ANIMAL CONTROL / ANIMAL SHELTER TEMPLATE
NOTE:Template in Progress…..Additional examples to be added for Pet Licenses, Volunteer/Donations, Spay/Neuter Services/Discounts, Well Animal Checkups, etc. In the meantime, please view similar resources for examples, and be sure to ask thorough questions about all services and procedures.
Option 1: Animal Control With a Shelter
(NOTE: Some Animal Control departments maintain their own shelter. Others contract with a private shelter. Some have no shelter. Gather all details and adapt this template as needed.)
Service Group: Animal Control
Phone Number:
Confirm whether the correct number is the shelter, a government information line, or police department. What about for after-hours animal emergencies?
TaxonomiesService AreaMatchlist Notes
Animal Control / City(ies) served / Serves _____(city[ies])Animal Shelters / If open service area for owner surrenders, code to the county and possibly neighboring county(ies). Otherwise, mirror geographic eligibility for surrender
DESCRIPTION & PUBLIISHED DESCRIPTION:
Enforces animal-related ordinances in Indianapolis, responds to animal-related emergencies, impounds stray domestic animals, and accepts surrendered animals from the public. Due to space limitations, not all surrendered animals can be held for adoption and may be euthanized at any time. Owners are encouraged to explore other alternatives, such as finding the pet a new home, rather than surrender their pet to Animal Care and Control.
Confirm all above. Some may prefer to leave the last two sentences in. Others may not.
HELPLINE NOTES:
* This agency will NOT remove wild, nuisance animals from a property; refer to
directory assistance for "Pest Control" companies, instead.
* After hours reporting of strays is for emergency situations only (either the animal
is causing endangerment, or the animal’s life is in immediate danger)
* For lost or found animals, see the Tip under taxonomy "Animal Lost and Found."
Adapt above as appropriate for individual agency.
HOURS:
Shelter: _____ ET/CT
Mayor's Action Center: ____ ET
Animal Control Dispatch: Daily 24 hours
If different hours for different contact numbers, list all as in the example above.
ELIGIBLITY:
To Report an Animal Concern: Open (serves the town/city of ___ in ___ County)
To Surrender a Pet: Living in _____
Adapt above as needed. Remember:
●Some animal control departments will accept an owner surrender from anywhere; no geographic eligibility.
●Not all animal control departments accept owner surrenders (in which case, remove references and the “Animal Shelters” taxonomy).
INTAKE PROCEDURE:
* To REPORT an Animal Violation (Stray, Endangered, etc.): Call ____ during office hours.
For after-hours emergencies, call _____.
* To SURRENDER an Animal: Walk in during shelter hours. Go to the drop-off door around
the side of the building and ring the bell. Owners must stay with their leashed or
crated animals while they wait to be served.
* To CLAIM an Impounded Animal: Walk in during shelter hours. Go to the front entrance
and check in at the reception desk. Lost animal tours take place every 20 minutes.
All caps above are nonstandard, but I think they are helpful here. Subject to change
Confirm all details. Above is an example ONLY. Be sure to ask questions about all procedures!
WHAT TO BRING:
* To SURRENDER an animal:
- State-issued photo ID
- Proof of address (if different from that on the ID)
* To CLAIM an impounded animal:
- Photo ID
- Proof of pet ownership (such as vet records or photos)
- Proof of current rabies vaccination for the pet (if available)
Confirm all details. Above is an example ONLY.
FEES:
* To SURRENDER an Animal: None
* To CLAIM an Impounded Animal: $___ impound fee per animal plus $__ per day
kennel fee; additional fees may apply for violations such as lack of animal ID
Confirm all details. Above is an example ONLY.
●Some animal control shelters DO charge for owner surrenders.
●If impound fees are too complicated, it may be necessary to just say “Impound fees vary”
***Scroll down for additional service groups that may be appropriate, such as “Lost and Found,” “Microchipping,” “Animal Licensing,” “Donations and Volunteer Opportunities,” etc.
Option 2: For a shelter that is not part of an animal control department, and that does accept owner surrenders, use the following as a base service group.
Service Group: Animal Shelter
Program Name:NONE
TaxonomiesService AreaMatchlist Notes
Animal Shelters / If open service area for owner surrenders, code to the county and possibly neighboring county(ies). Otherwise, mirror geographic eligibility for surrenderAnimal Adoption / County (and possibly neighboring county[ies])
Note: If desired, the above may be separated into two service groups. Scroll down for a stand-alone Animal Adoption service template, and remove the associated parts of the following.
DESCRIPTION & PUBLIISHED DESCRIPTION:
Provides shelter and adoption services for homeless and unwanted dogs and cats. This shelter does not euthanize for space, so there may be a wait of several weeks to surrender an animal.
Confirm all above. Many shelters DO euthanize for space; so be sure to ask whether there is a wait list for surrendering
HOURS:
If different hours for adoption vs. surrender, note that here..
