Frequently Asked Questions

No, we are Sonoma County Animal Services, a municipal shelter located at 1247 Century Court in Santa Rosa (off of Airport Blvd). You can reach us by phone at 707-565-7100. Open Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm. Kennel Visiting Hours are Tuesday-Sauturday 12pm-4:30pm.

The Humane Society of Sonoma County is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located on 5345 Highway 12 West in Santa Rosa. https://humanesocietysoco.org/

We never euthanize animals for time or space. We accept animals in all medical and behavioral conditions. Consequently, humane euthanasia may be an option for extreme medical and behavioral or public safety issues. We are a municipal sheter and therefore, we bear the responsibility to the public safety and health of the community and above all else, the humane treatment of animals.

Please view our adoptable animals HERE. You can come to our Adoption Hours Tuesday-Saturday 12pm-4:30pm. Please view our Adopt an Animal section for adoption requirements and our fillable adopiton applications. If you rent your home, you will need to bring landlord verification allowing pets in the home. If you currently have a dog and would like to adopt a dog, you will be asked to bring your dog for a compatability meeting. 

Please note: Our current adoptable dogs are not tested with cats so we often do not know their behavior towards cats. 

We do not offer Wildlife Services. Please call a Wildlife Exclusion Service or Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue Hotline at 707-526-9453 or visit their website for more information.

For help with orphaned, sick or injured wildlife:

• Injured adult deer
  California Fish and Wildlife (888) 334-2258
• Injured or orphaned fawn
  Wildlife Fawn Rescue (707) 931-4550
• Injured or orphaned bird
  Bird Rescue Center (707) 523-2473
• Sick bird
  California Bird Hotline (866) 922-2473
• All other wildlife
  Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue (707) 526-9453

The location and type of dead animal determines who you need to call for removal. The below information is for public roads/property only, unless otherwise noted.

Pets, livestock and wildlife on private property

• Animal Abatement Services: (707) 228-2868
• Al Kuck Hauling (large animals): (707) 328-7401
  
• Mattern Livestock Hauling: (707) 889-6125

Unincorporated Sonoma County (domestic animals or wildlife): (707) 565-7100

State highways: (707) 762-6641

Cloverdale city limits: (707) 894-2521

Cotati city limits: (707) 792-4611

Healdsburg city limits: (707) 431-3346

Petaluma city limits: (707) 778-4397

Rohnert Park city limits

• (707) 584-1582
• (707) 584-2600 after hours

Santa Rosa city limits

• (707) 543-3881
• (707) 543-3805 after hours
• Exception: for stray small domestic animals on private property, call (707) 565-7100

Sebastopol city limits: (707) 829-4400

Windsor town limits: (707) 838-1009

• If the animal is sick or injured, please take it to the closest animal shelter or emergency facility
• If you find a stray animal in the City of Santa Rosa or Unincorporated areas of Sonoma County: The law requires that you report any stray dog or cat that you find in the City of Santa Rosa and Unincorporated Sonoma County to us within 24 hours
• COMPLETE our Stray Intake Form (can be completed at the shelter) 
• CALL us at 707-565-7100 Tuesday-Saturday 9am-5pm
• BRING the animal to the shelter during office hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm If it is an aggressive dog you can contact us for assistance from Animal Control Officer
• After Hours: Found dogs or cats can be brought to a 24-hour Emergency Veterinary Hospital
• Found Kittens: please review the protocol HERE
• Found Livestock: a sheep, goat, pig, or birds, Please contact us for details
• Found Wildlife: we do not handle wildlife; please contact Wildlife Rescue HERE 
• If you found a stray animal OUTSIDE the City of Santa Rosa and Unincorporated Sonoma County:
  • Contact the appropriate agency for that jurisdiction according to where the animal was found. Per County Ordinance, this must be done within 24 hours of finding the pet
  • Petaluma, Windsor, Cloverdale, Sebastopol- contact North Bay Animal Services 
  • Rohnert Park & Cotati- contact Rohnert Park Animal Services 
  • Healdsburg- contact Humane Society of Sonoma County
  • IMPORTANT NOTE: There are no ordinances pertaining to cats because they are free to roam. SCAS does not accept healthy, altered or ear tipped cats. Cats brought to the shelter will be evaluated by staff prior to acceptance. If the found cat is injured or ill please confine the cat and contact SCAS for an Animal Control Officer to respond for pickup or take to a 24-hour Veterinary Hospital. 

While we encourage you to try and find the pet’s owner you must also report the lost pet to Sonoma County Animal Services-

• CALL us at 707-565-7100 or email at theanimalshelter@sonoma-county.org with a description of the animal, where you found them and a photo for posting on our Lost and Found page – This must be done within 24 hours of finding the pet
• TAKE the pet to a veterinarian or shelter to be scanned for a microchip, or call us for an Officer to come out and scan the pet for a microchip
• POST Online- PetcoLoveLost, PawBoost, 24Petconnect, Lostmydoggie, Lostmykitty  Nextdoor, Craigslist (in the Community section under Lost & Found Pets) Mission Reunite & Josie's Lost Dog Alert of Sonoma County 
• CREATE "Found" flyers & ask your neighbors if they know the pet 
• If no one claims the pet after 15 days, the animal can be legally yours. However, if within the city limits of Santa Rosa, if the previous guardian comes forward within 30 days of when the animal was reported to SCAS the previous guardian does have the right to get their pet back from the finder

Observe them for 24 hours to see if the mother is in the area, don’t move them unless they are in immediate danger. Every situation requires different action please Contact us for further advice at 707-565-7100.

Please note that leaving food outside will attract other animals and wildlife.

Please see resources from Oakland Animal Services for more information.

