Frequently asked questions

GENERAL

What are your hours and how do I get to your shelter?

For our business hours and directions on getting to our shelter, go to our Visit us page

Are you a "kill" shelter?

The Humane Society of Yuma provides animal control services to Yuma County and the Cities of Yuma and Somerton. As such, we must impound all dogs no matter how sick or aggressive it may be. There will always be unadoptable dogs that must be euthanized.

Are you affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States, Arizona Humane Society or any other animal welfare organization?

The Humane Society of Yuma exists and operates entirely independent of any animal welfare organization.

Why are you closed on Mondays?

Our current funding prevents us from being open more than five days a week. For the convenience of working families, we feel it is important to remain open on Saturdays.

ANIMAL CONTROL

Why don't you pick up cats?

We are contracted by Yuma County and the Cities of Yuma and Somerton to provide animal control services as a public service. These contracts do not include the impoundment or sheltering of cats. Therefore, we must charge a fee for each animal other than stray dogs in order the cost of sheltering the animal.

What services are you contracted to provide?

The services we are contracted to provide are; the impounding of stray dog and sheltering them for the minimum time period required of us by law, the enforcement of excessive barking ordinances, the removal of deceased animals along public rights of way and providing rabies control (see Licensing section below).

My dog was impounded by animal control officers and you will not be open until Tuesday, is there a chance my dog will be euthanized before you are open?

We are required, by law, to shelter all dogs an absolute minimum of three business days. If the dog appears owned (i.e. wearing a collar), the minimum time period is extended to six days. After that time period, the dog legally becomes our property. After the three or six business days pass, the dog legally becomes ours and dogs deemed adoptable will be placed on the adoption floor.

RELINQUISHING A PET

What animals do you accept?

Our facility and staff are equipped to shelter dogs and cats. We highly discourage the surrendering of other animals. Please contact Arizona Game and Fish for

Why do you charge a fee to surrender a cat?

As the animal code enforcement agency for the Yuma County and the Cities of Somerton and Yuma, we impound stray dogs at no cost. We do not, however, receive funding to impound and shelter cats. Therefore we must charge a fee in order to cover the added expense of sheltering and caring for cats,

I have and/or found a litter of kittens or puppies. Can I surrender them to you for them adoption?

If kittens or puppies are separated from their mothers before they are eight weeks old, they must be bottle fed. There are also a number of health risks associated with orphaned litters.

I found a litter of kittens without there mother. What should I do?

A litter without a mother does not mean that the litter has been abandoned or orphaned. Mother cats must leave the litter in order to hunt for food. Do not rush to "rescue" the litter. Instead, monitor the litter from a safe distance (staying too close to the litter may result in the mother abandoning the litter). If in, a few hours, the mother has not yet returned to the litter., you should rescue the kittens.

If I surrender a pet to you, can you contact me before you euthanize it?

Why should I surrender my pet to you if you are just going to euthanize it?

It is true that there is always a chance that an animal entering our shelter may be euthanized. Therefore, it is important to exhaust all other options before surrendering your pet. However, if you are convinced you have tried every option to remedy or re-home your pet, there is simply no other acceptable alternative then to surrender your pet. While tragic, euthanasia is without doubt more humane than releasing a domestic animal into the wild or dropping it off to a home where there pet's future welfare is not assured.

My pet needs to be euthanized.

We offer owner-requested euthanasia If you decide that to be the only humane option is for your terminally ill pet. We will not, however, euthanize an animal that our management does not believe to be suffering from a terminal illness.

We only perform owner-present euthanasia on Thursdays and it is by appointment only. Call 928-782-1621 for more information.

LOST PETS

My pet has gone missing, what should I do?

Visit our Lost Pets page to find some tips and procedures we recommend.

Can I find my lost pet on your pet gallery?

No. First of all, state law requires that we hold all stray dogs at least three days before we can place it up for adoption. Secondly, our pet adoption gallery is by no means a comprehensive list of every animal currently up for adoption. There is simply no alternative to visiting our shelter regularly and walking the kennels to find you pet.