Pet Surrender
What To Do If You Need To Surrender Your Pet
If you adopted your pet from the SPCA-NN: You may call or bring your pet back to us during our normal hours of operation. We make a lifetime commitment to our animals and will always take them back regardless of circumstances.
If you did NOT adopt your pet from SPCA-NN: Surrendering is not a walk-in process. We only take surrendered cats or dogs that you did not adopt from us by appointment only. (For other domestic animals please contact the Nevada Humane Society.)
Do NOT abandon your pet(s): Abandoning them is ILLEGAL and punishable of up to $1,000 fine by Nevada law NRS 574.100.
Alternatives to surrendering your pet:
Surrendering a pet can be an incredibly difficult decision. SPCA-NN may be able to help you keep your pet at home or there may be alternative re-homing options to consider. Please review the following resources before surrendering your pet.
Why are you considering surrendering your pet?
- Behavior issues (Pet Help Desk: 775.324.7773, 200)
- Can’t afford care (Pet Help Desk: 775.324.7773, 200)
- Domestic or disaster situation (Pet Help Desk: 775.324.7773, 200)
- Moving/don’t have adequate housing (Pet Help Desk: 775.324.7773, 200)
- Other re-homing options (Please read Finding a New Home for Your Pet below)
We know that sometimes it’s just not possible to keep a pet, and we are here to support you as best we can with compassionate advice and resources. Before making the decision to surrender, you may want to consider other re-homing options such as trusted friends or family.
If these resources don’t address the circumstances you’re experiencing, please see below for more about the process for surrendering your pet to SPCA-NN.
In order to surrender your cat or dog, the first step is to fill out a surrender profile. You can obtain one of these by coming to the Adoption Center in person, or by calling our Help Desk and having it emailed to you: 775.324.7773, 200.
The surrender profile will be reviewed by our staff, which may take up to a week. You will then be contacted to either schedule a handling assessment, or informed that we are unable to take your pet.
We may not be able to take your pet based on a number of reasons, including without limitation: available space, capacity for care, behavior, a lack of resources, etc. We will do our best to help you, and our staff may refer you to other organizations that may be able to take your pet.
After the appointment, we will decide whether we are able to accept your cat or dog. We do not charge a surrender fee, but donations are welcome to help cover the cost of care for your pet.
You Can NOT Surrender A Pet That Is Not Yours
In order to surrender an animal to the SPCA of Northern Nevada, you must be the animal’s legal owner, and we reserve the right to require proof of ownership if we deem necessary.
How To Rehome Your Pet
Sometimes, people find themselves in situations where caring for their pet is no longer a possibility. Choosing to re-home a pet can be an incredibly difficult decision. We are here to support you the best we can with compassionate advice and resources.
The following are some tips to try to re-home your pet before contacting our Adoption Center:
• Give yourself and your pet time. It can often take weeks to months to find it the best home.
• Increase your pet’s adoptability. Spay or neuter, get current on all vaccinations, and get it groomed (as appropriate).
• Spread the word. Ask friends, family, and co-workers to help. Social media can be a great place to share this information.
• You can also use the Home to Home re-homing tool, which gives pet owners the ability to be more involved, and it’s free and simple to use! Set up a pet profile, and interested people apply. (Please do NOT use Craigslist). Click here to go to Home to Home.
• Use caution when considering unknown individuals or families as your pet’s new owners. Hold the initial meeting in a public place and ask questions to screen potential adopters. (Examples: Are there other pets in the house? Have you had a similar pet before? Do you have experience training a dog? Have you established a relationship with a veterinarian? Do you have an appropriate living space for this type of pet? How many hours a day will the animal be left alone?)
• Share your expectations for your pet’s new home. If you wish to stay in touch with your pet’s new family, make that clear upfront.
• Contact breed-specific rescue groups.
• Never abandon your animal–it’s cruel and against the law!
• For additional tips, please call our Pet Help Desk: 775.324.7773, 200.
Spay & Neuter Program
It’s hip to SNyP!
We offer an affordable spay-neuter clinic for dogs and cats at the SPCA of Northern Nevada Adoption Center. This clinic is open to income-qualified households of $60,000 or less in Northern Nevada. Spaying and neutering pets is important to help mitigate pet overpopulation, prevent unwanted pregnancies, and help your pet live a longer, healthier life!
Appointments are available one month at a time and will be made available on May 2nd at 8am, for appointments during June 2024. If you do not see an available date for your pet’s species and weight, this does indicate those appointments are full.
