Surrendering a pet

We understand that the decision to surrender a pet is never easy.

However, please understand that we are unable to guarantee the outcome of any animal entering into our facility. We ask that all owners use us as a last resort whenever possible!

All owner surrenders are done by appointment only!

Please read this entire page to ensure you meet all guidelines before calling to schedule an appointment.

Johnson County Animal Shelter takes in domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, hamsters, rabbits, livestock, etc.

What we need to know

Before we can set up an appointment, these things must apply to you!

  • You are a resident of Johnson County, Indiana.
    • You must have a driver’s license, state ID, car registration,  or a utility bill with your name and Johnson County address dated within the last 30 days. You MUST bring the item showing that you are a Johnson County resident with you when surrendering.
  • Where did you originally get the pet?
    • If the animal was adopted from another facility such as a rescue group or other shelter, that animal is required to back to that facility. We will not intake the animal here if it was adopted from a rescue or another shelter!
  • Are you the legal owner of the pet?
    •  Only the legal owner is allowed to surrender an animal! You can’t surrender a pet on behalf of your friend or family member. If the owner is incapacitated and unable to surrender their pet, a Power of Attorney must be shown and the legal owner must have residence in Johnson County.     

Things you should know

  • Please understand that we cannot guarantee the outcome of any animal that is surrendered to our facility!
  • We are the only all admittance shelter in Johnson County, we are not a 501c3, but a county run facility. We try our best to place each and every animal. We also house all animals picked up by Animal Control therefore; we intake a high volume of animals each year.
  • Once your pet is surrendered to us, we are unable to give out any information on the outcome of the animal.
  • The outcome for animals in our facility can be one of these: they can be adopted out, sent to another rescue or facility to find placement, or be euthanized due to behavior or health.

What to bring

If you have scheduled an appointment, here is a list of things you should bring with you.

You are required to bring:

  • Your ID, registration, or bill that shows you are a resident of Johnson County. 

We recommend that you bring:

  • Any vet records that you have for your pet. This helps us when trying to find placement with your dog. Also, we will then know which vaccinations are up to date.

Schedule an appointment

After reading through this page, if you need to schedule an appointment please call us at the number below.

Please note, there is a fee to surrender animals! This fee varies based on species and other factors, so a staff member will go over those with you when scheduling an appointment.

We only schedule appointments to surrender a pet on
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
between 10:30 am and 5:00 pm.

Call us at 317-738-6090