Orange County Animal Services

Orange County Animal Services Check out all of our pets online at www.ocnetpets.com!

05/28/2026

*MEGA ADOPTION EVENT**
This weekend, May 29th to the 31st, OCAS staff will be in Plant City to participate in the fourth annual “Mega Adoption Event” held in the Grimes Family Agricultural Center at the Florida Strawberry Festival Fairgrounds. The 3-day event will feature more than 300 dogs from municipal shelters in Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Marion, Orange, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sumter counties. All dogs featured during the event will have been spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated, and microchipped. And best of all, adoption fees for all dogs will be waived.

We participate in this event every year , and every year it is an amazing success, with most of our dogs finding new homes. This year we will be there for all three days, and bringing approximately 50-60 dogs who are prime adoption candidates.

We're hoping for an even better turnout than last year.

The Mega Adoption Event starts on tomorrow and runs through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is being held at 2508 W. Oak Avenue in Plant City. It is made possible by the support of the Pet Resources Foundation, Team Godwin Foundation, Friends of Animal Services – Pasco County and the Florida Strawberry Festival.

**TATOR A592187**A few months ago, our officers responded to a call about a dog that had been left behind in an apartmen...
05/27/2026

**TATOR A592187**

A few months ago, our officers responded to a call about a dog that had been left behind in an apartment. The owner of the dog had been arrested, and as it often happens, the pets were left behind. This time it was a smallish and fearful boy named Tator.

Tator is seven years old, and this is what we know about him. It appears for most of his life, he has been in an out of one shelter or another. From the records we found, he was adopted at least four times, and each time returned for a variety of reasons. Guarding toys, blankets, destructive behavior, and once for being, well, just too much.

Here at the shelter, Tator has been nothing but a good dog. He has shown some stubbornness, and he does get very protective of his toys. But with a treat and some sweet words, he can be persuaded to give them up. Basically, Tator is an easy dog that just needs a little training and a lot of love.

Tator is a striking dog, and he is always happy to spend time outside. He loves soaking in the dog pools, he loves chasing toys, and he loves spending time with his person. Though slow to warm up, once he does, he becomes playful, affectionate and even goofy. Tator definitely does not act like a seven year old dog.

This sweet boy with his culry tail has become a volunteer and staff favorite, and it’s easy to see why. His past is a sad one, but that doesn’t mean his future has to be. Tator has known heartbreak, has bounced around from house to house, and has been in more shelters than most dogs have ever known.

He deserves happiness.
He deserves a second chance.

Let’s get him seen.
Let’s get him home.

**ZEUS A504614**For senior dogs, being in the shelter is often challenging. They live their entire life with one person,...
05/26/2026

**ZEUS A504614**

For senior dogs, being in the shelter is often challenging. They live their entire life with one person, and suddenly their whole world is turned upside down. They are abandoned, dumped, or left behind. They arrive at the shelter confused and lost. Not too many people want to adopt an older dog, so for them, it usually adds up to a long shelter stay.

This is Zeus.
Eight years old, gentle and calm. Zeus has been in and out of the shelter for the past four years, and is currently one of our shelter’s longest residents.

What’s heartbreaking is, it’s not because of anything that he’s done. Zeus is a very good dog, with people and with other dogs. He shares his space readily, and as a senior, he carries himself with a certain regality. He’s not over affectionate, and he takes his time when meeting new people. But he makes it very clear when he does like someone. Zeus is handsome, sweet, and even a little playful when he wants to be.

In a strange way, Zeus actually seems to enjoy his time here, and he has become a staff and volunteer favorite. He loves to be outside, loves to be petted, and thoroughly enjoyed our photoshoot. He’s a great dog with a big smile and a gentle demeanor.

Besides being a senior, we really don’t know what's keeping him here. But we can tell you with all certainty that whoever adopts this handsome dog will never regret it. Zeus’s heart is big and strong, and he's still got a lot of life left to live.

Let's get him seen.
Let's get him home.

**LUCKY LANE A595704*A few weeks ago, a county resident brought in a small female dog he’d found loose around a bowling ...
05/22/2026

**LUCKY LANE A595704*

A few weeks ago, a county resident brought in a small female dog he’d found loose around a bowling alley. The dog was sweet, gentle, and breathing hard. In the summer heat, she probably would not have lasted very long on her own. She was a short snout, what we call brachycephalic, and these kinds of dogs are extremely fragile in these temperatures. We took her in, and named her Lucky Lane.

Lucky Lane has spent her entire stay with us in special housing. All our dogs are cool in the summer time, but brachy dogs like Lucky Lane are just not built for this heat or for extreme exercise. Even a little bit of exercise can be too much. And we found this out the hard way.