Appointments are non-refundable, non-transferable, and cannot be rescheduled. Payment is due in full at the time the appointment is scheduled.
**We do not accept American Express.
Please Note
One pet per application. Applications are first-come, first-served. Appointments are available one month at a time. If no dates are available, then all appointments are currently full. Appointments are non-refundable, non-transferable, and cannot be rescheduled. Payment is due in full at the time the appointment is scheduled.
Spay/Neuter Requirements
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Kittens must be at least 2 lbs to be spayed or neutered.
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Puppies must be at least 8 weeks old to be sterilized.
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Mothers can be spayed 8 weeks post whelping.
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Dogs over 99 lbs not permitted.
Non-refundable Deposit
A deposit ($50 for cats; $130 for dogs) is required at the time you schedule an appointment.
First-come, First-served
Appointments are filled on a first-come, first-served basis to qualifying applicants who submitted their deposit.
Income-qualified Packages
Dogs
- Spay/Neuter
- Carprofen
- DAPP and *Rabies Vaccinations
- *Microchip
- 1 Year Free Licensing from WCRAS
- Nail Trim
- E-Collar
Cats
- Spay/Neuter
- FVRCP and *Rabies Vaccination
- *Microchip
- Nail Trim
- E-Collar
Additional Costs:
- *Rabies Vaccination: $20
- *Microchip: $20
- Canine Influenza Vaccine: $35
- Cryptorchids (Inguinal/Abdominal): $65
- Umbilical/Hernia Repair: $20
- In Heat/Delicate Tissue/Obese/Abnormal Uterus: $30
- Pregnancy: $55
Required Vaccines:
If you do not have proof of these vaccinations from an authorized provider at the time of check-in, the appropriate vaccine will be given during your pet’s surgery.
- [Dogs] Distemper/Parvo (DHPP/DH2PPV): Free
- [Cats] FVRCP: Free
- Rabies: $20
- Recommended Vaccines
- Bordetella (Kennel Cough): $20
What you need to know
- Rescheduling is not an option once an appointment has been made.
- If your pet is in heat or pregnant, the additional costs associated with the surgery will be the owner’s responsibility.
- Surgeries will be scheduled up to four weeks in advance.
- Self-administered vaccines are not accepted. All vaccines must have been administered by a licensed veterinarian.
- While we encourage you to apply and pay online, applications and deposits may be submitted over the phone. High call volumes will make call backs take longer than usual and do not guarantee an appointment.
- If your dog is over 99lbs, we cannot fix them and your deposit will NOT be refunded.
We recommend that all pet owners establish a relationship with a local, full-service veterinary hospital to provide for your pet’s health throughout its lifetime.
There are many more affordable services available to pet guardians in the Reno/Sparks area. Click below to learn more.
Wellness Waggin'
Transportation for Veterinary Appointments
Through special grant funding, SPCA of Northern Nevada has partnered with Options Veterinary Care to provide transportation for pet parents who are unable to get to and from their vet appointments.
What is the Wellness Waggin'?
An Innovative Solution
Not everyone in our community has the luxury of reliable transportation. At SPCA of Northern Nevada, we believe this shouldn’t keep pet guardians from getting their pets the care they deserve. By providing transportation services for the pets whose guardians cannot transport them to veterinary appointments, we can:
- Improve the quality of life for community pets
- Drastically reduce unwanted litters
- Address common illness that are preventable by vaccines
- Educate the community about pet health
- Provide support and resources for our community
Get Involved
Affordable Pet Care Services in Northern Nevada
There are multiple organizations in northern Nevada committed to helping families care for their beloved pets. Whether you are seeking affordable spay and neuter services, affordable vaccine and microchip clinics, behavioral support, or financial assistance for veterinary care, these services can help you give your pet the care they deserve!
Affordable Spay & Neuter Services
The SPCA of Northern Nevada Spay & Neuter Program
Spay and neuter appointments can be booked on the first Thursday of every month. Appointments fill fast and on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Options Veterinary Clinic Spay and Neuter Services
A non-refundable deposit of $50 per dog and $35 per cat is due at the time of scheduling all new client spay/neuter appointments. Call 775-499-3700 to make an appointment.
Affordable Vaccine and Microchip Services
The SPCA of Northern Nevada Vaccine and Microchip Clinic
The SPCA-NN holds an affordable vaccine and microchip clinic from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday at the SPCA-NN Thrift Store located at 75 E. Moana Lane.
