New Haven Animal Shelter & Control: Adoption Hours 2026
If you searched for the New Haven animal shelter, the official municipal shelter is The Robin I. Kroogman New Haven Animal Shelter at 81 Fournier Street, New Haven, CT 06511. The City identifies the shelter as a division of the New Haven Police Department.
This guide separates the practical local routes: adoption visits, animal-control reports, lost or found pets, bites and rabies exposure, dog licensing, volunteer support, and the important difference between the City shelter and the separate nonprofit Friends of the New Haven Animal Shelter.
Official City Shelter
This is a municipal shelter connected to New Haven Police Services, not a private rescue-only page. It handles sheltering, adoption, animal-control concerns and local animal-related calls.
Friends Group Is Separate
The Friends of the New Haven Animal Shelter is a 501(c)(3) volunteer support organization. It helps animals at the shelter, but its own website says it is not animal shelter or animal control.
Independent Guide
Animal-Shelter.org is an independent informational guide. It is not the City of New Haven, New Haven Police Department, Animal Shelter Division, Humane Commission, Friends group or Connecticut DPH.
Which New Haven Animal Help Route Do You Need?
New Haven has a City shelter, an Animal Control Officer route, police non-emergency routing, a Health Department, and a volunteer Friends organization. They all matter, but they do not do the same job.
| Need | Start here | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Adopt a dog or cat |
New Haven Animal Shelter 203-946-8110 |
Visit during public visiting hours or use the City dog/cat adoption application links. |
| General animal-control complaint in New Haven |
Animal Shelter / Animal Control Officer 203-946-8110 |
The Friends website tells people with complaints or animal control issues to contact the shelter directly. |
| Immediate emergency |
Emergency services 911 |
Use 911 for life-threatening danger, serious injury, active attack or urgent public-safety emergency. |
| Police / public-safety non-emergency |
New Haven non-emergency 203-946-6316 |
This is not the routine adoption line. Use it for non-emergency public-safety routing when needed. |
Emergency & Important New Haven Animal Contacts
These contacts are labeled by purpose. A routine adoption question should not go to 911, and a bite or public-safety emergency should not wait for a normal adoption visit.
| Contact | Number / route | Use this for |
|---|---|---|
| New Haven Animal Shelter office | 203-946-8110 | Adoption questions, shelter visits, lost/found pet checks, general animal-control routing and Animal Control Officer contact. |
| Animal Control Officer — Luis Lopez |
203-946-8110 LALopez@newhavenct.gov |
Animal-control concerns within New Haven city limits, routed through the official Animal Shelter Division listing. |
| New Haven public-safety emergency | 911 | Immediate danger, serious injury, active attack, crime in progress, fire, serious medical emergency or other urgent public safety emergency. |
| New Haven police / 911 center non-emergency | 203-946-6316 | Non-emergency public-safety routing. The shelter page also lists this number as its emergency phone, so use it when shelter staff or City instructions direct you there. |
| New Haven Health Department | 203-946-6999 | Local health-department routing when a bite, saliva exposure or public-health concern needs health guidance. |
| New Haven Environmental Health | 203-946-8174 | Environmental-health routing when the Health Department directs the matter there. |
| Connecticut DPH rabies questions | 860-509-7994 | Human rabies exposure questions, risk assessment and treatment guidance. For immediate medical danger, use 911. |
New Haven Animal Shelter Adoption / Public Visiting Hours 2026
The City lists separate overall shelter operation hours and public visiting hours. For adoption, plan around the public visiting window unless the shelter gives you a specific appointment.
| Day / service | Current listed hours | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| Shelter operation hours | 7 days a week, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. | This is the broad City operating window, not the same as public visiting hours. |
| Public visiting — Monday to Saturday | 12:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. | Main walk-in style public visit and adoption planning window. |
| Sunday public visits | Appointment only | Do not assume a normal walk-in adoption visit on Sunday. |
| Major holidays / urgent changes | Confirm directly | Call the shelter before a long drive, especially for one specific pet. |
Adoption Fees and Included Care
The official City shelter page provides adoption applications and visiting hours, but the accessible City page checked for this guide did not publish one stable, complete fee table. Current public adoption listings connected with the Friends profile commonly show a $90 adoption fee and $45 for previously altered dogs or cats. Confirm the exact amount, payment method and any veterinary add-on cost before payment.
