Animal Admissions

• How do I make an appointment to surrender an animal?
• What should I expect when I arrive? What should I bring?
• Is there a surrender fee?
• What if I want to find a home for my pet on my own?
• Can you help me keep my pet so I don’t have to surrender?
• Surrender location & hours
• Stray animal viewing hours
• Cat surrender profile
• Dog surrender profile
• Bird surrender profile
• Small animal profile
• Placing your surrendered animal up for adoption
• Why isn’t an animal I surrendered listed on the website as available for adoption? What happened to that pet?
• Why isn’t an animal I saw earlier on the Adoptions floor or pictured on the website there any longer? What happened to that pet?
• What if I change my mind and want my pet back?
• The difficult euthanasia decision & process
• What if my animal is lost?
• Stray animal control services
• Why shouldn’t I bring you a tiny, stray kitten?
• Read about the SPCA’s feral cat policy here.
• Read why the SPCA cannot accept cats with Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease at this time.

PLEASE BE CERTAIN THAT YOUR DECISION TO TURN YOUR PET IN TO THE SPCA IS YOUR FINAL DECISION! If you have ANY DOUBTS about surrendering your pet(s) to us, PLEASE DO NOT DO SO! By leaving your pet(s) in our care, you are entrusting the SPCA representatives to make any and all decisions pertaining to the animal(s)! If you have doubts and would rather try rehoming your pet on your own, check out REHOME by Adopt-a-Pet.com right here >>

Please note the following numbers and select the option that best fits your needs:

– To schedule the surrender of an animal you’d like to be placed for adoption, please call 716-875-7360, ext. 400 / rabbits, ext. 401. Just leave a message with your name, a reliable contact number, and basic pet information. Your call will be returned in the order it was received.

– Rehome Courtesy Listing: Keep your pet out of the SPCA and help them find their new family with a free courtesy listing through Rehome, an Adopt-a-Pet.com program.

– To schedule a euthanasia appointment or if your call is pertaining to a sick, injured, or stray animal, please call 716-875-7360. Ask to speak with an Admissions counselor who can assist you with scheduling your appointment.

Our costs per animal admitted often include, but are not limited to, sterilization, veterinary treatments, vaccinations, medications, food, and much more, however, we ask pet owners for only a fraction of these costs incurred.

If your animal is not spayed/neutered, and is not current on vaccines:
SPCA’s minimum cost of care: $427 – $447
Surrender fee: $150

If your animal is spayed/neutered, and is not current on vaccines:
SPCA’s minimum cost of care: $257 – $277
Surrender fee: $90

If your animal is spayed/neutered, and you can provide paper proof of current vaccines:
SPCA’s minimum cost of care: $192 – $212
Surrender fee: $50

If you bring your pet into the shelter with the hopes of placing it up for adoption, please bring with you all of the pet’s paperwork and veterinary records.

Please note: Photo ID is required for all surrenders.

Back to top

Expect to spend approximately 30 minutes at the SPCA. Additional time may be needed in the event our medical or behavioral team have questions. Please remember to bring the following items to your appointment so we may better serve you:
-Photo identification
-Medical records
-Your pet on a leash or in a carrier
-Completed animal profile (dog profile, cat profile,  profile for bird, profile for other small animals, profile for reptile and amphibian)

One profile must be completed for each animal, and can be downloaded using the links above.

Back to top

The SPCA Serving Erie County makes every effort to place healthy, friendly animals into new homes. The placement of an individual animal for adoption is based on the evaluation of both his/her health and temperament. There is no time limit once an animal is made available for adoption. Animals may not be on the Adoptions floor or showing as available on our website for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, the following:

–The animal may have already been adopted. YourSPCA.org lists animals in real time, so the moment the animal is adopted, the listing is removed from the website. Some animals are adopted before their photos are even added to the listing.

-The animal is not available for adoption because he/she may require veterinary care and is being treated in our infirmary.

-The animal may not be available for adoption because he/she has a veterinary need that requires a specialist’s care…that means he or she might be out of the building being treated by a veterinary specialist.

-The animal may have been put on hold for a Meet and Greet session with a potential adopter’s family or pet(s) at a later time. If the Meet and Greet doesn’t work out, the animal’s photo will reappear on the site.

-Animals suffering from illnesses or injuries that we can’t treat (or who do not respond to treatment we do provide) or animals who display aggressive behavior and are unsafe to rehome and cannot be transferred may be euthanized. Please note, every single animal is treated as an individual and not part of sweeping generalizations. These decisions are not made lightly, are not made quickly, several people are involved in the decision process concerning each animal, and this decision is made only after alternatives are explored.

-The animal may have been placed in one of the SPCA’s Foster Care programs.