ELIGIBLITY:
To Adopt: Open (Subject to review by staff to ensure safety of animal)
To Surrender: _____
Adapt above as needed. Remember:
●Some shelters will accept an owner surrender from anywhere; no geographic eligibility.
●Some will accept from any area, but may charge or have a waitlist for out-of-area surrenders..
INTAKE PROCEDURE:
* For adoptions: Call, walk in, or visit website to request an application. Clients should be
prepared to provide contact information for their landlord (if applicable)
* For surrenders: Call to schedule an appointment to surrender animal.
Confirm all details above for individual shelters.!
WHAT TO BRING:
To Surrender: Photo ID
To Adopt:
* Photo ID
* Proof of vaccinations for any current pets (if applicable)
Confirm all details. Above is an example ONLY.
FEES:
Adoption Fees: $150 for dogs; $100 for cats
Animal Surrender Fees: Vary; call for information
Confirm all details. Above is an example ONLY.
●Some shelters do not have a simple adoption fee structure. It may be necessary to say that adoption fees vary; give a range if possible.
●Not all shelters charge surrender fees. Be sure to confirm.
Include the following service group for any shelter (including animal control shelters) that impound stray animals.
Service Group: Animal Services - Lost and Found
Taxonomies:
Animal Lost and Found / County and surrounding / See Tip for more infoDESCRIPTION & PUBLIISHED DESCRIPTION:
Provides lost-and-found services for domestic animals in ______. Kennels of impounded strays are available for viewing by potential owners. A bulletin board is also available for posting information about missing or found animals.
Confirm above. Some places have bulletin boards, some have websites for posting lost & found.
HELPLINE NOTES
Animals must be claimed within ____ days of being taken in by the shelter, so it is important to come at least every other day, starting as soon as an animal goes missing.
Confirm stray holding period. Above may be included in Published description as well.
HOURS:
___ ET/CT
Confirm hours. Many shelters have expanded hours for viewing lost and found versus for adoptions or other services.
ELIGIBLITY:
Open
INTAKE PROCEDURE:
Lost Animal:
* Walk in to view kennels and to post a notice on the bulletin board.
* Visit website to post a notice to the electronic lost and found board.
Found Animal:
* To post a flyer, walk in to the front entrance and request to have flyer posted and
to check the bulletin board for flyers of missing animals to see if there is a match.
* To have a found animal checked for a microchip, walk in to the front entrance and
ask to have the animal scanned. (This can also be done free at any vet's office.)
* To surrender the found animal, go to the side entrance, ring the bell, and wait for
animal intake.
Above is an example only. Check all procedures. In the example above, specific entrance information is required; this will not always be the case. Some shelters will accept phone calls about found animals and maintain a listing of missing animals which they will check by phone.
WHAT TO BRING:
Be sure to ask what, if anything is required to search the kennels for a lost animal AND to claim an animal if found.
FEES:
None to look for a lost animal or report a found animal; fees to reclaim an impounded pet vary
Or list specific fees, if appropriate
Ask whether the following service is available to the public for their existing pets. If so, adapt the following template as needed.
Service Group: Animal Services - Microchipping
Taxonomies:
Pet Tracking MicrochipsDESCRIPTION & PUBLIISHED DESCRIPTION:
HELPLINE NOTES
HOURS:
___ ET/CT
ELIGIBLITY:
INTAKE PROCEDURE:
WHAT TO BRING:
FEES:
Ask whether the following service is available to the public for terminally ill or aggressive pets, for people who cannot afford to pay for the service from a private vet. If so, adapt the following template as needed.
Service Group: Animal Services - Euthanasia
TaxonomiesService Status
Animal Euthanasia Services / Do Not Display on Website” (For agencies that offer this service only in rare, crisis situations)DESCRIPTION & PUBLIISHED DESCRIPTION:
Provides humane euthanasia for terminally ill pets who are suffering, in cases where the owners are unable to afford this service from a veterinary clinic.
HELPLINE NOTES
This service is available on a case-by-case basis for truly needy callers who have a suffering pet and cannot afford humane euthanasia. It should be considered a last resort only.
HOURS:
___ ET/CT
ELIGIBLITY:
* Living in _____
* With a pet that is terminally ill or injured or untreatably aggressive
* Unable to afford veterinary treatment or euthanasia to relieve a pet's suffering
Above will vary widely among agencies. Replace as needed with requirements specific to that agency.
INTAKE PROCEDURE:
Calling ahead is recommended; walk-ins accepted.
Confirm above. Some may require appointments. Inquire about any special instructions.
WHAT TO BRING:
* Photo ID
* Veterinary documentation (if available)
Above will vary. Confirm all.
FEES:
Some provide this service for free, some charge a fixed fee, some have negotiable fees.