Giving Up a Pet

All animals are welcome at our shelter regardless of age, health or behavior. No-one has to make an appointment or pay a fee to surrender an animal, although donations are always welcome. We only euthanize cats or dogs if there is a serious health or behavior problem, and there is no time limit for any animal. We don't euthanize because of lack of space and spend thousands of dollars every year treating medical problems and working with certain behavior issues to make animals adoptable. We will not place an animal for adoption, however, that is a danger to the community.

We know that sometimes it's just not possible to keep a pet. But before making the decision to surrender a pet, please consider all of your options. Contact our behavior consultants at helpline@awla.org. Our counselors may be able to help you solve the problem. Or go to our Pet Care and Training page for a information on a wide range of pet issues. Many problems can be improved by having your pet spayed or neutered. We can help! Go to our Spay and Neutering page to learn about the many resources available. Reach out to friends and relatives who might be able to give the pet a loving home.

If you must surrender a pet, please follow the advice below. The Animal Welfare League of Arlington works hard to place all adoptable animals in new homes. Please bring in owner surrender animals during our office hours so that we can get a complete history.

Do's and Don'ts

If you have to give up your pet, please do the right thing:

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. This doesn't always happen.

DON'T give your pet away to a stranger. You don't know if that person is a responsible owner or even honest. Pets that end up in the wrong hands may be abused or sold to research laboratories.

DO try to place your pet with a trusted family member or friend, one who you are confident will love and care for your pet properly and will keep you informed of its welfare. Be sure the friend or relative understands the commitment of time and resources your pet requires and that they would like the pet because it will be a good fit for their home. Shelters receive many pets from people who knew the previous owners and wanted to help them by taking in a pet, but who did so without realizing the efforts involved in keeping the animal.

(Note: Pets adopted from the League, however, are required by contract to be returned here if you can no longer keep it. If you have adopted from us, it is often possible for the League to do a contract, at no charge, with the friend or relative you've chosen to care for your pet. This contract can protect your pet for the rest of its life.)

DO bring your pet to the Animal Welfare League if you have exhausted all other possibilities. Many people are afraid that if they bring a pet here, it will automatically be put to sleep, either right away or after a certain number of days. There are cases where animals must be put to sleep--usually due to a serious health or behavior problem--but this is done on a case-by-case basis. Please feel free to ask us any questions, ideally before you bring the animal to us or while you are here.

What to Expect

Surrendering ownership of your pet

If you have decided to give your pet to the Animal Welfare League, you will be asked to sign a release form giving the League legal ownership of the animal. Once you have signed the release statement, you may not reclaim your pet, so please be sure that you have made the right decision for you and your pet. You are welcome to call the League to check on the pet's status.

Pet's medical records

Please bring any medical records you have for your pet. If you don't have records, give us the name of the animal hospital you use so we can request records to give to the new owner.

Pet personality profile

We will ask you to fill out a "personality profile" about your pet. The information about its health, behavior, habits, likes, and dislikes is really helpful to people considering your pet for adoption and helps us decide what kind of home would be best for it.

Please be honest when answering these questions; let us know if your pet has a history of biting, refuses to use the litter box, has a serious or chronic medical condition, or any other problem. Your answers help to determine whether or not your animal should be put up for adoption. It is unfair to pass on severe behavioral or medical issues to another family.