Surrendering a Pet

Are you unable to further care for your pet?

We understand that sometimes, pet parents find themselves unable to continue providing care for their pet. When this difficult situation arises, the best thing you can do is try to re-home your pet, so they won’t have to enter a shelter. Entering any shelter environment is extremely stressful for pets and should be avoided if possible. Surrendering your pet to a shelter should be a last resort, not the first option.

We ONLY service residents within the City of Tulsa. The only exception to this is if your pet was previously adopted from us we may accept the surrender on a case-by-case basis.

Please understand if you show up to the shelter with your dog without previously scheduling a Relinquishment Appointment, your pet is not guaranteed admission.

With dedication and effort, many people find success re-homing their pet on their own. Here are some tips on re-homing your pet.

• Use a rehoming website
• Ask family and friends
• Ask friends, family members, or other trusted individuals for support and explain the situation. They may be interested in adopting your pet, or able to temporarily foster him/her while you’re in the process of finding a permanent home. Do you have a certain friend or relative who has bonded strongly with your pet when they have visited your home? Contact them first!

• Search within your networks
• Begin searching for your pet’s new home within your networks: Your workplace, community association, religious organization, neighborhood, or any other group you are affiliated with; you can do this by advertising in an internal newsletter, sending out a mass email, or posting flyers with a description and photos of your pet.

• Use Social Media
• Use social media. Post your pet’s photo and description to your Facebook page and local pages you like. Many people find success creating Facebook pages for their pets. There are numerous animal rehoming groups in and around the Tulsa area on Facebook.  Reach out to these groups to see if someone can assist you in rehoming your pet.  

• Post a classified ad to be viewed by the general public, either online or in a printed publication.
• Contact Breed and Rescue Groups
• Contact breed & rescue groups. There are numerous pet rescue groups working to help pets find new homes and keep them out of the shelter environment. With large numbers of animals needing rehoming services some rescues may be unable to accept a pet at this time, we still encourage you to reach out to these organizations for assistance prior to shelter surrender. 
• Additional Resources
  • Petfinder

Be sure to talk with the interested family to ensure a safe, loving, permanent home for your pet. It is crucial to evaluate your pet’s individual needs and create a list of specific questions to ask interested parties. Most importantly, you will want to ensure that your pet will be treated humanely and provided with necessities. Responsible pet owners will undoubtedly have many questions for you too, as they will be interested in obtaining detailed information about your pet’s behavior, temperament, and any medical concerns to determine whether they can commit to providing lifelong care for the animal.

TAS pet rehoming are accepted by appointment only.

• To schedule an appointment to discuss resources for rehoming your pet please call 918-855-9841
• A representative will contact you as soon as possible, typically within 72 hours.
• Emergencies or stray pets are admitted on a walk-in basis as space allows.

Once You Have a Scheduled Appointment

• Due to space, appointments can be scheduled at least 1 month out.
• Please arrive on time and allow approximately 30 minutes for the appointment. The pet owner must be present.
• All pets must be on a leash or in a carrier.
• All pets are tested for communicable diseases and evaluated for suitable temperament.
• You will be required to sign an owner relinquishment form and pet personality profile form.

Please bring the following with you to your rehoming appointment:

• All veterinary records
• Pet’s medications
• Your current and valid photo ID
• Current utility bill (City of Tulsa, ONG or PSO) issued within the last 30 days showing residency within the City of Tulsa.