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Monday 12pm - 7pm Tuesday 12pm - 7pm Wednesday 12pm - 7pm Thursday 12pm - 7pm Friday 12pm - 7pm Saturday 10am - 6pm Sunday 10am - 6pm

Animal Care & Protective Services

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Jacksonville, FL
Animal Care & Protective Services

Our mission is to take the lead in cultivating a community rooted in compassion and service that safeguards the wellbeing of humans & animals alike.
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We're dedicated to exemplifying and fostering compassion, reliability, and responsibility in Jacksonville. Animal Care & Protective Services is the City of Jacksonville's animal shelter. Monday - Saturday we receive anywhere from 50-100 dogs/cats per day. These animals are found stray, owner surrendered or saved from animal abuse situations. Please go to www.coj.net/pets to look at all of our lost

dogs and cats that we have. Please consider adopting a dog and/or cat from Animal Care & Protective Services. All of them need homes.

06/22/2024

Adoptable pup Brown Sugar has a fan club! 🤩Lacey's family, who spends most Saturday mornings taking a pup out of the kennel for a Dogs Around Duval adventure, found themselves drawn to Brown Sugar, who wasn’t on the list yet. His young fans wrote the shelter staff to ask to take him out soon (and it was possibly one of the cutest things we've ever read, ever) but Brown Sugar is one of those dogs who can take a bit to warm up to the world, so a field trip just wouldn’t be his jam.

Never fear, though—Destiny, our Behavior Coordinator, found a way to bring the field trip fun to him! As you can tell, everyone enjoyed the pink-themed pool party at the shelter. Brown Sugar got to show off his silly personality in an environment that made him feel safe (hey, we get it man—it can be a crazy world out there!) and we got to spend time with this fantastic family of animal lovers.

We are constantly reminded of how lucky we are at ACPS. We have volunteers and community members who fall in love with our pets every single day; we have staff who are dedicated to the happiness of animals AND humans; and, of course, we have some pretty cool dogs that we all get to advocate for. 💗

Ask to meet Brown Sugar at 2020 Forest Street (pink outfits not required, but encouraged)!

06/22/2024

The behind the scenes vs. the final shot 📸 🐶

Who knew that ACPS alumni dabbled in modeling on the side?!

06/21/2024

We've got cats, cats, and more cats back in our medical spaces waiting for foster homes! Our population and needs change pretty much daily during kitten season, so if you ever have room and need some purrs in your life, stop by 2020 Forest Street. In the meantime, enjoy the cuteness of, in order:

Peggy and her adopted babies (this is a cool story—check out Friends of Jacksonville Animals, Inc. for the scoop!), Grace and Halo, Tater Tot and Hippo, Cream Soda, the crew in kennel 718, Avocado and Coconut, Gregory, Calvin, the squad in kennel 717, & Tigger and Piglet. 💕

06/21/2024

One of the best parts of working at ACPS is leaving ACPS and getting out in the community! We are so excited about two awesome outreach opportunities we have tomorrow: we'll be at Eartha's Farm & Market and at the Duval LocalFest in Jax Beach to chat about all things animal welfare (and okay, to show off our cute dogs just a little 😜). See y'all there!

06/20/2024

Today is the first official day of summer! What better way to beat the heat than with one of our classic summer treats?!

Creamsicle, Drumstick, Otter Pop, Snocone, and Root Beer are ~super cool~ and can't wait to meet you. 🍦 🍧 🍨 🍺 🍭

06/19/2024

ACPS is proud to be a part of a city working toward a just and equal future. ❤

In observance of the Juneteenth holiday, we will be open for adoptions only during limited hours today (12:00 noon-4:00 PM).

06/18/2024

adoptions, fosters, and sleepovers from this week! ✨ So thankful for the folks who brought Hot Dog, Georgia Peach, Knox, South, Jojo, Turkey, and Toby home.

A big THANK YOU also goes out to the folks who fostered dozens of neonatal kittens, took tons of dogs out on Dogs Around Duval trips, and brought home new camera-shy furry family members without a photoshoot. It's been a great week!

