The City of Bloomington Animal Shelter is an open admission shelter. As such, we take in any and all animals that need a place to go. We accept strays that are brought in by the public and we accept animals that must be relinquished by their owner.
Animals that are surrendered by their owner are given 24 to 48 hours to acclimate to the shelter environment and then they are also evaluated for adoption. Cats are evaluated in terms of their health, level of friendliness and ease of handling. Dogs are assessed in terms of their health, their behavior in the kennel and at times a temperament evaluation. Animals that are deemed healthy and family-friendly will be made available for adoption given space constraints.
If you are relinquishing your dog, please print and fill out the form below prior to relinquishment. If you are unable to do so, please plan to spend approximately 10-15 minutes filling out paperwork upon your arrival.
Resources to avoid surrendering your pet:
We realize making the decision to surrender your pet does not come easy. Bloomington has several resources to keep your pets with you and out of the shelter. The Monroe County Humane Association offers medical care at their Non-profit Veterinary Clinic. The Monroe County Humane Association also supplies dog and cat food for residents experiencing financial difficulties. To learn more about services please visit their website: https://www.monroehumane.org
Pets Alive offers Low Cost Vaccinations and Spaying and Neutering Services. To learn more about services please visit their website: http://petsaliveindiana.org/
While we strongly discourage the use of social media and craglist to rehome pets, there are websites dedicated to the safe rehoming of owned animals. These are a few that we recommend exploring.