Reclaiming Your Pet

Q: If my pet was already vaccinated, are the additional vaccines harmful?

No. If your pet was already vaccinated before they entered the shelter, receiving this additional round of vaccines is not considered harmful.

Q: Why was my dog or cat required to get a microchip?

The State of California's Food and Agriculture Code Section 31108.3 and 31752.1 require all dogs and cats to be microchipped prior to being released from an animal shelter. A microchip is permanent identification for your pet and can help them get back to you faster if they are ever lost.

Q: Why should I spay or neuter my pet?

In addition to reducing your reclaim fees, spaying or neutering your pet has health and behavior benefits. That is why we offer low-cost spay and neuter services for community members reclaiming their pets. Learn more about spay/neuter .

Q: I can’t afford the fees. What are my options?

We want to help you reclaim your pet and are here to provide support. We encourage you to come in as soon as possible to discuss your options, which include an accessibly priced payment plan.

Q: I'm not able to come in-person to reclaim my pet. Can I have a friend or family member reclaim on my behalf?

Yes. Please fill out this form ( En Español ) and send your friend or family member with your proof of ownership and copy of your photo ID.

Q: What if I need additional time to reclaim my pet?

Due to the high volume of animals in care, we are not always able to accommodate a request for an extension. Please contact us as soon as possible and consider utilizing other resources for boarding or temporary foster care .

We look forward to helping you reunite with your lost pet! If you find your pet listed in our database, or if you have been contacted by us about your pet, please follow the process below.

Play Video

Ver en Español

Where to Go

If your pet is in our care, please come in person to reclaim them as soon as possible. Visit the San Diego Humane Society campus where your pet is being cared for to reclaim them. We recommend arriving no later than 5 p.m. to allow time for processing before we close.

Please bring the documents listed below with you, as they will help us return your pet to you as quickly as possible. If you do not have the following documents, still visit the shelter so that we can help you through the process of reclaiming your pet.

What to Bring

Proof of ownership: This includes paperwork that can help identify the animal as yours, such as: microchip registration documentation, veterinarian or adoption paperwork, license history, a detailed sales receipt, etc. Photos of your pet can be used in some situations.
Photo ID: Bring your government issued photo ID.
A collar and leash for dogs, and a carrier for cats and small pets.
Form of Payment: Our staff will confirm the total cost of reclaim at the time of pickup, based on applicable fees.

If you do not have the documentation listed above, please still visit the shelter so that our staff can help you through the process of reclaiming your pet.

Reclaim Fees

Fees to reclaim a pet vary based on several factors, such as whether your pet was already legally licensed, whether they needed medical treatment and how many days they spent in our care. (All dogs living within the jurisdiction of San Diego Humane Society must have a current license.) Please review our fees below for an idea of what costs you may be responsible for. Fee totals will be discussed with you when you reclaim your pet, and we recommend coming to the shelter as soon as possible.

Please note that our primary goal is to reunite owners with their pets. If you are concerned about your ability to pay the fees to reclaim your animal, please let us know so we can discuss available options!

Note: You might qualify for waived reclaim fees! If your dog is spayed/neutered, has a valid license and microchip, and you pick them up during their first day in our care, we will waive your reclaim fees.

Impound Fees

This fee covers the cost of your animal coming into our care. It includes admission, an evaluation by our staff and some vaccinations necessary to protect your pet and the other animals in our shelter.

Animal / Fee Type	Fee
Dog, cat, small animals	$40
Dog (2^nd time)*	$55
Dog (3^rd time)*	$100
Unaltered fee (dog and cat)**	$150
Humane Law Enforcement Seizure	$29.75 per hour of officer time
Sheep, fowl, goats, medium farm animals	$40
Equine, bovine, large farm animals	$65
Spay/Neuter Deposit	$60
Cardboard carrier (for transport)	$20
Facilities fee (El Cajon Campus)***	$3

*These increased fees apply only to dogs found stray or running at large multiple times. They do not apply in cases of emergency boarding.
**This fee of $150 may be added to the total owed for reclaim if your pet enters our care as a stray more than once and is unaltered. It does not apply in cases of emergency boarding. This amount includes fees mandated by the State of California and County of San Diego.
***If you reclaim your impounded animal from our El Cajon Campus, an additional $3 facility maintenance fee is assessed and paid to the City of El Cajon for shelter upkeep.

Daily Animal Care Fees

If your pet enters San Diego Humane Society’s care, you may be subject to a daily care fee to cover the cost of housing, cleaning, feeding and enrichment.

