We support families that have adopted animals. But when an adoption match fails, contact us to see how we can help.
We hope that every animal adopted from the San Francisco SPCA will enjoy its lifetime in a loving home. And we support families to help ensure the longevity of the relationship. If you are having issues with your cat or dog, here are some resources that may help:
Dr. Sung, our board-certified veterinary behaviorist, is available for consultations. Learn more about private behavior consultations.
The San Francisco SPCA provides members of our community with a private rehoming service. The best place for your pet is in your home until a new home has been found. If you need to rehome your animal, submit a private rehoming application. Once accepted, your pet will appear on the San Francisco SPCA’s rehoming page on the web site.
Returns for Animals Adopted from the SF SPCA
If you have exhausted all reasonable efforts to keep your pet, the SF SPCA accepts the return of any animal adopted from our facility. Adoption returns must be scheduled in advance at our Mission Campus and are accepted seven days a week by appointment only, based on staff availability. Guardians who wish to return their adopted cat or dog should call 415.554.3000 or email Surrender@sfspca.org to schedule an appointment.
Although we provide re-homing free of charge to our adopters who make appointments, donations are welcome to offset the cost of intake.
Please complete a Dog History Form or Cat History Form and attach both a medical history and a picture of your pet. Right-click the form name and select “Save link as” to save the form to your desktop. Once you’ve filled in the form, please print it out and bring it with you or email Surrender@sfspca.org and include the form as an attachment.
Surrender of Cats and Dogs Not Adopted from the SF SPCA
If you are a San Francisco resident with a cat or dog that you did not adopt from the SF SPCA, please contact San Francisco Animal Care & Control at (415) 554-6364 or visit ACC’s shelter. ACC is open every day from 11:00 am – 6:00 pm (7:00 pm on Wednesdays).
To expedite the adoption process, please complete the cat or dog adoption form and bring a printed copy with you to the SF SPCA Adoption Center (Hours & Location). This helps us better understand what sort of pet you’re looking for so we can guide you every step of the way! Please bring a valid photo ID and verification that you are allowed to have a pet where you currently live.
Find the perfect match.
First, we’ll meet with you to find out more about you and your pet preferences and answer your questions. Our goal is to help you find the pet that best fits your lifestyle and living situation so we want to make sure you have a realistic understanding of the time and resources necessary to provide training, medical treatment, and proper care for your new pet. This can take time so please allow at least one hour for the adoption process.
Meet and greet.
Once we have a good understanding of your living situation and the type of pet you’re interested in, we’ll make introductions and let you spend some quality time getting to know each other to see if there’s a love connection. It’s important that all household members take part in this important decision so please make sure everyone is present (including any resident dogs if you’re considering adding a new pooch to your pack).
Make it official.
Once love happens, we’ll complete the paperwork, review all the SF SPCA adoption benefits, provide information on any known medical or behavioral issues, and share tips to make the transition a success for both you and your new pet.
Stay in touch.
We consider you and your new furry friend a part of the SF SPCA family so please reach out with questions ― and be sure to share your adoption stories and pet photos at sfspca.org/stories
Don’t forget to schedule your first free health exam at the SF SPCA Veterinary Hospital within three days of adopting.