| Fee / item | Current public listing detail | Important note |
|---|---|---|
| Common adoption listing fee | $90 | Public pet listings have shown this amount. Confirm directly because listing wording and payment method may vary by pet. |
| Previously altered pet listing fee | $45 | Public dog and cat listings mention this for previously altered animals. |
| Included care shown in listings | Vaccinated on intake and altered before going home | Dog listings may mention mandatory 3DX/4DX testing and extra veterinary medication costs. Cat listings may mention FIV/FeLV testing and possible post-surgery medication costs. |
| Payment method | Confirm before visiting | Public listings have not always used identical cash/card wording. Ask the shelter what is accepted for the pet you want. |
How Adoption Works at New Haven Animal Shelter
A pet photo can pull at your heart fast. The better adoption decision is still practical: household fit, landlord approval, other pets, medical notes, energy level, transport and long-term cost.
Check current dogs or cats
Start with the City adoption page, dog application, cat application and current public pet listings. Save the pet name or ID, but keep a backup in mind because availability can change.
Visit during public visiting hours
Use the Monday–Saturday 12:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. public visiting window unless the shelter gives you a specific appointment.
Submit the right application
The City page links to separate dog and cat adoption application forms. Complete the application honestly, especially household and housing questions.
Bring household proof if needed
Public listings mention proof of homeownership for owners and landlord approval for renters. Bring documentation before the shelter asks for it.
Plan dog-to-dog introductions
Dog listings commonly say resident dogs and household family members should meet the shelter dog. Call first so the visit is safe and useful.
Confirm fee, timing and pickup
Ask what the exact fee is, whether the animal is already altered, what medical care is complete, and when the pet can go home.
Lost or Found Pet in New Haven
A missing pet is stressful, and New Haven is busy: apartments, parks, traffic, Yale-area streets, Westville, Fair Haven, East Rock, Hill, Wooster Square and shoreline neighborhoods can all change the search. Move quickly, but keep checking more than once.
If your pet is missing
- Call the shelter at 203-946-8110.
- Visit during public hours if a possible match may be at the shelter.
- Bring clear photos, microchip number, rabies records and proof of ownership.
- Update the microchip company with your current phone and address.
- Search close to home: porches, garages, stairwells, basements, sheds and quiet hiding places.
- If the pet disappeared outside New Haven, contact the animal-control authority for that town.
If you found an animal
- Check safely for a collar, tag or owner information.
- Do not chase, corner or grab a frightened or aggressive animal.
- Have a veterinarian, shelter or animal-control office scan for a microchip when safe.
- Report the found pet to the authority for the location where the pet was found.
- For New Haven city matters, start with the shelter/animal-control phone.
- For immediate danger or serious injury, use 911.
New Haven Animal Control Officer Route
The City shelter page lists Luis Lopez as Animal Control Officer and provides the shelter office number. The Friends website also tells people with complaints or general animal-control issues to contact the animal shelter directly.
Animal Control Officer
Official staff listing: Luis Lopez, Animal Control Officer, phone 203-946-8110.
General complaints
Use the shelter phone for New Haven animal-control concerns, including reports that need City routing.
Urgent danger
If a person is in immediate danger or there is a serious injury, call 911 instead of waiting for a normal shelter visit.
Animal Bites and Rabies Reporting in New Haven
Connecticut DPH says domestic animal bites to people or other domestic animals are reportable to the local animal control officer by the victim or animal owner. For a potential rabies exposure, contact the local health department or local animal control officer.
Report the bite
In New Haven, start with the Animal Shelter / Animal Control Officer route at 203-946-8110 unless there is an emergency.
Health guidance
For possible rabies exposure or medical risk, contact a healthcare provider and use New Haven Health Department or Connecticut DPH guidance.
Emergency injury
For severe bites, active attacks, a dangerous animal emergency or serious human injury, call 911.
Dog Licensing in New Haven
New Haven’s dog-license page says Connecticut law requires pet owners to license dogs, dogs over six months must be licensed, all dogs must have a current rabies vaccination, and dogs must be licensed by June 30 each year.
| License item | Current listed detail | Where to handle it |
|---|---|---|
| Spayed / neutered dog license | $8.00 | City of New Haven dog license application or City/Town Clerk. |
| Not spayed / not neutered dog license | $19.00 | City/Town Clerk with proof of rabies vaccination and applicable documents. |
| Late fee | $1.00 per month late | Applies after the annual June 30 licensing deadline. |
| City/Town Clerk contact |
200 Orange Street, New Haven 203-946-8349 |
Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
Surrender and Rehoming Help
The official pages checked for this guide did not publish a simple, current owner-surrender fee table for the City shelter. Do not leave an animal outside the building or assume same-day intake is available. Call the shelter first.