Community Cats are cats without human caretakers, who are not tame and are afraid of people (feral cats). Our no-cost Spay/Neuter Program for Community Cats follow the Trap-Neuter-Release approach to prevent unwanted litters and protect their well-being.

Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) is the most effective and humane way to manage and care for our Community Cat population and stop the breeding cycle of cats while allowing them to live out their natural lives. This approach allows the cats to be spayed or neutered and then returned to the environment they call home. Returning cats to their territories also eliminates the "vacuum effect," which occurs when removing or relocating cats. Removal of the cats invites new (unaltered) cats to move in or remaining unaltered cats to breed more. Community Cats who are friendly will stay with us at Animal Services and become candidates for adoption. 

You’ll know a Community Cat who has been spayed or neutered already because it will have the tip of its ear removed. This is done by the surgeon while the cat is under anesthesia and is swift, painless, and heals rapidly. A ‘tipped’ cat ear is a universal sign for a sterilized cat.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FIND A CAT WITHOUT A TIPPED EAR:

1. Call us or one of our local partners to make an appointment for a Community Cat spay or neuter 
2. Carefully try to trap the cat. If you need help trapping, our partners at Forgotten Felines can help
3. Bring your Community Cat to in for their Spay/Neuter appointment
4. Re-release the cat back into its original environment

Please note: we can only accept three Community Cats per household per year. If you need additional Spay/Neuter assistance, please see contact Forgotten Felines listed below.

• The animal will be scanned for a microchip
• Their photo will be taken
• They will recieve vaccinations
• The animal will then be placed on a stray hold for 7 calendar days, 10 days if the animal has identification
• Livestock animals are on hold for 14 days, giving an owner time to claim the animal
• If no owner comes forward, then the animal will be assessed for adoptability based on their behavioral and medical conditions
• The animal may be placed up for adoption, transferred to one of our rescue partners or humanely euthanized
• If deemed adoptable, they will be posted to our Adoptable Animals page

Our shelter is currently full and we have temporarily suspended our Owner Surrender Wait List. Please see resources below for assistance with Re-Homing your Pet. 

1. REVIEW Owner Surrender Guide from Humane Society of Sonoma County
2. POST to Nextdoor, Facebook, Adopt-a-Pet, Craigslist and other social media 
3. SUBMIT information to Adoptions by Owner on Humane Society of Sonoma County 
4. REACH OUT to friends and family
5. CHECK local boarding facilities for temporary assistance
6. CALL other shelters and rescues in the area and surrounding areas - some rescues may be breed specific and may be able to accommodate based on your pet's breed

Alternatively, if the reasons for re-homing are cost or behavior, please see below:

1. Good Pup Online Training - receive one week FREE online training 
2. Pet Financial Assistance through Humane Society of Sonoma County 
3. Pet Food Pantry through Humane Society of Sonoma County (707)542-0882
4. Low Cost Spay & Neuter Programs through SCAS and HSSC
5. Pet Friendly Rentals in Sonoma County 

Sonoma County Animal Services accepts no responsibility for the pets posted to the websites listed here. Potential adopters are responsible for communicating with the pet’s current owner to acquire veterinary records and other necessary information.

Please send us an email to theanimalshelter@sonoma-county.org or Contact Us please include the following information:

•  Your full name, address and phone number
• Th address where the barking dog lives & owner location
• How many dogs and the breed/description
• The time of day or night that the barking is most problematic
• You can also call the shelter and provide this information by phone at 707-565-7100 (due to a staffing shortage, there may be extended wait times)

If, during the first two weeks after adopting you cannot keep the animal for any reason, you may make an appointment to return the animal to the shelter. After two weeks, it will be considered an Owner Surrender and will be subject to fee and waiting list for surrender. While you will not receive a refund, in most cases you will have a credit on file towards another adoption.

If you have any behavioral concerns with your new pet, contact one our Animal Health Technicians for support. Please keep in mind it may take several weeks for your new pet to adjust to life outside the shelter. Most of our animals will need professional training or an experienced pet owner. Goodpup is on online training program that provides virtual dog training on demand. You will recive one week of FREE training and a 10% discount for life when you adopt from our shelter. 

No, but we have a few lost cost Spay/Neuter programs. We do not offer any Vet services or emergency vet services.

A microchip is a tiny (about as big as a grain of rice) barcoded device implanted under the skin of your pet that holds a number.  When we receive an animal, we can scan for a microchip. If one is detected, we can research the owner information registered to that microchip number or the facility that implanted the microchip. Microchips can only be scanned by a Vet or Shelter. All animals leave our shelter with a microchip. We can microchip here if the animal is friendly.

Having a microchip will identify you as the owner and during emergencies, or if your pet comes to the shelter, you will be contacted. Please remember to keep microchip information updated with current addresses, phone numbers, email and secondary contacts.

If you live in the City of Santa Rosa or Unincorporated Sonoma County-        Sonoma County Animal Services has partnered with Docupet!

4 OPTIONS TO PURCHASE YOUR DOG'S LICENSE-

1. ONLINE through Docupet at sonomacounty.docupet.com (fastest option)
2. BY MAIL click HERE for the Mail-in License Application (or see below)
3. BY PHONE call us at 707-565-7100 
4. IN PERSON at our shelter: 1247 Century Court in Santa Rosa

If you do not live in the City of Santa Rosa or Unincorporated Sonoma County, please purchase your dog license from the agency that serves your community, please see our LICENSE page to find your agency

1. Donate
2. Adopt
3. Foster
4. Volunteer
5. Purchase supplies from our Amazon Wishlist
6. Post our adoption flyers in your community 
7. Tell your friends and family about us and to adopt from our shelter!
8. Share and like our posts on Social Media-
   • Instagram:@socoanimalservices       
   • Twitter & Tiktok: @socoanimals
   • Facebook: Sonoma County Animal Services