rehoming or surrendering a pet
In addition to stray animals, WAHS also cares for animals who need to find new families. The decision to surrender a pet can be incredibly difficult, and we handle each situation with compassion. Once the animal is transferred to WAHS, you can rest assured knowing that your animal will get the best possible care while we work diligently to find them another wonderful home.
With that said, it’s also important to contemplate the factors for why an animal can’t remain in the home. We encourage pet owners to exhaust all possible options before surrendering, as the shelter environment can be quite stressful initially - even for outgoing pets. For alternative solutions, consider the following situations and possible options:
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There are several reputable trainers/classes located in Winona, surrounding areas, or even online through videoconferencing. Consulting them and receiving their guidance may alleviate the concerning issue and allow the animal to remain in your home. Also reach out to veterinarians for their advice and possible solutions.
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When you know you’ll have to move, begin looking for housing immediately; the sooner, the better. Places that allow pets usually fill up first. Streamline your housing search by utilizing filters that highlight pet-friendly rentals. If you need to move quickly, ask friends and family about taking in your animal on a temporary basis until you can secure a pet-friendly home.
Look into local boarding services. Depending on the cost, this may be another temporary solution until you can find another place to live.
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Contact all veterinary offices in the surrounding area to inquire about quotes or discuss accepted payment options. Vet offices and local rescues may also know of existing funds or scholarship programs to assist pet owners experiencing financial difficulties.
Ask your community for help, suggestions, or advice. You’d be surprised how generous some folks are, especially when it comes to keeping pets with their people!
This document, attached here, contains links for different types of assistance options within the MN area. It was compiled a few years ago and processes may have changed since then, but we suggest looking into them to see if any match your current circumstance.
We highly recommend any pet owner to apply for Care Credit, a credit card service that offers financing and monthly payment options for vet care. Most vet offices accept Care Credit and it can make all the difference for both routine vet care and unexpected medical emergencies.
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Helping victims of abuse leave with their animals is quickly becoming a focus of advocacy groups, since pets are often used as another form of control. Pet owners are often faced with the horrific decision of either staying with their abuser or leaving their pet behind. According to Red Rover: Bringing Animals from Crisis to Care, “Nearly 50 percent of domestic violence victims have delayed leaving their abuser out of fear of harm to their animals (Carlisle-Frank, Frank and Nielsen, (2004). Pets as Pawns.)” While options may be limited depending on the area, there are resources available online, especially through Red Rover. They provide a search service for pet-friendly resources in your area, as well as housing/pet boarding grants. Check them out here.
For people in the Winona area, reach out to the Advocacy Center of Winona. They may be able to provide assistance, check for pet-friendly hotels, or point you towards other helpful resources.
If it’s safe to do so, reach out to trustworthy friends or family to see if they could temporarily take your pet.
Contact area animal shelters, rescues, and vets. While they may not be able to provide pet boarding, they often know of other available resources.
Rehoming a pet yourself
If you’ve considered the points above and still cannot keep your animal, another option is to rehome him or her yourself. It’s important to do this in a responsible manner to ensure a loving & caring new home for them!
Make sure the pet is up-to-date on veterinary care and spayed or neutered. There are low-cost options and this significantly increases their chances of finding a responsible forever home.
Even if you don’t intend to require an adoption fee, NEVER outwardly advertise your pet online as “free to a good home.” This may put your animal in the wrong hands. When you’re unable to keep your pet, it is your responsibility to ensure a safe new home for them to the best of your ability. They’re counting on you!
Adopt-A-Pet’s rehoming service can be quite helpful. This option allows you to compose your pet’s profile, screen potential adopters, and even sign an adoption contract, all while the animal stays in your home. Adopt-A-Pet’s team does everything possible to ensure a safe and successful adoption.
Take the time to meet potential adopters in person (at a public location), and screen them with relevant questions. Check out Petfinder’s rehoming tips for example questions. How an adopter answers these questions can give you an immediate feeling if they’d be a good owner for your pet or not. Trust your intuition and gut instinct.
For instances where intake space is full, the animal wouldn’t do well in this environment, or the family wishes to rehome outside the shelter, we offer a Community Rehoming Page website section. Take a look there for current profile examples, and email us if you would like to learn more about listing your pet there.
surrendering to wahs
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If you need to surrender your pet, send an inquiry by completing a surrender application below. Please understand that it may take some time to be contacted and arrange an appointment. Surrendering is not guaranteed and depends on several factors including vet records, temperament, circumstance, and available shelter space.
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If we can accept your animal, you’ll be contacted to set up a surrender time. Surrenders are BY APPOINTMENT ONLY to allow for adequate preparation and care. At the scheduled time, you’ll be presented with a form to sign. This form acknowledges that you’ll be permanently relinquishing ownership of the animal. You won’t be able to readopt, so please make sure you’re certain about the decision to surrender. You’ll also be asked to pay a surrender fee.
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Surrender fees help us care for the animal until another home is found. They do not cover what it takes to prepare each animal for adoption, but it helps ease the burden of increased medical costs. While we wish there wasn't a need for surrender fees, they're essential so we can continue providing quality care to the many surrendered and stray animals each year.
The surrender fees are as follows:
$200 for an animal needing vaccines or spay/neuter
$100 for a medically up-to-date animal
Dogs
This form will go to our Dog Director who will review it, determine if we can accept the dog, and contact you for further details.
We aren’t able to take dogs that are aggressive or have a prior bite history.
Cats
This form will go to our Cat Director who will review it, determine if we can accept the cat, and contact you for further details.
We aren’t able to take cats that display signs of being feral or hyperaggressive.