06/18/2024

Pets, food trucks, and awesome people? AND live music? Right by the beach?? Count us in. 💞

Look for us (and our pups) decked out in ACPS red this Saturday, June 22nd, at LocalFest!

06/17/2024

Volcanic eruption or silly tiny kitten? 🤷 We can't really tell, but whatever it is, it's adorable!

(This is Brontosaurus, a kitten in foster who's not quite old enough for adoption yet. While he waits his turn to head over to ACPS, he passes the days by doing his best volcano impression and his best attempts at dinosaur noises. Please reassure him that you couldn't tell that he's only a kitten. He could really use the ego boost!) 😻 🦕

06/17/2024

Join us at Eartha's Farm & Market on June 22nd for the first ever “Adopt Local, Eat Fresh” Event! We’ll be at the farm highlighting some of our adoptable dogs from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. We’ll also have various resources for anyone in the community who might need them, including dog food, cat food and information about city programs like Spay Jax.

Eartha’s Farm and Market is a 10.5 acre urban farm and is a hub for community programming, educational classes, and—of course—delicious local produce. Sounds like the perfect way to spend a Saturday to us! We can't wait. ❤️

06/16/2024

Happy Father's Day from Team ACPS to all dads and father figures out there. You are much appreciated today and every day. ❤️

In honor of both and Father's Day, 8-year-old Walter got dressed up in his favorite grandpa cardigan and old-fashioned cap. Walter is "an absolute treat" according to his foster, and in addition to being dignified and dapper, Walter is housebroken, good on leash, easygoing, and has done well in a multi-dog household. If you're interested in giving this senior guy a place to retire to, email [email protected]!

06/16/2024

Alright, alright, alright! Gather 'round, everybody, because we got a special guest today. Straight outta , let me introduce you to Jerk Chicken! Yeah, you heard that right—Jerk Chicken! And before you ask, no, he’s not a Caribbean dish, but he sure has the spice!

This little 20-pound, 4-year-old Chihuahua mix thinks he’s the LeBron James of the dog world. But let me tell you, folks, the only thing he’s slam dunking is his food bowl! Jerk Chicken, my man, you got more bark than bite. You think you’re the little dog version of Trevor Lawrence—except instead of throwing touchdowns, you’re throwing tantrums.

Jerk Chicken struts around the Chief’s office like he owns the place, giving side-eye to anyone who dares to question his authority. Look at you, Jerk Chicken, acting like you’re the head honcho. News flash, buddy: you’re not even the top dog! You got that little-man syndrome, always trying to prove you’re bigger than you are. But let’s be real—you’re 20 pounds soaking wet, bro!

And what’s with that name, Jerk Chicken? Who named you, a bad chef with a good sense of humor? You’re a Chihuahua mix, not a culinary masterpiece. But I get it, I get it—you gotta have a name that stands out when you’re this small and spicy. You need all the help you can get, right?

Now, I’m not saying Jerk Chicken isn’t lovable. He’s got that cute face, those big ol’ eyes, and a heart that’s way too big for his little body. But let’s face it, adopting Jerk Chicken means you’re signing up for some attitude. This dog’s got more sass than a reality TV star!

So, if you think you’re up for the challenge, if you think you can handle the diva antics, head on down to Jacksonville Animal Care and Protective Services. Jerk Chicken is waiting for his new home. Just be prepared for a lot of attitude packed into a tiny, furry, and adorable package. Who’s ready to take this little superstar home?

Feel free to continue to roast Jerk Chicken in the comments, or head into the shelter today to roast him in person! We’re open until 6pm.

We hope you enjoyed this! Happy Father’s Day from all of us at Animal Care and Protective Services.

06/15/2024

⭐ "It was like out of an action movie." ‼️

Brandy, one of our stellar kennel techs, played the role of SUPERHERO for a tiny kitten a couple of weeks ago. She was driving to the shelter for her work shift when she saw something tiny fall from the trees nearby. At first, she thought it was a baby bird, as there was a large one swooping closer and closer to her car. But suddenly, the tiny animal hit the hood of her car.

