Animal Services
Orange County Animal Services is the county government agency responsible for sheltering and animal-welfare services involving dogs and cats, pet adoption, lost and found animals, pet reclaims, animal-related complaints, bite investigations, quarantine matters, community cats, and several pet-support programs. This article explains how the agency works, which service fits different situations, what information or documentation residents may need, how shelter adoption and reclaim procedures differ, and what common mistakes can delay service or make it harder to resolve an animal-related issue.
Animal Services and Its Role
Orange County Animal Services, commonly referred to as OCAS, is an Orange County Government animal-welfare organization. The agency enforces the Orange County Code to protect both residents and animals while operating the county's open-admission shelter. Its work includes caring for homeless animals, helping reunite lost pets with their owners, facilitating adoptions, responding to domestic animal complaints, investigating animal bites, and administering programs intended to reduce pet overpopulation.
Residents should distinguish Animal Services from a general veterinary clinic. The agency's veterinary services are primarily for animals in shelter care and are not offered as routine public veterinary services. The agency does, however, operate or coordinate specific programs such as low-cost microchipping and spay/neuter initiatives when those programs are available.
The agency's programs and services information also covers foster care, volunteering, community outreach and education, spay and neuter services, and microchipping. The correct process depends heavily on why a resident is contacting the agency. Adopting a pet, reclaiming an impounded pet, reporting a loose dog, and surrendering an owned animal all follow different procedures.
Visiting the Animal Shelter
The shelter provides in-person adoption services without requiring an adoption appointment. Adoption hours are Sunday through Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Visitors should pay particular attention to end-of-day timing. Animal Services concludes adoption interactions 15 minutes before closing so staff can complete adoption paperwork and other end-of-day duties. The agency encourages people planning a late visit to arrive at least 30 minutes before closing. Interaction yards must also be vacated no later than 15 minutes before closing.
The shelter is closed on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Current visiting and communication information is available through the agency's official Animal Services contact page.
Adopting a Shelter Pet
People interested in adoption can review the official pet adoption process before visiting. Animal Services operates on a first come, first served basis. A person cannot reserve a pet ahead of time, and the agency does not place advance holds on animals. Adoption paperwork occurs after the prospective adopter has interacted with the pet.
Because animals may be adopted quickly, especially highly sought-after small dogs and puppies, prospective adopters are encouraged to review the shelter's available animals before visiting. The online listings can help visitors identify animals they want to meet, but seeing an animal online does not reserve that animal.
Searching Available Animals
The shelter website allows users to browse animals currently in care and view information associated with individual pets. Listings may be filtered by categories such as animal type, weight, age range, gender, adoption status, and animal ID. Some pets display a “Ready to Go Home” status, indicating they have already completed applicable processing and may be ready to leave after adoption paperwork is finished.
An animal's ID is especially useful when communicating with Animal Services. If a potential adopter wants more information about a particular animal, the agency asks that the animal's ID number be referenced in the inquiry. Shelter staff can share information known about the pet, but many animals arrive as strays with little or no background history.
Information About Shelter Pets
Prospective adopters should understand the limits of information available about an animal's history, health, and behavior. Some owner-surrendered pets arrive with background information, while stray animals often do not. Animal Services states that it cannot provide extensive behavioral or medical screening for every pet before departure and cannot guarantee a shelter animal's health or temperament.
Behavior observed in a shelter may also differ from behavior in a home. A shelter is an unfamiliar and potentially stressful environment, so a pet's response there may not accurately predict how the animal will behave after settling into a household.
What Adopters Must Bring
A person arriving to adopt must have:
Valid photo identification.
A method of payment using cash, a credit or debit card, or a check.
Animal Services may disqualify an adopter in certain circumstances. Examples given by the agency include recent animal-related citations, prior animal cruelty or neglect convictions, a recent pet return or surrender, or multiple pet adoptions within a short period. These situations are reviewed individually using information in the agency's system.
Adoption Fees and Services
The standard adoption fee is $80 for dogs and $50 for cats. Animal Services periodically offers promotions that may reduce adoption fees.
The standard fee includes several services, subject to the animal's circumstances:
Spay or neuter surgery when the animal is considered medically eligible by the staff veterinarian.
Initial vaccinations, including a rabies vaccination and tag.
Microchip identification.
Initial deworming.
A heartworm test for dogs six months of age and older.
