As the sun comes out and temperatures rise, so do the number of cases of owners surrenders to animal shelters and rescues. Summer isn’t just busy for vacationers—it’s also one of the most challenging times of the year for animal welfare organizations. Shelters brace themselves for the wave of owner surrenders that often begins in June and continues throughout the warmer months.
But why does this happen? And more importantly, how can shelters and rescues prepare to meet this seasonal challenge with compassion, efficiency, and sustainable systems?
Let’s take a closer look at the reasons behind the summer surrender surge—and explore how your organization can handle them humanely with the help of tools like Doobert’s Owner Surrender / Rehoming Program.
Why Do Owner Surrenders Increase in Summer?
Summer is traditionally a time of change and upheaval for many households. And when life gets complicated, pets—unfortunately—often get caught in the middle.
Here are a few reasons why shelters report higher owner surrenders during this time:
1. Seasonal Moves and Housing Challenges
Whether it’s a military transfer, lease ending, or a family moving for a new job or school, summer is the most common time for relocations. Pet-friendly housing isn’t always available or affordable, and many owners feel they have no choice but to surrender their animals. According to the American Housing Survey, summer months see a notable increase in household moves, directly affecting pet ownership stability.
2. Vacations and Travel Plans
Families planning extended summer vacations may not have access to reliable pet sitters or boarding options. In some heartbreaking cases, they resort to surrendering their pets altogether, especially if they believe they’ll be easily rehomed. A 2019 survey by the American Pet Products Association found that while many pet owners travel with their pets, a significant percentage still face challenges finding affordable boarding.
3. Financial Pressure
Utility bills often spike with the summer heat. When combined with rising costs of living, many households are pushed to make difficult financial decisions. For some, that means cutting back on pet care or giving up their pets. The ASPCA reports that economic factors remain one of the top reasons for pet surrender nationwide.
4. Children Home from School
With kids home all day, the dynamic in the household shifts. Some families feel overwhelmed trying to manage the added responsibility of pets alongside childcare—especially if pets display behavioral issues when routines change. Behavioral concerns were cited in a study published by the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science as a significant cause of surrender.
5. Lack of Preparedness for Seasonal Pet Needs
Fleas, ticks, heat-related health problems, and increased grooming needs in summer can lead to higher maintenance costs and more effort—pushing some owners to surrender pets they feel unprepared to care for. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) provides extensive resources on managing seasonal health risks in pets, emphasizing owner education.
Humane, Compassionate Solutions Start with Structure
While you can’t control when and why pet owners make the difficult decision to surrender, you can shape how your shelter responds to the influx.
A compassionate intake process combined with strong community education can go a long way. But if your organization is relying on spreadsheets, generic forms, or disjointed email threads to manage the process, it’s easy to feel buried.
That’s why it’s critical to have the right tools in place—tools that help you operate more efficiently, reduce staff burnout, and keep the focus on what matters most: the pets and people you serve.
Meet Doobert’s Owner Surrender / Rehoming Program
Designed specifically for shelters and rescues, Doobert’s Owner Surrender / Rehoming Program streamlines the surrender and rehoming process with easy-to-use digital tools, custom workflows, and templated communication—so your team can spend less time managing chaos and more time helping animals.
Here’s how it helps:
- Centralized Intake Forms – Collect all necessary information up front using intuitive digital forms.
- Automated Workflows – Let smart workflows guide your team through consistent next steps.
- Templated Communication – Save time with pre-written emails and follow-ups for every stage of the surrender or rehoming process.
- Transparent Tracking – Keep a real-time view of where each case stands and what’s needed next.
- Staff Burnout Prevention – Reduce the mental load with automation, clarity, and fewer repetitive tasks.
Whether you’re managing a small intake flow or seeing a surge in summer surrenders, this program adapts to your needs and scales with your operations.
Learn more about the Owner Surrender / Rehoming Program here.
Building Alternatives to Surrender
The ultimate goal of any shelter or rescue should be not just to accept animals, but to offer alternatives when possible. With the right support, many pet owners would choose to keep their animals if given the tools to do so.
Here are a few shelter-led initiatives that can complement your surrender program:
Pet Retention Counseling
Work with owners to understand the root cause of surrender. Sometimes what they really need is training help, access to supplies, or a temporary foster home. The Humane Society of the United States offers useful tips for retention counseling during crisis situations.
Crisis Boarding Solutions
Collaborate with programs like Doobert’s Crisis Boarding Program to temporarily house pets during emergencies like hospitalization, eviction, or domestic violence situations.
Pet Food Assistance
Don’t underestimate the power of pet food distribution to keep families together. Consider launching or optimizing your food bank with support from the Pet Food Assistance Program. Feeding America also reports a strong correlation between food insecurity and pet surrender, which highlights the importance of these programs.
Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinics
Support pet owners and prevent future surrender through easy-to-access spay/neuter services. Check out Doobert’s Spay & Neuter Program for more info.
Make This Summer Smoother—for Your Team and Your Community
Owner surrender season may be inevitable, but burnout, disorganization, and inconsistent processes don’t have to be.
With the right structure in place, you can make every intake more humane, every transition more compassionate, and every day less overwhelming for your team. Doobert’s suite of customizable programs was built to support exactly that.
This summer, turn surrender season into an opportunity—for better service, smoother operations, and stronger outcomes for pets in need.
Click here to explore Doobert’s Owner Surrender / Rehoming Program and see how we can help your organization make a difference—one streamlined intake at a time.
