SURRENDERING A PET

The Humane Society of Plainfield is a private all volunteer no kill dog and cat rescue. We receive no funding from any government agency and are not obligated to take all surrendered animals, nor can we accept strays without prior approval from law enforcement/animal control responsible in the area that the animal is found.

SURRENDERING A PET YOU ADOPTED FROM US
LIMITED ADMISSION - OWNER SURRENDERS
WHEN WE CAN'T TAKE YOUR PET
STRAY ANIMALS
ANIMAL ABANDONMENT

SURRENDERING A PET YOU ADOPTED FROM US
If you adopted your pet from us and you can no longer keep or care for it, we will take it back regardless of the amount of time you've had it as long as it is not aggressive. This was noted on the adoption application you signed at the time of adoption. Also, when you adopted you signed a statement that you were going to keep the animal for the rest of its natural life, and since you have disregarded that oath, you will not be eligible to adopt from us again. We do not give refunds of adoption donations or reimburse medical expenses. At the time of adoption, New Pet Health Assurance coverage is offered to help pay for medical expenses that may occur in the first 60 days you own the pet and if coverage is refused, we cannot be financially responsible or reimburse you. A donation to be used for the care of your pet once it is in our possession is requested.
You must call the Humane Society at 815-436-2700 and leave a message in order to receive authorization BEFORE you drop the animal off. A volunteer will contact you. We are all volunteers with jobs and families, so the call back may take a few days. Playing phone tag is not an option; so leave multiple numbers or email addresses at which you can be reached. The Animal Care Center and Mallard Point Veterinary Clinic do NOT accept Humane Society surrenders without prior authorization from the Humane Society. Do not call them or bring animals to them without prior authorization.

LIMITED ADMISSION - OWNER SURRENDERS
We do on a Limited Admission basis accept owner surrenders if space permits. However, our status as a rescue which saves homeless animals that are about to be put to death in a pound means that when we accept your pet, we have one less space to accommodate an animal already in a pound scheduled to die. It's a difficult decision when we know that a homeless puppy or kitten will be put to sleep at the pound because we gave that "space" to your pet, which already has a home.
However, we do understand that there are circumstances that make if necessary to surrender a pet and many of these pets are worth finding new homes where they can be appreciated. In order to increase the probability that we can take your pet into our program, following any one or more of the suggestions below is very helpful:
1. Make sure female pets are spayed and males neutered or offer to pay for the surgery to be done.
2. Make sure all vaccinations/tests are current including rabies, distemper, bordetella and a fecal test. Also, for dogs a heartworm test, for cats a leukemia test. If these aren't current, offer to pay to get them current at the time of surrender.
3. The younger the animal, the better the chance that we can accept it and find a home for it. If you intend to surrender a young dog or cat, don't take a year to think about it.
4. If you have a pet that has given birth, call us right after the puppies and kittens are born. We will work with you to accept them at 8 weeks and advise you related to any health related issues. Don't spend 6 months trying to sell or give them away and get your pet spayed. Moms and Dads of puppies/kittens surrendered to us can qualify for a low cost spay/neuter program.
5. Socialize and train your pet. We do not accept unsocialized or aggressive animals regardless of age as they are impossible to place and we cannot accept liability for your vicious animal who may bite an employee, volunteer or potential adopter.
6. Make a donation. The cost to us of fully vetting a dog for adoption that is not spayed/neutered or current on vaccinations is over $300. For a cat over $200. Those are not required donations, but many people recognize that their pet, while they may not be able to keep it, is still ultimately their responsibility and are willing to offer adequate compensation for their future care. They go to the head of the line for admission to our program. There is a financial burden to the Humane Society for medical care, boarding and feeding that we incur when we agree to take in your pet, and funding does affect our decision whether we can accept your animal. We must be fiscally responsible in order to continue to operate.
If you need to surrender your pet, call the Humane Society at 815-436-2700. A volunteer will contact you. We are all volunteers with jobs and families, so the call back may take a few days. Playing phone tag is not an option; so leave multiple numbers or email addresses at which you can be reached. The Animal Care Center and Mallard Point Veterinary Clinic do NOT accept Humane Society surrenders without prior authorization from the Humane Society. Do not call them or bring animals to them without prior authorization.

WHEN WE CAN'T TAKE YOUR PET
If you have an animal that you need to surrender immediately and we are unable to take it, you have the option of contacting your village, township or county government agency to determine which government funded pound can accept your animal.

STRAY ANIMALS
We cannot accept a stray animal that you have found until certain legal requirements have been met. Those requirements differ by village, township and county depending on who has jurisdiction over animal control in your area. It can be confusing, but we must follow the law.
1. If you find a stray animal, contact law enforcement for the area in which the animal was found. We cannot do this for you. The police need to speak with the individual finding the animal in order to determine the proper jurisdiction for the impound. In Plainfield, for instance, there are multiple jurisdictions based on Township.
2. The police may refer you to animal control or may pick up the animal themselves, depending on who is responsible in your area. In some areas, the police may take a report only and give you further instructions on what to do with the animal.
3. There is a 7 day, no exceptions, holding period before the county can legally release the animal for placement, which gives the owners an opportunity to claim their animal. The agency which picks up and houses the animal for the 7 day holding period differs by area, although Will County is ultimately responsible for determining what is to be done with the animal.
4. After the 7 day holding requirement is met, Will County will issue a release to legally transfer the animal to us if it qualifies for placement. For the Humane Society to take in a stray that is not properly reported to the county or to offer the animal for adoption prior to receiving a release from the county would be a violation of the law.
In summary, if you find a stray animal, it MUST be reported through local law enforcement / Animal Control jurisdictions. We cannot accept a lost and found animal from an individual; we must have a release from the county, which can only be given after legal requirements are met.


ANIMAL ABANDONMENT
Individuals who want to dispose of animals at times use threats of abandonment and violence in order to shock or scare us into taking their pet. We wish we could help everybody, but we can't and these threats will be reported to the Humane Investigators of Will County. Leaving a pet at our door or in our parking lot DOES constitute abandonment and we will prosecute. Releasing an animal to "run free", or dumping animals on the side of the road is also abandonment. Farmers do not want your abandoned pets and they will prosecute.
A roaming animal, besides being a danger to drivers and the community, risks getting killed or injured by a car, starving to death or being attacked by another animal (coyotes in this area feed on stray pets). In Illinois, pet owners are responsible for humane care and treatment of their pets, providing food, water, shelter and veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering. Failure to do so constitutes a Class B misdemeanor.
Animal abandonment constitutes a Class A misdemeanor. The maximum punishment for a Class A misdemeanor is imprisonment for a term less than one year. A second or subsequent conviction is a Class 4 felony. A Class 4 felony is punishable by one to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). The Aggravated Cruelty statute prohibits a person from committing an act that causes a companion animal to suffer serious injury or death, and constitutes a Class 4 felony. A second or subsequent violation is a Class 3 felony.