Since she had been laying low, with little to no interest, we decided to feature her with our friends at WESH 2 News. Lucky Lane is very vocal, and she lets everyone around her know when she’s happy, hungry, or just hot. She grunts and snorts like a pig, which is quite common for brachycephalic breeds. When we first took her outside, she got louder. She wasn’t happy with the heat. Wasn’t happy with the van ride. But when we got to the station, she was very happy with all the attention she was getting.

To say she did well is an understatement. She snorted her way into everyone’s heart on her television debut.

But on the way home, Lucky Lane got overheated. It goes to show how quickly it can happen to brachy dogs. All the excitement, and a decent walk to the van in the hot Florida sun, and she’d had enough. We brought her back to the shelter, and our vets had to cool her down. She’s doing great again, and is ready for another adventure, but it should be a lesson for all of us.

Brachycephalic dogs require extra care and attention; especially during the summer months. Lucky Lane can’t go home with just anyone. She is going to need an adopter who has an understanding of her limitations and her breed. She is incredibly sweet and affectionate, playful and tough. But beneath that rough and tumble exterior is a fragile and gentle girl who can overheat in minutes. She needs AC, a cool bed, a lot of water, and a lot of love.

We know beautiful Lucky Lane is going to make some lucky family an amazing companion.
Let’s get her seen.
Let’s get her home.

05/22/2026

Today we were proud to join our friends at Marion County Animal Services at the grand opening of their new facility.

This amazing organization has built a long standing relationship with us, and we couldn’t be prouder.

Their beautiful shelter is open, and ready for business. And we know their new facility is going to do amazing things for their county.

We hope everyone gets a chance to visit their state of the art facility!

**CLOVER A590385**Meet Clover. Three years old. Fearful. Quiet. Amazing with other dogs. And extremely shy around people...
05/20/2026

**CLOVER A590385**

Meet Clover. Three years old. Fearful. Quiet. Amazing with other dogs. And extremely shy around people.

She was found abandoned back in February, wearing a veterinary cone, injured, scared, and alone.

Clover was brought to the shelter, and immediately we knew this sweet girl was going to struggle. She was shut down, afraid of everyone and everything, but she seemed to take comfort in other dogs. Our vets treated her skin for what looks like some bad allergies. Clover has always been calm and quiet, and it was as if in her heart, she knew we were trying to help her. Though shaking like a leaf, she allowed herself to be examined, handled, and cared for.

This beautiful girl caught the eye of one of our behaviorists, and she was taken in for some foster home love. This was Clover’s experience outside of the shelter:

• I am mostly housebroken. I only had one accident in the home, and it was right when I got home, so my foster thinks it was my nerves.
• After about 24 hours in the home setting, I began to show some personality and began to feel a bit safe! I just need time and patience.
• I have some irritated skin but did tolerate bath time.
• I absolutely love to snuggle and have been told that I snore.
• I am a big goofball and have also been told I have pretty adorable play bows when I get the zooms.
• I am a little too smart for my own good sometimes and can wiggle my way out of a crate. My foster had to use carabiners on the crate and that worked well (as well as some soothing anxiety music for dogs!).
• I have been told that I walk well on leash and I do love going for walks, although I tire out rather quickly (Florida heat isn’t for me; I’d rather ‘sploot’ on the cold tile floor).
• I am very food motivated!
• I am the perfect mixture of playful goofball and couch potato!

She spent a weekend outside of the shelter, just two short days, and yet it was enough to change her entire personality. Enough to let her drop her guard. Clover proved to be a snuggler, a mushy goofball, and a couch potato. Basically, anything you could ever want in a dog.

Now Clover is back, and ready for a new start. She is still going to need patience and time, and a lot of kisses, hugs, and love.

Let’s get her seen.
Let’s get her home.

**PRETTY PETUNIA A594435**“What’s wrong with her face?”“Her face is weird!”“Is she ok?”These are some the things we hear...
05/19/2026

**PRETTY PETUNIA A594435**

“What’s wrong with her face?”
“Her face is weird!”
“Is she ok?”

These are some the things we hear in our kennels when people first see Pretty Petunia. When they first look at this sweet eight year old stray, the first thing they notice is that her smile looks broken, and her face looks a bit lopsided. Our vets noticed this when she first came in, and discovered what was a pretty severe tooth root abscess. They treated her for it, but unfortunately, sometimes the damage to the facial nerves can last a long time, or even be permanent.

Does this change the dog that she is? Not in the least.