She slammed on her brakes and got out of her car, and the large bird kept swooping and cawing at her, so Brandy went to get back into her car. As she opened her door, she heard a tiny "meow" and a kitten came running towards her—the bird was actually swooping for the kitten, trying to pick her up again!

Brandy waved her arms to scare the bird off, snatched up the kitten, and (after making sure her windows were fully rolled up; the bird was still flying around her car) wrapped the kitten in one of her spare work shirts. Our foster team evaluated the kitten, now named Skye, as soon as they got there. She had some gunky eyes but was otherwise in good health, so Brandy took her home again to foster and she's doing great! Thanks to lots of love, cuddles, and eye drops, Skye is well on her way to a movie-worthy happy ending. ❤️‍🩹

06/15/2024

That feeling when the coolest pup at the ice cream social is also the longest length of stay at ACPS 😢

This is Juliet, a 2 year old girl who's spent over a year at the shelter. That's over half her life! She just got back from her playcation at Hounds Town Jacksonville - Beach Blvd and would love to find a home of her own. Juliet's Space Force fosters gave her rave reviews and we all just can't figure out how the heck she's still here. Ask to meet her today! ❤️

06/14/2024

Adoption saves lives ❤️

Anubis was a sweet senior boy struggling in the shelter. He caught a bad upper respiratory infection while in the kennel and even had to be handfed just to get a bit of food in each day. He spent some time in a few wonderful foster homes while he recovered, but ended up returning to the shelter.

Shortly after, Theresa's family chose him for their first ever Dogs Around Duval outing! They spent the whole day with him and didn't want to say goodbye, so they took him home on a sleepover. The next couple of weeks were an adjustment for everyone, but once Anubis settled into the family routine, his true personality blossomed. His adopters said that they "all fell in love with him. He's just so happy to be around us and likes us to keep petting him for as long as possible. There was no way we were giving him up. He's now a permanent member of our family." 🥺

We're so, so grateful for this family who saw a shut-down shelter dog and took a chance on him. Thank you for helping sweet Anubis turn into the smiling, paddle boarding , easy-going family dog he was meant to be!

06/13/2024

Mark your calendars: The countdown to Mega begins! 🥳 We'll be at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds June 28th and 29th for the Petco Love Mega Adoption Event. It might sound a bit overwhelming (I mean, UNLIMITED tail wags?! Where do you even begin??), but never fear—our staff and volunteers will be on hand to introduce you to our 80 dogs and 40 cats each day. We can't wait to help you make some with your new best friend!

BOBS from SKECHERS Mega Adopt Florida

06/13/2024

The only thing better than celebrating a Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp win is celebrating it with our adoptable dogs! The Shrimp invited 10 ACPS pups (and their entourage of staff and volunteers) to their Canines and Crustaceans event last night, and everyone had a ball! ⚾

If you're looking for a baseball-watching buddy, come to 2020 Forest Street and ask about Deuce, Root Beer, Elsa, Phoebe, Wrigley, and Apple Fritter. ❤️

904 Happy Hour

06/12/2024

If you've ever wanted to adopt a dog who always looks like she's waiting for you to laugh at the punchline of her joke... meet ✨ Razzle ✨

This 2-year old gal is the life of the party, full of energy and silly jokes for DAYS. She'd love to ~give you the old razzle dazzle~ so if you're interested in fostering or adopting, ask to meet her! She keeps cracking us up and it makes it very hard to concentrate on work around here, so the sooner the better...

06/11/2024

Lets talk about shelter breaks! Studies show that even just hours outside of a shelter help drop an animal's stress level—so now imagine the benefit of days or weeks or YEARS in a home. It makes us tear up just thinking about it. 🥺

Congratulations to Eve, Daisy Lou, Depa, Kingston, Horus, Cruz, and Tony on your brand new foster and adoptive families! 💖

06/11/2024

Calling all dog lovers! ACPS staff and volunteers will be at the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp's Canines and Crustaceans night TOMORROW, June 12. Even cooler—they'll be bringing adoptable dogs to join in the fun!

