Orange County Animal Services Needs Community Action

Reduced Adoption Fees for Hundreds of Animals

Orange County, Fla. – Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) currently has more than 500 animals under its umbrella of care, 329 physically at the shelter and an additional 184 in foster care. In response to the high volume of animals in the shelter’s care, Animal Services is urgently requesting the community’s support in several ways.

Residents that have found stray pets are encouraged to take steps to reunite them with the owner prior to bringing them to the shelter.

“In the majority of circumstances, stray animals are less than two miles from their home,” said Diane Summers, manager for Animal Services. “Not every owner knows about or thinks to come to the shelter when their baby is missing. The finder can take steps to reunite the pet with the owner, by checking for a microchip, posting the found pet on social media and sharing flyers in their area. These simple steps can help bring a family back together.”

Additional tips on dealing with lost pets can be found on PetFinder’s site here.

Animal Services also encourages owners on the brink of surrendering their pets to explore all options before resorting to the shelter. “We’re imploring pet owners to explore all options before surrendering to the shelter. That means reaching out to friends and family for help, reaching out to local rescue groups and trying to work through issues before giving up,” said Summers.

In order to help the animals currently housed at the shelter, Animal Services is urgently requesting adoption and foster support. “If anyone has been looking for a time to adopt, this is it,” said Summers. “We have so many wonderful pets here deserving of a fresh start, we just need people to visit with an open mind and heart.”

Adoption fees for both dogs and cats are currently reduced to $10. Those interested in adopting are encouraged to check out the available pets on the shelter’s website here. More information on the adoption process can be found here. Additionally, the shelter is actively recruiting new members to its foster care program.

About Orange County Government: Orange County Government strives to serve its residents and guests with integrity, honesty, fairness and professionalism. Located in Central Florida, Orange County includes 13 municipalities and is home to world-famous theme parks, one of the nation’s largest convention centers and a thriving life science research park. Seven elected members make up the Board of County Commissioners, including the Mayor, who is elected countywide. For more information, please visit www.OCFL.net or go to Orange County Government’s social media channels.