Here to HelpGiving Up Your Pet

Due to a recent viral illness in cats, we're unable to take any surrendered cats until 1/11/10.

Please consider every available alternative before admitting your pet to a shelter. Though we don't euthanize for space, the shelter can be a stressful environment for companion animals, and there are often many alternatives to behavior or housing issues:

If you've exhausted all options to keep your pet or find a new home for him or her, please call 317.872.5650 ext. 0 to make an appointment to surrender your owned cat or dog to the Humane Society of Indianapolis. (Strays in your possession for 30 days or longer are considered owned.) Appointments are often filled a week in advance. Between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., one of our friendly counselors will ask for some basic information about your animal’s health and temperament, and when applicable, provide you with information to secure placement for him or her elsewhere. This appointment will take approximately 30 minutes; please allow extra time if bringing in more than one animal.

These appointments and resources can prevent 3,500 animals per year from being given up for adoption, and ultimately reduce the number euthanized in the community's shelters. Even though we don't euthanize for space, we have limited resources and work to use them as effectively as possible to help animals find families. The goal of owner-surrender appointments is to help pet owners make an informed decision before they give up their pets due to destructive, aggressive, or other problematic behavior, an inability to be housetrained, health issues, or because the animal doesn't get along with children or other pets. This gives owners the opportunity to work through the issues they have with their pets based on helpful information, and ultimately helps keep pets in homes with loving families.

Pets are a lifetime responsibility, and we do all that we can to ensure that they are happy, healthy and loved. Thank you for your consideration!