If you've got an ACPS alum or just a pup who loves baseball, we'd love to see you there. 🐶
More information can be found here: https://buff.ly/4aZaMOx

06/10/2024

🏒 The Stanley Cup Finals are here, and the Florida Panthers are up 1-0 over the Edmonton Oilers! To keep the good Florida vibes going for the second game tonight, our dogs wanted to celebrate the best way they know how... pup cups of course!

Show us your pup cup-lovin' pup in the comments—and ask to meet adoptable Dora, Elsa, Skylar, Root Beer, and Hot Dog today 🍦 ✨

06/10/2024

Happy Monday! Cody the kitten is stopping by to let everyone know that ACPS is continuing their Mega-Exciting Month of June by hosting a Best Friends Animal Society adoption event this weekend! On Saturday and Sunday, all adoption fees will be waived. 🥳

If you're interested in joining the ACPS Space Force in our mission of getting our pets some decompression time before our Petco Love Mega Florida Adoption Event at the end of the month, we'd love to have you! Stop by the shelter any time during open hours to learn more.

06/09/2024

✨ A Pup in Profile ✨

Root Beer put on his snazziest collar and fanciest bow tie for his first-ever photoshoot! In between takes (and Beggin' Strips, of course), he told us he's looking for a family. Root Beer is only about 2 years old, but he's spent over four months in the shelter already—for such a sweet, sensitive, people-loving pup, that's way too long! He's ready to meet you whenever you are, so ask about him at 2020 Forest Street. ❤️

PS: Check out our stories for more pics from his photoshoot!

06/09/2024

Mission: Mega is accepting new recruits! The Florida Mega Adoption Event launches on June 28th, and our Space Force fosters are getting ready to take in some of our dogs and cats as short-term fosters in the weeks leading up to the event. Our pets want to put their best paws forward for their new families, and decompressing in a home beforehand greatly increases their chances of being adopted.

Interested in being part of this state-wide adoption event where THOUSANDS of animals will find loving homes? Interested in fostering, but not sure you can commit longer than a couple of weeks? Email our Mission Coordinators (AKA our amazing foster team) at [email protected] or stop by 2020 Forest St. 🌟 ✨

Petco Love Jacksonville Fairgrounds Mega Adopt Florida

06/08/2024

Breed restrictions... we all know about 'em. Often times, larger dogs and "blocky-headed" dogs are prohibited in pet-friendly apartment complexes, while smaller, "less blocky-looking" dogs are nearly always allowed. And some landlords are cool with both kinds of pups!

For those of you trying to navigate these pesky rules, we have a brief guide for you with cool and non-cool landlords alike. We mean it when we say that we've got pups for everyone, so come adopt today! ❤️ 🐾

06/08/2024

‼️ ‼️ Well, Jacksonville, we've got ourselves an excessive heat warning this weekend. 🥵 Tomorrow the temps will reach over 100 degrees, and pet (and human safety) is extra important. Keep these tips in mind to keep your four-legged family members safe this weekend:

🌞 Give pets plenty of fresh, clean water and make sure they have a shady place to get out of the sun when outside.
🌞 Be careful not to over-exercise pets, and keep them indoors as much as possible. Remember: if the pavement is hot to your touch, it is too hot for their paws! Try to keep walks to the morning and evening.
🌞 Know the symptoms of overheating in pets, which include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, unresponsiveness, or even collapse.
🌞 Never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle. On just a warm day, the temperature in a car can exceed 120° in a matter of minutes—even with the windows partially open. Your pet can quickly get heatstroke.

These are just a few of many ways you can keep your cats and dogs safe this summer! For more information, head here: https://buff.ly/3V8EDhH or here: https://buff.ly/2IMzNEe.

06/07/2024

You guys remember Daisy, right? We featured her on our page back in April, looking for a foster hero who could help heal her eyes. Well, she found a great one, and check out that !

