FAQs
Your Questions Answered
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about Tulsa SPCA? You’re in the right place. From our history and funding to our programs and services, we’ve compiled answers to the questions we hear most often from our community. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our friendly team is always happy to help.
No. Tulsa SPCA is a local nonprofit organization and is not the municipal shelter or local animal control agency. While we work closely with the city shelter and other community partners, we are not operated or funded by the City of Tulsa.
Tulsa Animal Services has legal authority and employs animal control officers who are able to remove animals from properties, pick up stray animals, and respond to animal control concerns within city limits.
Managed intake means we can control when and how animals enter our shelter based on the space, staffing, and resources we currently have available. Unlike municipal shelters that are required to take in every stray animal brought to them, Tulsa SPCA schedules owner surrenders and non-emergency intakes to ensure we can continue providing quality care to every animal already in our shelter.
This approach helps prevent overcrowding and allows us to maintain safe and humane conditions for the animals in our care. By carefully managing intake numbers, we are able to create space through adoptions, transfers, fostering, and reunifications before bringing in additional animals.
Managed intake also helps reduce stress and illness in the shelter environment and allows staff to spend more time meeting each animal’s individual medical and behavioral needs. Because of this process, we are not forced to euthanize animals solely due to a lack of kennel space.
Although our name is similar, Tulsa SPCA is not affiliated with the ASPCA. We are an independent, local nonprofit organization that serves Tulsa and the surrounding communities.
Unlike large national organizations, we do not receive funding from the ASPCA or other national humane organizations. Every dollar we receive comes from local donations, grants, fundraising events, and community support. Those funds stay right here in the Tulsa area to help local animals and pet owners.
We are a much smaller organization with far fewer resources than national animal welfare groups, and our leadership and staff are focused on serving the community. Your support directly impacts the animals in our care and helps us continue providing shelter, medical care, adoptions, fostering, and community assistance programs right here at home.
If you find a stray animal, your local city shelter or animal control should always be your first call.
Many lost pets stay close to the area where they went missing. Unless the animal is injured or in immediate danger, keeping them near where they were found often gives them the best chance of reuniting with their family.
Helpful steps to help reunite a lost pet with their owner:
- Have the animal scanned for a microchip (most vet clinics, Petco, and PetSmart can assist)
- Post in local lost and found pet groups and community pages
- Use Petco Love Lost, PawBoost, and Nextdoor
- Notify your local animal shelter with a photo, description, and found location.
- Consider withholding one identifying detail for ownership verification.
Before taking the animal in, ask yourself: If I take this animal, am I able to do what is needed to help reunite them with their family or ensure they are responsibly placed? This may include temporarily housing the animal for a week or more and ensuring they receive any necessary vaccinations.
If you are considering bringing the animal to the Tulsa SPCA, Tulsa SPCA is a managed intake facility and does not offer same-day owner surrenders or walk-in intakes. All surrender requests must go through the approval process prior to scheduling an intake appointment.
If you need to surrender the animal, please submit a surrender request form here:
Tulsa SPCA Surrender Request Form.
Our low-cost vaccine clinic is available if vaccines are needed: https://www.tulsaspca.org/low-cost-vaccine-clinic/.
If you need temporary support while caring for the animal, contact intake@tulsaspca.org.
Losing an animal can be a scary and uncertain experience. The good news is that many lost pets are found close to home. Studies show that 70% of lost dogs are found within one mile of their home, and 90% are found within 10 houses of where they live.
Here are some helpful tips:
- Search your neighborhood
- Walk around the area where your pet was last seen
- Call their name calmly and listen arefully
- Talk to neighbors, mail carriers, and nearby businesses
- Put up flyers with a clear photo and your contact information.
- Contact Local Shelters
- File a lost pet report with your local animal shelter
- Visit shelters in person whenever possible
- Not all found animals are post online immediately
- Post Online
- Local lost and found pet groups
- Neighborhood Facebook pages
- Nextdoor
- PawBoost,
- Petco Love Lost,
- Prevention
- Use identification tags: make sure your pet wears a collar with your name and current phone number
- Microchip your pet: microchips greatly increase the chances of a lost pet being returned home. If your pet is already microchipped, log in to your account to verify phone number and address are current. Update any outdated information immediately
The Tulsa SPCA is a managed intake facility. This means we do not euthanize for space, and intake is scheduled based on kennel availability, staffing, and each animal’s individual needs.