Pretty Petunia is one of the sweetest dogs at the shelter. Our staff love her. Volunteers love her. She’s easy to pair, and genuinely seems happy to be here. Pretty Petunia seeks out affection from everyone, gently and shyly. She doesn’t want treats or toys. This beautiful girl is nourished by love. We can see it in her eyes when we pet her. She closes them tight, leans her head back against our laps, and just surrenders her whole heart.

Will she always have that broken smile? We just don’t know.
But right now it’s become part of what makes her stand out, and we’re hoping that the right person will see that too.

Pretty Petunia had puppies at some point, and when she was found, it was clear she had been abandoned. Sadly, it was probably because of the way she looked. Someone had her, cared for her, probably for most of her life. And then one day they tied her to a tree and left her behind.

This sweet senior girl has been with us since April, and people notice her, but mostly for her “flaw.”

But to meet her is to fall in love with her.
The way we all have.

Let’s get Pretty Petunia seen.
Let’s get her home.

05/18/2026

Every week we have been calling for fosters, because every week, more and more litters come in. This past weekend, our shelter took in over 30 bottle babies. All of them needed constant care. All of them needed to be placed in homes. None of them could stay with us.

Fortunately, our foster parents came through for us in a big way.
But they have been stretched beyond their limits.

We need your help.
We need fosters.

And we need them now.

We are desperately seeking people with cat handling experience to foster bottle babies and litters of kittens with mamas. Training, food and any necessary medical supplies will be provided.

If you want to save lives, please consider fostering. And if you see a litter, please, just let them be; let their mom take care of them. You may think you are saving them, but without their mother, a litter that is just weeks old will not survive at the shelter.

For more information you can contact us at: [email protected]

**GEORGINA A592397**Most people hesitate when it comes to adopting big dogs. Especially when they look a certain way. Th...
05/15/2026

**GEORGINA A592397**

Most people hesitate when it comes to adopting big dogs. Especially when they look a certain way. These dogs are often overlooked here at the shelter, because people are intimidated by them. They only see the size of their heads, their huge mouths, big paws, and completely forget to look at what really matters: their hearts.

This is Georgina.

Our vets have estimated her age to be between two and three years old. At 70lbs of muscle, Georgina is a big and intimidating dog. We’ve seen people walk right past her, because dogs like Georgina have a certain stigma attached to their looks.

But we’re here to tell you that Georgina is a rarity in our shelter.
No bad behavior notes. No troubles. No health concerns.
Easily paired. Gentle. Affectionate. Calm.
By all accounts, Georgina is an absolutely perfect dog.

We did discover one thing while making this post. Georgina is camera shy, and was actually a little bit scared of the camera.
But being Georgina, she let us know gently that she did not like the camera, and we respected her wishes.

This sweet girl has had a litter; when we found her as a stray, it was clear she had been bred. We don’t know anything else about her past, but she’s had a decent amount of training. Georgina is good on the leash, listens, and follows commands really well. Quiet, intelligent, and incredibly loving, Georgina wants to be close. She wants to hug, snuggle, and be loved.

Georgina is ready for her new life.
Let’s get her seen.
Let’s get her home.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”Any time that we post an animal, inevitably, we receive negative comments. ...
05/14/2026

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Any time that we post an animal, inevitably, we receive negative comments. Telling us what we are doing wrong. Telling us how we can fix things. Telling us how they would do it different. Telling us what we need to change.

And yet, the majority of these people have never met our animals, or stepped inside our shelter. Most of them have never seen what our staff go through every day. They have never known the heartbreak of seeing the sweet faces of our animals, day after day, hoping that today will be their day.

But our volunteers have.

They give up their own time, and spend it with our animals. Our volunteers are here, making a difference, every day. Our dogs get long walks around our pond because of them. They get extended yard time. They get treats and attention. They get love. Our volunteers single out the troubled ones. The ones that need more. The ones that look sick. The ones that seem scared. The ones that are struggling. They know all the names. They know all the faces.

Volunteers make all the difference, with the simple act of showing up. They make the changes that everyone else just talks about.

Our animals are adopted because of their personal efforts. Volunteers are the true advocates for our animals, and they do it selflessly. Because they love our animals, as much as we do. They understand the fight, and they understand the difficulties we face.

And we need more of them.
We need more of you.

Not everyone can donate, but time is something we all have. A little bit of time donated can have a massive impact. Even if for only one animal, it can make all the difference.

Please, volunteer.
Be that change you want.
Because we can't do this alone.

Help us get them all home.
http://bit.ly/3D6n9u1

Address

2769 Conroy Road
Orlando, FL
32839

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 2pm - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 6pm

Telephone

+14078363111

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