Giving up a pet is a heart wrenching decision, but sometimes there seems to be no other option. We urge anyone in that situation to try the following before bringing an animal into the shelter.

• Check with family and friends who know the pet and might have an interest in adopting it. Pets re-homed with people they already know undergo much less stress than pets who are taken to shelters
• Ask friends, family, and coworkers to ask their friends, family and coworkers if anyone might be interested in a ready made pet.
• Check with your veterinarian. He or she may know of someone looking for a pet.
• Check with local breed rescues. These groups foster pets in homes while they look for permanent placement. Most have websites that are easily searched.
• Carefully advertise and screen applicants. Click here for advertising tips
• Check Petfinder.com or other websites that allow individuals to post adoptable pets

If these don’t work, the shelter is an option but it should be your last resort. While the Nebraska Humane Society is one of the best shelters in the country it is still a shelter. Pets who have been spoiled by family members find themselves in kennels, with strange people and animals surrounding them. Many are so scared they shut down. Others act aggressive. For some, the situation is so stressful that they become physically sick. We accept any animals from our jurisdiction into the shelter, and promise safe harbor and humane treatment as the pet’s temperament and health is evaluated for our adoption program but some animals don’t make because they simply don’t do well in the kennel environment.

What else can I do?
You need to evaluate why you are giving up your pet. If the issue is behavioral (Fluffy not using the litter box, Spot barks and jumps on people) we can help! Our Behavior helpline offers free advice to pet owners who are at their wits end. Call 444-7800 extension 221, briefly explain your problem, and leave your name and address. We will send you an information packet immediately and a behavior specialist will return your call as quickly as possible to discuss your concerns and offer advice on correcting behavior issues. If necessary our behavior specialists will meet with you and your pet in a private consultation to work on difficult problems!

How do I Get More Behavior Information?
Click here for articles on specific behavior issues
Click here to e-mail questions to the Behavior Helpline
Click here for Obedience Class information
Click here for Pet Friendly Housing Help!

The process:

• We accept all animals from our jurisdiction of Omaha and Sarpy County, but due to the overwhelming number of cats we get in, we are sorry to report we can no longer take in cats from outside our jurisdiction. 
• We ask that you bring the animal to the shelter between 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• Bring along any medical records or paperwork
• Once here we will ask you to fill out an information sheet so we have a better idea of your pet’s personality and what type of family he or she would most fit.
• We ask a $25 fee at the time of surrender if you live in our jurisdiction (Omaha or Sarpy County) and a $50 fee if you are outside these areas. This helps us mitigate some of the costs of taking care of thousands of pets.
• Once a pet owner signs the animal over we can begin evaluation and temperament testing for entry into our adoption program
• Please realize that we cannot guarantee adoption, but we do promise humane treatment for all animals in our care.