Surrender

If you would like to bring your pet to CAHS so we can find a home for him/her, an appointment is required, and we do not accept walk-ins. CAHS frequently has a waitlist for accepting pets at our shelter. Please note, we receive a large number of surrender requests, and the demand is larger than our resources. Appointments are made based on the physical space and resources available. We will do our best to accept your pet(s) as soon as space becomes available.

Each animal will need to have a Pet Profile completed prior to their appointment. Our goal is to find the right match for the animals, which we can achieve by knowing more about the animals coming in to our care.

Click on the profile(s) below for the type of pet you need to rehome. PLEASE NOTE this from should not be submitted to CAHS until we contact you and schedule an appointment. Once you have an appointment, please complete the form(s) and email it to [email protected]. You may also mail it to:

Capital Area Humane Society
7095 West Grand River Avenue
Lansing, MI 48906

• A driver’s license or government issued ID
• Your pet’s veterinary records
• Any of your pet’s items you would like to surrender with the pet (toy’s bedding, collar/leash)
• All dogs must be on a leash
• All cats must be in a carrier
• Small pets and birds must be brought in the cage they live in, along with their food and supplies

Please note if staff cannot safely handle your pet during the intake appointment, we cannot guarantee admission to CAHS.

Our staff will review the animal’s history with you then take the animal back for an assessment. During the assessment, we are looking to make sure we can safely handle the animal and that the animal can be walked and/or housed around other animals. Scheduling an appointment does not guarantee admission to CAHS.

Why is there a surrender fee? On average, the cost of care for each animal in our care is $85 a day. This includes spay/neuter surgery, vaccines, flea/tick control, food, boarding, and medical care.

• Dog (5 months and older) - $40
• Puppy (under 5 months) – Fee waived
• Single cat or kittens (any age) $20 for the first, $5 for each additional
• Female dog with litter of puppies (4 months and younger) - $40 for mother and fee waived for puppies
  
• Female cat with litter of kittens (4 months and younger)- $20 for mother, $5 for each kitten
• Rabbits - $20 for the first, $5 for each additional
• Ferrets - $10
• All other rodents - $5 each
• Birds - $10-20 based on size

Please note all rabbits, rodents and birds must be surrendered with their cage and supplies.

CAHS does not accept strays. By law, stray animals must be reported to and/or taken to the animal control agency in the county which the animal was found. This is necessary to ensure the best possible chance of the pet being reunited with its family, who may already be calling or visiting that shelter.

• Ingham County – (517) 676-8370   map
• Eaton County – (517) 543-5755   map
• Clinton County – (989) 224-5116   map

CAHS does not have resources to help wild animals. For assistance with a wild animal, you may contact:

• WILDSIDE Rehabilitation Center – (517) 663-6153
• Michigan Department of Natural Resources – (517) 284-9453

Why Do I Need to Make an Appointment?

In order to ensure resources are ready and available when a pet arrives, CAHS requires a scheduled surrender appointment. Without an appointment process, we would have no control over the number of pets that come into our care each day, and our ability to provide the best possible care for each animal would be hindered.

What Pets Are Not Eligible for Adoption?

• Animals with a history of aggressive or unsociable behavior.
• Animals that display aggressive or unsociable behavior during a behavior assessment at CAHS

Will My Pet Find a Good Home Through CAHS?

Pets at CAHS receive excellent care from trained staff and volunteers. CAHS does not place any time limits on an animal’s stay. A pet may stay at the shelter until a new home is found, whether it takes days, weeks, or months.

Did You Find Kittens?

If you happen upon a litter of tiny kittens living outdoors, it’s natural to want to scoop them up and try to care for them yourself, or take them to a shelter. But both of those options may actually place them in more danger. To give newborn kittens the best chance of survival, follow these steps:

1. Leave the kittens alone and try to figure out if their mom is still around. Observe them from a distance every couple of hours for 12 to 18 hours. If the kittens seem content and are not fussing, there’s a good chance their mom is coming back.
2. If the kittens are in danger due to their location, move them to a safer spot nearby so the mom can easily find them when she returns.
3. If the kittens are dirty, meowing or appear sick, underweight or dehydrated, contact a local rescue organization.
4. If you spot the mom, leave the kittens alone. When the kittens have been eating on their own for about four weeks or are big enough for surgery (typically when they are 2-months-old), humanely trap the whole family and have them spayed or neutered. The CAHS Community Cat Program can help you with the trapping process. After the cats are fixed, release them at the location where you found them. TNR is the most humane method of preventing cats and kittens from entering the shelter system. For more information on the Community Cat Program, please click HERE.