Surrender & Rehoming
Women's Animal Center is an open-admissions shelter for cats, dogs and other small domestic companion animals, including rabbits, guinea pigs, mice and birds. We accept all animals surrendered to us, regardless of age, breed, behavior or health.
We understand that surrendering a pet can be an incredibly difficult decision. While we do all that we can to provide personal care and comfort to the animals who enter our shelter, the shelter environment is never ideal for pets, and can cause even the most easy-going and social animals to develop medical or behavioral issues where there once were none. Our goal is to rehome all healthy and treatable animals, but we can never guarantee outcomes. For this reason, we are committed to working with pet owners to help them keep their pets from entering the shelter in the first place, if and when other options are available.
Please review the following information, intended to assist you in addressing some of the most common reasons for surrender; as well as a guide to help you find a new home for your pet in lieu of shelter surrender.
Before bringing your pet to a shelter, Women's Animal Center encourages pet owners to find another home for their pet if possible. Here are some tips to give you the best chances possible of finding your pet a new family:
- Give yourself time to rehome your pet. It can often take weeks or months to find animals a good home.
- Increase your pet's adoptability by having it spayed or neutered, and up-to-date on vaccinations.
- Starter supplies, such as food and toys, as part of the rehoming package can also increase his or her adoptability.
- A picture tells a thousand words. Take quality, well-lit photos of your pet. Make sure he or she is clean and well-groomed.
- Spread the word. Ask your friends, family and co-workers to help through word of mouth and sharing your posts.
- Social media can be a great place to share this information. You can also post your pet on sites such as AdoptaPet, Petfinder, Get Your Pet and Rescue Me!.
Remember to use caution when considering unknown families as your pet's new owners. Hold the meeting in a public place, and screen adopters with pertinent questions to ensure that your pet will be well cared for in their new home.
We understand that pet behavior issues can often seem overwhelming. But with time, effort and a little knowledge, there is hope for resolution that can help restore a happy life for you and your pet.
In addition to our Dog Behavior and Cat Behavior resources, Women's Animal Center also offers affordable Dog Training Classes for our community. You can also contact our Canine Behavior Coordinator directly at 215-942-6832 or training@womensanimalcenter.org with any questions and they’ll be happy to help you address them.
If you are finding it difficult to afford your pet's care, there are a variety of pet food banks and veterinary care clinics in our region that would be able to assist you. Women's Animal Center may be able to provide financial assistance to owners whose pets require expensive veterinary treatments or procedures. We also accept CareCredit, which allows you to finance your pet's medical care.
If your lease is ending, you're moving for work or other reasons and are seeking a new apartment or rental property, you can apply the pet-friendly filter to online housing searches through major sites including Abodo, Trulia and Zillow, among others. Give yourself plenty of lead time. You might not be able to find pet-friendly housing right away. Have a backup plan in place. Ask a good friend or a family member if they'd be willing to temporarily care for your pet until you can find housing that allows animals
If finding adequate housing is related to the loss of your home due to a fire or other disaster, Red Paw Emergency Relief Team can assist displaced pets and their people.
Finally, you can also try contacting foster-based rescue groups in the region for assistance in providing a temporary home for your pet during your housing transition.
If these resources do not address your particular circumstances, or you have already exhausted all possible options to surrender, we are open for surrender by appointment. Please fill out the form below and call our admissions staff for an appointment. They can be reached at (215) 942-6826 or admissions@womensanimalcenter.org. If your pet is a danger to your home or medically suffering, please call our main number at (215) 750-3100.
Once you have an appointment, please remember to bring with you: a driver's license or other government-issued form of identification (required by state law), and your pet's medical records, if available. You will be required to complete a surrender form and pay a $75.00 surrender fee.