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Pet assistance program
Pets are family, but sometimes people run into situations where it is difficult or impossible to keep their furry family members. Regional Animal Services of King County has some tips and resources that may help you keep your pet. If that's not possible, we also have information on how to responsibly rehome your pet, or as a last resort surrender your pet to RASKC so we can help them find a new forever home.
Pet Food Banks
For pet owners experiencing economic hardship, RASKC has a Community Pet Pantry located just outside of our main entrance doors at the Pet Adoption Center. This humble pantry is stocked with generous in-kind donations received from the community, and there is no charge to pick up items. We just ask that you take only what you need.
Seattle Humane also offers help to people struggling to provide for their pet.
RASKC also works with other public and private organizations to provide pet food and supplies to the communities we serve. Thanks to generous donations from corporations and national charities, we are able to distribute pet food to the locations shown below.
Interested in donating?
Look at our Amazon Wish List which supports our Community Pet Pantry and other efforts, or feel free to stop by during regular business hours to drop off items.
Rehoming a pet
Before bringing your pet to a shelter, consider these options to help rehome on your own.
- See if a family member or friend can take in your pet
- Check out these online communities that can help connect you with potential new pet parents:
- Renting with pets
- Behavior tips
- Low-cost or free spay/neuter surgeries available through many local veterinary clinics
Surrendering a pet
We understand that the decision to give up your pet is never easy, and our goal is to offer support in any way we can. We realize that in some cases, an owner may decide to surrender their pet because they are not aware of other resources that may be available to them. If you are facing this difficult decision, we have provided the resources below to help you make the best decision for you and your pet.
We accept dog and cat surrenders by appointment for owners who live in RASKC's service area. If you need to bring your pet to the shelter, start by filling out the form below. A RASKC representative will contact you to gather more information about you and your pet, and to make an appointment. Due to large numbers of surrenders, it may be eight to ten weeks before a surrender appointment becomes available. Owner surrender appointments typically take 30 to 45 minutes. Please bring a valid photo ID and any veterinary records you may have for your animal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
RASKC schedules appointments for owner surrendered pets to ensure that we have enough resources available when a new pet arrives. This appointment allows our team a chance to sit down with you to gather information and discuss what the best possible options are for you and your pet. Please be aware that it may be eight to ten weeks before an appointment is available.
Whether we are able to accept more than one animal at a time depends on the space we have available. Please complete the Owner Surrender Form to receive a call from an intake specialist who can talk to you about your options.
If your pet has a litter of babies and you are able to rehome them on your own, we encourage you to review the above resources for rehoming. If you do decide to rehome on your own, you can find low-cost spay and neuter locations through the ASPCA website or our list of local clinics.
If you are not able to rehome on your own, you are welcome to bring your litter to us. Please complete the Owner Surrender Form and a RASKC representative will contact you.
We know saying goodbye to your pet is never easy. RASKC offers end-of-life services to pet owners within our service area. If your pet is licensed with King County, there is no charge for euthanasia services. For unlicensed pets, there is a $50 fee.