Shelter
Record an outcome
On this page
An outcome records how an animal left your care: adopted, returned to its owner, transferred, released, or died. Recording it closes the intake, and it's what the live release report and Shelter Animals Count filings count.
Record the outcome
- Open the intake: select Intakes in the Shelter menu, then View on the animal's row.
- Scroll to Outcome / disposition and choose the Outcome type.
- For a euthanasia, choose the Euthanasia reason (required only for a euthanasia outcome). For a return to owner or a transfer out, fill in the owner or destination fields too (see the table below).
- If the outcome happened earlier, enter Outcome date/time (optional — defaults to now). Leave it blank to use now.
- Select Record outcome.
The intake then shows Episode resolved — read-only, and the outcome, date and who recorded it appear under Outcome / disposition.
Outcome types
| Outcome type | Notes |
|---|---|
| Adoption | |
| Return to owner (RTO) | Enter the Reclaiming owner name (return-to-owner) and Reclaiming owner phone. |
| Transfer out | Enter the Transfer destination (transfer-out). |
| Euthanasia | A reason is required: Medical, Behavioral, Owner Requested, Humane End Of Suffering, Court Ordered, Space Capacity or Other. |
| Died in care | |
| Returned to field (RTF) | Offered for animals admitted for sheltering. Counts as a live outcome. |
| TNR release (service only — not a SAC intake or outcome) | Offered only on a Community Cat intake, instead of RTF. It's a community service and isn't counted as an intake or an outcome. |
| Escaped / lost in care | |
| Other |
You only ever see one of the two field-return options, chosen by the intake type, so they can't be mixed up.
What else changes
- If the animal has a public adoptable listing, it's unpublished.
- For Euthanasia or Died in care, the patient record is marked deceased, dated the outcome date.
- A euthanasia outcome is the reporting record only. Log the drug itself in the controlled substance log as usual.
When Vivetra won't record it
| Message says | What to do |
|---|---|
| This intake has an active … hold | Release the hold on the Holds worklist first (see Place and release holds). |
| This animal is inside its statutory stray hold until … | The stray-hold date on the intake hasn't passed yet. Only Return to owner (RTO) or Died in care can be recorded until then. |
| A euthanasia outcome requires a reason | Choose a euthanasia reason. |
| This intake is already resolved | An outcome is already on file. |
Who can do this
Recording an outcome needs outcome permission, which front desk, veterinarians and practice managers have by default. Without it, the intake page says you need permission.