Frequently Asked Questions
Nevada Humane Society is a charitable, non-profit organization and the only open-admission, no-kill shelter in the state of Nevada, founded in 1932. Our mission is to care for pets, find them homes and save lives and our vision is that all pets have a healthy, happy life. Our guiding principles are to promote humane treatment, relieve suffering, operate a no-kill shelter and educate and engage the community. We accomplish our lifesaving by providing quality care and finding homes for homeless pets while offering a variety of programs to benefit the public and animals. We are dependent upon donations and do not receive funding from government agencies or national animal welfare groups.
No. Nevada Humane Society is a private and independent organization. We work with many other humane organizations, including national groups, but we do not receive funding from them.
Donate: Nevada Humane Society is 100% reliant on community support and donations to run our shelters and continue caring, and finding homes, for Northern Nevada’s homeless pets. We greatly appreciate your donations and couldn’t do it without your support! Please visit our Donations page to make a donation today.
Volunteer: Our dedicated volunteers help us provide essential services to our shelter pets and provide valuable services to, and events for, the community. If you are interested in volunteering for Nevada Humane Society, please visit our Volunteer page.
More ways to help: For a list of fun, creative ways you can help Nevada Humane Society Shelter Pets and to see what support is needed the most at any given time, please visit our Support Nevada Humane Society page.
No. While we certainly share many of the same goals, and while we work closely together on many projects, these are all individual agencies and groups. For more information on their missions and operations, please contact each of them directly.
Yes. Though we originated in 1932, it was in 2007 that our Board of Directors changed the mission of the organization to one of lifesaving, promoting animal welfare while finding homes and providing care for homeless pets in Northern Nevada. Thanks to the amazing support of the community and the hard work of our Board of Directors, dedicated staff, volunteers and partners, we have achieved dramatic results. In 2012, Washoe County was highlighted by Maddie’s Fund, honored with the Community Lifesaving Award and named one of the safest communities in the country for homeless pets, with a 95% lifesaving rate. Carson City, where we expanded to in 2014, also enjoys a 95% lifesaving rate and we only continue to grow to save even more lives. To learn more about how you can help, please take a look at our volunteer opportunities.
In Carson City Yes. If you live in Carson City, and have lost your pet or need assistance from Animal Control please contact Nevada Humane Society at 775-887-2171. You can also visit our Lost & Found Pets page.
In Washoe County No. If you live in Washoe County and have lost your pet or need assistance from Animal Control, please visit Washoe County Regional Animal Services as that is where lost, found and abandoned animals are taken in Washoe County. You can file a lost pet report online as well. Washoe County Animal Services can be contacted at: 775-322-DOGS
If you have seen a stray animal and would like it picked up, please contact Animal Control in your area. If the animal is friendly and you can safely handle it, check for identification and try to trace the owner. If you are able to maintain the pet while looking for the owner, be sure to still file a found report.
If you live outside of Washoe County or Carson City, please contact your local police or sheriff’s department (or animal control if you have one) for assistance.
If you live in Carson City: Visit our Lost & Found Pets page, for a list of all lost pets that are currently at our shelter. If you found a lost pet or need assistance from Animal Control please contact Nevada Humane Society Carson City at 775-887-2171.
If you live in Washoe County: If you live in Washoe County and have lost your pet or have found a lost pet, please visit the Lost & Found Pets page on the Washoe County Regional Animal Services website.
If you have seen a stray animal and would like it picked up, please contact Animal Control in your area. If the animal is friendly and you can safely handle it, check for identification and try to trace the owner. If you are able to maintain the pet while looking for the owner, be sure to file a found pet report.
If you live outside of Washoe County or Carson City, please contact your local police or sheriff’s department (or animal control if you have one) for assistance.
We accept pets from their legal owners residing in Washoe County and Carson City who are no longer able to keep them. Acceptance of an animal does not guarantee admission into the adoption program. There is no set “time limit” for any animal’s stay at the shelter – each animal is assessed individually for health, temperament and behavior. Nevada Humane Society is unable to re-home animals who are a danger to themselves or others, or who are medically challenged beyond our ability to rehabilitate.
Nevada Humane Society accepts owned pets by appointment only Monday through Saturday, from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Call (775) 856-2000. Please bring whatever written information you have about your pet: vaccination and medical records, pedigree papers, a brief biography, etc. You will be asked to fill out a surrender form, and sign a legal release of ownership.