-The animal may have been transferred out to another organization or rescue group.

-Are you wondering about a dog? The animal may have been placed in our Pups at the Pen program with the Erie County Sheriff’s Office.

-The animal may be in another part of our shelter receiving behavior modification or enrichment. That means he or she isn’t ready to be placed on the Adoptions floor……yet!

These are just some of the reasons you may not see an animal on our Adoptions floor or listed on our website.

If you leave your animal with us, you will sign a contract relinquishing ownership and all rights to that animal. There is no remorse period, and we will not contact you regarding final disposition.

“What is a feral cat?” A feral cat is a wild, completely unsocialized cat that is one or more generations from a domestic cat. Feral cats are not able to be handled and keep their distance from humans at all times. Read what the Humane Society of the US says about Feral/Community Cat Management.

At the SPCA Serving Erie County, we believe in the humane management of community cat populations that consist of free-roaming, outdoor cats that comprise a mixture of feral, semi-socialized, stray, or abandoned cats. Community cats are found in all areas of the country and tend to gather together in colonies. We are committed to the humane management of community cats by engaging in and supporting Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return and Return-to-Field practices.

Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR)
TNVR is a proven humane method that reduces cat populations over time. This is a practice where community cats are humanely trapped by animal advocates for the purposes of spaying or neutering, vaccination, and ear-tipping prior to being returned to their original location or safely relocated to a new location with the participation of the property owner. We do not support the trapping of community cats for the purpose of euthanasia, except in extreme circumstances where an individual animal is suffering from a life-threatening illness or injury.

Return-to-Field (RTF)
RTF describes an approach where healthy, free-roaming cats–who lack identification–are brought to a feral cat rescue, by community members and then spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and ear-tipped and then returned to the area where they were found.

This kind of program is based on data showing that only a small percentage of cats who enter a shelter are reunited with their owners or caregiver. Once in the shelter, they may be more susceptible to stress, zoonotic diseases, or risk of euthanasia. Free Roaming cats who appear to be healthy are likely receiving care from someone or from multiple people. Owners and caregivers are more likely to be reunited when the cat is returned to its neighborhood and able to return home on its own.

We pledge to use current industry best practices in determining whether a cat should be held as a stray or is a candidate for RTF in collaboration with Feral Cat Focus.

We support the ability to use discretion when determining the most appropriate positive outcome for a cat at any time by evaluating an individual cat’s situation, taking into consideration its health, temperament, or environmental factors such as inclement weather or dangerous surroundings.

We will continue to coordinate with Feral Cat Focus, UB Animal Law Clinic, the community/public, veterinarians, legislators, to develop an understanding of the unique behaviors and needs of community cats and a unified approach to humane community cat management methods.

Back to top

Read the SPCA’s policy on cats with Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease here >>

Back to top

Each year, the SPCA Serving Erie County fields hundreds of phone calls from concerned citizens who have found very young kittens in their neighborhoods. Their concern usually arises because they may not see the mother around.

Too many young kittens are orphaned at the hands of well-meaning citizens who think the mom has abandoned the kitten. More often than not, mom is not present at the moment simply because she is out seeking food.

We here at the SPCA strive each and every day to provide the best opportunities possible to allow these kittens to grow and thrive. Simply put, to give these kittens the best chance of survival, it is vital they remain with their mother during the early stages of their lives. Not only are valuable behavior lessons being taught, but a mother’s milk provides vital nutrients that kitten formula cannot mimic.

We are confident that the kind and caring community members of Erie County will join us in our effort to provide the best possible start for these kittens by leaving them with mom.

If you have questions about a kitten you see, before scooping it up and bringing it in, please call the SPCA Admissions Desk at 716-875-7360.

Back to top

Do you think that you have no choice but to surrender your pet to a shelter? Maybe you do! The SPCA may be able to offer you a variety of resources and/or alternatives to surrender! Please read our low-cost resources flier or  call our Admissions Desk, 716-875-7360, and ask for a representative who can offer advice regarding your reason for surrender.

If you must surrender…have you considered contacting a rescue group? There are a number of groups that work with a network of knowledgeable foster parents who will keep animals in their homes (preferable to a shelter environment) until they can be placed with new families. Be certain to research the rescue group and always screen a breed rescue organization before relinquishing a pet. Do not be afraid to ask questions! Reputable rescues will be happy to discuss their policies and procedures with you!

300 Harlem Road
West Seneca, NY 14224
716-875-7360

** Before bringing an animal to the SPCA, please read this IMPORTANT INFORMATION regarding surrender appointments for ALL ANIMALS! **

Monday through Saturday: 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Monday through Saturday: Noon to 4 p.m.

Back to top