Orange County Animal Services Adjusts Pet Intake During Shelter Construction

Orange County Animal Services Adjusts Pet Intake During Shelter Construction

New Shelter Construction Will Temporarily Impact Operations

Orange County, FL - Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) today announced that animal intake procedures will be temporarily modified beginning Monday, October 5, 2026, for approximately one week due to construction activities associated with the County's new animal shelter.

The Collage Companies, the contractor constructing the new facility, will be installing utility, fire, and stormwater infrastructure that requires excavation of a portion of the roadway leading to the shelter's pet receiving area. During this work, vehicle access for staff and the public will be significantly limited.

During that week, OCAS will only accept stray animals if they have urgent medical needs or exhibit concerning behavior. Residents who find healthy, friendly stray pets are asked to care for them temporarily until the shelter resumes normal intake operations, which is expected to occur in approximately one week.

Despite these temporary intake modifications, shelter operations will otherwise continue as normal. Adoptions will remain available during regular business hours. OCAS encourages anyone looking to add a pet to their family to visit the shelter and consider adopting, as hundreds of dogs and cats are currently waiting for loving homes.

"We know the first instinct is often to bring a lost pet directly to the shelter, but in many cases that pet hasn't traveled far from home," said Diane Summers, Manager for Orange County Animal Services. "During this brief construction period, we're asking our community to help by attempting to reunite healthy, friendly pets with their families or by temporarily caring for them until we can safely resume normal intake operations. While we're temporarily modifying how we receive stray animals, our shelter remains open for adoptions and other essential services, and we encourage anyone considering a new pet to come visit us. Every adoption helps create space for another animal in need."

Research shows that most lost pets are found within one mile of their home, and several free online resources can help reunite pets with their owners, including:

• Orange County Animal Services Lost & Found Pet Forum, which allows residents to drop a map pin showing where a pet was lost or found and upload photos.
• Petco Love Lost, a free national database that uses searchable pet photos to help reunite lost pets with their families.

"We anticipate this service modification will last approximately one week," Summers said. "We appreciate our community's patience and understanding as we work through this phase of construction. These short-term inconveniences will help pave the way for a modern, expanded shelter that will better serve Orange County's pets and residents for decades to come."

Once completed, the new Orange County Animal Services shelter will span more than 123,000 square feet and include 265 dog kennels and housing for nearly 200 cats. Completion is anticipated in Fall 2027.

Residents are encouraged to follow Orange County Animal Services on social media and visit the shelter's website for updates on construction progress and any temporary operational impacts.