Lost and Found, Owner Surrender Support

Surrendering a Pet

We understand that surrendering a pet is never an easy decision. Our team is here to help you with compassion, respect, and without judgment. We take the time to listen, offer support, and help you make the best choice for you and your animal. In some cases, temporary guidance or resources may help you keep your pet at home.

HSDC is not an open intake shelter, meaning we do not take in animals immediately upon request. Instead, we work from a surrender list, and when one animal is adopted, we are able to bring in another. This helps ensure each pet receives proper care and attention while in our shelter.

If surrendering is the best option, we will work with you to ensure your pet receives the care they deserve. All surrenders are by appointment only, so we can provide the time and support you need. To start the process, follow the steps below:

For Dogs:

Fill out the Dog Surrender Request Form.
After submitting the form, send a few current photos of your dog to dog@hsdcohio.org.
Our dog team will review your request and follow up with next steps within a few business days.

If you are unable to complete the form online, please email heather.porter@hsdcohio.org for assistance.

Note: Completing the surrender form is the first step in the process; it does NOT guarantee that we will be able to accept your dog.

Dog Surrender Request Form

For Cats:

Fill out the Cat Surrender Request Form.
Our feline team will review your request and follow up with next steps within a few business days.

Note: If you have a cat that is unsocial, feral, or prefers the outdoors, please visit our Working Cat Program or Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Program pages to learn how we may be able to help with alternative solutions.

Cat Surrender Request Form

For Pocket Pets (rabbits, guinea pigs, etc.)

Please call HSDC at 740-369-7387.
Once you have been placed on our surrender list, our staff will contact you as space becomes available.

Lost or Found Animals

Our mission is to save the animals who are already living in shelters that are most at risk for euthanasia. One out of three animals goes missing in their lifetime and the possibility of reuniting them with their owner once at the shelter drops to 5-18%.

If you’ve found a lost pet, please use the info below to help with reuniting them with their owner:

If You’ve Found a Lost Dog

*Provided steps applicable to Delaware County specifically

Take them to the nearest vet clinic or fire station to have them scanned for a microchip for free. Knock on doors of neighbors. Note that most lost dogs are found within 1,000 feet of their home.
Take an unaltered photo of the dog. Do not assume its breed.
Post on Nextdoor; Lost and Found Pets of Delaware; Pet FBI; Craigslist – Pets; Craigslist – Lost and Found.
Submit a Found Pet report via calling (740) 368-1915.
1. Make sure to leave a message. Include all information on where dog was found, including the road and nearby crossroads.
Also submit a report here: https://24petconnect.com/BreedRequest/Found so the pet is added to local shelter found pet databases/websites.
Hang large and brightly colored posters in the area you found the pet.

*If the dog exhibits threatening behavior or is injured, immediately call 911 for assistance.

If You’ve Found a Lost Cat

Around 35% of owners allow their cats to free roam, sometimes without visible identification like a collar or nametag. In Delaware, it’s very common for people to let their own cats outside, or to be a caretaker to a free-roaming cat without an identifiable owner, also called a ‘community cat’. Community Cats can be friendly or adverse to people. Try the paper collar trick to see if this cat has someone looking out for it:
Print this: Paper Collar Template
Kittens
Found a kitten? View our guide here.
Email our cat coordinator at darlene.burks@hsdcohio.org for more services available to you and community cats.

PRINTABLE SHEET: HELPING LOST CATS

If You’ve Found Kittens:

If you find young kittens without their mom, it does not necessarily mean they have been abandoned. Their mother could be out looking for food, or finding a more suitable home for her kittens. If you find one or two kittens, mama may be in the process of moving the family and is on her way back for the others. If the kittens appear healthy, please wait and observe from a distance for an hour or two before doing anything else.

If, after 1-2 hours of observation, you haven’t seen signs of the mother, you will ultimately have to use your own judgment to decide how to handle the kittens, depending upon the litter’s needs and your time and resources.

Please use the guide below:

For a printable version of the above graphic, or to enlarge it, click here.

Caring for Unweaned Kittens

Kittens without a mother: If the kittens aren’t weaned, and you take them in without a mother, they will require round-the-clock care and routine bottle feeding (every 2-3 hours, even overnight). The following videos offer information on bottle and gruel feeding:

How to feed unweaned kittens

How to feed older kittens

KittenLady.org free kitten care webinar series

Unweaned Kittens in Animal Shelters

The HSDC Cat Foster Program is one of the safest options for unweaned kittens. Many shelters will euthanize unweaned kittens instead of treating them, as they do not have the resources to care for them. Rest assured, if you’re in the Delaware area, the kittens you bring in will be safe.

HSDC must find a foster for unweaned kittens before we can bring them in. It is always asked if the finder is able to take care of them with assistance from HSDC who will find them great homes when they are big and healthy.

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