Animal Services

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                     The Sarasota County Animal Services section is located at 8451 Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota. 

                             ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES         ADOPTIONS                           LOST AND FOUND
                             Monday - Friday                             Monday - Friday                     Monday - Friday
                             8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.                         9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.                9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
                             Saturday – Sunday                         Saturday                                 Saturday
                             Closed                                              10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.        10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
                                                                                       Sunday                                    Sunday
                                                                                       Noon to 3 p.m.                      Noon to 3 p.m.
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                 

View adoptable animals or find us on Facebook

ABOUT ANIMAL SERVICES
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office took over the responsibilities of Animal Control from the County Government on Oct.1, 1994. The name "Animal Control" was changed to "Animal Services" due to the many services provided to all of Sarasota County.
The Animal Services Section is a component of the Law Enforcement Division, comprised of the Animal Services Unit and Agricultural Unit. Sworn deputies and civilian employees make up the 31 positions within the section. Animal services officers respond to incidents involving wildlife and domestic animals. They also enforce civil violations of the Sarasota County Animal Control Ordinance and respond to calls for service to include nuisance complaints, animal bites, injured animals, and animal cruelty. The animal services kennel is responsible for the care and well-being of all animals brought into the shelter. The kennel also includes lost and found which helps reunite impounded animals with their owners. The kennel also provides adoption services for our dogs and cats. The administrative offices include a vicious animal/bite specialist and county licensing. 

Agricultural Unit deputies are tasked with patrolling all large ranches, county and state owned properties, as well as subdivisions that are located in eastern Sarasota County. The Agricultural Unit enforces traffic, criminal and game laws and is comprised of deputies that are certified as animal cruelty investigators. If you are interested in a tour of the facility or having a deputy address your school or group to show what services we provide or to educate them about animal safety, call the administrative office for more information.

To review the County's Animal Ordinance click below.

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO VIEW THE COUNTY'S ANIMAL ORDINANCE.
 
PET DISASTER PLANNING
Pets need a plan for hurricane season and other emergencies. The link below will take you to the Sarasota County Emergency Services page for pet preparations.

SARASOTA COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES
 
ANIMAL LOST AND FOUND
Our goal is to help reunite lost animals with their families. If you are missing a pet we keep a list of animals that are reported missing and those that are found in hopes of making a match. 

If you wish to claim your pet from the animal services facility you will need to bring the following with you:
  • A state issued identification card, driver’s license or passport
In order to identify your pet one of the following is required:
  • Proof of ownership; to include veterinarian records, pictures, etc.
  • Proof of a current rabies vaccination and Sarasota County License if available
Additionally, we recommend that pets be microchipped as a means of secondary identification. If your animal is at our facility a 24 Pet Watch microchip can be implanted for an additional charge prior to release. To make it easier for your pets to be returned should they get lost, be certain to keep current identification tags on them at all times.

If you wish to report a lost animal contact Animal Services at 941.861.9501. If you receive voicemail leave a message, as it is checked regularly including weekends & holidays. When leaving a voicemail message we will need to know the animal type/description, name, location it was last seen, your name, address, and contact information. You can also email a photo with the above information to lostandfound@sarasotasheriff.org.

PET PARKS
Sarasota County has a number of parks and beaches that are pet friendly, allowing both on-and-off-leash activity. The link below will provide a list of those locations and some rules and regulations.

PARK RULES AND REGULATIONS

LOW-COST SPAY AND NEUTER CLINICS 
In addition to managing the animal population, sterilization prevents irritability and aggressiveness. It can increase the lifespan of your pet, among other health benefits, reduce the urge to roam, and reduce spraying in male cats.

The following organizations offer no or low-cost spay/neuter programs:

THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF SARASOTA
          2331 15th St.
          Sarasota, FL
          941.955.4131

 SUNCOAST HUMANE SOCIETY
          6781 San Casa Drive
          Englewood, FL
          941.474.7884

 ANIMAL RESCUE COALITION
          6320 Tower Ln.
          Sarasota, FL 34240
          941.957.1955

CAT DEPOT
          2542 17th Street
          Sarasota, FL 34234
          941.366.2404

ANIMAL SERVICES DONATIONS
Animal Services accepts donations of dog/puppy and cat/kitten food and treats. Toys are always welcome. The shelter is always in need of towels and blankets. These items don't have to be new, just clean and in good condition!

VICIOUS/DANGEROUS DOGS
Vicious/dangerous dogs are a serious threat to the safety and welfare of the people of Sarasota County. Such attacks are, in part, attributable to the failure of owners to properly train and control their dogs. Therefore, Sarasota County government has found it necessary to impose uniform requirements on the owners of dogs declared dangerous or vicious, including being publicly listed here.

DANGEROUS DOG SEARCH

LEGAL DISCLAIMER
This document has information regarding dogs that have been declared dangerous and whose owners are required to register their dog pursuant to Florida State Statute, Chapter 767. While this information is believed to be accurate, no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information are made. Readers are encouraged to review the official version of all documents on which they plan to rely. Official records of these documents are maintained by Sarasota County Animal Services.

Reference copies are available by contacting:
Animal Services
8451 Bee Ridge Road
Sarasota, Florida, 34241
941.861.9500