Call before going
Explain whether the issue is housing, cost, behavior, medical care, family crisis, safety or found-animal routing.
Be honest about risk
Share bite history, medications, medical conditions, fear, anxiety, dog/cat compatibility and child-safety concerns.
No guessed fee
This page does not invent a surrender fee. Ask the shelter what applies to your exact case.
Veterinary-Care Reality Check
The New Haven shelter and its Friends group help animals receive care, but the official City page checked for this guide does not present the shelter as a public walk-in veterinary hospital. That means this page does not add fake VeterinaryCare, Hospital, MedicalClinic, Physician or public doctor-schedule schema.
Shelter-animal care
Public adoption listings say animals are vaccinated on intake and altered before going to their new home.
Pet-specific notes
Dog listings may mention 3DX/4DX testing; cat listings may mention FIV/FeLV testing. Ask what applies to the exact animal.
Emergency pet illness
If your owned pet has a life-threatening medical problem, contact a licensed emergency veterinarian or emergency route.
Friends of the New Haven Animal Shelter
The Friends group is a separate 501(c)(3) volunteer organization that supports the Robin I. Kroogman New Haven Animal Shelter. Its own website says it is not the animal shelter or animal control.
Volunteer support
Friends volunteers help socialize cats and dogs, walk dogs, assist with events, transport, rescue support and fundraising.
Volunteer requirements
The Friends volunteer page says volunteers must be at least 18 and able to make a longer-term time commitment.
Friends contact
Friends contact email: fotnhas.info@gmail.com. Use shelter phone for animal-control complaints.
Before You Visit 81 Fournier Street
Adoption checklist
- Call before driving for one specific animal.
- Use the correct dog or cat adoption application.
- Bring photo ID and a payment method confirmed by the shelter.
- Bring proof of homeownership or landlord approval if applicable.
- Bring all family decision-makers when possible.
- For dog adoptions, ask whether your resident dog must meet the shelter dog.
- Prepare a carrier for cats or leash/collar setup for dogs.
Lost / reclaim checklist
- Bring recent photos showing unique markings.
- Bring microchip number and registration information.
- Bring rabies certificate, license, vet records or adoption paperwork.
- Give the exact lost/found location and time.
- Check surrounding towns if the pet disappeared near a boundary.
- Keep checking, because intake information may update later.
Simple Call Scripts
When you are upset about a pet, it is easy to forget key details. These short scripts help you stay clear and calm.
Adoption
Hi, I am interested in [pet name or ID] at the New Haven Animal
Shelter. Is the pet still available, what is the current adoption
fee, and should I submit the dog or cat application before visiting?
Lost pet
Hi, my [dog/cat] is missing from [street/neighborhood] in New Haven.
The pet is [description] and [microchipped/not microchipped]. Has a
matching animal been brought in?
Found animal
Hi, I found a [dog/cat] at [exact location]. The animal is
[safe/injured/aggressive]. Is this handled by New Haven Animal
Control, and should I bring the animal in or request help?
Bite / dangerous animal
Hi, I need to report [animal bite/dangerous animal] at [location].
The animal is [owned/stray/wild/unknown]. Is this an Animal Control
Officer issue, health-department issue or emergency call?
Map: Robin I. Kroogman New Haven Animal Shelter
Use this map for travel planning to 81 Fournier Street, New Haven, CT 06511. Confirm public visiting hours, appointment needs and animal availability before leaving.
Official New Haven / Connecticut Resources
Use these official or directly connected sources for live hours, current animal availability, forms, health routing and public-safety instructions.
New Haven Animal Shelter FAQ
What is the official New Haven animal shelter?
The official municipal shelter is The Robin I. Kroogman New Haven Animal Shelter at 81 Fournier Street, New Haven, CT 06511.
What is the New Haven Animal Shelter phone number?
The shelter office phone number is 203-946-8110.
What are New Haven Animal Shelter public visiting hours?
Public visiting hours are Monday through Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sundays are appointment only.
