Pets are more than just an addition to your household—they’re part of the family.
When one of these innocent creatures finds themselves in a less-than-ideal situation, their fate is often left in limbo.
OC Animal Care, one of the largest municipal shelters in Southern California, is a way station for animals in need, offering everything from pet adoptions and licensing to community outreach, educational resources, field operations, and emergency response services.
The compassionate staff works diligently to uphold their mission, which is providing refuge and care for animals, fostering the human-animal bond, and promoting safety in the community.
In 2022, OC Animal Care took in 14,687 animals and responded to 48,811 calls concerning stray, sick, or injured animals, animal cruelty, neglect, or potentially dangerous/vicious dogs, barking dogs, and rabies control.
The OC Animal Care family is always there to help animals in need, but they also work to educate the community.
One way the OC Animal Care team connects with the community is through their “Katy Cares” educational outreach program, designed for students in Preschool through 6th grade.
The “Katy Cares” program includes a story about adoption and responsibility, an interactive game, a corresponding activity packet with a book giveaway, and a “Meet and Greet” with one of the shelter’s furry friends. This gives children the opportunity to interact with an animal and further deepen their understanding of responsible pet ownership—it’s a win-win!
“By working together, we can create a more informed and compassionate community that understands and respects the needs of our furry companions.”
Another important part of their mission is doing whatever they can to keep pets with their families.
“We are committed to providing resources to keep our furry friends and their owners together. The Family Furst Drive-Thru Pet Food Pantry is a monthly event that provides essential pet food and supplies to families in need. In 2022, we distributed over 85 tons of donated pet food to help feed over 9,000 pets.”
OC Animal Care encourages anyone interested in helping animals in need to think about fostering, a critical effort that saved over 2,100 pets in 2022 alone.
“For families who are not quite ready for a forever pet, consider fostering with OC Animal Care! Volunteer foster caretakers give pets, like kittens and puppies, a safe and nurturing environment, helping them grow and develop before they find their forever homes.”
“Animals often come to us sick, underaged, or injured, and in need of a safe space to heal and grow, time, and TLC. Around-the-clock care for the animals who need it the most is made possible thanks to our incredible community members who choose to foster.”
OC Animal Care’s network of fosters has a very special job—one that requires time, patience, and, of course, a love of animals.
“We have dedicated individuals who bottle feed newborn kittens, take in shelter pets recovering from broken bones, surgeries that require longer treatment, rechecks with our partner veterinarians, and specialized care. Many of our foster volunteers promote the pets they’re fostering to find adopters for them prior to returning to the shelter!”
There’s something for everyone at OC Animal Care! From volunteer opportunities to resources, prospective pet owners, current parents of fur babies, and animal lovers alike can all find the perfect way to get involved! To stay up to date on adoption promotions, new programs, and services, the community can visit https://ocpetinfo.com or call (714) 935-6848 for more information.
“OC Animal Care believes that responsible pet ownership is a collective effort. We actively collaborate with local schools, community partners, and other organizations to promote responsible pet ownership through workshops, community events, and outreach campaigns.”
