Pets are surrendered for many reasons—financial concerns, illness, moving to a home that doesn’t welcome pets, allergies, pet behavior issues, and unwanted litters—to name a few. Rehoming a pet can be devastating for the owner and the animal, so HSSC urges pet owners to consider other options before deciding to surrender. We’re here to help. HSSC offers many resources to help keep pets in loving homes.
HSSC is a private, managed-admission shelter. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of rehome requests and limited staff and resources, HSSC is not able to accommodate all requests.
If you have found a stray animal, please contact Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Animal Services at 941.861.9500 or Manatee County Animal Services at 941.742.5933.
We accept cats and dogs by appointment only. An appointment does not guarantee acceptance into HSSC. Each pet is evaluated for health and temperament. We accept rehome applicants from Sarasota County or Manatee County only. Animals from other counties are case-by-case.
HSSC makes every effort to place healthy, friendly pets in new, loving homes, but we cannot guarantee the rehoming of your pet. The first step is to fill out the form below.
If you have any questions about rehoming your cat or dog, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 941.955.4131.
If You Need to Rehome Your Pet
If You Need to Return a Newly Adopted Pet
If an adopted animal turns out to not be a good fit, the animal may be returned to HSSC within 30 days of adoption. After 30 days, adopted animals may still be returned to HSSC, but we ask the adopter to first complete the Rehome Request Form so we have updated information on the animal, including medical records. All returns are by appointment only so we can ensure we have space available. We do not charge owner surrender fees for animals that were previously adopted from HSSC.
Read the Adoption Returns Policy (PDF)
Once You Have a Scheduled Appointment
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THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF SARASOTA COUNTY, INC., IS A PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT 501(C)(3) CORPORATION REGISTERED WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & CONSUMER SERVICES, REGISTRATION NUMBER CH239, AND RECEIVES 100% OF ALL DONATED FUNDS. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR ONLINE AT WWW.FRESHFROMFLORIDA.COM. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.