JANUARY 20, 2022 UPDATE

Due to a COVID-related shortage of staff, we are highly encouraging appointments for stray animal drop off. Without an appointment, wait times will be at least 2-3 hours. An appointment can be made by calling 311 or 916-808-7387. However, if you find a stray (especially a lost dog) the best thing you can do for that animal is to hold onto it and make proactive efforts to find the owner, which our shelter doesn't have the ability to do for each animal coming through our doors.

Although studies show that 92% of stray dogs have a home, and that the majority are found less than a mile from home, most animals brought to shelters are never found. Bringing a lost animal to a shelter not only decreases their chance of being found, but also creates crowding in kennels and introduces the animal into a stressful environment where they often get sick and wait weeks or months for a new home.

By using our tips at CityofSacramento.org/found to house the animal and find the owner, you are drastically increasing the chances of reuniting the animal with their family, and saving lives at the same time. Owners are often located within 24-72 hours using these tips. We have begun using automated lost and found reports to make the process of finding the family even faster.

To prevent COVID transmission, we are also temporarily implementing appointment-only adoptions 7 days a week. We will be resuming walk-in adoptions on weekends once the surge in cases subsides.

We appreciate your understanding as we work through these difficulties.