In order to ensure that we can devote personal attention to you, and that we have space available for your pet, please read the following carefully. Appointments are required, and can be scheduled by calling the Adoption Center at 859.873.5491. You will be charged a $50 fee to help us cover some of the cost of caring for your pet. While we do accept most pets, we are not required to do so and may recommend that you take different steps or surrender your pet elsewhere.
Woodford Humane will accept small animals of many kinds, including cats, dogs, rabbits, ferrets, chinchillas, guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, birds, and small reptiles. We do not accept livestock or wildlife animals. We are not able to provide care for exotic pets, or pets that could potentially put our general population at risk, such as large snakes. Surrender appointments are required for all incoming animals.
All animals must be appropriately secured and confined. If you arrive with a loose, unrestrained pet in your car, you will be asked to go home, restrain or confine it appropriately, and reschedule your surrender appointment in order to return. Dogs must be leashed. Cats must be securely in a carrier. If you need a collar and leash or carrier, you may borrow one from Woodford Humane Society prior to your surrender appointment.
If your pet was adopted from the Woodford Humane Society and you can no longer care for it, we will always take it back. We know and love our pets, and believe that they have the best chance at another home if they come back to us.
If you are a Woodford County resident, we will almost always accept your pet. Please be prepared to produce a valid Woodford County ID at your surrender appointment. Exceptions may be made for pets who demonstrate unsafe temperament, to the degree that Woodford Humane staff would be placed at risk by handling the animal in question; or for animals that were originally adopted from a different rescue organization.
If your pet was adopted from another rescue, we may recommend that you return the pet to its original rescue rather than surrendering it here. Many rescues – Woodford Humane included – either require or prefer that pets adopted from their facility be returned in the event that the adopter can no longer care for them, rather than taken to a different organization.
If you are not a Woodford County resident, we may accept your pet. However, when our facility is full to or past capacity (which is more often than we would prefer), we will restrict our intakes to Woodford County animals only. We appreciate your understanding.
You can schedule an appointment by calling the Adoption Center at 895.873.5491. We typically schedule surrenders between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm, Tuesday through Friday. Bring your pet’s current medical records, and any other items that might provide your pet some comfort, like a favorite toy or blanket.
Appointments allow us the opportunity to prepare for your pet. If you arrive without an appointment, you may be turned away due to lack of space, or your pet may be caused additional stress by placement in a temporary area before its living area can be arranged.
Appointments also allow you, as a pet owner, the opportunity to make sure you are making the right decision. We know that the decision to give up your pet can be very painful and emotional. Sometimes that decision is made in a moment of frustration or anger. Understand that you are the whole world to this pet, and that bringing him or her to our facility will be sad, frightening, and confusing for him or her. The decision to surrender a pet to Woodford Humane is permanent. Scheduling an appointment is a way to give you a chance to step back and think it over – and make sure it’s the only option left. If you need help with behavior issues, consult a veterinarian or trainer. Our Care and Training Page may also offer some helpful hints, and our Adoptions Counselors are happy to offer advice. We’ll do what we can to help you make it work.
You will be asked to pay a surrender fee of $50 per pet (or per litter). This fee will cover a small portion of the cost of your pet’s stay at Woodford Humane. On average we spend $570 per pet in our care; and although we have wonderful and generous supporters and donors, we receive no government funding at any level to help offset the cost of caring for your pet. Your surrender fee will help us provide the food, water, shelter, and veterinary care your pet needs.
We want to make the best possible match between your pet and his or her new adopter. The more you can tell us about your pet, the easier that will be. Be honest! We will not fault your pet for behavior quirks or rough spots in his or her training, but it is important that we have that information to help prepare our staff and potential adopters to best bond with your pet.
We do not have any way to accept after-hours surrenders. Leaving an animal at our gate or on our property after hours is abandonment, and you will be reported to Woodford County Animal Control.
Surrendering a pet is a permanent decision. When you surrender a pet to us, you are relinquishing all ownership rights. If you feel later that you have made a mistake, or that your living situation has changed and you are now able to care for the pet again, you must go through the application process and pay an adoption fee. You are not guaranteed approval.