Media Contact: Bryant.Almeida@ocfl.net
Help! Orange County Animal Services Near Capacity with Dogs Nearly 300 Pets Total in the Shelter’s Care
Dog Adoption Fees Reduced to $10 Through Thursday
Orange County, Fla. – Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) is currently caring for 185 dogs and 89 cats, a total of 274 pets. This high volume of dogs has placed the shelter near capacity, with only one kennel vacant in the primary dog housing building. Many of the remaining kennels in that building are doubled up to maximize space.
The number of dogs in the shelter’s care is the result of normal summer intakes, which tend to be higher than the remainder of the year, coupled with multiple seizure cases due to cruelty investigations or substandard living conditions. The shelter is currently housing 42 pets from various cases. Those animals are housed separately from those available for adoption.
In an effort to encourage pet adoption, Animal Services is reducing dog adoption fees to $10 beginning Tuesday, September 14 and spanning through Thursday, September 16. Adoption fees include the pet’s spay/neuter, initial vaccines and microchip identification.
“I hope this fee reduction and this effort serves as a signal to Central Florida residents that we need help, we need adopters to come forward,” said Diane Summers, manager for Orange County Animal Services. “We have several dogs that have been with us for 100 days or longer, they’ve been overlooked for months and its time their luck turned for the better.”
The shelter’s longest residents are:
- Cano A470008, at the shelter 152 days
- Coco A467278, 131 days
- Miller A472710, 114 days
- Tigger A472727, 113 days
- Rascal A473157, 108 days
“The number of homeless pets in our shelter is indicative of a community problem and while not everyone is in a position to adopt, each person can play a role in the solution, that includes volunteering, fostering and spreading the word,” said Summers.
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 volunteer and foster care programs.
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.