People do not have to live in Orange County to adopt. The shelter works with adopters from outside the county and from other states. Animal Services does not transport adopted animals, however, so an interested adopter must visit the shelter to finalize the adoption.
After an Adoption
The adoption contract requires newly adopted animals to remain separate from resident pets for at least one week. This gives the new animal time to decompress and can make later introductions easier. Animal Services does not allow shelter meet-and-greets between a resident pet and a shelter animal, in part because the shelter environment may not produce a reliable picture of how the animals will interact at home and because bringing additional animals into the facility can increase disease exposure.
Adopters are also required to take the new pet to a veterinarian of their choosing, at their own expense, within 72 hours of adoption for a full screening. Some adopted animals may also qualify for a complimentary first health examination through the VCA Healthy Start certificate program, but that program does not replace the Animal Services requirement for a veterinary visit within 72 hours.
Some pets can leave immediately after paperwork, while others cannot. Stray animals may still be subject to a legally required hold so their original owners have an opportunity to reclaim them. After the hold is satisfied, an animal that still requires shelter clinic processing is scheduled for the next available clinic day. Timing varies according to the individual animal and clinic availability. The adopter is contacted when the pet is ready for pickup.
Lost Pets and Found Animals
Orange County Animal Services serves as the county's lost and found pet shelter and takes in thousands of stray animals. Owners should begin searching for missing pets as soon as possible rather than waiting several days to see whether the animal returns home.
The county's lost and found pet guidance directs owners to keep checking animals currently in shelter care and to use the county's lost and found reporting resources. A person who finds a pet should first make reasonable efforts to locate the owner. If the owner cannot be located, the animal may be brought to Animal Services during open hours.
Found Pet Reporting Deadline
Local law requires a person who has found a pet to report the animal as found within two calendar days. This is separate from simply keeping the animal temporarily while searching for its family.
People without reliable internet access can make a lost or found report by calling 3-1-1. Animal Services also encourages people searching for a missing pet to check shelter animals in person when appropriate. An online posting is a useful search method, but it should not replace checking the Animal Services website and shelter.
If a missing pet has a microchip, the owner should confirm that the chip is registered and that the associated telephone number and other contact information are current. A chip with outdated or missing registration data can make reunification more difficult.
Reclaiming an Impounded Pet
Reclaiming an animal is different from adopting one. A pet owner seeking an animal already at Animal Services must establish ownership before the animal can be released. The agency's pet reclaim information identifies microchip records, medical records, and photographs as acceptable ways ownership may be established.
Owners who locate their pet in shelter care are encouraged to contact Animal Services immediately. Reunification can occur whenever the shelter is open, and acting quickly matters because stray animals are held for minimum periods established by the Orange County Code of Ordinances.
Stray Hold Periods
The applicable minimum hold depends on the animal and whether identification is present:
Dogs with identification through tags, a collar, and/or a microchip: five calendar days.
Dogs without identification: three calendar days.
Cats with identification through tags, a collar, and/or a microchip: three calendar days.
Cats without identification: one calendar day.
Puppies and kittens younger than four months: no stray hold.
Owners should not assume every pet remains unavailable for the same number of days. Identification status and the animal's age can change the applicable period.
Reclaim Fees
The reclaim process can include several charges. The impound fee is $40 for the first impoundment, $60 for the second, and $80 for the third. A daily fee of $20 also applies. Microchip identification costs $15. All pets reclaimed from Animal Services are required to be microchipped.
If the owner cannot provide proof of a current rabies vaccination, Animal Services provides the vaccination for a $10 fee. Under Section 5-34(d)(2) of the Orange County Code of Ordinances, an animal must be spayed or neutered upon its second impoundment at Orange County Animal Services.
Reporting Animal-Related Problems
Domestic animal complaints may be reported to Orange County through 3-1-1. Animal Services responds to reports on a priority basis, giving greater urgency to calls involving the immediate safety or well-being of people and animals. Because new emergency calls can change priorities, the agency does not provide reliable estimates for how long an officer response will take.
The county also provides an online pet issue reporting form. The form collects information about the person making the report, the animal's owner when known, the animal, its behavior, where the activity is occurring, and whether injuries have occurred.
Information for a Pet Complaint
The online report requires several reporter details, including first and last name, address, city, state, ZIP code, home phone, and email address. It can also accept additional location details such as cross streets and subdivision information.
Animal information requested by the form includes the species and color, with additional fields for breed and gender. The reporter can identify behaviors or problems such as:
An animal running loose.