Animal / Fee Type	Fee
Dog, cat, small animal	$30
Sheep, fowl, goats, medium farm animals (per day)	$40
Equine, bovine, large farm animals (plus ½ for 1^st day)	$100

Medical Services

If your pet receives necessary medical services during their stay in our shelter, you may be responsible for fees related to the services. Please note that spaying or neutering your pet is not required for reclaim, but these procedures are highly recommended for the health and safety of your pet. Using San Diego Humane Society’s Spay Neuter Impact Program (SNIP) and agreeing to have your pet altered can significantly reduce the cost to reclaim your pet.

Fee Title	Fee
Microchip*	$30
Rabies vaccination**	$30
Abdominal Cryptorchid	$140
Cardiac brachycephalic anesthetic protocol	$60
E-collar	$20
Flea treatment	$20
Vaccinations (per injection)	$30
Male cat neuter	$165
Female cat spay	$175
Male dog neuter	$220
Female dog spay	$230
Additional medical care	Fees vary

*All dogs and cats must be microchipped prior to being released from an animal shelter, per California’s Food and Agriculture Code Section 31108.3 and 31752.1. A microchip is permanent identification that can help your pet get back to you faster if they ever become lost.

** Because the risk of infectious disease is higher in a shelter, all dogs are given a rabies vaccine when entering our care.

Dog License Fees

San Diego Humane Society sells dog licenses on behalf of the contract cities we serve: Carlsbad, Del Mar, El Cajon, Encinitas, Escondido, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, Oceanside, Poway, San Diego, San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach and Vista. In addition to being required by law, license fees are an investment in the health and safety of our pets. These small fees also help San Diego Humane Society provide care to stray and homeless pets and protect animals from cruelty and neglect. If your city is not listed, please click here for information on where to purchase your dog license.

License Type	Fee
Dogs adopted from SDHS who reside in our jurisdiction	Free 1-year license
Altered, 1-year license	$20
Altered, 2-year license	$35
Altered, 3-year license	$50
Unaltered, 1-year license	$60
Unaltered, 2-year license	$100
Unaltered, 3-year license	$150
Change of ownership	$15
Late fee	$25
Transfer from another jurisdiction	$15
Lost Tag replacement	$15

Dog license fees are non-refundable.

Late Fees: Failure to obtain a license or renew the license by the expiration date may result in a late fee.
Alteration (Spay/Neuter): Licenses for unaltered dogs are charged at a higher rate. For a list of low-cost spay or neuter services in San Diego, please visit sdhumane.org/alterations.

Beware of Scams

We have received reports of scams targeting pet families searching for their lost pets. Scammers are calling pet owners from blocked numbers, posing as San Diego Humane Society, and falsely claiming that lost pets have been found and require emergency surgery. In some cases, they are even able to replicate our main phone line so that it shows on caller ID. Scammers request payment for their lost pet’s medical care through Zelle or similar apps. If you receive a call like this, please do not make any payments! San Diego Humane Society will never request urgent payment in this manner or threaten to withhold necessary medical care for a pet in our shelter.

It’s heartbreaking to see families targeted at such a vulnerable time. We urge you to stay vigilant and help spread the word to protect yourself and others. While we do regularly conduct legitimate telemarketing calls to raise funds for our programs and services, we never request payments from pet owners in this way. If you receive a suspicious call, please hang up and dial our main line at 619-299-7012 to confirm its legitimacy.

Common Questions

Why was my dog or cat vaccinated when they entered the shelter?

Every dog and cat is vaccinated when they enter the shelter to protect them, as well as the other animals in our care, from infectious disease. Because the risk of disease is higher in a shelter environment, and our goal is to protect the well-being of animals in our care, our policy is to vaccinate them as soon as possible.

Dogs are given DHPP and rabies vaccines, and cats receive FVRCP and rabies vaccines. This aligns with the recommendations and guidelines from many nationally leading veterinary organizations, including the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, the Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association. These organizations develop vaccination guidelines used widely by veterinarians, and they include recommendations for owned animals in homes as well as those in animal shelters.

If my pet was already vaccinated, are the additional vaccines harmful?

Why was my dog or cat required to get a microchip?

Why should I spay or neuter my pet?

What is the Spay/Neuter Deposit?

The County of San Diego requires pet owners to pay a Spay/Neuter Deposit fee when they leave the shelter with a pet who has not yet been spayed or neutered. A person who pays a Spay/Neuter Deposit is entitled to a refund if they provide proof that the animal has been spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian within 30 days of paying the deposit (unless the animal is under 4 months old at the time of payment).

I can’t afford the fees. What are my options?

I'm not able to come in-person to reclaim my pet. Can I have a friend or family member reclaim on my behalf?

What if I need additional time to reclaim my pet?

Spackle

Holly

Pet Training Classes

Paws to Read at Logan Heights Library

More Humane for the Holidays