The Kent County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (KCSPCA) Policy

The Kent County SPCA is a mostly “Unlimited Admissions” shelter, serving Kent County.  KCSPCA also provides limited service to New Castle and Sussex Counties through dog control contracts.  For Kent County residents, no dog is turned away from our doors. Receiving dogs from other counties is in accordance with our contract requirements, which pertain to dogs only; thus ALL other animals, are accepted as space available allows.

Sadly, not all the animals are adoptable: they may be medically untreatable, diseased, injured, or aggressive.

Some owners request that their animals be euthanized, usually due to being medically untreatable, severe illness, physical condition, or aggressiveness in their homes and we also provide cremation services.

In past years, a majority of the animals surrendered to us are healthy and loving animals, these animals have been adopted to forever homes or transferred to a safe partnership organization. . Our adoptable animals come in every size, shape, color and personality. Each year, almost three thousand people adopt one or more of our wonderful animals and over two thousand pets get returned home of transferred to another adoption agency."

The animals in our charge are cared for by our dedicated veterinarians, kennel and adoption staff.

Since we are a privately-owned 501(C)(3) not-for-profit shelter, we can house the animals for as long as the Delaware law allows, we deem it humane, and we have space.  Not all animals remain mentally stable or physically healthy due to the stresses of long-term kenneling, therefore, some may be euthanized.

We currently have 84 canine kennels and 86 feline cages maintained for adoptions. Another 116 kennels/cages are used for medical treatment and holding purposes, but in spring-summer months, the “Kitty Season”, we may have as many as 800 cats surrendered to us each month.  Even utilizing all our foster homes and partnership-transfer agencies, it is with great heartbreak that ones that need basic medical treatment or more socialization but due to no space or no other agency will accept them, those may be euthanized.

When owners have exhausted all other options, they have no place to turn except to the unlimited admission shelters like the KCSPCA.  The Kent County SPCA, as part of our policy, has accepted the responsibility of humanely euthanizing unadoptable animals.

Saying NO to euthanasia or proclaiming you are a “No Kill” shelter and turning away animals are nothing more than empty words if you turn your head to the real problems of pet over-population – Get involved – you can help with money donated towards spay/neutering at your local shelter, join a local TNR group, become a Feral Cat Colony caretaker or a foster parent – breaking the chain of unnecessary births is the key to all pets getting a forever home. You Can Make A Difference!