Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) is currently caring for not one, but two unrelated dogs fighting cancer. Ann and Mazi both arrived at the shelter in early March. Attempts to locate adopters and rescue groups to take them in have so far not been successful so the shelter is turning to the public to help spread the word, in the hopes of landing a suitable home for each dog. The OCAS veterinary team has growing concerns for Ann and Mazi as the shelter environment is far from ideal for these fragile canines.
In an effort to help combat the pet overpopulation problem in the local community, Orange County Animal Services launched the “Spay It Forward” program late last year. Initially grant funded, the program provided spay and neuter vouchers for qualifying low-income pet owners. The program experienced high demand after launch and so far, a total of 525 vouchers have been issued, exhausting the available funds. But in order to continue to program, the shelter is now turning to the public for financial help.
Orange County Animal Services is preparing to make available more than three tons of FREE pet food at the South Econ Recreation Center on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 for pet owners financially impacted as a result of COVID-19. The South Econ Recreation Center is located at 3800 S. Econlockhatchee Trail in Orlando. Orange County residents are welcome to select up to two bags or cases of food on a first come, first served basis at the event, which begins at 12 p.m. No appointments are needed.
In fiscal year 2020, Orange County Animal Services received more than 12,000 pets. While able to achieve a record number of live releases for these pets, the number in need still outpaces the number of available homes, signaling a pet overpopulation problem. The shelter advocates for spay and neuter as a solution to this problem, as it prevents unwanted litters of pets, and today announced it is launching a new voucher program making these services available for free to low-income Orange County residents.
Orange County Animal Services has had a record live release rate for fiscal year 2020, the most in over half a century. With 6,436 domestic animals and other pets adopted, as well as the additional animals either rescued, relocated or returned to owners, the total number of live releases was 10,032, or 88 percent of total impounds. This live release rate increased from the 82 percent achieved in fiscal year 2019.
Rocket (A447954) was first impounded at Orange County Animal Services on February 13, 2020. The dog, a 2-year-old medium-sized fawn male, has now spent 220 days in the care of the shelter. He has amassed more days in the shelter than any other pet this year. Orange County Animal Services is turning to the community for assistance, hoping to “launch and adoption” for Rocket’s ideal home.
For Orange County Animal Services, offering a foster care program that places pets in temporary homes until ready for adoption saves thousands of lives every year. Animal Services relies heavily on foster parents and their expertise to help animals, especially kittens, that would not otherwise thrive at the shelter due to being sick, injured, in need of socialization skills and/or are too young for adoption.