Pet Support and Resource Center

Keeping pets and their families together

Our Pet Support and Resource Center provides a safety net for families who want to keep their pets but may need a little help to do so. In partnership with other rescue groups, we may provide free spay/neuter surgeries, vaccinations, preventative care, pet food, or basic medical care. We also partner with rescue groups to assist pet owners with minor fence repairs so a dog can’t escape his yard or provide a kennel to ensure an outside dog’s protection from the elements. We want to do whatever we can to keep pets safe and with their families.

Program Statistics

461

Pets kept out of the shelter this year

This is 14% of Cases. Our Goal is at least 30%. DONATE TODAY to help!

If people still can’t keep their pets with these additional resources, then we offer pet owners alternatives to surrendering their pets to the city shelter to reduce the chances they might be euthanized if a home can’t be found. We provide tips for rehoming their pets themselves as well as offer to place their pets in foster care with one of our rescue partners so these pets have the time they need to be rehomed. We operate the Pet Support and Resource Center in partnership with the City of Dallas, Dallas Animal Services, and nearly two dozen rescue groups.

Spay Neuter Network was recognized with the 2020 LIFESAVING AWARD for Collective Impact from Best Friends Animal Society, a national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters. This award demonstrated outstanding ability to support fellow partners and work collaboratively toward a common goal. Specifically, SNN’s Pet Support and Resource call center is helping to lower pet surrender levels by helping owners get the resources they need to keep their pets, helping them rehome their pets or diverting pets to appropriate rescues for faster adoptions keeping shelter intake down.

Success Stories

Hazel

When Alexandra called Dallas’ 311 to surrender her 1-year-old dog Hazel to Dallas Animal Services, she was transferred to us. Through our Pet Support and Resource Center, we help pet owners calling to surrender their pets with resources that can help them keep their pets. Alexandra said she was surrendering Hazel because she couldn’t afford to vaccinate her. Alexandra wanted the best for Hazel, and in her mind, “best” was letting her go to someone else so they could take care of her. But “best” was not good for Hazel, who would be leaving the only family she knew and loved. Thanks to generous funds from people like you and grant support, we helped Alexandra by giving her free vaccines and spay surgery for Hazel. Alexandra and Hazel are still a family – and it’s one less dog surrendered to the city shelter.

Chloe

When Shamela called 311 for help with her 1-year-old dog Chloe, she was routed to our Pet Support and Resource Center. Shamela said she was having to move to a new home, but the pet deposit was prohibitive. She couldn’t find another place to live that didn’t require a hefty pet deposit and was uncertain if she would be able to keep Chloe. She asked if we had any advice or suggestions on what she could do. As advocates for keeping pets and their families together, we located resources in the community to help Shamela pay the pet deposit so she could keep Chloe in her home. The more pets we keep in their homes, the fewer pets there will be surrendered to our city shelters. Our Pet Support and Resource Center provides a safety net for families who want to keep their pets but may need a little help to do so.

Coco

Coco's owner had to move and didn't want to surrender Coco but did not have the money for the pet deposit. Her case was transferred to Dallas Pets Alive and they were able to provide her with the pet deposit she needed to keep Coco with her.

Ziggy

Ziggy showed up outside Mary's house. Ziggy kept trying to get inside her house. Mary already had three cats and really did not want another one. She brought Ziggy inside her home. She called 311 to surrender but Mary had fallen in love withe Ziggy and did not want to surrender. We offered to have the cat vaccinated, spayed and microchipped for free if she would like to keep her and she said yes. Ziggy had surgery and all her vaccines and is doing great.

Luna

Luna was always getting pregnant and her owner Margaret couldn’t afford to get her fixed. Margaret was going to have to give Luna up. Margaret called the Pet Support and Rescource Center to make a surrender appointment. We gave Margaret a $100 voucher to get Luna fixed and vaccinated. Luna got spayed and was able to stay in her home

Bless

Dorothy submitted a surrender request to our Pet Support and Resource Center for a neighborhood cat. Dorothy found her in her front yard and she did not really want a cat. After a few days Dorothy changed her mind and fell in love with Bless. She wanted to keep her but could not afford to have her spayed. We issued her a voucher and Bless got spayed! Dorothy is so happy she doesn't have to surrender her. Bless now goes everywhere with her!

Dodo

Maria did not want to surrender her cat Dodo but she was pregnant and Maria could not afford kittens. Maria was offered a voucher to get her fixed and vaccines for free. Maria is so grateful that she can keep Dodo.

Whisper

Whisper was found as a stray, and her finder couldn’t keep her, so a surrender appointment was made at DAS. But, before that could happen, she was tagged from the Pet Support and Resource Center board by One by One Pet Rescue. She has since been adopted by a wonderful family and even has a younger pup to play with!

Franklin

Franklin, an eight-year-old terrier mix, was being surrendered to Dallas Animal Services by his family. They had young children and worked full-time jobs and had no extra time or attention to give the dog. When they called 311, they were connected to our Pet Resource and Support Center. We placed Franklin on our Rescue Board, and a rescue group scooped up Franklin almost immediately. During his pre-adoption veterinary evaluation, we discovered Franklin had bladder stones. We made sure he was treated for the bladder stones as well as neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. He also received a dental cleaning. It’s hard to rehome an older pet, but rescue groups often have more time than the city shelter to find dogs’ new homes. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for Franklin to find a new family who had time to love him.

Joey

Conner found a two-year-old terrier roaming his neighborhood. He picked up the dog and put up fliers in the hopes of finding the dog’s owner. No one called. Conner’s family fell in love with “Joey,” but he said Joey and the other pets in the home weren’t getting along. When he called 311 to surrender Joey to Dallas Animal Services, he was routed to Spay Neuter Network’s Pet Resource and Support Center. We placed Joey on our Rescue Board to see if a rescue group could find Joey a home. A rescue group stepped up to help Joey right away. So, we neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped him in preparation for his transfer to the rescue group. Within a week, Joey had a new home with a family that adores him. Because Conner held onto Joey until a rescue group stepped up, Joey didn’t have to go to the city shelter

Corndog

When a young man called the City of Dallas’ 311, Spay Neuter Network’s Pet Resource and Support Center answered. He had a five-year-old retriever named Corn Dog, and said he was moving and couldn’t take the dog with him. We asked if anyone in the family could take the dog, but he said his mom didn’t want to take care of the dog once he moved out. This is heartbreaking for us because it’s always challenging to find a home for an older dog. Through our Pet Resource and Support Center though, we strive to help people keep their pets, offer advice on rehoming them, or offer to place them with a rescue group so they can bypass the stress of going to the city animal shelter. In this instance, the family wanted us to find him a new home for Corndog, so we put him on our Rescue Board and are happy to say he was adopted by an incredible family with lots of land for him to run around on.

Petey

Petey, was scheduled for surrender at DAS due to his owner no longer having time to care for him and moving. Dallas Pets Alive! stepped in to foster Petey, who is 12 years old. He needed some medical treatment and dental work, which was completed quickly. In less than a month, Petey found his forever home with Debra!