Santa Rosa County Animal Services

10/15/2026

It was a wonderful day today for 7 of our dogs and 10 of our cats! picked up all of the animals bright and early to start their trip to in South Carolina. Their help is appreciated by our entire staff and community as we all come together for the animals and citizens after hurricane Isaias!

10/13/2026

REMINDER: Community Cat Day happening Thursday, October 15!

50 cat limit.

Find us at 4451 Pine Forest Rd. in Milton.

For specific questions, please give us a call. This page is not monitored 24/7 and we may miss your question. 850-983-4680.

Do not trap cats more than 24 hours before drop off - this causes great stress on the cat and may affect whether we are able to spay/neuter.

Only 3 cats per resident - first come, first served.

Must bring proof of Santa Rosa County residency.

This free spay/neuter includes a rabies shot & ear tip at no cost.

Cats MUST be in a cat trap and only one cat per trap. Cats brought in carriers or traps designed for other animals will not be accepted. This is for the safety of the cat and our staff. Please make sure cat trap is covered with a towel, blanket or sheet to reduce stress.

We can no longer accept cats in the Havahart Easy Set Cages - the handle to carry it and the handle to open it are both on top. When the trap is covered with a blanket, it is easy to grab the wrong handle, which could allow the cat to get loose.

Important dates to remember:
- Monday, October 12 - Traps are available at our shelter starting at 11:30 a.m. for a $65 deposit, cash or check only
- Thursday, October 15 - Drop off community cats at our shelter by 8 a.m.
- Friday, October 16 - Pickup your community cat(s) from our shelter between 9-10 a.m.
- Saturday, October 17 - If you rented a trap from us, please return between 11:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Your deposit will be returned.

We can all do our part to support humane Trap Neuter Return (TNR)!

10/07/2026

‼️Please read Santa Rosa County Emergency Management's full post for details. We want to encourage everyone to remember their pets while you prepare for impacts from Isaias.

THIS POST CONTAINS OUTDATED INFO. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST POSTS ON OUR PAGE.

Wednesday, October 7, 4 p.m. - Santa Rosa County Public Safety continues to monitor Tropical Storm Isaias for further development and its potential impact on Santa Rosa County.

Cancellations
- The Library Advisory Board Meeting is cancelled for Thursday, October 8 at 11 a.m. at the Library Administration Center/Family History & Research Center, 6275 Dogwood Drive in Milton.
- Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Amnesty Day at the South Santa Rosa Service Center and Waste Tire Amnesty Day at the Central Landfill in Milton are cancelled for Saturday, October 10.
- Santa Rosa County Animal Services has cancelled the Fall Fest Adoption Event originally scheduled for Saturday, October 10.

Santa Rosa County Offices
- Santa Rosa County Offices will be closed Friday, October 9.

Navarre Beach Pier
- Navarre Beach Pier will be closed Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10.

Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court and Comptroller
- The Clerk of Court offices in Santa Rosa County will close at 2 p.m. on Thursday, October 8 and will remain closed Friday, October 9. Normal operations are expected to resume on Monday, October 12.

Santa Rosa County District Schools
- Schools will remain open, Thursday, October 8. However, all after-school and extracurricular activities scheduled for Thursday, October 8, are canceled. Latchkey will remain open Thursday, 10/8, through 6:00 p.m.
- Out of an abundance of caution and with the safety of our students, employees, and families as our highest priority, all district schools and offices will be closed Friday, October 9th. This includes athletic events, practices, clubs, meetings, and other school-sponsored activities.
- All district and school-sponsored activities scheduled for Saturday, October 10, are also canceled.
- As a reminder, Monday, October 12, is a Planning Day and there is no school for students that day.

Santa Rosa County Tax Collector
- All offices of the Tax Collector will be closed beginning at 1 p.m., Thursday, October 8 and remain closed Friday, October 9. The office will also still be closed on Monday, October 12 for staff training.

