Surrendering Your Pets

We know that sometimes it is not possible to keep a pet; but before making the decision to surrender your animal, please contact us at 706-839-0195 to consider all of the options available to you and your pet.  Our professional and compassionate staff is happy to provide information on a wide range of pet issues. Many problems can be improved by simply having your pet spayed or neutered.

If you must surrender a pet, please be aware of the following information and take all necessary steps:

• Please call the shelter at 706-839-0195 prior to bringing an animal in. To make the process easier on you, the staff, and your pet, we ask that you give us prior notification so that we can make space to intake your pet quickly.

• Bring any and all veterinary records with you to the shelter.

• Please take a moment to fill out as much information that pertains to your pet as possible. The more we know, the better chance we have at finding your pet a new home.

• The shelter CANNOT accept ANY animals from outside our service area.

• Bring a copy of your Driver’s License or State-issued ID.

• Habersham County Animal Care & Control (HCACC) makes every effort to place healthy, friendly animals in new, loving homes. However, we cannot guarantee the rehoming of your surrendered pet. The placement of an individual dog, cat, or other animal for adoption at our adoption centers is based on an evaluation of his or her health and temperament as well as space availability. Once we place an animal up for adoption, there is no time limit in which he or she can remain up for adoption. When you surrender your pet, you are giving up all legal ownership rights to the animal. Legal ownership and responsibility are transferred to HCACC.

•  The surrender fee schedule is as follows:

  • Adult dogs/cats: $50.00 per animal 

  • Litters of puppies/kittens: $50.00 per litter (MUST be under 3 months old to be considered a litter.)

• All owner surrendered animals must be brought to the shelter by the legal owner/guardian. Animal Control Officers will not pick up owner surrendered animals.

• Please note that we advise all owners to properly follow all owner surrender protocols. Any owners found to be abandoning animals, or turning owner surrendered animals into the shelter or Animal Control as strays, will be issued citations and prosecuted to the fullest extent of local ordinances.  Please speak with the staff if you have any questions about the requirements listed above.

• Animals may be brought in during the following hours:

  • Tuesday-Friday: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (noon) and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. (We will NOT take in animals during non-business hours.)

• If owner is requesting euthanasia of a pet, we advise contacting a local veterinarian. Animal may be surrendered to HCACC per guidelines listed above as a euthanasia request. Owner surrenders all rights to animal at intake, and outcome of animal is determined by HCACC. HCACC is not required to notify owner of status of animal.