All surrender requests must be submitted through our online form and approved before an intake appointment can be scheduled. Appointments are typically booked 1 to 2 weeks out.
After submitting your request, our team will contact you by email. Please check your spam or junk folder in case our response is filtered there.
Intake requirements include:
- Dogs and puppies must have current distemper/parvo and rabies vaccines (if age appropriate).
- Cats and kittens must have current FVRCP and rabies vaccines (if age appropriate). Vaccines must be administered by a licensed veterinarian at least 7 days prior to intake.
- All animals are subject to medical and behavioral evaluation prior to acceptance.
If your pet is aggressive, in immediate danger, or cannot safely remain in your care while awaiting an appointment, please contact your local animal control agency.
If possible, we encourage owners to explore rehoming options before surrendering, including:
- Friends, family, or trusted community members
• Other local shelters or rescues
• Rehome by Adopt a Pet
• Home To Home
If you rehome your pet independently, we strongly recommend ensuring they are spayed or neutered and up to date on vaccinations.
If you need support caring for your pet while awaiting review or intake, contact intake@tulsaspca.org for resource assistance.
Tulsa SPCA is committed to supporting pets and their people through education, resources, and compassionate assistance to help keep animals in homes whenever possible.
If you are concerned about an animal’s welfare, Tulsa SPCA can help by providing resources, guidance, and when appropriate, working with local authorities and community partners to help address concerns involving animal welfare. We regularly collaborate with municipal shelters, animal control agencies, and law enforcement on cases involving neglect, abandonment, and cruelty.
While Tulsa SPCA may assist within our scope and authority, we do not have legal enforcement authority to seize animals, issue citations, or independently enforce animal welfare laws. Responsibility for investigations and enforcement belongs to local animal control agencies, municipal shelters, or sheriff departments depending on jurisdiction.
If you believe an animal is being abused or experiencing severe neglect, such as lack of food, water, shelter, or urgent medical care, please contact your local animal control agency, municipal shelter, or sheriff department. Tulsa SPCA will continue working alongside these agencies to support animal welfare efforts in our community. For Tulsa residents:
- Tulsa Animal Services: (918) 596-8001
- Tulsa Police Department Non-Emergency Line: (918) 596-9222
If an animal is in immediate danger, please contact animal control right away.
Hot car emergencies:
If you see an animal locked in a hot car, call Tulsa Police Department Animal Control at (918) 596-9222 immediately.
Dogs in pickup truck beds:
In Tulsa, unsecured dogs in pickup truck beds are a moving violation and should be reported by calling 911.
You can request pet food assistance by completing our online request form or by visiting during food pantry hours and completing a request form at that time.
Tulsa SPCA has transitioned to providing food assistance every 30 days. While the quantity provided at each visit is smaller than our previous 90-day program, the total amount distributed over time remains approximately the same.
Our food pantry hours are:
- Monday: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Tuesday: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Friday: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Important guidelines:
- Pet food assistance is limited to one pickup per household every 30 days. Multiple requests within that time period will be denied.
- You must live within Tulsa city limits and provide proof of residency at pickup.
- We are unable to accommodate requests for specific brands or types of pet food.
- Submitting a request does not guarantee availability.
- Our food pantry relies entirely on donations, so shortages may occur at times.
- Pickups may be completed during any listed food pantry hours.
- Failure to follow guidelines may affect future eligibility.
- Large items such as crates or dog houses are limited to one per household, while supplies last.
- If there are additional pet-related items you need, please include them in your request form. If available, we will do our best to assist
By submitting a request, you acknowledge that you understand and agree to these guidelines.
Additional support we may be able to provide:
- Pet friendly housing resources
- Training and behavior support
- Rehoming guidance
- Lost and found pet assistance
- Limited low-cost veterinary care
What we cannot provide:
- Temporary boarding for owned pets
- Payment for pet deposits or housing fees
- Food or supplies for households with unaltered pets
- Emergency veterinary care
Tulsa SPCA is not the local animal control agency, so we are unfortunately unable to pick up deceased animals. If the animal is located within Tulsa city limits, please contact Tulsa Animal Welfare at tulsa311@cityoftulsa.org for assistance. If the deceased animal is your personal pet, please place them in a box or bag and set them at the curb for pickup.
If the animal is located on a highway or major roadway, you may need to contact the city, county, or Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) depending on the location.