Animal Surrender Form

You can submit an application to surrender your dog or cat. All surrender requests are assessed by the Animal Shelter, and submitting an application does not guarantee that the Animal Shelter can accept your animal.

Yes. You need to complete an Animal Surrender Application and provide as much information as possible about your animal, including their health, behaviour and history.

Yes. You must be the legal owner to surrender the animal. If you are not the registered owner, additional documentation may be required.

You will need to provide either;

• a completed Statutory Declaration, or 
• a C3A (Change of Ownership) form 

Yes. You can surrender more than one animal.A separate application MUST be completed for each animal you wish to surrender.

It is helpful to have your animal's microchip number, vaccination and veterinary records, ownership information and details about their health, behaviour and history available before starting the form.

Yes, where available. Providing relevant veterinary and vaccination records helps the Shelter understand your animal's health and care needs.

Provide as much information as you have. If records are unavailable, explain this in the relevant section of the form.

Once you have submitted this form, our Animal Shelter team will review your application and contact you within 7 - 10 business days. If further information is required, a member of the Animal Shelter team may contact you using the details provided in your application.

Important note: Submitting this application does not mean your animal has been accepted for surrender.

If your application progresses, the Animal Shelter team will contact you to arrange a behavioural assessment and discuss the next steps.

Please do not bring your animal to the Shelter unless you have received confirmation and an appointment has been arranged. Animal surrenders are by appointment only.

If your application is approved and an appointment is arranged, the applicable surrender fee must be paid by card when the animal arrives at the Animal Shelter.

Please keep a copy of your application and any supporting documents for your records.

No. The form is an application to surrender your animal. The Animal Shelter team will assess your application before deciding whether the animal can be accepted.

Yes. If your application progresses, the Animal Shelter team will contact you to arrange a date and time for the behavioural assessment.

No. Please do not bring your animal to the Animal Shelter unless your surrender has been approved and an appointment has been arranged.

If you are unable to safely care for your animal or there is an immediate risk to a person or animal, contact the Animal Shelter directly to discuss your circumstances rather than relying solely on the online application. You can contact them by phone on 1300 680 888 (Option 4 for Facilities, then option 2 for Animal Shelter), Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 4.00 pm.

Yes. If your surrender is approved, a surrender fee applies. The fee is payable by card when your animal arrives at the Animal Shelter. This fee is non-refundable and non-negotiable.

Below are the current animal surrender fees and charges applicable from 1 July 2026 - 30 June 2027.

Bring your animal and any relevant veterinary, vaccination, ownership or other supporting documentation that you have. You will need to attend at the agreed appointment time.Please also bring photo ID with you.

Once an animal is accepted, the Animal Shelter team will assess their health, behaviour and individual needs and determines the most appropriate care and rehoming pathway.

Yes.In lodging this form, you are providing personal information such as your name and contact details. The personal information that Council has collected or is collecting from you is personal information for the purposes of the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (PPIPA). Your personal information will be handled in accordance with the PPIPA and Council’s Privacy Management Plan. For further information regarding Council’s privacy obligations, see Privacy Guidelines.