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1. What is appointment based intake?

Appointment Based intake is a form of managed intake to better serve the community and the animals in our care. With this type of intake process, the citizens that are faced with relinquishment of their pet will have a qualified shelter personnel assist with any pet related concerns and provide rehoming resources for those who do not want to surrender the pet to the shelter. If surrendering is the only option, we will schedule an appointment for intake of the pet.

The owners will be provided with the surrender forms prior to the appointment date for completion. This will decrease the wait time and inconvenience of the lengthy surrender process.

2. When are the scheduled times of owner surrender appointments?

Appointments for surrender will be scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 3 pm. The appointment should be approximately 5 minutes per animal.

3. How do I schedule an appointment to surrender my pet?

To schedule an appointment, contact Animal Care and Enforcement at 704-922-8677 from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday to speak to a records specialist to begin the process. The staff will ask important questions to determine the reason of relinquishment and your pet's information. The staff will then provide you with resources on rehoming your pet, spay/neuter resources, and other pet related resources that may help prevent surrender of your pet to the shelter. The staff will then schedule an appointment for the shelter staff to follow up with the owner the following day to help manage the pet population in the shelter to increase the chances of a suitable outcome for the pet.

4. Are there any forms that need to be completed before I surrender my pet?

Yes. Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement has 2 forms that are required to surrender a pet to the shelter:

• The Owner Surrender Form (PDF) asks required information about you and the pet you are surrendering. You will need to fully complete the form and bring it with you on the date of your appointment.
• The Dog Questionnaire (PDF) and Cat Questionnaire (PDF) covers all of behavioral and health questions about your pet. This information allows the shelter to have vital information to be able to properly place your pet in a new home or rescue.

5. Is there anything else I must bring with me to the surrender appointment?

Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement requires all citizens to show proof of residency in Gaston County along with you legal identification. Forms of legal identification that are accepted are a valid NC driver's license with your Gaston County address, a valid passport with your Gaston County address, or military ID with your Gaston County address.

Your pet's veterinary records are also appreciated. A complete medical history of your pet allows the shelter to properly place your pet in a new home or rescue.

6. Why do I have to make an appointment to surrender my pet? Can’t I just drop my pet off any time?

To ensure the best care of the animals through proper management of the population in the shelter, scheduling an appointment is needed. This will allow the shelter to increase the chances your pet will not be euthanized due to limited resources and to decrease euthanasia for space which is not an acceptable reason to euthanize an animal.

7. What if I find a stray animal?

If you have found a stray animal, you can bring them to the shelter anytime between 11 am and 4 pm, Monday through Friday. If you would like to schedule an appointment to prevent a prolonged wait time, you can by calling Animal Care and Enforcement at 704-922-8677.

8. What if I need to have my animal humanely euthanized?

Animal Care and Enforcement does provide free of charge, humane euthanasia for animals at the end of their life. However, the decision to euthanize any animal is at the discretion of the Veterinary team at the Animal Shelter. Animals not exhibiting life threatening conditions, and without documentation from a veterinarian, may be denied euthanasia. Owner surrender may still be an option for the animal owner. Though an appointment is not required, scheduling an appointment will decrease the incident of a long wait time during this difficult time. We offer humane euthanasia services Monday through Friday from 11 am until 4 pm.