So that we can help as many people in our community as possible, and find great homes for as many animals as we can, we've established the following procedures if you need to surrender your cat or dog. Note: Homeward Pet is not allowed by law to take in strays.

To surrender a Cat to Homeward Pet Adoption Center:

1. Email information about the cat – age, sex, what it looks like, general health, description of the cat's personality and behaviors, reason for surrender, photos, etc. – to cats@homewardpet.org.
2. We will review your email and, if it seems like a cat that we would be able to re-home AND we have space available, we'll contact you to set up an appointment to bring the cat in for a check-up by our staff veterinarian (please bring any previous vet records).
3. If the cat passes the vet exam (no major health issues and not harboring anything potentially contagious), you will be asked to complete and sign our Owner Surrender Form, transferring ownership of the cat to Homeward Pet.
4. Although we don't require a donation, we are hopeful that owners will be able to make a donation to help defray some of the costs that we will incur in caring for and working to find a new home for the cat.

To surrender a Dog to Homeward Pet Adoption Center:

1. Email information about the dog – breed, age, sex, general health, description of the dog’s personality and behaviors, reason for surrender, photos, etc. – to dogs@homewardpet.org.
2. The Dog Program Manager will review your information and contact you to discuss options for your dog. We evaluate each dog on an individual basis, taking breed, temperament, medical and behavioral history, and other factors into consideration.
3. If your dog appears to be a good candidate for Homeward Pet, we will schedule an appointment for you to bring the dog in for a behavior assessment and check-up by our staff veterinarian (please bring any previous vet records). Every dog must pass the behavior assessment and vet exam (no major health issues) in order to be accepted.
4. Following successful completion of the behavior assessment and vet exam, we will take the dog in if kennel space is available. If we are at capacity, the dog will be placed on our waiting list and you will be contacted when we have space available.
5. Although we don't require a donation, we are hopeful that owners will be able to make a donation to help defray some of the costs that we will incur in caring for and working to find a new home for the dog.

We strongly encourage owners to consider every available option before surrendering their pet, as there are already so many animals in the shelter system facing euthanasia who do not have the benefit of owners looking out for their best interests. We suggest that owners explore every avenue to try to re-home the animal on their own - contacting family and friends for possible assistance. Another good option is petfinder.com, where you can place a free classified ad and search for other rescue groups.

Due to the capacity of our shelter and the volume of requests we receive, we are unable to accommodate requests for immediate surrender. If you are in need of immediate assistance, please try contacting the following shelters:

PAWS in Lynnwood – 425-787-2500; paws.org.
Seattle Humane in Bellevue – 425-641-0080; seattlehumane.org.
Everett Animal Shelter in Everett – 425-257-6000; everettwa.org.

Our goal is to make good matches between companion animals and people, placing each individual animal in a suitable, loving home.