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Bringing An Animal To The Shelter

Bringing an Animal to the Shelter

As an open admission shelter, La Plata County Humane Society accepts all pets from La Plata County that come through our doors, no matter the circumstances. Animals from outside the county limits are may be accepted on a case-by-case basis and require approval from the shelter Director.

We require a surrender fee, $50 per Animal or $100 per litter

A COPY OF YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE IS REQUIRED

Surrendering Your Own Pet

Changes to Owner Surrender Policy
Effective June 5, 2023:
Following ASPCA Guidelines and industry best practices people wishing to surrender their pets to LPCHS must do the following:
  • Animals surrendered by appointment only between the hours of 9-11 a.m. and 12-4 p.m.
  • Surrender forms that include information about the animal’s health and temperament and the reason for surrender (e.g. medical, behavior, change in family circumstance, etc.) should be completed in advance.
  • Animals that are spayed/neutered will be accepted on Friday and Saturday. Animals that require spay/neutering will be accepted on Monday and Tuesday so they can be included in our surgery rotations without waiting over a weekend for intake and pre-adoption treatment.
  • When the surrender appointment is scheduled we can bring other resources to the meeting depending on what the issue is to better serve the owner (e.g. medical, behavior, etc.).

Other Alternatives to Bringing them to the Shelter:

– FOSTER – Find a Foster Home. To get more information about LPCHS Foster, please reach out to our Foster Coordinator via text at 720-443-4783.
– DONATE – Average cost of care per pet, per day is $25. Average length of stay is currently 27 days. This means, each pet in our care costs approximately $675 from day of intake to day of adoption. This cost includes spay/neuter, vaccinations, food & water, staffing, and behavioral & medical rehabilitation when needed.
– SPAY & NEUTER – LPCHS & Dogster’s Spay & Neuter Program (“D-SNiP”) offer low cost spay/neuter options weekly. Please get your own pets fixed and encourage friends and loved ones to do the same. La Plata County has a pet overpopulation problem and each pet owner needs to make responsible choices in order to make a difference and get this issue under control.
Every year LPCHS takes care of approximately 3,000 animals in need. Of the approximately 1,700 who become ours and go up for adoption, 96% of those are successfully rehomed. Please help support LPCHS now and make it possible for us to continue our success.

CANINE OWNER SURRENDER FORM         FELINE SURRENDER FORM

Bringing in a Stray

We accept stray pets within the boundaries of La Plata County. If you have found a stray pet outside our service area, please take it to the nearest shelter where the pet was found. Chances are they not too far from home.

You must call the shelter prior to bringing in a pet that was found outside our service area of La Plata County, as they are taken in on a case-by-case basis. We require a $100 fee for stray pets brought to us from outside the county.

We ask people who bring in stray pets to fill out the stray canine or stray feline form and bring a valid photo ID. You will need to complete the form at the shelter and we ask you leave the pet outside the building while completing the paperwork. Once paperwork is completed, one of our staff members will ask you to either bring the stray pet inside or around to the back of the building, depending on the health of the animal. Please make sure animal is in a secure pet carrier. 

*If you plan to take ownership of the animal until the owner is found, please keep in mind that after 72 hours of caring for a stray animal in the State of Colorado, you will then be considered the owner.

What If I Need to Return a Pet I Adopted?

We work hard to make a successful match, but if you discover that the pet is not compatible due to health or behavior, you may return the pet at any time and we require them to be returned to our care, as noted in the adoption contract. We require a relinquishment fee of $50 if the animal is returned more than 30 days after adoption. Please download and complete the form below in detail and bring to the shelter with the animal you wish to return.

CANINE OWNER SURRENDER FORM       FELINE SURRENDER FORM

For more information or if you have questions, please call (970) 259-2847 x101.

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