Surrendering Your Pet
At the Peninsula SPCA, our goal is to help companion pets remain in their homes with the families they love for as long as possible. We often see pets surrendered at our shelter for behavior problems, financial or medical issues, or because the owner is moving to a place that doesn't allow pets, etc. We believe that many of these situations are fixable and our adoption counselors can often help. The Peninsula SPCA will only accept owner surrenders from Newport News, Hampton, York County, and Poquoson municipalities.

The SPCA does not euthanize owned animals. If your animal needs to be put to sleep, please contact your veterinarian. If you do not have a veterinarian, please refer to the phonebook or contact the SPCA and we will provide a list of vets on the Peninsula.

In order for our staff to focus on adoptions on Saturdays, we do not accept intake of owner surrender pets on those days.

If you prefer to find a new home for your pet
We encourage pet owners to place their own animals if they are able. Some helpful information on this process is also to the left.

If You Must Give Up Your Pet
You will be asked to fill out a Surrender Form for your pet. You can download these applications and fill them out before coming to the SPCA - printed applications are available at the SPCA. Download animal surrender form.

There is no minimum or maximum number of days your pet can stay at our shelter; however, living at a shelter long-term is not a humane way to treat any pet. Since pet overpopulation is such a pervasive problem and our SPCA cannot place every single pet or stray that is brought in, your pet will be humanely euthanized if he cannot be placed in a reasonable amount of time.

How you can increase your pet's chance of adoption
Pets that are spayed/neutered, have their shots, have their vet records, and exhibit good behavior will be permitted to stay longer than those who are less healthy or exhibit less desirable behaviors. You certainly cannot control your pet's behavior while it is staying at our shelter ... and it is difficult to predict given that your pet will be very scared and anxious. There are a couple things you can do, however, to significantly increase your pet's adoptability and decrease the chance he will be returned after adoption:

1. Bring your pet's complete vet records with him, as well as any medications he may need.
2. Thoroughly document his likes, dislikes, behaviors and temperament.
3. Bathe and groom him before he arrives.
4. Bring some of his favorite belongings, such as toys, blankets, beds, carrier, litter box, etc.
5. Have your vet bring his vaccinations up to date and treat him for fleas.

Incoming Strays
The Peninsula SPCA shelters stray animals found in the Newport News, Hampton, York County, and Poquoson municipalities. The SPCA will contact the owners of pets wearing identification or having a microchip and charge an impoundment fee before the pet can be retrieved. All uninjured strays will be held for 5 days if there is no identification or 10 days if there is a microchip or a collar (as required by law) before the animal becomes available for adoption or is euthanized. Injured strays will be evaluated and severely injured animals will be taken immediately to a veterinarian. If the veterinarian deems the animal's injuries to be life threatening or to be causing severe suffering to the animal, the animal will be humanely euthanized.

Wildlife Tranportation - Updated 8/2/2011
According to the Virginia State Law, ffective, citizens are now authorized to transport a wild animal to an authorized animal shelter after contacting the facility to confirm the animal will be accepted. For Newport News & Poquoson citizens only who need to transport a wild animal, please contact Newport News Discovery Center at 757-886-7912. This includes all wild animals, birds, squirrels, opossums, andraccoons.

It is prohibited by Virgnia State Law to transport or receive state or federal threatened and endangered species; federally protected migratory bird species; black bear; white tailed deer; and wild turkey.

For citizens in Hampton & York county, call your animal control for instructions on how to handle the situation.

The numbers for local animal control are as follows: Hampton- 757-727-6111, Newport News- 595-7387, York County- 890.3601, Poquoson-595.7387, James City County- 253.1800.

Feral Cats
Feral Cats remain an on-going issue on the Greater Virginia Peninsula. A feral cat is a cat that has become 'wild'. Usually feral cats originate as offspring of domestic cats that have been abandoned and left to breed. Feral cats do not trust humans and usually do not allow humans to touch or handle them. Because of their elusive nature, feral cats do not function well when removed from their natural outdoor environment and they are rarely able to domesticate.

A feral cat is not to be confused with stray cats. Unlike feral cats, stray cats are homeless and/or abandoned domestic cats and have had contact with humans. A way to identify a feral cat is that their left ear is tipped. This also indicates that the cat is spayed or neutered and is being cared for by a Feral Cat Caregiver.

If a feral cat is trapped and brought to the SPCA by local animal control. The cat will be held by state law for 5 days and then will be humanely euthanized. A feral cat is unadoptable. The Peninsula SPCA doesn't have the resources to actively trap, neuter, and manage feral cat colonies. However, the SPCA encourages you to take action and help control the feral cat population through T.N.R efforts (Trap.Neuter.Return). If you would like to manage your feral cat colony, you must register your colony with the city of Newport News. Please download caregiver form here. In addition, the City of Newport News has a Feral Cat Ordinance please read.To learn more about T.N.R, please visit Operation Cat Snip website or email them at info@operationcatsnip.org

To retrieve your pet
Since verbal descriptions of the same pet can vary person to person, we strongly recommend that you come directly to the shelter to see if your lost pet is being held there. We also recommend that you tell us if your pet is pregnant or has special needs as that type of pet may be placed in foster care or the quarantine room. To retrieve your pet, you will need to provide:

1. A license or current bill (within 30 days) showing your correct address information.
2. A rabies certificate and city license receipt.
3. The appropriate impoundment fee.

Fees Schedule
$20 Impoundment fee (first pickup)
$25 Impoundment fee (subsequent pickups)
$5 Dog/Cat boarding cost per calendar day or portion thereof, beginning on day two

Example:
A stray dog is picked up for the first time at 11:00 p.m. on the 12th of the month. The owner picks up the dog on the 13th of the month at 11am. This equals two (2) calendar days, so the fee would be:

$20 = impoundment fee and first day of boarding
$5 = boarding cost for 2nd day
$25 = Total Amount Due