Surrendering a pet
Surrendering a pet
We understand that giving up a pet can be difficult
When Tails was established, we made the philosophical decision to limit our admission based on available space and overall resources, rather than accepting all animals as they come to us. The limited admission philosophy allows us to focus on the individual needs of the animals in our care. Sadly, because space and other resources are limited, we can’t accept all the animals who need our help.
If you can no longer keep the pet you adopted from us, and cannot find an appropriate home for them, please contact Tails at 815-758-2457 x102 so we can make arrangements for you to bring the pet back to us. For pets adopted offsite, please keep in mind that you will need to return the pet to the Tails shelter. We do not have the resources to pick up pets.
Pets not adopted from Tails will be accepted as space permits. We will try our best to immediately accommodate very young kittens/puppies and sick or injured adults.
Please fill out the appropriate online form below and we will contact you as space becomes available.
If you need to relinquish a pet, please leave a voicemail at
815-758-2457 x 102
Dog Relinquishment
If you have found a stray dog, please contact your local animal control department.
DeKalb County Animal Control: 815-748-2427.
If you need to relinquish a dog not adopted from Tails, please fill out the dog relinquishment form below. If you adopted the dog from another shelter, we recommend that you contact that shelter prior to contacting Tails.
If you need to relinquish a dog adopted from Tails, please leave a voicemail at 815-758-2457 x 102.
Cat Relinquishment
We receive far more requests for assistance than we have the resources to accommodate. We will however, always accept cats who were adopted from Tails. We will also try to immediately accept very young kittens and sick and injured cats. If you need to return an adopted cat or have a sick or injured cat or very young kitten(s), please leave a voicemail at 815-758-2457 x 102.
If you need to relinquish a cat not adopted from Tails, please fill out the cat relinquishment form below. If you adopted the cat from another shelter, we recommend that you contact that shelter prior to contacting Tails.
Little Critter Relinquishment
Tails accepts pet birds, hamsters, bunnies, gerbils as well as other small pets, as space permits. Tails does NOT accept reptiles of any kind. Please leave a voicemail at 815-758-2457 ext 102.