Getting into garbage.
Damaging property.
Barking or other noise.
Defecating on private property.
Another animal-related problem.
The form also asks where the animal is located, when the problem occurs, and whether the animal has caused injuries. Providing specific information can help Animal Services understand the nature and location of the complaint.
Animal Bites and Quarantines
Animal bites and scratches involving possible rabies exposure require a different response from routine nuisance complaints. To report an animal bite or scratch in Orange County, residents should call 3-1-1. The call center dispatches an Animal Services Officer to investigate the complaint.
Anyone who believes they have been exposed to rabies should also contact a healthcare provider immediately and report the incident. The Florida Department of Health is the primary state agency responsible for rabies prevention, control, and quarantine procedures.
Quarantine Timeframes
Animal Services' bite report and quarantine information identifies different observation periods according to the type of exposure:
Domestic animal exposure to a human: 10-day observation period.
Wildlife exposure to a domestic animal that is current on rabies vaccination: 45-day quarantine with an immediate rabies booster.
Wildlife exposure to a domestic animal that is not current on rabies vaccination: 180-day quarantine with an immediate rabies booster.
Depending on the exposure, quarantine may take place in the owner's home, at a veterinary clinic or boarding facility, or at Animal Services. During home or facility quarantine, the animal must remain indoors, stay away from new people and animals, and remain supervised.
A quarantined animal may be walked on a leash and may be taken to a veterinarian. However, if an animal bit a human, it cannot receive a rabies vaccine during the quarantine period; vaccination must wait until the observation period is finished. If a quarantined animal becomes sick, becomes aggressive, disappears, or dies, Animal Services should be contacted immediately.
Microchips and Pet Identification
Microchips provide permanent identification but are not tracking devices. A scanner at an animal shelter or veterinary office reads the chip's unique identification number at close range. The usefulness of the chip depends on registration information being associated with the pet owner and remaining current.
According to the agency's microchipping information, all animals adopted from Orange County Animal Services receive microchip identification, and every pet reclaimed from the shelter is required to be microchipped.
When a chipped stray arrives at the shelter, staff can scan the animal and use the chip number to search registration information. If the chip is registered to an owner, the information can help the agency make contact. If registration information is missing, the chip may instead identify the veterinary office or shelter that originally implanted it.
Spay and Neuter Programs
Orange County Animal Services promotes spaying and neutering as a way to reduce unwanted litters and the number of homeless animals entering the shelter. The agency has also offered a voucher program for qualifying low-income Orange County residents.
According to the official spay and neuter program page, an update dated August 10, 2026 states that vouchers are currently unavailable and advises residents to check at the beginning of each month to see whether vouchers have been replenished.
Voucher Eligibility Rules
For this program, eligible low-income applicants are people at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, Medicaid recipients, or people with an ACCESS EBT Card. The program is limited to Orange County residents.
Applicants must be prepared to document both income eligibility and residency. Depending on the basis for eligibility, required proof may include:
A tax return showing qualifying income.
Proof of Medicaid benefits.
An ACCESS EBT Card.
Identification used to verify Orange County residency.
These documents must be available for display at clinic check-in. The program covers dogs and cats and provides up to two free spay or neuter surgeries per household. There is no weight restriction. It is intended for owned pets rather than community cat colonies.
A voucher covers the spay or neuter procedure and a rabies vaccination when the pet needs one. It does not cover other veterinary care. Once issued, the recipient must schedule the procedure within 90 days, and the procedure must occur within 180 days of the voucher issue date. A voucher that is not used within these requirements is voided and may be made available to another applicant.
Outside Cats and TNR
Animal Services distinguishes community cats living outdoors from owned pets being surrendered to the shelter. Outside cats vary in how comfortable they are around people, and an outdoor cat should not automatically be assumed to be feral.
For residents concerned about smaller populations of outside cats but willing to have those cats remain on the property, Animal Services offers a trap-neuter-return program. The outside cats program information states that the TNR program is free to Orange County residents for up to five cats per household each year.
The Animal Services enforcement team leads the program, including setting traps and transporting participating cats to and from the clinic. Residents interested in starting the process should call 3-1-1.
Working Cat Placement
Animal Services also has a working cat or barn cat option for cats that are not sufficiently socialized for a typical indoor household. These cats may be suited to barns, warehouses, farms, large yards, or certain business environments where a caretaker can provide shelter, food, water, acclimation space, and routine veterinary care.