Nevada Humane Society wants to be your last resort. Please try to place your pet with family, friends, co-workers, through the paper or through a rescue program first. Rehoming your own pet assures that there is a place in the shelter for other pets or owners who do not have any other options. Click here for information about rehoming your pet. You may call or email our Animal Help Desk (775) 856-2000 ext. 200 or animalhelp@nevadahumanesociety.org for assistance and information on rehoming your pet.
Nevada Humane Society accepts pets from their legal owners by appointment only Monday through Saturday, from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Animal Help Desk (775) 856-2000 ext. 200. Please bring whatever written information you have about your pet: vaccination and medical records, pedigree papers, a brief biography, etc. You will be asked to fill out a surrender form, and sign a legal release of ownership.
- The surrender fees for animals are as follows:
- Spayed/neutered adult dog, cat or rabbit: $25 (Owners will need to present proof of spay/neuter procedure at surrender appointment)
- Intact adult dog ,cat or rabbit: $50
- Kitten/puppy (each animal): $20
- Other small animal: $20
If you are unable to afford this fee, it may be waived under certain circumstances. Please call the shelter before bringing your pet to us; appointments are required. We may be able to assist you with rehoming your pet yourself, other placement options, financial resource information for medical issues or offer guidance and counseling with behavior and training problems so that you can keep your pet. You may also visit our Animal Behavior Assistance section and view our Behavior Information Pages to help you address problems that are straining your pet-owner relationship. For additional details please visit our Animal Admissions page.
If your pet is still at the shelter, you may reclaim it by re-adopting it. As the pet is now the legal property of Nevada Humane Society, it will have to be spayed or neutered prior to leaving the facility (applies to dogs, cats and rabbits) if it is unaltered. You will be responsible for this charge as well as for any other medical services provided.
Nevada Revised Statute 574.600 mandates that ALL dogs and cats must be surgically altered before leaving a shelter, animal control center or “releasing agency” (rescue/placement group). This helps control the state’s pet overpopulation crisis and thereby reduces the number of homeless animals euthanized in shelters. NHS operates a spay/neuter clinic on-site and is able to accommodate the pediatric sterilization of puppies and kittens in addition to adult dogs, cats and rabbits. Rabbits were added to our internal policy as we receive over 300 for adoption each year.
Spay/neuter appointments can be made on our website. To schedule an appointment to have your pet spayed or neutered please visit our Veterinary Clinic page.
Spaying and neutering directly addresses the tragedy of pet overpopulation and helps ensure the ever-decreasing numbers of homeless animal euthanasia in our community.
Vaccination appointments can be made on our website. To schedule an appointment to have your pet vaccinated please visit our Veterinary Clinic page.
Vaccinations help promote a healthy pet population for all income levels, and are required by the NHS clinic to be current a the time of surgery. We also offer microchipping to support complete pet identification. NHS strongly recommends that all pet owners establish a relationship with a local, full-service veterinary hospital to provide for the pet’s health throughout its lifetime.
Nevada Humane Society may offer financial assistance for cat and dog spays/neuters at our clinics, based on qualifying need and space available. Please visit our Financial Assistance for Medical Care page more information.
Our primary goal is to make lifelong matches between our shelter pets and Northern Nevada community members. We do this by sharing information about the pet and its needs and learning about you and your needs. Our counselors are here to help you make the right choice. Our animal caregivers are familiar with each and every pet in the facility and are excited to share this information with you. We have visitation rooms for “meet-and-greets”, as well as areas for dog-to-dogs introductions. We ask that adopters be 18 year of age or older, with current identification. For further information about adopting a pet or to review the pets available for adoption visit the pages listed below:
Adoption fee includes spay/neuter, vaccines and a microchip. Click here for current adoption fees.
For information on licensing your dog in Washoe County Click here.
For information on licensing your dog in Carson City Click here.
If you need one time assistance or longer ongoing assistance to feed your cat or dog we may be able to help. Nevada Humane Society’s Pet Food Assistance program provides cat or dog food to individuals and families that qualify. Nevada Humane Society’s Pet Food Assistance Program also helps supply cat food to our numerous feral cat colony caretakers. Please note that food is available as our donation supplies allow, so we may be limited on the amount of food we have to offer. For additional information about our program or the application process please visit our Pet Food Assistance page.