Courts of the First Judicial Circuit in Santa Rosa County
- In anticipation of inclement weather, the Courts of the First Judicial Circuit in Santa Rosa County will close at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 8, and will remain closed all day Friday, October 9.

Gulf Islands National Seashore
- Opal Beach Complex will close for day use October 7 at Noon.

Bridges
- Bridges ONLY close when sustained tropical storm force winds are observed by FDOT or law enforcement officials. If one bridge closes, it does not mean all bridges will close.
- For state and federal road closures (I-10, Hwy. 87, Hwy. 89, Hwy. 90, Hwy. 98, Hwy. 4, Avalon Blvd.), see www.FL511.com.

Shelter
- A shelter is not open at this time.

Key messages
- Santa Rosa County is under a Hurricane Watch and Storm Surge Watch.
- Know Your Zone! Visit Santa Rosa County's Know Your Zone for evacuation zone information. (https://santarosagis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/lookup/index.html?appid=566085b4f92a4925b578dd69c72390f2)
- Review your disaster plan and make sure it includes your pets.
- Check your disaster supply kit and replenish necessary items. Remember, be one-week ready!
- Halfway full is halfway there - residents and visitors should keep their gas tanks at least half full during hurricane season to ensure they have enough fuel to evacuate as soon as possible without worrying about long lines at gas stations and to avoid gas shortages before a storm.
- Residents should make preparations now ahead of any potential impacts from Tropical Storm Isaias. Residents should have preparations completed by Friday afternoon, October 9.
- According to the National Weather Service Mobile Office, there is wind threat to cause considerable roof damage, mobile homes damaged, many large trees snapped or uprooted, along with road signs blown over, some roads impassable due to debris, and large areas of power outages.
-- The earliest reasonable time of arrival for tropical storm winds is Friday morning along the coast and Friday afternoon further inland.
- Heavy rain could impact the local area late this week ahead of this system, with more rain over the weekend.
- The extent of the heavy rain will highly depend on the exact track.
- Heavy rainfall could lead to flash flooding, especially in urban areas or where storms repeatedly move over the same locations.
- A high rip current risk is in effect for Navarre Beach through at least Saturday, October 10. Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. Always swim near a lifeguard.
- Turn around, don't drown! Never cross a flooded roadway because you can't see whether the road has been damaged.
- Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to quickly move to higher ground if warnings are issued.
- Heavy rain can cause flooding of low-lying spots, underpasses, and poor drainage areas.

Sand
The county's public works department has sand available on a first-come, first-served basis at the following locations:

- The corner of Leisure Street and Citrus Drive in Navarre
- Tiger Point Park in Gulf Breeze (1370 Tiger Park Lane)
- Pace Fire-Rescue in Pace (4773 Pace Patriot Boulevard)
- The corner of Pine Forest Road and Carroll Road in Milton

Residents must provide their own sandbags and shovel. Bags can be purchased at many local hardware stores. For information on how to make and use sandbags, visit the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (www.flash.org). While sandbags can help mitigate to an extent, buying flood insurance is the best protection against flood loss.

Floods are the nation's most common and costly natural disaster and cause millions of dollars in damage every year. And get it sooner rather than later - flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period.

Prepare now. Make sure all family members know the plan.
- Have multiple ways of receiving alerts and monitor official sources for information.
- Clear clogged rain gutters, downspouts, and storm drains to help with the flow of water during heavy rain during hurricane season.
- Limit damage caused by high winds by removing any debris from your yard and trimming your trees, shrubs, etc.
- Every home should have a NOAA weather radio, the first line of defense before relying on alerts through a smartphone.
Smartphone weather apps are also an excellent delivery source of severe weather information and other disaster updates - especially in the overnight hours. Santa Rosa County's alert app - AlertSantaRosa.com - provides updates on emergency incidents (hazardous materials as well as severe weather) in the county at addresses of your choice (work, school, home, etc).
- Be sure that you have not disabled your alerts on your phone and that it is fully charged and within reach. If you use the "Do Not Disturb" feature on your phone at night, turn it off so that any emergency calls may come through.

