The Animal Services Department has a long history in Contra Costa County. In 1959 Animal Control (as it was called then), consisting of five employees, was re-assigned from the Sheriff's Office authority to the County Agriculture Department. Animal Services became its own County department in 1985.
The original shelter was located one block from where we are now on the eastern edge of Martinez. In May 2005, a beautiful two-acre state-of-the-art shelter complex and six-stall barn with open corral area, totaling more than 38,000 square feet, was dedicated by the Board of Supervisors and local dignitaries.
Our 75 employees and over 150 volunteers take great pride in serving our community, work very hard to care for the animals, and are eager to show you what we have to offer.
We invite you to visit us soon. Who knows, you may find your new best friend at the Animal Services Shelter!
Mission and Vision
Contra Costa County Animal Services Department is committed to protecting the health, safety and well-being of all people and animals in our community through enforcement of state and local laws, providing compassionate care for every animal regardless of its temperament or condition, and reducing the number of animals that enter our County shelter.
We will shelter homeless, abandoned and lost animals, work to keep and place animals in safe, caring homes, and provide education and services to enhance the lives of people, their animal companions, and to strengthen the human-animal bond.
How We Accomplish Our Mission
Contra Costa County Animal Services Department will accomplish our mission by:
• Protecting the citizens of Contra Costa County from animal related diseases and from animal injury.
• Preventing animal cruelty, abuse and neglect.
• Providing humane care and treatment of all animals in accordance with the Association of Shelter Veterinarians Guidelines and following the Five Freedoms.
• Striving to decrease our shelter intake, increase our live release rates and to reserve euthanasia for animals that have serious medical conditions with great suffering, or behavior issues that pose a threat to the public's health and safety and the animal's well-being.
• Keeping animals in their homes by providing resources and active counseling for owners looking to surrender their family companions.
• Increasing licensing and micro-chipping efforts to assist owners in reuniting with their lost pets.
• Providing spay/neuter services to reduce pet overpopulation.
• Educating the public about responsible pet ownership, including preventative medicine, spay/neuter, and vaccinations.
• Providing high-quality customer service and treating all individuals with respect, professional courtesy, and integrity.
• Creating collaborative partnerships that further our mission and increase our ability to serve the people and animals of Contra Costa County.
Adoption Policy
To adopt a dog, come into the shelter during regular business hours or submit an online application. Meet & greets for dogs are available Tuesday - Saturday from 10am - 1pm, and Wednesday 10am – 7pm. For all other business hours, meet & greets may be available pending volunteer availability. Adoptions without a meet and greet (no physical interaction prior to adoption) are available at all times, or by submitting an online application. We cannot guarantee that the animal you apply for online will still be available by the time we are able to reach you.
To submit an online application, click on the image of the animal you are interested in. You must include the Animal ID#, and you may include up to 3 available animals on one application. Our adoption counselors respond to applications in the order in which they are received. Response times may vary but are typically no more than 2 business days after the submission is received (Tuesday – Saturday). If our volunteers are unable to reach you by phone, we will move on to the next application immediately, so be sure to answer your phone.
All "Available" animals are eligible for adoption to the public only, and not eligible to transfer to a rescue, until 12:00pm the day after they are made "Available," with the exception of pit bulls and kittens/puppies four (4) months and under.
Sometimes animals with more serious medical or behavior issues enter our shelter and are recommended for transfer to a rescue group (aka transfer partner). Not all of those animals are eligible for adoption. You can view those animals by visiting our Transfer Preferred Animals page.
https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/7885/Available-Dogs
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