The Oklahoma City Animal Shelter

Choosing the right pet can prove to be a lengthy process, but the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter offers many options. The shelter is located at the corner of SE 29^th and Grand Blvd which is just west of Bryant in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The City of Oklahoma City runs the animal shelter which offers residents many services including pet adoption, rabies observation, micro chipping, lost pet recovery and more. The shelter is ran by employees and volunteers that have a love for animals. A trip to the shelter while humbling can also brighten your day as you play with the resident animals.

On a mission…

According to their website the mission of the Oklahoma City Animal Welfare Division is that they are responsible for promoting public health and safety, for temporarily sheltering and providing humane disposition of unwanted or lost animals, and for promoting animal welfare so that pet ownership is a pleasure for owners without becoming a burden to the community. A trip to the shelter shows that they take pride in their mission statement and serve both animals humans in their area.

Adopting a new family member

Adoption services are one of the most exciting services that the shelter has to offer. The shelter offers for adoptions animals of all ages including dogs, cats, birds horses and a few other animals. All dogs and cats are spayed or neutered before being eligible for adoption in an attempt to control the animal population. Adoption fees range from $25 to $50 for a dog or cat, birds at full market price and all other animals at half market price. The Oklahoma City animal shelter has many pets available for adoption from young to old. You can view a list of pets available for adoption on the shelter’s website City of Oklahoma City Animal Shelter which serves as a preview before you visit.

Other services

The shelter also offers rabies vaccination, euthanasia and deposit of dead animals for very nominal fees. There is also a program where you can drop off unwanted pets in hope that they can find new forever homes through the adoption program. Animal Welfare officers are also available to pick up stray animals and investigate animal cruelty and abuse. Rabies observation is also provided with a 240 hour observation time.

Operating hours

The shelter is open every day except for holidays. Animal drop off services are available from 9am to 5:45pm. The shelter also offers an emergency 24 hour drop off service with cages available to leave an animal inside of the front doors. Adoption and reclaim services are available from 12pm to 5:45pm. Animal welfare officers are also available during emergencies on a 24 hour basis.

Playful and fun volunteers needed

Volunteer opportunities are plenty at the Oklahoma City animal shelter. You must be eighteen years of age and pass a background check to volunteer with the animals. Volunteers are needed to play with the animals, take them on walks, give baths and help with other shelter activities. To volunteer please contact Kay Buzzell at 405-297-2655 or Kay.Buzzell@okc.gov.

The next time that you are looking for a new family pet please consider adopting a unwanted animal at the Oklahoma City animal shelter. Millions of unwanted pets are euthanized on a yearly basis around the country and that number could be significantly lower if more new pet owners would consider shelter adoptions. Shelter animals often are loving and devoted pets that are only looking for a new forever home and these pets have a lot of love to give their new owners. Even if you’re not looking for a new pet consider taking a trip to the Oklahoma City animal shelter to visit and pet the wonderful animals that they house. I occasionally visit the shelter just to visit the residents and while at times it is a heart breaking experience many times it is also a heart warming one, too.

http://www.okc.gov/animalwelfare/index.html