Re-Home Your Pet

We understand that sometimes, pet guardians find themselves unable to continue providing care for their pet. When this difficult situation arises, the best thing you can do is try to re-home your pet so they won’t have to enter a shelter. Entering any shelter environment is extremely stressful for pets and should be avoided if possible. Surrendering your pet to a shelter should be a last resort, not the first option.
With dedication and effort, many people find success re-homing their pet on their own. Here are some tips on re-homing your pet.
Ask family and friends
Search within your networks
Use Social Media
Post a classified ad
Post a classified ad to be viewed by the general public, either online or in a printed publication. Popular options for Albuquerque residents include Craigslist and Albuquerque Journal.
Contact Breed and Rescue Groups
Contact breed & rescue groups. There are numerous pet rescue groups, many of whom are foster-based, working to help pets find new homes and keep them out of the shelter environment.

Sometimes, individuals find it necessary to surrender their pets due to unexpected life changes or unforeseen circumstances. We understand that this is a difficult decision to make, and can help your pet find a new home.
Animal Humane is a managed-admissions facility, and pets are accepted by appointment only. To learn more please visit our Admissions page.
Policies
Dogs
The admissions process will take 30 – 45 minutes. Our trained and certified Adoptions Team performs a behavior assessment (SAFER® assessment) on every dog and puppy to determine their temperament. If the dog being surrendered fails our assessment, we will not be able to admit them into our care and will provide you with alternate suggestions.
Cats
The admissions process will take 30 – 45 minutes. Please bring your cat in a carrier if possible; however, we do not accept surrenders of cats or kittens in traps. We do not admit feral cats or feral kittens. For information on our feral cat TNR program, click here.
Fees
We are a private nonprofit organization that receives no city, state or federal funding. We rely on revenue we generate to care for more than 4,500 shelter pets annually. On average, the cost for a 21-day stay is $400 per pet. Admission Fees help us to offset these costs. To admit a pet into our care for re-homing, we require the following fees:
- $45 for the first pet; this includes both strays and owner surrenders
- $15 for each additional pet
- For litters of kittens/puppies: $40 for first pet and $5 for each additional pet
Pet admissions are accepted by appointment only.
To schedule a pet admission appointment, please complete the appropriate form on our Admissions page.
Admissions Department Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 10 am-noon & 1-4 pm
Admissions are accepted at our Main Campus only: 615 Virginia St. SE.
Stray pets may be admitted on a walk-in basis as space allows.