Relinquish Steps
There are times when the human/animal bond breaks or circumstances change and a guardian must relinquish a pet. The Humane Society of Boulder Valley accepts stray and relinquished companion animals. Please carefully consider the following if you are thinking about giving up an animal.

Stray animals are held for five days to give guardians a chance to be reunited with their pet. There is no fee to bring in a stray animal, but we do appreciate donations to help us cover the cost of their care. Guardians reclaiming impounded animals are required to pay impoundment and board fees. After five days at the shelter, the Society becomes the animal's legal guardian and the animal will be evaluated.

There is a fee for a guardian to relinquish an animal to the Society. We provide a health examination and temperament evaluation to determine if the animal is suitable for adoption. Animals must pass both tests, demonstrating manageable health and behavior in the shelter environment. Animals that do not pass the evaluation are euthanized -- that means humanely killed. The Society offers the option of a guardian reclaiming a relinquished animal as long as the guardian can reclaim the animal within 24 hours of notification by the Society. Please carefully review the release statement if you are considering this option.

Some animals may need medical or behavior help, but would otherwise make a good companion animal. These animals may receive medical treatment and/or behavior management as determined by staff assessment.

The Society is a member of the Metro Denver Shelter Alliance (MDSA) and the Asilomar Accord and we work collaboratively with other groups to save animals and reduce euthanasia. Members of these groups utilize the same language to define healthy, treatable, unhealthy/untreatable animals and adhere to a standard formula for the live release rate. In this way, the public can have a better understanding of the pet overpopulation problem in their community and provide support that will best help the animals. For more information visit the MDSA website at www.saverate.org and for Asilomar Accords www.asilomaraccords.org.

Currently, the Society has a live release rate of 85 percent; of the animals coming into the shelter more than 8 out of 10 animals are adopted, reunited with their guardian or placed through a rescue group. Fifteen percent of the animals are euthanized because of medical or behavior problems that we do not have the resources to treat.

Animals can be relinquished during normal business hours; use the Client Service Entrance.

Relinquishment fee:
$35 per animal for Boulder and Broomfield County residents
$50 per animal if you live in Longmont, CO or any other area outside of Boulder or Broomfield County
$100 per animal if you live outside the state of Colorado

Relinquishment Tips
Please provide medical and behavior information about the animal you are relinquishing. Staff members will ask you questions about your animal's habits and you can fill out an additional questionnaire to provide detailed information about your pet. If you would like to fill out this questionnaire and a Release Form before coming to our facility, click on the appropriate animal profile below:
Animal Release Form

Cat Surrender Form

Dog Surrender Form

Ferret Surrender Form

Pet medical records such as shot records, name of the Veterinary Clinic.

Please let the staff know if your animal has bitten anyone in the last ten days, animals must be held ten days from the date of the bite for rabies observation if dog broke the skin.

You will be asked to sign an Animal Release Form, a document that releases guardianship of the animal from you to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley.