Owner Surrender

Thinking about surrendering your dog(s)?

We understand that there are times you cannot keep your pet. Whether it be due to a change in living situation, addition of family members, financial concerns or some other reason, we are here to help you. If this is a temporary issue or if you would be able to keep the dog(s) if provided with food temporarily or free or low-cost spay/neuter surgery, please contact us before deciding to surrender the dog(s) as we may be able to help!

For information about low-cost spay/neuter you can contact our friends at Humane Ohio. If you are in need of pet food, a low-cost rabies vaccine or assistance with training your dog(s) to help you keep them, you can contact Toledo’s Pet Bull Project. The Toledo Humane Society offers a pet behavior helpline to assist you with behavior concerns as well.

Owner Surrender Services

We do accept owner surrendered dogs by appointment when we have available space.  All dogs will need to pass our behavior and medical evaluations to be placed up for adoption.  The Canine Care and Control office may be able to help you find resources to keep your dog in your home if that is an option. We have referrals to low cost spay/neuter, free pet food for short-term needs, and much more. Please send us an email if you believe you could keep your dog if you had some extra support during a difficult time and we will do our best to match you up with available resources.  The Canine Care and Control office does not accept cats nor other domestic pets or wild animals.

If you do need to surrender your dog you may do so by appointment only. To schedule an appointment please call the shelter at 419-213-2800. You will need to bring a valid photo ID and must be at least 18 years of age. If you have any medical records for your dog, please bring those with you.  When our shelter animal count exceeds 170 dogs, our shelter is full, and we are unable to accept owner surrenders for large breed dogs (Over 20 lbs.).  Even at capacity, we are able to accommodate small breed dogs under 20 lbs. and puppies under 4 months of age.  Our staff can also provide you with a list of other reputable shelters and rescues in the area that may be able to assist with re-homing your dog.

We will ask you to complete the Owner Surrender Questionnaire when you bring your dog in. You may print it out ahead of time and bring in the completed form if you prefer.

There is a surrender fee that is charged for all dogs surrendered. If your dog has a current Lucas County dog license, that fee is $15. If you are surrendering one or more puppies under the age of three months, the fee is only $5 per puppy. If your dog is over the age of three months and does not have a current Lucas County dog license, the surrender fee is $30. The fees are payable by cash, Visa or Mastercard.

Euthanasia Requests

If you are in need of euthanasia services for your dog due to a severe medical or behavioral problem, we do provide these services as well. We ask that you call ahead (419-213-2800) and make an appointment to surrender a dog for euthanasia. The fee for this service is $15 if you have a current Lucas County dog license for the dog and $30 if you do not.

If you are surrendering a dog that has bitten and broke skin on a human within the last 10 days, Rabies testing will be required for the dog.  The surrender fee for a dog with a current bite is $95.00 if the dog has a current license, or $110.00 if the dog is unlicensed.  These fees cover the cost of processing for the Rabies test through the Ohio Department of Health.  If you are unable to pay for the cost of Rabies testing, dog owners do have the option to quarantine the bite dog in their home.  The dog will need to be confined in the home for a period of 10 days from the date of the bite. A bite report will need to be filed with the Canine Care and Control office and any signs of illness or drastic changes in the dogs behavior will need to be immediately reported.  Once the quarantine hold is completed, the dog can be surrendered to the Canine Care and Control office for euthanasia.

When you arrive for your appointment we ask you to come into the building without your dog first to complete the necessary paperwork. You will need a valid photo ID. We do not allow owners to be present with their dogs for euthanasia. If this is something you strongly desire we recommend you call one of the many local veterinary clinics to assist you.