Surrender an Animal

Surrendering your animal to the Whatcom Humane Society can be a difficult decision. Because of the significance of your decision, we want to ensure that you thoroughly understand our policies on surrendered animals.

You may surrender your companion animal to either of our facilities Tuesday thru Saturday between 10am - 6pm. There is a fee to surrender your animal. The standard fee to surrender your animal is $50, but may vary depending on the type of animal and number of animals you are surrendering. You may discuss the animal surrender fee with a customer service representative at the time you bring your animal in or contact the shelter in advance by calling (360)733-2080.

It’s important for you to know that the Whatcom Humane Society is an “open-door” humane society. This means that we promise to accept into our care ANY animal who comes to us. Because of this, we receive thousands of homeless, unwanted and abused animals each year. The Whatcom Humane Society will not turn an animal away because of the animals temperament, age, medical condition or breed. Sadly, there are not enough homes for all these animals. Whatcom County and our country as a whole are suffering a tragic pet overpopulation problem.

At WHS, our goal is to find a permanent, responsible and loving home for every animal...but unfortunately there are simply more animals than there are people wanting to adopt them.

THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT WHS CAN PLACE THE ANIMAL YOU SURRENDER AND THERE IS ALWAYS A CHANCE THAT THE ANIMAL MAY BE EUTHANIZED (HUMANELY PUT TO DEATH).

It is essential that you understand all of this. And that you understand that you are transferring ownership of your animal if you surrender him/her to WHS. If you surrender your animal to our facility, our staff will examine and evaluate him/her to decide whether he/she can be placed into our adoption program. At the time you surrender the animal, we cannot guarantee that we can make him/her available for adoption. Much will depend on his/her general condition and the availability of space in our adoption kennels/cages. Even if the animal is made available for adoption, there is no guarantee someone will choose to adopt him/her.

Animals Who Will Not Be Placed Into Our Adoption Program:

The following is a list of conditions under which an animal may not be placed for adoption:

• If they are under 8 weeks of age
  
  
• If their advanced age is causing extreme medical or physical problems
  
  
• If they are in poor general health or physical condition
  
  
• If their temperament or behavior is such that they would not adopt well to a new home
  
  
• If they are aggressive towards people or other animals
  
  
• If they show signs of a communicable disease that could infect other animals
  
  
• If there is no space available in the adoption kennels
  
  

Depending on the specifics of the animal’s condition and availability of space, some animals with these conditions may be placed in foster care, held for treatment, observation or until they are old enough to be made available for adoption.

At WHS, every effort is made to find loving homes for animals in our adoption program.

Once an animal is placed into our adoption program there is no set holding period. When an animal is placed into the adoption kennels, he/she will remain there as long as he/she is happy, healthy, well adjusted and we have the continued space available to house him/her.