Intake & Surrender
Need Help With an Animal?
We know that needing to surrender a pet or finding an animal can be stressful. Our team is here to help you understand your options and get you to the right resource.
Darlington County Humane Society is an open-admission shelter serving Darlington County, but because shelter space is limited, owner surrenders and other non-emergency intakes are managed by appointment and availability.
Please choose the situation below that best describes why you're here.
I need to surrender my pet.
Owner surrenders are accepted by appointment and are subject to available shelter capacity. Submitting a surrender request does not mean you should immediately bring your pet to the shelter. Our Intake Team will review your request and contact you regarding availability and next steps.
Before You Surrender
If you would keep your pet with a little help, please tell us. Depending on available resources, DCHS may be able to connect Darlington County pet owners with assistance such as pet food or supplies, spay/neuter resources, veterinary assistance, rehoming guidance, or other community resources.
I found a stray.
Found inside Darlington County? If you find a stray dog, please do not assume the animal has been abandoned. Many lost pets are found very close to home. If you can safely keep the dog temporarily, you can help give their family time to find them while avoiding an unnecessary shelter stay.
Start Here: Have the dog scanned for a microchip. Post the dog on local lost-and-found pet pages. Check for identification tags. Ask neighbors if they recognize the dog. Submit a found pet report. If possible, consider temporarily keeping the dog as a foster while the owner is located.
If you cannot safely keep the animal, contact our Intake Team for instructions.
I Found a Cat or Kittens.
Please don't automatically bring outdoor cats or kittens to the shelter.
A healthy cat living outdoors may be a community cat rather than a lost or abandoned pet.
The DCHS Community Cat Program is a collaborative initiative designed to humanely and effectively reduce Darlington County’s community cat population while improving the health and welfare of free-roaming cats.
Found kittens?
If the kittens appear healthy and are in a safe location, their mother may be nearby.
Before moving kittens, determine whether mom is returning to care for them. Very young kittens generally have their best chance of survival when they remain with their mother whenever it is safe to do so.
If kittens appear sick, injured, orphaned, or in immediate danger, contact us for guidance.
I Need to Rehome my Pet.
If your pet does not need to enter the shelter immediately, rehoming directly from your home may be a better option.
Keeping pets out of the shelter whenever safe and possible reduces stress on the animal, gives you more control over choosing their new family, provides potential adopters with better information about the pet, and preserves limited shelter space for animals with nowhere else to go.
Our team can provide information and resources to help you responsibly rehome your pet.
This is an emergency.
If an animal is experiencing a life-threatening medical emergency, contact a veterinarian immediately.
If an animal is actively dangerous, involved in a bite incident, or you need animal control assistance, contact the appropriate law enforcement or animal control agency for your location.
Please do not leave animals unattended outside the shelter.
Please Do Not Abandon Animals
Leaving an animal unattended at the shelter, outside the facility, in a kennel, or elsewhere without authorization is not an acceptable form of surrender and may constitute animal abandonment under South Carolina law.
If you need to surrender an animal, please contact our Intake Team. We would much rather work with you to find a safe solution than have an animal left without care.
Animals may not be left on DCHS property unless intake has been authorized by a staff member.
How Our Intake Process Works
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Complete the appropriate intake or surrender form with as much information as possible.
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Our Intake Team reviews requests and determines the appropriate next step based on the animal's situation and current shelter capacity.
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A team member will contact you regarding resources, questions, or intake availability.
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If shelter intake is necessary, an appointment will be scheduled.
Please do not arrive with an animal without an appointment unless you have been specifically instructed to do so by DCHS or the animal is being brought through an authorized agency.
FAQs
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Our goal is not to turn animals away. Managed intake allows us to provide appropriate care for the animals already depending on us while continuing to help animals entering the shelter.
Every animal admitted requires kennel space, food, vaccinations, medical care, cleaning, enrichment, staffing, and ultimately a safe pathway out of the shelter.
When our population is high, accepting animals faster than animals are leaving can create overcrowding and compromise the health and welfare of every animal in our care.
A waitlist allows us to admit animals as space becomes available while helping owners explore alternatives when possible.
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While you're waiting for our Intake Team:
Keep your pet safely contained.
Please do not abandon your pet or leave them unattended at the shelter.Respond when we contact you.
If we cannot reach you, it may delay your request.Let us know if your situation changes.
If you've rehomed your pet or no longer need assistance, please tell us so we can move to the next family waiting.Be honest about medical and behavior history.
Accurate information helps us make the safest plan for your pet, our staff, and other animals.
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Our team is happy to help determine the appropriate next step.
Email: intake@darlingtonhumane.org