Surrender, rehome & lost pets
Whether you need to find a new home for a pet, or you've lost or found one, we're here with compassionate options and real help — no judgment.
Do you need advice on problem behaviors?
Sometimes the thing standing between a pet and a happy home is a problem we can help you solve.
Feel free to call us for free advice and referrals on common behavioral problems such as housetraining, inappropriate elimination in cats, chewing household items, barking, and more. Your veterinarian is also a great source of help — many behavioral issues have physical causes.
- Housetraining setbacks
- Inappropriate elimination in cats
- Chewing household items
- Excessive barking
Call us at (802) 388-1100 before you make a decision — a small change can keep a pet in your home.
Rehome your pet without the shelter
If you need to rehome your pet but want to keep them out of the shelter environment, our Home-to-Home program lets you list your animal for adoption on our website while they stay safely at home, by your side.
Finding the right home takes time, so it's important to be thorough and patient — investing in the process increases your chance of placing your pet in a loving home that's both a great fit and a safe place. Rehoming this way also helps shelters like us save more animals in need.
We'll promote your pet on our website while they remain at home with you. When our shelter population is light, we may also highlight your pet on our Facebook and/or in the Addison Independent newspaper's "Pets in Need" section.
We do not play any role in the adoption — all communications and agreements are directly between the pet owner and prospective adopters.
- Be prompt in your communications with potential adopters.
- Let us know as soon as the animal has found a new home.
- Be as thorough and accurate as possible on the questionnaire.
Key facts. There is a $25 fee for the Home-to-Home program, collected before your questionnaire is processed. The program is restricted to Vermont and Essex County, NY, animals only. We post animals for two months and then delete the postings unless we have heard otherwise from you.
Small animal includes guinea pigs, rabbits, and similar pets. Questionnaires are hosted securely on ShelterLuv.
If you need to surrender your pet to us
You can rest assured your animal will receive great care and a lot of attention while we work to find them a new, permanent home. We do not charge a surrender fee — though a generous donation is gratefully accepted to help offset the cost of care.
Fill out a surrender application
Choose the right form below for your dog, cat, or small animal and tell us about them.
We review and respond within 48 hours
Our team reviews your application and gets in touch to talk through next steps.
We schedule an appointment
On average we can schedule within a week to ten days of your application — though in the summer months the wait may be up to 3–4 weeks.
- Recent vaccination records.
- Dogs on leashes; cats and small animals in carriers.
- A signed permission letter from the owner if you are not the owner.
Your appointment will take about 30–60 minutes. We do not have the staff or resources to pick up animals for surrender.
We're open-admission. When you surrender an animal to us, we make every effort to place them into a lifetime, loving home, with no pre-established time limits on how long they can stay. The only exception is when a health or behavior/aggression issue makes a responsible placement impossible.
You may bring personal belongings such as toys or blankets to ease your pet's transition, though we can't guarantee they'll stay with your pet throughout their stay.
Surrender applications are hosted securely on ShelterLuv.
Lost or found an animal? Act quickly.
The state-mandated stray holding period is only 5 business days, so prompt reporting makes all the difference in reuniting pets with their families.
Contact Homeward Bound immediately at (802) 388-1100. Be ready to provide:
- A photo of your pet
- Breed, color & description with distinguishing marks
- Sex and spay/neuter status
- Approximate age
- The pet's name
- Collar/tag description
- The address & town where last seen
- The date lost
- Your contact information
Found a stray dog? Please check with surrounding neighbors and contact your local Animal Control Officer (ACO). If no owner is located, call (802) 388-1100 ext. 110 or use the Stray Animal Report form.
Found a stray cat? Please check with surrounding neighbors. If the owner can't be found, call (802) 388-1100 ext. 111 or use the form.
Found an animal outside Addison County? Contact the humane society for that county:
- Rutland County Humane Society — (802) 483-6700
- Humane Society of Chittenden County — (802) 862-0135
- Washington County — (802) 476-3811
- Windsor County — (802) 484-5829
Reclaiming your pet
If your pet has come to us, here's how to bring them home:
- Provide proof of ownership — veterinary records, town license, bill of sale, or adoption contract.
- Pay the applicable fees and show proof of current rabies vaccination.
- For unlicensed dogs, a $25 deposit is required, with a 5-business-day deadline to provide proof of license.
| Rabies Vaccination | $35 |
| Distemper Vaccination | $20 |
| Bordetella Vaccination | $20 |
| Flea & Tick Preventative | $15 |
| Dog License Deposit | $20 |
| Town Charge (Middlebury / Weybridge) | $25 / $35 |
| HB Boarding Fee | $20 / day |
| HB Impound Fee | $30 |
Still have questions?
Every situation is different, and we're here to help you find the kindest path forward for you and your pet. Reach out — and if you're able, a gift helps us care for every animal who comes through our doors.