What is the Nevada Humane Society (NHS)?
NHS is a non-profit, 501(c)3, organization founded in 1932. Our goal is to create a no kill community in Washoe County, Nevada. We work to accomplish this through adoption and spay/neuter programs, providing care to homeless animals and by working with individuals and other organziations in the community. | TOP
Are you part of a national organization?
No. NHS is a private and independent organization. We work with many other humane organizations, including national groups, but we do not receive funding from them. | TOP
Are all of the animal shelters and rescue groups in Nevada part of the Nevada Humane Society?
No. While we certainly share many of the same goals, and while we work closely together on many projects, these are all individual agencies and groups. For more information on their missions and operations, please contact each of them directly. | TOP
Are you “no-kill?”
Our goal is to create a no-kill community for Washoe County, Nevada. To achieve this goal we are going to need the support of the entire community, individuals, businesses, and other organizations.
NHS works closely with Washoe County Animal Control, as well as many rescue groups and other humane organizations toward this goal.
To learn more about how you can help please take a look at our volunteer application. | TOP
Are you animal control?
| Lost & Found Animals sporting a Nevada Humane Society identification tag should be returned to our shelter instead of Reno Animal Control. We will notify the owners of record and hold the animal until the owner can claim the pet. |
What should I do if I’ve lost an animal …
or found one?
| New Shelter, New Technology Upon arrival at the new Washoe County Regional Animal Services Center, lost/stray animals will have their pictures taken by Washoe County Animal Services. The pictures will then be posted on their website. This new resource will help you find your pet from your office or your home, and greatly increase our animal redemption rate. |
Animals picked up or surrendered to Reno Animal Services are posted hourly at PetHarbor.com. Be sure to check there if you have lost your pet!
If you have seen a stray animal and would like it picked up, please call Washoe County Regional Animal Control at (775) 322-DOGS. If the animal is friendly and you can safely handle it, check for identification and try to trace the owner. If you are able to maintain the pet while looking for the owner, be sure to contact Washoe County Regional Reno Animal Services at (775) 858-1616 and file a “found report.” You may also do this with NHS. If you cannot maintain the animal, you can have an animal control officer come to your home to pick it up, or you can take it directly to Reno Animal Services.
If you live outside of Washoe County, please contact your local police or sheriff’s department (or animal control if you have one) for assistance. | TOP
What animals do you take?
We accept animals from their legal owners who are no longer able to keep them. Acceptance of an animal does not guarantee admission into the adoption program. There is no set “time limit” for any animal’s stay at the shelter – each animal is assessed individually for health, temperament and behavior. NHS is unable to re-home animals who are a danger to themselves or others, or who are medically challenged beyond our ability to rehabilitate. | TOP
Can you call me if you can’t place my pet?
| Waiting List If you’re in search of a specific type or breed of animal, NHS will gladly put your name on our list. Should the animal of your dreams arrive at our shelter, you will be contacted via phone. |
How do I surrender my pet?
NHS accepts pets Monday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and by appointment only on the weekends. (Call (775) 856-2000.) Please bring whatever written information you have about your pet: vaccination and medical records, pedigree papers, a brief biography, etc. You will be asked to fill out a surrender form, and sign a legal release of ownership. The surrender fee is $25.00 for each adult pet and/or for a litter of puppies and kittens. If you are unable to afford this fee, it may be waived. We do suggest that you call the shelter before bringing your pet to us. We may be able to assist you with other placement options, or offer guidance and counseling with behavior and training problems so that you can keep your pet. You may also visit our Obedience & Behavior section and view our Behavior Information Pages to help you address problems that are straining your pet-owner relationship. | TOP
If my situation changes and I am able to reclaim my pet, what is the process?
If your pet is still at the shelter, you may reclaim it by re-adopting it. As the pet is now the legal property of NHS, it will have to be spayed or neutered prior to leaving the facility (applies to dogs, cats and rabbits) if it is unaltered. You will be responsible for this charge. | TOP
Why do I have to have my pet (dogs, cats, rabbits) altered if I reclaim it?
Nevada Revised Statute 574.600 mandates that ALL dogs and cats must be surgically altered before leaving a shelter, animal control center or “releasing agency” (rescue/placement group). This helps control the state’s pet overpopulation crisis and thereby reduces the number of homeless animals euthanized in shelters. NHS operates a spay/neuter clinic on-site and is able to accommodate the pediatric sterilization of puppies and kittens in addition to adult dogs, cats and rabbits. Rabbits were added to our internal policy as we receive over 300 for adoption each year. | TOP
Do you offer all veterinary services through your clinic?
No. NHS’ clinic offers subsidized (low-cost) spay/neuter/vaccination services to the public on a space available basis. We look to expand the availability of these services in the future.
Spaying and neutering directly addresses the tragedy of pet overpopulation and helps ensure the ever-decreasing numbers of homeless animal euthanasia in our community. vaccinations help promote a healthy pet population for all income levels, and are required by the NHS clinic to be current a the time of surgery. We also offer microchipping to support complete pet identification. NHS strongly recommends that all pet owners establish a relationship with a local, full-service veterinary hospital to provide for the pet’s health throughout its lifetime. | TOP
Do you have financial assistance programs available for any of your clinic services?
NHS offers financial assistance for dog and cat spays/neuters at its clinic, on a space available basis, if our low prices are even beyond your reach. Please ask for more information at the time you call for an appointment at (775) 284-7057 . We are also sometimes able to offer spay/neuter assistance to private cat owners in the form vouchers, which can be used at a participating veterinary hospital near you, courtesy of The Robert Z. Hawkins Foundation. The NHS prefers that you ask your veterinarian to call or write us to reccommend you for this program. Vouchers are limited to ten per household per year, and are intended for low and fixed income animal owners. | TOP
How do I adopt a pet?
| Adoption Success “I just wanted to let you know that we adopted a dog from you last summer, and we are so happy with him. His name is Charlie, and he is a Plott Hound. He loves our other dogs and our cats. He sleeps on our couch, or the kids' beds. He is spoiled rotten, and we wouldn't have it any other way. We are so glad he was given up for adoption, so we could have the chance to bring him into our lives. Charlie is a special part of our family.”
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How much does it cost to adopt?
| Americans spend more money each year on dog food than on baby food. |
Where is the Nevada Humane Society and what are your hours of operation?
NHS is located at 2825 Longley Lane, Suite B, at the east wing of the Washoe County Regional Animal Services Center, just south of the intersection of Rock Blvd (see map). Adoption services are available from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays and 10:00 am to 4:30 pm all other days. | TOP
