How to Surrender a Horse or Cat
We understand that sometimes, life can change in the blink of an eye. No matter the reason you need to surrender or donate your horse(s) or cat(s), we’re here to help. We try to make the process of surrendering your beloved horse or cat as easy as possible, with no judgment. We understand that surrendering a horse is often an act of love and responsibility and we honor the trust put in us to protect it.
We know you love them like family and so do we. You can rest easy knowing that your horse or cat will receive the best care while at our sanctuary. Whether a horse needs rehabilitation, retraining, companion placement, or a carefully matched adopter, we ensure the transition is thoughtful, ethical and permanent. Depending on the circumstances of your animal, they will either live out their days right here at our sanctuary, or be adopted into a loving forever home. We do everything we can to make sure that every adopted horse or cat goes to the perfect home for them, including extensive pre-adoption checks and check-ups after adoption. Once a February Star Sanctuary horse, we do our best to always protect it. Also, we require an adopted animal be returned to our sanctuary if, for any reason, things just aren’t working out.
If it’s time for you to make that difficult, but best decision for your horse or cat, don’t hesitate. Complete our surrender form and we'll take the reins. We are a small rescue with limited space and resources, and we cannot take every cat. Submitting the form does not guarantee intake, but it allows us to respond fairly and responsibly. Although we wish we could take in every horse and cat in need, there are times when we are unable to accept new surrenders. Once you submit your surrender inquiry, if we currently have the capacity to accept a new horse or cat, we will contact you to begin the next steps to surrendering.
Please note, ALL cat intakes are by appointment only, please don’t show up without confirmation. Cat intakes are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
We’re a working farm, and intakes must happen during daylight hours so we can safely assess cats and place them appropriately. Being on time matters. If you’re more than 15 minutes late, your appointment may need to be rescheduled. We schedule intakes carefully, and arriving late affects the care of other animals. With that said, we understand that life happens – just please communicate. A quick message goes a long way.
February Star Sanctuary is not only a rescue — it is also our home. These rules exist to protect our animals, our family, and our volunteers. Respecting our intake policies and appointment times is required. Unscheduled arrivals, ignoring the surrender process, or repeated lateness may result in denied future intake appointments.
Additionally, one of the most common times a pet needs to be surrendered is when a loved one who was caring for them passes away, without a clear directive. During this time, you may need to sell a home, in addition to surrendering a pet. Our Co-Founder Dave Smith, is also a realtor. If you are in need of assistance, please feel free to reach out via email: Dave Smith.