For current weather events, visit www.weather.gov/mob. For information on preparing for disasters, visit www.santarosa.fl.gov/974/Emergency-Management.

10/07/2026

Out of an abundance of caution due to expected severe weather, Santa Rosa County Animal Services has CANCELLED the Fall Fest Adoption Event, originally scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10, at the shelter, 4451 Pine Forest Road in Milton.

10/06/2026

We're hosting a low-cost drive through microchip & vaccine clinic on Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Santa Rosa County Animal Services, 4451 Pine Forest Road in Milton. Only cats and dogs are eligible to be microchipped and vaccinated.

Participants must be residents of Santa Rosa County and will need to show an ID. All cats need to be in a carrier, and dogs need to be on a leash and wearing a collar. For the safety of shelter staff, aggressive animals will not be eligible for services.

The clinic will offer rabies vaccinations, microchipping, and additional species-appropriate vaccines (FVRCP & DHPP) to help prevent common illnesses, including panleukopenia in cats and parvovirus in dogs.

Costs for services are:
- $15 microchip
- $10 rabies vaccination (Required for all pets by state statutes)
- $10 additional vaccinations - FVRCP for cats and DHPPV for dogs
- $10 bordetella

The total of all services is $45, PREPAY ONLY. Pet owners who only need one or two services will only be charged for the services received. Participants MUST register animals online. Preregister online at https://new.shelterluv.com/form/community/SAS/211842-drive-thru-clinic-10-24-26.

There is no limit on the number of animals per resident, but each animal will need to have a separate registration. Microchips are REQUIRED. A $15 fee will be added to the microchip for any pet that is currently without a microchip. All registrations are REQUIRED to be prepaid online. Community members without internet access may visit the Santa Rosa County Animal Shelter at 4451 Pine Forest Road in Milton DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS to register and pay.

Microchips can take a few minutes to ensure they are properly injected and scanned. Community members wishing to participate should plan to arrive early and expect longer waits than at other drive-through clinics. Registration will close on Tuesday, October 20; those not registered by the deadline will not be able to participate in the clinic. If services are not prepaid by this time, the vaccines will not be given. NO REFUNDS will be issued for prepaid services.

Once registered, PLEASE BE SURE TO MONITOR YOUR EMAIL and TEXTS TO PAY FOR YOUR SERVICES. ALL SERVICES MUST BE PREPAID.

***If you don’t have email, we strongly suggest you create a free email account through something like Gmail, as everything is done through email and text for the clinic to keep costs low.***
***Only one person/email/phone number/animal can be submitted at a time. Please submit a registration for each animal that will be at the clinic.

10/05/2026

September was a busy month for our Animal Control Officers! 🐾

Behind every number on this graphic is a call from a resident who needed help, an animal that needed assistance, or a situation that needed someone to step in.

In September, our Animal Control team responded to 400 cases across Santa Rosa County!

Our Animal Control Officers show up every day for the people and animals of Santa Rosa County—often handling difficult situations, responding when others can't, and doing the behind-the-scenes work that helps keep our community safe and our animals protected.

We're grateful for the people who answer the calls, investigate the cases, pick up the strays, respond to emergencies and care about doing the job right.

Cases by Jurisdiction:
East Milton - 43
Gulf Breeze - 34
Jay - 20
Milton - 212
Navarre - 33
Pace - 53
Out of Santa Rosa County - 3
Unincorporated - 2

Cases by Day:
Monday - 57
Tuesday - 95
Wednesday - 86
Thursday - 66
Friday - 55
Saturday - 19
Sunday – 22
Total: 400

Priority Calls:
Priority 1 – 76 (Priority response needed immediately)
Priority 2 – 28 (Cruelty/Neglect/Abandonment)
Priority 3 – 108 (Where animals don't pose a threat)
Priority 4 – 118 (Investigation)
Priority 5 – 70 (Follow up/internal shelter need)

