I Found a Pet What Should I Do?
Some pet finders don’t feel comfortable bringing an animal into the Nebraska Humane Society. What will happen to the pet? What if the owners don’t come? Rest assured that the kennels and cattery at the Nebraska Humane Society are safe haven for strays and homeless pets. The animals are warm and safe. They are fed and housed in clean kennels. They are given any necessary medical treatment. And each year we return thousands of dogs and cats to frantic owners. Here’s how you can help us.

If the Pet is Friendly

• Check to see if the animal has an I-d tag. Often owners will put a phone number right on the tag. You may be able to get the animal home without even calling us!
• If the animal has a license tag or rabies tag the Nebraska Humane Society can trace the owner. Call our lost and found line at 444-7800 option 2. You can leave the license number and description of the dog. We will call the owner and have them contact you for pick up.
• Bring the animal to the Nebraska Humane Society. Our Hours are 8am to 7pm weekdays, 8am to 4pm on Saturdays and Noon to 4pm on Sundays.
• If you are unable to bring the pet to us during business hours you can drop the animal off in our overnight drop kennels located in the east lobby of the shelter. The drop kennels are open whenever the shelter is closed. Once you place the animal inside a kennel, the door locks and the pet is safe until staff can impound it. Please take time to fill out paperwork so we know the animal is a stray and the general location where it was found.
• If you are unable to bring the pet to us please call 444-7800 and then press option 1. We will send out the first available officer for pick up.

If the Pet is Unfriendly

• Do not approach the animal
• Call animal control at 444-7800 option 1 to come pick up the animal
• If possible, contain the animal in a yard, kennel or garage. Do this only if it does not risk your safety!

What happens to the pet at the shelter?
Don’t be afraid to bring a pet to us. Once an animal arrives at the Nebraska Humane Society Omaha law requires us to house the animal as a “stray” for 3 days. An animal found in Sarpy County will be held as a stray for 5 days. During that time owners whose animals have tags or microchip identification are contacted to pick up their pets. Many other owners walk the kennels to re-claim lost pets. If an owner fails to surface during the “stray” holding time, the pet becomes property of the Nebraska Humane Society. Its temperament and health are then assessed for entry into our adoption program.

It is not true that only young animals in the peak of health are adoptable. Many injured and sick animals are given medical treatment by on-staff veterinarians and then placed for adoption. Older dogs and cats go to families who want ready-made pets. Animals do not have a timeline for adoption once they are accepted into the adoption program-- Pets in our adoption kennels are there until they are adopted!