Nevada Humane Society Low-Cost Vaccine Clinic
Nevada Humane Society offers a low-cost vaccine clinic for your pet by appointment only at 2825 Longley Lane in Reno. To schedule your appointment, please call 775-856-2000 x333.
Washoe County Regional Animal Services Vaccine Clinic
WCRAS offers an affordable vaccination clinic on the first Wednesday of every month by appointment.
Options Veterinary Clinic Spay and Neuter Services
Options offers affordable microchip and vaccinations. Call 775-499-3700 to make an appointment.
Financial Assistance for Veterinary Care
The SPCA of Northern Nevada Veterinary and End-of-Life Care Assistance
Qualifying residents of Washoe County can apply for financial assistance for acute, non-recurring veterinary care. Click here to learn more and see if you qualify.
Pet Food Assistance
Nevada Humane Society Pet Food Assistance
Nevada Humane Society offers pet food assistance at their Reno and Carson City shelters.
Washoe County Regional Animal Services partners with Nevada Humane Society to deliver free pet food to seniors for their pets at Senior Services, 1155 E. 9th St, Reno, NV 89512. Distribution is the third Tuesday of every month from 8:00am until 10:00am or while supplies last. Seniors are 60+ and must have a local ID.
Pet Education & Resources
The SPCA of Northern Nevada Pet Education & Resources Hub offers resources, tips, and information about pet guardianship and animal advocacy.
The SPCA of Northern Nevada Pet Help Line offers free advice on pet care and more. Call (775) 324-7773 Ext. 200. Pet Help Line hours are Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. Please leave a message and we will get back to you within 48 hours.
Need a printable version of this information? Click here.
Para ver esta información en Español, haga un click aquí.
Jackie's Community Cats
Trap, Neuter, Return for Community Cats
Thanks to a generous gift provided to us by Jackie, the SPCA of Northern Nevada has partnered with Options Veterinary Care to provide Jackie’s Community Cats, a Trap, Neuter, Return program, to northern Nevada communities.
About Jackie's Community Cats
Why TNR?
– To avoid inhumane practices such as culling cats (eliminating the population altogether by euthanizing the cats) which has been proven ineffective.
– Cats can live in harmony with the community, but it is our responsibility to keep the homeless pet population at a minimum.
Saves Tax Dollars
TNR saves tax dollars! Most community TNR programs, like ours, are funded by donations, not taxes.
Cats Live Longer, Healthier Lives
Free-roaming cat populations managed by a TNR program experience 31% less preventable deaths than unmanaged populations.
How it Works:
– Members from the public seeking to neuter, and return cats to established colonies can rent traps from us for a hold deposit of $25 per trap, which will be refunded upon return of trap.
– Persons who rent our traps will be given supplies and detailed instruction on trapping.
– Trappers will bring cats to Options Veterinary Care for services. Cats are provided with vaccinations, health checks, spay/neuter surgery, ear tips, and other necessary treatment.
– SPCA-NN team members will offer guidance to community members on trapping and living with community cats.
Setting a trap
Program participants: please watch this instructional video to guide you in setting traps for the cats.
About Trap, Neuter, Return Programs
Spaying and neutering to help control the homeless cat population.
Living with Neighborhood Cats FAQ
How to coexist with cats in your community.
What to Do If You Find a Kitten
A list of signs that a kitten needs your help.
How You Can Help During Kitten Season
Learn more about kitten season and how you can help!
Act for Animals
Learn how you can advocate for animal welfare and the ongoing governmental initiatives you can join us in supporting.
We love providing these resources to you at no cost, so if you enjoy please consider making a gift to support our lifesaving work!
Healthy Tails
Learn how to keep your pets healthy!
We love providing these resources to you at no cost, so if you enjoy please consider making a gift to support our lifesaving work!
Pet Education & Resources
A virtual classroom for animal lovers!
Help us, help you! Take this quick survey to let us know what you would like to see added to Pet Education & Resources. We appreciate your feedback!
Pet Safety
Keep your family and pets safe from common dangers.
We love providing these resources to you at no cost, so if you liked learning about pet safety please consider making a gift to support our work!
Pet Guardian Tips & Tricks
Training, enrichment, and more that you can do with your pets to keep them happy and healthy.
We love providing these resources to you at no cost, so if you enjoy these tips and tricks please consider making a gift to support our lifesaving work!