At Ruff Start Rescue, we understand how difficult it can be to make the decision to surrender a beloved pet. For many families, this choice comes only after careful thought and deep concern for their animal’s well-being. While our priority is always to support solutions that keep pets and people together whenever it is safe and feasible, we recognize that surrendering a pet may sometimes be the most responsible and loving option.
Our intake team is committed to treating both you and your animal with compassion, dignity, and respect throughout the process. We strive to provide a supportive, transparent experience and to ensure your pet has the opportunity for a safe and positive next chapter.
When you adopt a pet from Ruff Start Rescue, our sincere hope is that the placement is a successful, lifelong match. We understand that circumstances can change, and returning an adopted animal may sometimes be necessary. If you are experiencing challenges, please reach out to us first at adoptionfollowup@ruffstartrescue.org. We often have resources and guidance available that may help keep your pet in your home.
Our ultimate goal is to help animals remain in their current homes whenever possible, as long as it is safe for everyone involved. We understand that pet care can become overwhelming, especially during times of crisis.
If you are seeking support to help keep your pet in your home, including veterinary assistance, housing resources, or training support, please visit our People & Pet Resources page for additional information.
Ruff Start Rescue is not an open-intake facility. This means that submitting a surrender application and working with our intake team does not guarantee that we will be able to accept your pet into rescue.
All animals are carefully assessed by our intake team to determine whether they are a good fit for our foster-based program before we begin searching for an appropriate foster home. Intake decisions are based on foster availability, funding, and each animal’s individual needs.
At this time, we accept surrender applications for:
Although we would love to help every animal in need, there are situations in which we may be unable to accept an animal into our care. This may be due to foster availability, safety concerns, or financial limitations. Circumstances that may impact our ability to assist include, but are not limited to:
To begin, please fill out the applicable owned animal surrender form.
If you are trying to help a lost or stray animal, please view our resources for lost and found pets instead.
After submitting your application, email your pet’s official veterinary records and current photos to intake@ruffstartrescue.org.
In your email, please note that you have completed an owner surrender form. This is also a helpful place to share additional information about your pet that may assist us in identifying an appropriate foster home.
An intake representative will contact you regarding whether Ruff Start Rescue may be able to assist with placement. To ensure the safety of our foster homes and animals, a behavioral assessment may be requested before we are able to commit to intake.
If Ruff Start Rescue is able to assist and a foster home is secured, the intake representative assigned to your application will work with you to schedule a time to bring your animal into rescue.
If your pet is accepted into rescue, a monetary donation may be offered but is never required. Any contributions are tax-deductible and help support veterinary care and other essential needs as animals are prepared for adoption.
Thank you for reaching out and for thoughtfully considering what is best for your pet. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we move through this process together.
We know that pet care can be stressful and overwhelming in times of crisis and assistance may be necessary to ensure this is possible. If you are in need of resources to help keep your pet in your home, including veterinary information, rental housing information, training resources, etc., please visit our Resources page for additional information.
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