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The Division of Animal Services enforces the County's Animal Ordinance and the Florida Laws relating to animals, provides an animal adoption program, picks up and shelters stray, sick and/or injured animals, issues rabies license/certificates, investigates animal cruelty and neglect, and quarantines animals that have bitten someone.

Animal Services works closely with all area shelters, many other local animal groups and animal welfare organizations.

Mission 

To maintain public health and safety through the enforcement of laws and ordinances related to animals. To promote responsible pet ownership, promote adoptions, and reduce pet overpopulation.

There's a person in our community who works to protect stray, injured, abused, and unwanted animals. This person also helps the public deal with problems caused by animals.

I am your local animal care and control professional. I'm the one who responds to calls about neglected or lost animals, and I'm often the first person to provide comfort and compassion to animals in need.

Meet Your Animal Services Officer

Long gone is the term dogcatcher and the image of a man with a butterfly net. Animal care and control professionals now perform a variety of services that help animals as well as people: rescuing injured animals, controlling stray and potentially dangerous animals roaming at large, and bringing lost pets to our animal shelter where their owners can reclaim them. We also work with other local agencies, such as social services and law enforcement, to protect all members of families, both two-legged and four-legged.

In addition to our enforcement role, the Animal Services Division maintains a shelter to care for stray dogs and cats impounded for violations of applicable ordinances and laws. Animals placed in quarantine for rabies observation by the Manatee County Health Department are also sheltered at our facility.