How long do shelters keep animals

Animals must be transported for the minimum time practicable. Cats and small dogs can be placed in secure carrying baskets, cages or boxes, large dogs may be restrained but all animals must be physically separated. Badly injured animals may be euthanased or transported to the nearest point of veterinary attention as soon as possible. Health management plans must be developed by shelters and pounds, in consultation with a veterinarian.

These must cover issues such as:. Every animal admitted to a shelter or pound must be scanned for any permanent identification device. They must be examined by a veterinarian or experienced person who is responsible for classifying animals into the following categories for attention:. A foster carer is a person who takes on care of an animal outside a pound or shelter until the animal is fit for sale and returned to the pound or shelter for rehoming.

It includes:. Foster carers within the pound and shelter system must have and comply with a written foster care agreement. Animals can be fostered for a variety of reasons and for any time period — as long as it is done in line with the written foster care agreement.

A foster care agreement is a written agreement between a pound or shelter and a foster carer, in relation to the animal's needs and foster carer's responsibilities. If the animal is placed in juvenile or veterinary rehabilitation foster care, the agreement must include the veterinary care requirements and be signed and endorsed by the veterinary practitioner.

In addition, foster carers conducting juvenile, veterinary rehabilitation or behavioural rehabilitation foster care for a pound or shelter must:. Community animal rescue groups greatly assist in reducing the number of animals located in pounds. All of our shelter animals are on a strict diet so that we can better monitor any health problems. We do not accept opened food.

Please visit our Wish List for more specifications and acceptable items. We rely on donations from friends like you to rescue, shelter, and find homes for pets. Please be as generous as you can to help us give them the care they need and the love they deserve. Become a Wildlife Release Site. Request Clinic Appointment. Spay and Neuter Services. End of Life Services.

Behavior and Training Classes. Lost and Found Pets. Other Programs. Animal Control Agencies. Statistics and Reports. Sign Up For Our Newsletter. Are you a no-kill shelter? How long do you keep animals? No-kill shelters keep animals indefinitely unless they are too ill to be treated or have an overly aggressive nature. Time is limited for any animal in a shelter, unless the shelter is a no-kill one.

If left unadopted, any animal will be put down eventually. For all other calls and inquiries see our contact details. All medically and behaviourally healthy animals are placed in adoptive homes. Every year we also take in thousands of animals suffering from physical and behavioural problems. We treat them and find them homes as well. Most animals are treatable.