What are the shelter’s general operation hours?
The City lists hours of operation as 7 days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Is the New Haven Animal Shelter part of the Police Department?
Yes. The official City shelter page states that the Animal Shelter is a division of the New Haven Police Department.
Who is the Animal Control Officer listed for New Haven?
The official City shelter page lists Luis Lopez as Animal Control Officer.
What number should I call for New Haven animal control?
For general New Haven animal-control concerns, start with the shelter office at 203-946-8110. For immediate emergencies, call 911.
What is the New Haven police non-emergency number?
The New Haven Police contact page lists 203-946-6316 as the non-emergency number to the 911 center.
How much are adoption fees at New Haven Animal Shelter?
Public adoption listings commonly show a $90 adoption fee and $45 for previously altered pets, but the official City page checked here did not show one complete stable fee table. Confirm the exact amount and payment method with the shelter before payment.
What medical care is listed before adoption?
Public listings say animals are vaccinated upon intake and altered before going home. Ask staff what testing, medication or post-surgery costs apply to the specific pet.
Do renters need landlord approval?
Public adoption listings mention landlord approval for renters and proof of homeownership for homeowners.
Should my current dog meet the shelter dog?
Public dog adoption listings commonly say resident dogs and household family members should come for the meeting. Call first for safe visit instructions.
What should I do if my pet is missing in New Haven?
Call the shelter at 203-946-8110, check current listings, visit in person if there is a possible match, update microchip information and bring proof of ownership.
What should I do if I found a pet in New Haven?
Check safely for identification, scan for a microchip when possible, and report the animal to the correct authority for the found location. For New Haven city matters, start with the shelter at 203-946-8110.
How are animal bites reported in Connecticut?
Connecticut DPH says domestic animal bites to people or other domestic animals are reportable to the local animal control officer by the victim or animal owner.
Who should I contact for possible rabies exposure?
Contact a healthcare provider and the local health department or local animal control officer. For immediate serious injury or danger, call 911.
How much is a New Haven dog license?
New Haven lists $8 for spayed or neutered dogs and $19 for dogs that are not spayed or neutered. A $1 per month late fee applies after the annual June 30 deadline.
Is Friends of the New Haven Animal Shelter the same as animal control?
No. Friends of the New Haven Animal Shelter is a separate 501(c)(3) volunteer support organization. Its own website says it is not the animal shelter or animal control.
Does the shelter publish a public veterinary clinic schedule?
No public walk-in veterinary clinic schedule or verified named public veterinarian schedule was found for this guide. This page does not invent doctor names, hospital schema or appointment fees.
Is Animal-Shelter.org the official New Haven Animal Shelter website?
No. Animal-Shelter.org is an independent informational guide. Use the official City of New Haven, shelter, police, Friends group and Connecticut public-health sources for live instructions.
Animal Shelter Action Planner: Lost Pet, Found Pet, Adoption, Reclaim & Surrender Helper
Use this free tool to create a practical next-step plan before visiting or contacting an animal shelter, humane society, rescue, or animal control agency. It does not search a live shelter database, but it helps you prepare the right documents, questions, safety steps, and official-source searches.
Build a USA-wide shelter action plan
Select your situation and location. The tool will create a general action plan, search links, call questions, and a copyable checklist.
Lost pet recovery checklist
Check the steps you have completed. This helps you stay organized during the first urgent hours and days.
Found pet safety decision helper
Use this when you find a stray or loose pet and need a safe next step.
Adoption readiness checker
This helps adopters prepare before visiting a shelter or rescue. It is not a guarantee of approval.
Pet reclaim document checklist
If your pet may be at a shelter, prepare proof before visiting. Exact requirements and fees vary by agency.
Owner surrender preparation helper
Surrender rules vary. Many shelters require appointments, proof of residence, behavior/medical information, and may offer alternatives.
Animal control contact decision helper
Choose the situation and get a general USA-wide contact path. Local rules may differ.
Adoption and first-month budget planner
This is a planning guide, not a shelter fee database. Always confirm adoption fees and included services with the shelter.
Your generated shelter plan
Your action plan, search links, call script, checklist, or budget guide will appear here.
Start with the Planner tab
Select your state, city/county/ZIP, pet type, and goal. The tool will create a practical USA-wide shelter action plan.
Privacy note: this tool runs in your browser. It does not send your entries to animal-shelter.org.