Maybe your family, friends, a local pet care business, or neighbors can help.

Consult your veterinarian about how to manage medical issues or call the Fox Memorial Clinic or CHS’ Veterinary Clinic in Wilton for an appointment.

There are local pet-friendly housing options available – perhaps one might be a fit for you and your family.

Make a pet resume that shows you are a responsible pet owner and consider consulting with an attorney.

Always make sure to have your pet examined by a veterinarian to rule out a medical problem underlying the behavior issue. Research training options to help your pet succeed – consider local trainers in your area.

If none of the options above are a possibility and you must rehome your pet, consider foster-based (home-based) rescues. They are a better fit than a traditional shelter environment for special needs pets. You can find a comprehensive listing of rescues at Petfinder.com

These options may help you keep your pet at home:

• Veterinary clinics that offer low-fee spay/neuter, vaccinations and other medical care like CHS’ Fox Memorial Clinic and Veterinary Clinic in Wilton, TEAM Mobile Unit, and clinics at your local Petco or Petsmart.
• CHS’ Pet Food Pantry for assistance with pet food.

Pet surrender services are available by appointment only. Pet owners should call CHS to discuss their situation, review available options, and determine whether surrender is the best solution for their pet.

Before surrendering a pet, consider whether challenges such as behavior issues, housing concerns, financial hardship, medical needs, or lifestyle changes can be addressed through available resources and support programs.

The rehoming process typically includes:

• Contacting CHS to discuss your situation.
• Completing a Pet Personality Profile.
• Participating in a review process with CHS staff.
• Scheduling an intake evaluation if appropriate.
• Bringing the pet to an evaluation appointment.
• Completing surrender paperwork if the pet is accepted.

A Pet Personality Profile (PPP) is a questionnaire that helps CHS understand a pet’s:

• Personality
• Behavior
• Preferences
• Medical history
• Daily routines
• Special needs

The profile helps staff evaluate the pet’s needs and improves the likelihood of finding an appropriate future home.

An intake evaluation is an appointment with you and your pet where CHS staff assess a pet’s physical condition, temperament, behavior, and overall adoption potential.

Each case is handled individually. CHS must consider the safety of the general public in all adoption placements. Pets with a bite history, pets who exhibit highly aggressive or unsociable tendencies during the temperament assessment, or pets who have been trained as attack/guard animals may not be accepted into the adoption program. The team will ask questions during the evaluation process to determine if CHS is the right place for your pet.

Per state law, stray dogs must be brought to your local animal control department. Stray cats or small animals should also be reported to animal control in the event that their owner has filed a lost pet report. If animal control is not able to assist with a stray (other than a dog), you may contact CHS about scheduling an evaluation appointment.

Each surrender request is handled individually. Age, health and behavior are not always immediate disqualifiers, but the team will need to ask clarifying questions to determine if CHS is the right place for your pet’s particular needs. Senior pets, pets with limited social experience, pets with complicated behavior problems, and pets who are ill or injured with limited chances for rehabilitation often struggle in a shelter environment despite the best of care. The transition from a home to a shelter can cause stress for a pet. Seniors and those with behavior or medical complications tend to deal with this stress less well than others. Please research all your options thoroughly before contacting CHS to inquire about surrendering a senior, sick or behaviorally challenged pet.

No. The evaluation helps determine whether CHS has the resources and capacity to safely and appropriately care for the pet. Acceptance depends on factors such as:

• Available shelter space
• Medical resources
• Behavioral considerations
• Current population of animals in care
• Overall organizational capacity

CHS may discuss alternative rehoming options, resources, or organizations that may be able to assist.

No. CHS does not place a predetermined time limit on a pet’s stay while it awaits adoption.

The pet’s legal owner should be present during the surrender process. If you are not the legal owner, you must provide written authorization from the owner giving permission for the pet to be evaluated and potentially surrendered.

CHS asks for an intake fee to help defray the costs of caring for the pets while they await new homes. It costs an average of $924.87 to care for each pet. This includes the cost of daily care, vaccinations, spay/neuter and any other care a pet may need, including extensive medical treatment or behavioral rehabilitation. CHS is a private, nonprofit organization and receives no federal, state or municipal funding. The support of the community makes this work possible.

Yes, CHS will not refuse to help due to financial burden. Please consider providing a smaller donation or a future gift.

Once ownership is transferred, CHS assumes responsibility for the pet’s care, evaluation, medical treatment, and adoption placement. Adoption decisions are made by CHS based on the pet’s needs and the suitability of prospective adopters. You cannot choose who adopts.

CHS has a large team that works quickly, so animals are often made available for adoption, and adopted, soon after they arrive. If you have changed your mind and want your pet back, please contact the CHS location where you surrendered your pet to discuss what options may be available. Please note that if your pet needed spay/neuter or extensive medical care, you may be asked to pay for these services in order to reclaim your pet.

Yes. Please visit the owner-requested euthanasia page for information.