Surrendering a Pet - Receiving/Intake

IMPORTANT:

ALL intake takes place at our Leeu Naylor Medical Building!

Due to staff shortages and Covid our intake appointments for Medium and Large dogs (over 20 pounds) currently have a longer than normal waiting period.

Puppies/Small breed adult dogs (20 pounds and under): Open intake for puppies, small breed adult dogs (20 pounds and under), are held Mondays, and Wednesdays beginning at 10 a.m. at the SAHS. We are able to receive animals on a first come, first served basis until all available space has been filled or until 2 p.m. (whichever comes first). Please note, Medium to Large breed dogs (over 20 pounds) are not received at this time, they require an appointment.

Cats/Kittens: Open intake for cats, and kittens are only held on Mondays at 10 a.m. at the SAHS. There is a limit of 3 adult cats per person during open intake. We are able to receive animals on a first come, first served basis until all available space has been filled or until 2 p.m. (whichever comes first).

See below for all the information on how to surrender a pet!

The San Antonio Humane Society (SAHS) the only large public intake shelter in San Antonio to have regularly scheduled intake days for individuals attempting to find placement for owned, lost, or stray pets. We are a nonprofit, no-kill organization that does not euthanize for space. We regularly operate near or at capacity. This means we are only able to receive dogs and cats as others are adopted and space becomes available.

In order to be eligible for intake, all surrendered pets must be at least 8 weeks old, weigh at least 2 pounds, and be friendly. Additionally, in order to protect our animal population from potential contagious diseases, your surrendered pet must also be free of any nasal discharge, eye discharge, and hair loss.

All animals are vaccinated upon intake, and will be spayed/neutered before going home to their new adopters. All potential pet owners are screened and interviewed prior to adoption in order to find the best fitting home for every pet.
 
Intake procedure and fees depend on the species, weight, and age of the pet.

Click links below for intake procedures for your pet:

- Puppies & Small Dogs (Under 20lbs)
- Medium to Large Dogs (Over 20lbs)
- Cats & Kittens
 
- Returning an SAHS Adopted Pet?
- Transferring a Pet from another Animal Organization?

Surrender Fees:

In order to help offset the cost of pet care while in the shelter, we require a receiving fee at the time of surrender. This fee is based on the pet’s age, species, and any additional required testing.
 
Puppies/Kittens 3.5 months of age and under: $35/appointment
Puppies/Dogs 4 months of age and over: $35
Kittens/Cats 4 months of age and over: $35
 
Additional Fees:
Required Parvo Test for puppies under 1 year old: $29/test (pricing varies for litters)

Are appointments required to surrender a pet?

Appointments are required if you are attempting to Return a pet, Transfer an animal from another organization, or Surrender a dog over 20 pounds. See below for contact info. Please note, an e-mail request does not guarantee an appointment or intake.


Intake Process:

If you are attempting to RETURN a pet previously adopted from the SAHS, please contact our intake team by emailing receiving@SAhumane.org and include the microchip number or the animal ID at the time of adoption. Please provide a detailed reason why you are returning your pet in your email request.

Intake Surrender Forms

To help ensure your visit runs as smoothly and quickly as possible, please download and fill out the proper forms below before arriving at the shelter:
 
Stray Surrender Form
Owned Cat Surrender Form
Owned Dog Surrender Form