The Humane Society of Delaware County (HSDC) reserves the right to refuse or postpone any adoption based on the information provided in the request. They can also reclaim possession of any animal if it is found to be fake. When an owner delivers an animal to a shelter, ownership is immediately transferred to the shelter if the owner demonstrates intent to relinquish it. These developments in liability and estate planning legislation are important for both animal owners and shelters. The Delaware County Humane Society offers affordable adoption rates, making it easier for pets to find homes and freeing up space for lifesaving kennels.
They have a variety of adoptable pets, including cats, dogs, and other small animals. Animals brought to a shelter by a third party (e.g., a neighbor) are treated in the same way as those brought by local authorities. The shelter must make every reasonable effort to find the animal's owner while they are in possession of it. Hundreds of Best Friends Animal Society (BPF) shelter members across the country are participating in programs to reunite homeless pets with their families. For example, Michigan shelters only allow dogs to be adopted if they are housed indoors, while South Carolina shelters adopt families that intend for the dog to be an outdoor animal.
Shelters should be aware of their state's laws regarding when they obtain title and property to an animal found or brought, and what those rights mean. If the owner brings an animal, the shelter must keep it for a period of time established by law before it can be adopted or otherwise disposed of. This gives the owner a cause of action against a shelter that does not comply with the Federal Pet Theft Act, even if they comply with local laws. Shelters must hold animals for a minimum number of days so that the owner has a chance to recover their lost pet. When an animal is brought in, they must add it to the list; usually, these lists are kept in chronological order and the most recently found animals appear first. Some courts have begun awarding non-economic compensation for wrongful death of pets due to the inadequacy and inconsistency of granting pet owners only market value.
Some states, such as Texas, allow local municipalities to determine how long an animal should stay in a shelter.
