Skip to main content

Pet Resources

Rehoming Your Pet with TCHS

Rehoming Your Pet with TCHS

  • A Statement from TCHS on Our Intake Process

    Dated Nov. 11, 2023

    At Tri-County Humane Society, we do whatever we can to support the pets and people in our community. But, in the interest of being transparent, we want to take a moment to share some thoughts.

    We have 100-plus available animals in our shelter at any given time. We are booking intake appointments for animals who need to be rehomed multiple weeks out. We are often pushing our limits as far as what we can do – and we know, the needs out there are great. We know this in part because we are getting requests for help from far outside of our area, up to an hour or even further away.

    We don’t like saying “no” to those needing us. But we must prioritize the people in our immediate area first, including the government agencies we contract with, and we do not want to skimp on the quality of care for our animals. We also do not want to go back to a time where we euthanize for space.

    Here’s how you can help:

    * Understand that we need to balance helping as many pets as we can with ensuring we’re doing right by the current animals in our care, as well as our staff and volunteers. We need to try to reserve some space for strays who have nowhere else to go, or for true emergencies.

    * We schedule all our rehoming appointments. (No walk-ins, please.) Call us at 320-252-0896 to schedule; we have a high volume of calls, but we will get back to you if you leave a message as soon as possible.

    * If you need our services and live outside of the immediate St. Cloud area, please start by contacting your local animal shelter, municipal animal control office, etc. A “stray” animal who has a home will have more luck being reunited with their human if they stay in the area.

    * Don’t assume every roaming cat is a stray or that the cat needs immediate help. There are plenty of indoor-outdoor cats in the area. TCHS staff members are happy to give tips or even “lost signage” to people who have found cats; just contact us. If you have an indoor/outdoor cat, we would highly encourage that they be wearing identification and be microchipped.

    * And about these truly feral cats - not just cats living outdoors, but feral cats – yes, they can survive in Minnesota winters. If they couldn’t, there would not be such a big cat population! 

    * Please spay/neuter your pets.

    Thank you for reading, and for understanding.

     

Rehoming your pet can be an emotional and challenging experience. We're here to help! Prior to scheduling an intake appointment with us, we'd love to have a conversation with you to see if there are potential alternatives/resources that may help you keep your pet in your home. However, we do understand that there are situations where rehoming is essential. Once we've explored other options, we will schedule an appointment with you to bring your pet to the shelter. 

Please call us at (320) 252-0896 to begin this process. TCHS does not have time limits on the animals in our care. We require appointments to ensure we always have enough room for all the animals. Please expect a weeks-long wait to get an appointment. Thank you for understanding. 

Rehoming Questionnaires 

To help TCHS find the best match for your pet, we ask that everyone who has a surrender appointment with us fill out one of the questionnaires below before they bring their animal to us. (If you need help, a TCHS customer service representative will help direct you to the right questionnaire before your appointment; some customers may be asked to fill out several of the forms.) Please do NOT do one of these questionnaires without having an appointment with us; also, filling out a survey doesn't constitute making an appointment. Call us at (320) 252-0896 to make an appointment.

Thank you for helping us find the best path for your pet!

General Cat Rehoming Questionnaire 

House-Soiling Cat Questionnaire 

General Dog Rehoming Questionnaire 

Dog Aggression Screening Questionnaire 


Rehoming Fees

Canine/Feline: $50 per animal
Cap on Litters of Kittens/Puppies: $100 per litter 

**
Ferrets, Guinea Pigs, Rabbits, Chinchillas, Hedgehogs, and Birds: $20 per animal

**
Reptiles and Aquatics (Snakes, Lizards, Turtles, etc.): $50 per animal
** 
Pocket Pets (Gerbils, Hamsters, Mice, and Rats): $10 per animal 


 

Rehoming Your Pet Yourself

Adoptapet.com and Getyourpet.com are apps that give owners another outlet for rehoming without using an intermediary like a shelter.  They gives pet owners the tools to find the perfect new home for their pet themselves. This humane option minimizes stress on pets by keeping them in their current homes until new ones can be found.

How it works: Both apps walk you through creating your pet’s profile, safely meeting interested parties and finalizing the adoption. Potential adopters can see your pet’s profile online and contact you to arrange a meeting to get to know your pet. You can then complete the adoption and legally transfer ownership. Among the benefits to programs like these are:

  • It's a safe, no-cost way to rehome a pet and a much safer alternative than posting to online classifieds (please don't do that);
  • The adoption fee can go directly to Tri-County Humane Society or any other shelter, if you choose, to benefit other homeless animals in the area;
  • It gives pet owners the ability to hand-select their pet’s new home.

Relinquishing an animal can be a tough and heartbreaking experience. It also can be a gift of unconditional love to a new family. Regardless of what route a pet owner takes, we're here to help every step of the way.

2023 Facts:

  • Animals Placed

    4,764

  • Number of Animals Transferred In

    464

  • Total Surgeries

    3,204

© 2024 Tri-County Humane Society

Powered by Firespring