Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control (AC&C) offers compassion and understanding to owners who relinquish their pets and a warm welcome to the animals that are being entrusted to our care. Before beginning the process of surrendering your pet, you need to check out our surrender prevention options.
Note: before you fill out an appointment slot, you need to be a resident of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and have proof that you are a resident before we will accept your pet. We do NOT take animals from outside Mecklenburg County (both stray or surrender).
If you have no other options than to surrender your pet, you will need to
schedule an owner surrender appointment to bring in your animal so that AC&C can provide you the best and fastest service. Your online appointment form will ask for general information about your pet. Pet background profile forms and veterinary records are critical to doing the best we can for your pet. The more we know about your pet, the better we're able to place him or her into a new home.
Please wait until your appointment date. Though we know you may feel you have to surrender your pet right away, AC&C works very hard to ensure that we have the time and space for new animals before they come in. Bringing your pet in early or without an appointment can result in stress for your pet, a longer stay in the shelter, and may even negatively affect his or her chances of being placed.
Your Appointment
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Your appointment will take approximately 30-45 minutes and will include a health and behavior discussion of your pet. Your pet's placement in our adoption center is based on a variety of factors, including the results of the evaluation.
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After all information about your pet has been gathered and the animal evaluation is completed, we will discuss your options with you, so you can make the best decision for you and your pet.
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Bring a copy of your pet's veterinary records and photo identification. Only the legal owner of an animal may surrender. We CANNOT accept pets from family members or friends. The owner MUST be a current resident of Mecklenburg County (if your license does not list a Mecklenburg County address, please bring proof of residency). At time of surrender, the owner must also present a driver's license or government issued picture ID.
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Be sure that dogs are on leashes and cats or other small animals are in carriers.
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There is a $10 owner surrender fee per animal.
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If your animal has bitten or broken skin in the last 10 days, please let us know so we can follow the proper steps to protect your pet and others.
Rehoming Options
AC&C's goal is to work with pet owners, empowering you to take an active role in determining the best outcome for your pets. We encourage all pet owners to consider other options for help or private rehoming prior to surrendering your pet to one of our centers. No one is in a better position to find your pet a new home than you are. While we never turn away a pet in need, we are also here to help you keep your pet.
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