We Care! We’re sorry to hear that you’re considering giving up a personal pet, but we do understand that sometimes it’s necessary. There are a few things you can do to help us to help you and your pet if your situation allows it. Our goal is to take the best possible care of your animal and to find a suitable new home. We offer these suggestions below to help smooth out that process and speed it up.
Make an appointment. Call us during office hours (Wednesday through Sunday in the afternoons) to let us know the reason for your visit. This will help us to prepare a space in the shelter for your animal, or to find a foster home.
Gather Health Records. Ask your veterinarian for a copy of your pet’s health records to share with us.
Update Vaccinations. Due to state regulations and the policies of HSSI, some vaccinations are required before an animal can leave our shelter for adoption or rescue. An animal needing vaccinations will spend a longer time in our care. If your veterinarian says your pet is overdue for any vaccinations, please consider getting them updated before your appointment with us.
Be honest. We will ask you to describe your animal’s health and behavior. This information helps us find a good match for your pet’s new home. Through our foster and rescue programs, we may be able to find some extra help for pets who come to us with health problems or in need of training.
Animals other than cats and dogs: HSSI is set up mainly to receive cats and dogs. While we do accept other small personal pets and small livestock, we don’t always have the space and staffing available to accommodate them on short notice. Therefore, we may ask you to work directly with a rescue organization, or we may work to find a foster situation for your animal(s). Please call or email us to see how we may be able to help.
Wildlife: Please contact your local Animal Control.
Notice: HSSI’s shelter at 95 Humane Road in Murphysboro is a euthanizing facility. Surrendered animals usually have one of three outcomes: adoption, rescue, or humane euthanasia. All releases of animals to HSSI are final. We will not share any information regarding your pet’s outcome.