Surrendering a Pet

We understand that giving up a pet can be a very difficult and emotional time and usually, a last resort.   However, our Rehoming Centre is always full, so we need to make space by rehoming the animals already in our care.  We also need to retain some capacity for emergency admissions from cruelty, neglect and abandonment cases from the RSPCA, and we must prioritise these animals who are often in need of intensive and urgent veterinary treatment and specialist care.

For all other animal intakes, we run a waiting list and we are unable to take in surrendered animals at short-notice.

Sadly, there has recently been a huge increase in the number of owners needing to give up their pets for various reasons.  We receive calls every day from people in very difficult circumstances and unable to continue caring for their animals.  Whilst you are welcome to add your pet to the waiting list, we cannot currently guarantee that we will be able to take it or any timescale for this.  We also advise you to contact as many other rescue charities as possible to register your animal with them.  Most other animal charities are equally busy, but the more places you can contact the better, to give you the best chance of securing a place for your pet as soon as possible.

If you previously adopted your pet from another rescue centre or animal charity, the first call should always be to ask them to take the animal back or help you find another suitable home. Similarly, if you bought your pet from a breeder, please contact them to ask if they can take it back or help you rehome it.  There are also “breed specific” rescue charities for certain dog breeds, so please check online whether you can register with them, as they may have other options to help you.

Our Animal Surrender form is here.  This form is held within a separate secure database so does not resemble this website, but this is normal.  Your information will be saved confidentially and securely.  We need to gain as much information as possible regarding your animal prior to arranging to take them into the Centre.  This helps us build a picture of their needs, likes and dislikes and general temperament, to help us find the most suitable new home for them.

Once our Animal Care staff have reviewed your form, they may contact you if they have any queries or need clarification on the information you have provided.  Depending on the reason for surrendering your pet, they may also be able to give other support or advice, ie neutering vouchers etc.   However, we will not be able to give any idea of the timescale for bringing your pet into the Centre.  Our waiting list is monitored constantly and as soon as we have space to take your pet, we will contact you.

If you manage to rehome your pet elsewhere in the meantime, please let us know so we can remove your records from our list.

Contrary to some stories you may hear, RSPCA Cornwall Branch DO NOT euthanize animals to make room for new ones.

If you have any queries or need help completing the form, please contact us.