Intake Services

Need Help Caring for Your Pet?

Life happens—and sometimes, continuing to care for a pet isn’t possible. At SPCA Tampa Bay, we’re here to help. As a For-All Shelter, our goal is to provide compassionate support while ensuring the safety of our community, staff, and the animals in our care.

Animal Intake Appointments

Our Intake Program is available 6 days a week by appointment.
Appointments allow us to serve you and your pet more efficiently and with the care you both deserve.

Pinellas County residents receive priority scheduling.
To schedule your appointment before visiting, please contact us via email at intake@spcatampabay.org for the quickest response, or call 727-586-3591 ext. 150. You will receive a call back within 48-72 hours.

Found a Stray Animal?

SPCA Tampa Bay does not accept stray animals from outside Pinellas County.

We will accept strays from within Pinellas County only when Pinellas County Animal Services is closed, and solely for the animal’s safekeeping. These animals are later transferred to Pinellas County Animal Services to complete the required stray hold process.

Strays in Pinellas County? Contact Pinellas County Animal Services.
Strays outside of Pinellas County? Please reach out to your local municipal shelter.

Facing Financial Hardship?

Before surrendering, let us help. If financial challenges are making pet care difficult, our Pet Food Banks offer free pet food for dogs and cats to families in need.

CLICK HERE to learn more about our Pet Food Banks.

What to Expect When You Surrender a Pet

SPCA Tampa Bay is For-All shelter. As a non-profit 501(c)3 we operate on service fees and donations. To support the needs of the community, the SPCA Tampa Bay’s Intake program has the following fees for pet surrender:

Intake Fees

Owner surrender, cat or dog (Pinellas County resident): $60

Owner surrender, cat or dog (out-of-county resident): $90

Owner surrender, litter of puppies or kittens (under 6 months, Pinellas County resident): $90

Owner surrender, litter of puppies or kittens (under 6 months, out-of-county resident): $120

Owner surrender, Rabbit or Ferret (Pinellas County Resident): $45

Owner surrender, Rabbit or Ferret (out-of-county resident): $75

Owner surrender, Guinea Pigs (Pinellas County Resident): $25

Owner surrender, Guinea Pigs (out-of-county resident): $55

Owner surrender, all other species: please call 727-586-3591 ext 150.

Intake Process

All animals will need personality profiles filled out before or at time of intake. All paperwork needed for intake can be found and downloaded/printed from this page.

A form of ID is also required to surrender a pet.

Please bring your pet’s medical records with you at time of surrender for faster processing.

A counselor will review and assess each animal during the intake process.

Please contact us via email at intake@spcatampabay.org for the quickest response, or call 727-586-3591 ext. 150. You will receive a call back within 48-72 hours.

Our Intake program operates six days a week, Tuesday through Friday from 1- 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. We are closed on Monday.

Intake Forms

Save time. Complete these before you visit us.

Cat Personality Profile

Cat Elimination Profile

Dog Personality Profile

Pocket Pet Personality Profile

Owner Surrender Form

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a fee to admit a pet?

Pet owners are asked to pay a fee when their pet is admitted to help SPCA Tampa Bay with continuing the care of their pet. This includes safe shelter, healthy meals, professional medical care, and behavior support, all provided while a new home is sought. Fees are listed on this page.

Do you admit all stray dogs and cats?

No. We ask that you take all stray cats and dogs to Pinellas County Animal Services ~ 12450 Ulmerton Rd., Largo, FL 33774 ~ 727-582-2600

Do you admit pets from areas outside of Pinellas County?

Yes, but there are some requirements. If you are surrendering a pet from outside of Pinellas County, please call us at 727-586-3591 ext 150 before coming to the shelter. We require a $60 intake fee for individual, owned pets. There is a $90 fee for litters. We do not accept healthy, sick or injured strays from outside Pinellas County.

Please remember that only the legal owner of an animal can surrender the pet to our facility. Family and friends who have been asked to surrender a pet for a legal owner who is unable to do so in person must provide written and signed approval from that owner in order to surrender on their behalf, along with a copy of the surrendering person’s valid ID or Drivers License.

Pinellas County Animal Services (PCAS) defines an owner as any person possessing, harboring, keeping or having control or custody of an animal. If the animal is owned by a person under the age of 18 years, that person’s parent or guardian is the animal’s legal owner. Thirty (30) days is the PCAS guideline for the length of time that an animal must be in a person’s custody for the animal to be owned by that person.