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Saying Goodbye to Your Pet is Difficult

We Understand.

Saying goodbye to a pet can be a difficult and emotional experience. We understand that there are circumstances where finding your pet a new home may seem like the only option left. The Greenville Humane Society is a no-kill, nonprofit, limited-admissions organization that is committed to assisting you and your pet in any way we can. Before making the decision to surrender, we are happy to help you find a way for your pet to remain a member of your family. Please consider all of the options available before deciding on surrendering for adoption.

In the event that you do decide to surrender your pet, Greenville Humane Society is here to help. We can help your pet find a new, loving home.

Please note we are not able to accept stray animals. If you have found a stray animal in Greenville County, we kindly ask that you take him/her to Greenville County Animal Care.

As a no-kill, nonprofit shelter, we are a limited-intake facility and do not typically have the means to accommodate walk-in surrenders. GHS would be glad to see you by appointment, at which time we will assess your pet as a potential candidate for the GHS adoptions program.

1. Schedule an appointment

Please complete the form below with all applicable information for pets you’d like to surrender to the Greenville Humane Society. Upon receipt, our Admissions team will review your submission and reach out to you to schedule an appointment. Appointments are scheduled Monday – Friday: 9 am – 4:00 pm. Please note, an admissions appointment does not guarantee that your pet will be accepted for the adoption program.

Owner Surrender Form

2. Complete your pet’s personality profile

If your pet is 4 months or older, please print and complete a Dog Personality Profile for your dog or a Cat Personality Profile for your cat. Be sure to bring it with you on the day of your appointment.

Dog Personality ProfileCat Personality Profile

Pets under 4 months are not required to have personality profiles completed due to their average length of stay. With limited resources, our staff ensures that all adult animals are listed with their personality information in an effort to find them their perfect family.

Average Length of Stay for Adoptable Pets

Age Cats Dogs
Under 4 months 8 days 14 days
4+ months 11 days 24 days

Average length of stay is accurate as of 7/1/2024. These statistics also include longer-stay pets that may have been treated for heartworms or other illnesses that extend their length of stay and increase these numbers.

3. Attend your appointment at GHS

Please note that cats must be in a carrier & dogs must be leashed. Don’t forget your pet’s personality profile, past medical records, and a list of any medications your pet is taking.

The appointment will take approximately 30 minutes. We will review your pet’s Personality Profile and medical records. Your pet will undergo a temperament and medical evaluation. If we are able to accept your pet at that time, you will be required to sign an agreement granting Greenville Humane Society legal ownership of the animal.

If accepted into the adoption program, there is an owner surrender fee of $50 per animal with adult canine teeth present (approximately 5 months or older, but differs from animal to animal). For any animals over seven years of age or considered medically obese, there is a $75 bloodwork fee in lieu of the surrender fee.

If we are unable to accept your pet, we are happy to counsel you about other options and placement alternatives.

Do you accept all pets?

While we would love to accept all animals, for the safety of our animals and staff we are unable to accept the following:

  • Stray animals. If you have a stray animal, we kindly ask that you take him/her to Greenville County Animal Care.
  • Kittens that weigh less than 2 pounds
  • Animals with known aggression problems or behavioral disturbances, which would prevent them from being adopted
  • Animals that have bitten someone
  • Animals with known contagious or fatal diseases
  • Animals over 12 years of age

Is there a fee to surrender my pet?

If accepted into the adoption program, there is an owner surrender fee of $50 per animal with adult canine teeth present (approximately 5 months or older, but differs from animal to animal). For any animals over seven years of age or considered medically obese, there is a $75 bloodwork fee in lieu of the surrender fee. There is no fee for puppies or kittens with no adult canine teeth present, but please consider the expenses incurred in evaluating and caring for your pet prior to adoption.

This fee covers a very small portion of the expenses incurred in providing care for your pet prior to adoption. Aside from providing healthy food, clean housing & a caring environment, the Greenville Humane Society pays for the following services for each surrendered animal :

  • Essential vaccinations
  • Screening and treatment of intestinal parasites
  • Deworming medication
  • Testing for Feline Leukemia & Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)
  • Testing for Heartworm Disease
  • Regular applications of flea/tick & heartworm preventative
  • Spay/Neuter surgery (if needed)

Caring for your animal costs the shelter more money than earned in adoption and relinquishment fees. Being a 501(c)(3) non-profit, relying 100% on donations, every dollar impacts an animal’s life. Therefore, additional donations are greatly appreciated. Your generosity will help your pet and others in their journey to find their forever homes.

If I surrender my pet, how long will he or she stay in your facility?

We treat all animals in our Adoption Center like any loving pet owner would and do not euthanize animals due to capacity limits or the length of an animal’s stay. All animals in the Greenville Humane Society Adoption Center remain on our floor until they are adopted.

How can I find out if my pet has been adopted?

You can track him/her on the adoption page of our website. If your animal’s photo has been removed, the animal has been adopted.

I changed my mind and would like my pet back. What do I do?

Once you surrender an animal to GHS, you forfeit all right of ownership to the animal. If the animal is still available for adoption, you may go through our adoption process; however, you will be subject to the same standards as any other potential adopter and will pay the full adoption fee.

I surrendered my pet to GHS and he/she was adopted by new owners. I have decided I want him/her back. Can you retrieve my pet or give me the contact information for the new owner?

No. Once you surrender an animal to GHS, you forfeit all rights to the animal. We respect the privacy of our customers and keep all contact information strictly confidential.

I’m surrendering several of my pets. Will they be adopted out together?

We will try our best. However, there is a chance your animals will be adopted out to separate loving forever homes.

Why don’t you take sick or heartworm-positive animals?

We do not admit sick or heartworm-positive animals for a variety of reasons:

  • We do not have the funds to purchase the needed medical equipment necessary to diagnose or treat severe injuries or illnesses.
  • Animals with contagious diseases (URI, Kennel Cough, etc.) would infect the animals presently in our care and we only have minimal on-site space to house our sick animals.
  • Pets undergoing heartworm treatment are required to be in long-term foster homes (up to 3 months) and most foster parents cannot make that time commitment.

We wish we had unlimited funds to care for every ailing pet that appeared on our doorstep. Unfortunately, with thousands of homeless animals in Greenville and limited space at our facility, our efforts are best used to take and place as many healthy pets into homes as possible.

Request a Surrender Appointment

Please complete the form below with all applicable information for pets you’d like to surrender to the Greenville Humane Society.

Owner Surrender Form

Donate

Please be aware that owner surrender appointments for adult animals are booking out a minimum of 8 weeks due to capacity limitations. We appreciate your patience and understanding.