Case Type:
Assist - 18
Bite - 40
Check Trap - 8
Community Cats - 22
Community Services - Medical - 3
Community Services - Other - 1
Community Services - Outreach - 2
Community Services - Pet Food/Supply Pantry - 2
Dispatch - 6
Enforcement - 40
Follow-up - 42
Investigation - 17
Paperwork added to activity - 3
Patrol - 12
Person Meeting - 8
Phone Contact - 3
Research - 2
Site Visit - 40
Stray - 91

Thank you to our Animal Control team for all you do for Santa Rosa County! 👏 🐶 🐱

10/05/2026

Low-Cost Veterinary Clinic at Santa Rosa County Animal Shelter! *Please read the full post*

The Santa Rosa County Animal Shelter is excited to offer a new Low-Cost Veterinary Clinic for Santa Rosa County residents, helping make essential veterinary care more accessible for local pet owners! ❤️🐶🐱

The clinic will be open on specified Wednesdays throughout the month, with appointments limited to 14 animals per clinic day. The next clinic will be on Wednesday, October 14. Applications can be submitted online at https://new.shelterluv.com/form/community/SAS/208520-clinic-app-10-14-26.

APPLICATIONS CAN BE SUBMITTED ONLINE ONLY THROUGH THE LINK.
📅Important Appointment Information
⚠️Appointments are required and must be scheduled before clinic day for each animal. There will be no same-day or walk-in appointments.
• Each animal must have a separate application and appointment. Register all pets you want to bring to the clinic.
• Appointments and services are prepaid; no refunds will be issued.
• Appointments are for the clinic date of the application that you applied for. Appointment dates cannot be changed once made.
• Only 14 animal appointments are available each clinic day. ONLY CATS AND DOGS ARE ACCEPTED AT THE CLINIC AT THIS TIME.
•Appointments are during morning hours only.
• 🐱Cats must be in a secure carrier.
• 🐶Dogs must be securely controlled while at the clinic.
• 🐶Dogs must remain in car with owner until staff are ready to take for appointment.

🩺Available Services For Dogs:
• Microchip — $15 (Microchip required for all pets who do not have one already. The charge will apply for those who do not have a microchip at the appointment.)
• Rabies vaccine — $10
• F***l test — $10
• Pyrantel (wormer) — $5
• DA2PP vaccine — $10
• Bordetella vaccine — $10
• Heartworm test — $15
• Bravecto — $15

🩺For Cats:
• Microchip — $15 (Microchip required for all pets who do not have one already. The charge will apply for those who do not have a microchip at the appointment.)
• Rabies vaccine — $10
• F***l test — $10
• FVRCP vaccine — $10
• Bravecto — $10
• FeLV/FIV Test — $25

🚨Please note: A $20 exam fee will be included in the total cost of each appointment. A $15 fee will be added to the microchip for any pet that is currently without a microchip. Applications are now available online at https://new.shelterluv.com/form/community/SAS/208520-clinic-app-10-14-26.

APPLICATION & APPOINTMENT PROCESS:
You will complete an application that must be approved before you can schedule an appointment. Once the application is approved, you will receive an email and text message with a link for payment (accepted payments: debit or credit card). Please be patient as the applications are reviewed and approved by staff as they come in. PLEASE BE SURE TO MONITOR YOUR EMAIL FOR THE APPLICATION APPROVAL EMAIL AND A SEPARATE EMAIL AND TEXT MESSAGE TO PAY FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT. Once the appointment has been paid for, you will receive a final email to schedule your appointment. ALL APPOINTMENTS MUST BE PREPAID.

***If you don’t have email, we strongly suggest you create a free email account through something like Gmail as everything is done through email and text for the clinic to keep costs low.***
***Only one person/email/phone number/animal can be submitted at a time. Once approved, then you can submit a second pet.

10/03/2026

10/02/2026

Need Saturday plans? Come see us at Petsense for a fun filled adoption event! All adoptions are waived this weekend, so it is a great time to adopt!