A working cat should not simply be released immediately into a new location. Animal Services recommends an acclimation period using a large crate or kennel containing necessities such as food, water, litter, and a smaller carrier that provides a hiding space. The cat remains enclosed while becoming familiar with the new environment before being gradually released.
Owned Pet Surrenders
Animal Services describes the county shelter as the community's only open-admission shelter and advises Orange County residents to treat shelter surrender as a last resort for an owned pet. Shelter capacity can be high, and surrender does not guarantee that an animal will ultimately be adopted.
When an owner has exhausted other options and needs to pursue shelter surrender, Animal Services requires the person to be an Orange County resident and the owner of the animal. The surrender fee is $40 per pet.
The process may take several weeks because of shelter capacity. Owners are asked to provide a phone number and email address where staff can reach them. Animal Services states that staff will contact a person who submits its surrender and rehoming survey within one week to provide additional information.
Owners should provide accurate information about the pet's health, temperament, personality, and background. This information helps shelter staff understand the animal and may assist with future placement.
Returning a Recent Adoption
An animal adopted from Orange County Animal Services may be returned if the placement does not work out. Returns to Animal Services require an appointment. A person living outside Orange County who has had the animal for more than 30 days must surrender the pet to the shelter serving the person's local area instead.
Owners should not confuse this return procedure with foster care. Foster participants must first register as foster parents and complete an online orientation. Foster placements are generally used for selected animals with particular temporary needs, including pets that are too young for adoption, sick, injured, or in need of short-term socialization.
Humane Euthanasia Service
Orange County Animal Services provides humane euthanasia for Orange County pet owners facing circumstances involving advanced age, debilitating medical conditions, and/or severe temperament problems. Unlike a routine owner surrender, this service does not require an appointment and is available on a walk-in basis while Animal Services is open.
The fee is $20 per pet. Owners cannot remain with the animal while the procedure is performed. This service should therefore be distinguished from veterinary euthanasia arrangements in which an owner may wish to be present.
Pet Rules and Service Limits
Orange County does not require general pet registration and does not impose a general pet limit according to the Animal Services FAQ. Rabies vaccination is required for pets four months of age and older.
Animal Services primarily handles domestic animal matters involving the community's dogs and cats. It does not trap nuisance wildlife such as raccoons or opossums. The agency may assist with injured wildlife, which can be reported through 3-1-1, but nuisance wildlife removal is outside the agency's routine trapping role.
Residents should also avoid assuming that Animal Services provides routine veterinary treatment for privately owned pets. The veterinary team serves shelter animals, while public-facing veterinary support is limited to specifically identified programs such as applicable spay/neuter or microchipping services.
Animal Services Office
Orange County Animal Services Pet Rescue & Adoption Center
2769 Conroy Road, Orlando, FL 32839
(407) 836-3111
Animal Services FAQs
Is Orange County Animal Services a no-kill shelter?
Orange County Animal Services does not describe itself as a “no-kill” shelter because the term does not have a clear legal definition. According to the county's official Animal Services FAQ, the shelter reported live-release rates of 91% for dogs and 88% for cats in fiscal year 2025 through adoption, owner reunification, and rescue placement. Some animals may still require humane euthanasia because of severe medical conditions, contagious disease, serious aggression, or other circumstances that substantially limit safe placement.
Does the shelter test every cat for FIV and FeLV?
No. Beginning May 1, 2024, Animal Services stopped routinely testing healthy-appearing cats for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) for adopters and reclaiming owners. Cats showing medical problems or symptoms consistent with these viruses may still be tested as part of diagnosis. The county advises adopters and reclaiming owners to discuss testing with their own veterinarian because recommendations can depend on the individual cat's history, condition, and risk factors.
How long can an animal stay at the shelter?
There is no fixed maximum number of days that an animal may remain at Orange County Animal Services. The county states that some animals have stayed for months. After any legally required stray-hold period ends, an animal may continue to remain in shelter care as long as its medical and behavioral condition stays stable and shelter space permits. This means an animal is not automatically removed from consideration simply because it has reached a particular number of days in the facility.
Are messages sent to Animal Services private?
Residents should not assume that written communications with the agency are confidential. Orange County states on its Animal Services contact information page that email sent to the agency becomes part of the county's public record. Information that is not legally exempt may therefore be available in response to a public-records request. People submitting an online inquiry or email should keep this public-record requirement in mind when deciding what personal information to include.