APES no longer charges a surrender fee. Optional donations help with intake and care costs.
🦎 APES Shelter & Rescue · Shelter and surrender services
Surrender an animal to APES
If you can no longer safely care for your exotic or small companion animal, APES can assess your case and help you take the next responsible step through our shelter and surrender service.
If you need to surrender more than one pet, the process must be completed separately for each animal.
Where possible, animals should come with their enclosure and key equipment to support safe continuity of care.
Cases are reviewed by welfare urgency, species needs, legal status and available shelter capacity.
Important: APES cannot intake dogs or cats
APES Shelter & Rescue is an exotic animal shelter service. If you need to rehome a dog or cat, use the dedicated Dog & Cat Rehoming page for official shelters, rescues and APES network links.
Help me choose the right route
Select the option that best describes the animal situation. This does not submit a request; it simply guides you to the most suitable APES service.
Choose an option above and we will show the most suitable next step.
Quick surrender readiness checker
Select what you already have ready. This does not submit anything to APES, but it helps you prepare before opening the surrender form.
Tick the checklist items to see your preparation progress.
What is the shelter service?
This service is for owners who need to rehome an animal because they can no longer meet its welfare, housing, financial, health, tenancy, family or safety needs.
How APES assesses each request
Each surrender request is reviewed confidentially and assessed against the animal’s needs, the owner’s circumstances and APES’ available facilities.
- Current welfare risk and urgency
- Species, size, temperament and handling needs
- Housing, heating, lighting, UVB and humidity requirements
- Veterinary history, medication and known health concerns
- Safe transport, collection or drop off requirements
- Available quarantine and intake space
Emergency welfare concern
If an animal is in immediate danger, injured, abandoned, loose in a public place, or presents a public safety risk, contact the appropriate emergency service, local authority animal warden, or a veterinary practice first. Then contact APES with the reference details so we can assess whether we can assist.
Animals APES may be able to accept
Search or filter common categories. Acceptance depends on capacity, welfare risk, enclosure availability, legal status and whether APES has the correct facilities at the time of application.
🕷️ Invertebrates
Commonly kept invertebrates may be considered by assessment, including tarantulas, scorpions, stick insects and similar species.
🐍 Snakes
- King snakes
- Corn snakes
- Garter snakes
- Milk snakes
- Beauty snakes
- Royal pythons
- Hognose snakes
- Baby or juvenile boas and pythons by assessment
🐢 Tortoises
- Hermann’s tortoises
- Spur-thighed tortoises
- Horsfield tortoises
- Chinese star tortoises by assessment
- Other species by assessment
🦎 Lizards
- Bearded dragons
- Geckos
- Plated lizards
- Skinks and other commonly kept lizards by assessment
🐰 Small mammals
- Rabbits
- Hamsters
- Rats
- Chinchillas
- Other small mammals by assessment
⚠️ Specialist cases
Large constrictors, venomous species, primates, crocodilians and animals requiring specialist legal permissions must be discussed with APES before movement is arranged.
Your surrender journey
The process helps APES gather the right information before any decision is made.
1. You decide surrender support may be needed
You begin by considering whether APES may be the right route for your animal.
2. Complete the surrender request form
This gives APES the first details about the animal, your circumstances and the support needed. A separate request must be completed for each pet.
3. APES reviews your case
APES reviews the animal’s welfare, urgency, species needs, enclosure information and safe handling considerations.
4. Triage and waiting list
Your case is placed into the waiting list and priority assessment process. A team member will assess urgency, capacity and next steps.
5. Collection or drop off is arranged
Once everything is confirmed and space becomes available, APES will contact you to arrange collection or drop off. Please do not arrive with an animal unless an intake appointment has been confirmed.
Can APES help?
One of three routes will follow.
✅ Yes
APES contacts you for next steps
If APES can assist, the team will contact you to discuss intake planning, collection, drop off or care transfer arrangements.
🟡 More information needed
APES asks for clarification
Sometimes more detail is needed about health, behaviour, equipment, urgency or legal status before a decision can be made.
⏳ No capacity or unsuitable case
APES signposts or adds to a waiting list
If APES cannot safely assist straight away, the team will aim to guide you towards the most appropriate next route.
Surrender FAQs
Open each section for quick guidance.
APES no longer charges a surrender fee. At the end of the surrender form, APES asks whether you are able to make an optional donation to help with intake costs.
Wherever possible, yes. APES asks that animals come with their enclosure and key equipment, including heating, lighting, hides, water bowls and species-specific items. This helps with safe continuity of care and may speed up intake planning.
Yes, but the surrender process must be completed separately for each pet. Each animal needs its own assessment, welfare review and case record.
No. Please do not arrive with an animal unless an intake appointment has been confirmed by APES.
No. Submitting a surrender request does not guarantee intake. APES reviews each case against welfare urgency, legal status, available capacity and safe handling requirements.
Yes. APES live chat can help with shelter requests, sponsorship updates and general enquiries.
No fee, optional donation
APES no longer charges a surrender fee. At the end of the surrender form, APES asks whether you are able to make an optional donation to help with intake costs, including initial care, food, heating, bedding, equipment use, quarantine needs and veterinary support where required.
Donations are optional and help APES provide the best possible care for every animal taken in.
Enclosures and equipment
APES asks that surrendered animals come with their enclosure and key equipment wherever possible. This can include heating, lighting, hides, water bowls and any species-specific items required for safe continuity of care.
Providing the enclosure helps APES prepare the intake safely, reduces pressure on shelter resources and may speed up the intake process where the enclosure is safe, suitable and transportable.
Start your surrender request
Use the online form wherever possible. It creates a structured case record and allows the APES team to assess your request properly. Live chat is also available at the bottom of APES websites for general help and guidance.
Important surrender notice
Submitting a surrender request does not guarantee intake. APES will review each case against welfare urgency, legal status, available capacity and safe handling requirements. Owners and keepers remain responsible for meeting an animal’s welfare needs until the animal has been formally transferred into APES care.