Surrendering or Giving Up a Pet
We are a limited-intake, non-profit, no-kill rescue whose mission is to rescue abandoned and abused animals. We visit other shelters in the area looking for pets suitable for re-homing that have run out of time or need medical care that they would not otherwise receive (heartworm treatment as an example). Animal surrenders are accepted on a case-by-case basis. We keep all healthy, adoptable pets as long as it takes to find them a home.
If you need to surrender a dog previously adopted from Lil Rascals (LR), please email info@lilrascalsrescue.org. LR adopters have signed a contract stipulating that if for any reason a pet cannot stay in its home, or with its family, LR is to be notified.
If you are considering giving up a pet that was not adopted from LR:
NOTE: Lil Rascals receives numerous inquiries from people wanting to surrender or give up a pet. It is unfortunate that it is impossible to accommodate all requests.
Giving up an animal should not be taken lightly; animals bond very strongly to humans, and the longer a pet has lived with a human, the stronger the bond and the greater the pain of abandonment. Adopting a pet in the first place means taking responsibility for a life – for a pet’s WHOLE life, not just for as long as it is convenient or cute. Please make sure you have explored all of your options for keeping your pet with you or a family member, before you make this difficult decision. It is a decision that is likely not only to disrupt the pet’s emotional stability and routine, but also members of your family unit, especially children who may not be able to comprehend why a loved family member must leave.
Ask yourself if there is anything about your pet behaviorally or medically that could be worked on in order for you to keep him / her.
If you decide you must surrender: PLEASE fill out the form below. If we believe we will be able to help you, we will ask that the info required below be sent to the email address above
Remember we are a limited-intake rescue and take in approved animals only, as we have NO KENNEL space and limited resources. All animals are kept with volunteers and you may be asked to keep your pet and bring him to adoption events while we wait for a suitable home. In all cases, you will need proof of identification as proof of ownership of the pet you are surrendering
We must also receive your pet’s complete medical records and your written statement of the animal’s behavior as requested in the surrender form. We cannot adopt out pets that we believe to be a safety risk to others. Therefore, we do not accept pets that have a history of aggression. Vaccinations, heartworm preventative and city/county dog tag must be up-to-date at time of surrender, or we will need to ask you to pay for them.
Although there is no fee to surrender your pet, Lil Rascals would appreciate a generous donation to help offset some of the expenses that we take on with your pet, such as food, heart worm prevention, grooming, vetting, training to help with behavior issues, etc. If your pet is not spayed or neutered or is not current on vaccines, or requires behavior modification training when surrendered, we will request a donation be made to our rescue to help to cover some of these costs.
Once you have surrendered your pet, he becomes the property of LR. We realize that surrendering your pet is an emotional decision which you have made and it would not be responsible of us to return an animal to someone who has told us that they are unable or unwilling to provide care for their pet.
First Name*
Last Name*
Address*
City*
State/Province*
Zip/Postal Code* -
County*
Email*
Home Phone
Cell Phone*
Alt Email
Text/Pager Email
Name of Animal*
Approximate age of dog?*
Microchip #
Dog's Gender
Have they been spayed or neutered?* Choose one: Yes No N/A
Breed*
Are you 21 years of age or older?* Choose one: Yes No
Please select one
Why are you surrendering this pet for adoption?*
Is this dog a stray?
Has the dog been seen by a vet?
If yes, the name of the vet and the date last seen
Please list vet address and phone number
Do you have medical records for the dog? If yes, pleases email a copy to adopt@lilrascalsrescue.org.
What type of flea prevention do you use?
What type of heart worm prevention do you use?
Have this dog you wish to surrender been involved in any altercation that resulted in a bite to other animals or a bite to any human? If yes, please explain:*
I am the owner/party that found this animal and hereby relinquish all present and future rights and claims to this animal and his/her possessions transferred with him/her to Lil Rascals Dog Rescue. I certify that I have fully informed the individuals/organization above of all known or suspected problems and concerns about this animal. Further, I have indicated all information possible to ensure the animal has continued happiness and welfare. I understand that I may not be provided with information about this animal’s whereabouts. To the best of my knowledge, this animal has no defects or problems that would make it unsuitable as a family pet.*
Please check box as indicated