Pet Owner Resources
Surrendering an animal is a difficult decision for any family. Our goal is to offer you the support you need to make this decision and ensure the best outcome for your animal.
Alternatives to surrendering your pet.
Surrendering an animal is a serious decision that will affect you and your animal for the rest of their life. While shelters do their best to provide excellent care, even the best shelter isn’t a natural environment for a housepet. We hope we can assist you with alternatives that can help you keep your pet or bypass the shelter system entirely.
To bypass the shelter system, your best bets are to rehome your animal or connect with a rescue. This process can take several weeks depending on the animal you’re trying to rehome, but it’s worth it to ensure the best outcome for your animal.
If you want to bypass the shelter by rehoming your pet yourself, check out these tips on how to find the right home to meet their needs.
There are also a number of websites that can help connect you with people looking for new pets.
Citizens for a No-Kill Philadelphia can help connect you with a rescue to help avoid putting your pet in a shelter. Check out their resources on their website, phillynokill.org/connect-with-a-rescue.
If your lifestyle change is temporary (military deployment, hospitalization, etc.) check out some of the resources available for temporary boarding/fostering.
For additional assistance, please email adoptions@morrisanimalrefuge.org.
What should I do if I cannot afford medical care or food/supplies for my pet?
There are several low-cost wellness and full-service veterinary clinics in the Philadelphia area. Here are a few we recommend;
Below are resources that can help you access food and supplies for your pet for low to no cost.
If you cannot afford to pay for veterinary care up front there are a few options to set up payment plans.
We recommend that all pet parents have insurance for their furry family members. Many insurance companies have pet policies that you can add to your existing plan.
What should I do if my pet is exhibiting behavior issues?
Often behavior issues can be addressed with minor changes to your routine or household. Check out the following for a number of articles to help you address behavior issues on your own.
Animals with behavior issues typically have the hardest time adjusting to the shelter and can sometimes even decline, so these are the animals we are most concerned with keeping out of the shelters.
What should I do if my pet is missing?
- Before you take any additional steps, make 100% sure your pet is missing. Check closets, drawers, under furniture, and all other places in your home a pet might hide.
- File a lost report with ACCT Philly here.
- Create a Lost Pet Flyer, and post it around your neighborhood.
- Check local shelters
- ACCT Philly
- Philly PAWS
- Morris Animal Refuge
- Saved Me
- Check local lost pet Facebook groups
Make sure your pet has an up-to-date ID tag on his collar. We also recommend having your pet microchipped (ask your vet).
Emergency Vet Care
If your pet is in critical care or needs emergency attention, please go to one of the following locations. Morris Animal Refuge is unable to provide emergency vet care for pet owners.
- 1920 Washington Ave Suite 1, Philadelphia, PA 19146
- Open 24/7
- 1213 Walnut Street, Suite 150, Philadelphia, PA 19107
- Open 24/7
- 3900 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Open 24/7 (will divert intake pending capacity)
- 1114 S Front St. Philadelphia, PA 19147
- Mon 8 am-Fri 7 pm. Sat & Sun: Closed
Surrendering Your Pet to the Shelter
We understand that surrendering to the shelter is the last option left for many pet owners. To surrender an animal, please visit our surrender page by clicking the link below.
