appointment for your pet. This could take between 1 week to 1 month depending on the type of animal and the time of year.
• A behavior evaluation is required for all pets and medical evaluation is required for older pets or pets with any other known medical issues. (Pets that do not pass behavior and/or medical will not be accepted)
• You will be required to pay a $20.00 non-refundable deposit per animal at the time your appointment is made by our admissions team. The deposit will be applied to your behavior/medical assessment fee, which is due at the time of the appointment. The deposit needs to be paid by a credit card over the phone or the payment can be made in person at Wayside Waifs Admissions Department to secure your appointment time.

What to bring with you at the time of your pet's assessment appointment

• The completed owner relinquishment form and the owner surrender paperwork (that was either emailed to you or sent in the USPS mail at the time the appointment was made and the deposit was taken.)
• All veterinary records
• Your pet's medications
• Pet's current food and treats
• The remainder of the pet assessment fee

How the pet surrender process works at the time of the appointment

• A member of our admissions team will collect the owner relinquishment form, the owner surrender paperwork and all veterinary records.
• Remainder of the assessment fee is also due at the time of the assessment appointment. 
• If the pet is not current on vaccinations, a member of our admissions team will give the age/species appropriate vaccinations, de-worming, flea prevention and heart worm prevention. 
• A behavior or admissions team member will discuss the information provided on the relevant behaviors provided from the owner surrender paperwork. This will happen before the pet is behaviorally assessed.  
• If your pet does not pass the behavioral assessment and/or the medical assessment, we will not be able to accept your pet into the adoption program. A member of the admissions team will provide you with other resources for your pet.