We do not currently require a certain amount of time logged. You can devote as little or as much time as you feel comfortable with.  We have several volunteers that only help with big events and some who are at the shelter every weekend for many hours, rain or shine.  It is entirely up to each individual volunteer.

We do not have waiting lists for breeds any more.  If you must have a particular breed, there may be a breed rescue group you can contact, and we do have that list of breed rescue groups if you want to call us. We don't have any trouble placing pure-breed dogs so maintaining waiting lists for them is not necessary.

I am looking for a particular breed of dog or cat...

While we do occasionally take in purebred animals and dogs that are very small as adults, this is the exception and not the rule.  When we do have them, they are usually adopted within 72 hours of becoming available.  If you are looking for a particular breed, we invite you to come visit the shelter and meet the animals we have available for adoption.

If you do not find the particular breed you are looking for, please ask the staff.  We may have one that is not yet available, or we may be able to refer you to a local rescue group that specializes in that particular breed.

We also ask that you question why you are looking for that particular breed. Many people want a certain breed simply because they are cute or beautiful, but upon getting one they find that the animal's temperament or personality does not match their family or lifestyle.

If you are interested in a particular breed, please do some research and be sure that the temperament, personality, and activity level common for that breed is one that you can live with for the rest of the animal's life.  Also, please understand that what is common for a particular breed is not necessarily what you will end up with if you adopt an animal of that breed.

We don't have any way of harboring feral cats, and not all outdoor cats are good barn cats. We do have some cats who are not very social who would be approved to be placed in an indoor/outdoor home, if their home environment is safe for such a cat. But we would never claim any of our cats would be good barn cats, and we don't know of any groups who have "barn cats."

There is usually a waiting period of 24 hours after submitting the application before an animal can be released. This allows us time to check vet references and landlords. The process takes from 24 hours up to a few days if the animal is not yet altered.

We don't adopt out guard dogs, as we try not to offer dangerous animals to the public. People who want a "mean" dog need to understand that they could just as easily be the victim of their own dog as anyone else. In fact, the vast majority of reported dogs bites are from the victim's own dog or a dog they know. If you have a dog who is stable and loves you, the dog will act appropriately if he or she perceives a threat to his/her family. Any dog who barks will deter burglars (they attract attention).

The Tulsa SPCA Clinic currently offers low-cost pet vaccinations to the public, regardless of income level. Our vaccine clinic is open every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. All animals brought to the clinic must be either on leash or crated. The services offered are:

•  vaccinations against common diseases
•  feline leukemia & FIV (Feline AIDS) testing
•  heartworm testing
•  fecal exams to diagnose internal parasites

If you have any questions about these services, please call 428-7722.

Reports are kept confidential, but the person making the report will have to give their name and phone number, so the investigator can call them with any questions.

All animals in our care must be spayed or neutered before they can leave our premises with their family.  Why?
1) Because it is required by law
2) Because we are aware that there are already too many unwanted animals in the Tulsa Metro Area
3) Because we do not wish to contribute to the local pet overpopulation problem
4) Because it is in the best interest of our beloved furry friends, as it reduces several risk factors, including certain forms of cancer

No, the animal must be altered before release, no exceptions! It's the law and our own hard and fast rule.

Even young puppies and kittens must be altered before the animal can leave our shelter.  Early spay/neuters have been done now for many years without any evidence of problems, then or later in life. In fact, our experience is that babies tolerate the anesthesia and the surgery much better than an older pet.

One of the most frequent questions we are asked by potential adopters is about our euthanasia policy:

"How long do you wait before euthanizing animals?"
"How much time does an animal have before he/she will be put down?"
"If I wait too long to decide whether I want this dog or cat, will he/she be killed?"

Our animals do not have expiration dates. We euthanize in cases of terminal illness or injury, when the animal is a real physical threat to others, and occasionally for poor quality of life.

Poor quality of life, as outlined in this policy, is defined as a dog or cat who has remote odds of ever getting adopted and who is suffering mentally from imprisonment in the shelter. Some of them will never be happy here (and they probably shouldn't - we are supposed to be a temporary home!). If they are facing the prospect of living here forever and are miserable, we are cruel to make them live here. We understand some may be suspicious about this reasoning, but this situation does arise and it is necessary sometimes to euthanize. It is not done based on any one person's opinion, though - it is decided by a committee of persons representing all aspects of the TSPCA (our Board of Directors, our Staff, and our Auxiliary).

When a person sees an animal being abused, they can file a cruelty report with either the TSPCA or the city shelter, the only entities with investigators.  Reports are confidential, although persons reporting abuse will have to give their name and phone number, so the investigator can call them with any questions.
If you would like to report animal cruelty to the Tulsa SPCA, please call us at 812-SPCA(7722) or send an email to crueltyreport@tulsaspca.org.