Daisy has shown that she has excellent manners in her foster home: she's housetrained, not destructive when left alone, and easy going for walks and car rides. She also offers a very cute "sit" and "shake"! If you're interested in learning more about adopting Daisy, reach out to [email protected] or come to 2020 Forest Street and ask about her. 💗

06/07/2024

🍩 💗 Today is National Donut Day! Show off your pet's best impression of a donut here (we'll go first with some super-sweet ACPS alumni):

06/06/2024

If Jelly Roll had a rider like his rock star namesake, here's what it might look like:

1. Gourmet Treats: Only the finest dog biscuits and gourmet kibble.
2. Comfy Bed: A plush, memory foam bed fit for a king.
3. Toys: An assortment of squeaky toys, chew toys, and puzzle feeders.
4. Spa Day: Regular grooming and a relaxing massage.
5. Entertainment: A TV tuned to Animal Planet.
6. Company: Plenty of belly rubs and cuddles from adoring fans.

Come meet Jelly Roll and give him the rock star treatment he deserves!

Jelly Roll

Address

2020 Forest Street
Jacksonville, FL
32204

Opening Hours

Monday	12pm - 7pm
Tuesday	12pm - 7pm
Wednesday	12pm - 7pm
Thursday	12pm - 7pm
Friday	12pm - 7pm
Saturday	10am - 6pm
Sunday	10am - 6pm

Telephone

+19046302489

Website

http://www.jacksonville.gov/pets, https://linktr.ee/acpsjax

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Videos

Six week old bottle baby or Olympic gymnast? Idk 🤷‍♀️ #kittenseason #catsofinstagram #sheltercatsrock #bottlebabykitten

“I wrote ‘Gorgeous’ about Butterball” - Taylor Swift, probably 💖 #adoptablecats #sheltercatsrock #kittensofinstagram #adoptablekittens #Taylor #swift #taylorswift #gorgeous

Come meet besties Ajax and Minos 💕 #puppies #adoptabledogs #adoptablepuppies #shelterdogsrock #jacksonvilleflorida

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We may or may not be crying... this #BeforeAndAfterFriday is really more of a "before and during". Nimbus has come a long, long way, but he still has a long way to go. 1-year-old Nimbus was brought in as an emergency on April 11 by a Good Samaritan who found him in a crate on the side of the road. He was severely dehydrated and emaciated and couldn't lift his head up, move, or even blink. But our vet staff saw something in this pup and felt he would make it through. Thanks to tons of fluids, a refeeding plan, and vet staff going above and beyond (in early days, they even had to rotate him side to side every few hours to avoid pressure sores), this pup is not only upright, but walking and eating on his own! We're not sure what happened to Nimbus before he came here, but we know now that he's in the BEST hands possible. Rooting for you, little guy! 💗 #beforeandafter #beforeandduring #sheltermed #vetmed #animalwelfare #shelterdogsrock

ACPS has plenty of puppies! Come adopt a teeny tiny cutie today 🐶💕 #jacksonvillefl #jacksonville #puppies #adoptabledogs #adoptrescuefoster

ACO VIDEO1 (1).mp4

Our Animal Services Officers have hectic, unpredictable days and they never know what sort of calls will come in or where they'll be spending their time. One thing is always certain, though: they go above and beyond for animals in need! A lot of times, this means crawling into a marsh, getting onto a highway median, or squeezing into awkward spaces. Some days this means walking entire neighborhoods to reunite a lost pet with their owner or even transporting shelter animals to specialty vet clinics. We're so grateful for our Animal Services Officers' dedication to the pets and people in this community. ❤️ #nationalanimalcontrolappreciationday #animalcontrol #animalwelfare City of Jacksonville, Florida - Government

Wildlife Rescue Coalition of Northeast Florida and our very own Officer Wester just teamed up to reunite 8 baby ducks with their (very) patient mama. 🐣💗 Neither of us take in birds, but we love getting to help them! #animalwelfare #jacksonvilleflorida #wildliferescue

Happy #nationalpuppyday 💗ACPS would love for you to show off your dogs in the comments, pretty pretty please! #adoptashelterpet #puppiesofinstagram

Those post-treat zoomies just hit different 🤣 #adoptashelterdog #jacksonvilleflorida #shelterdogsrock #adoptabledogs

Late Friday afternoon, our Animal Services Officers sprang into action, rescuing more dogs from deplorable conditions. Despite the challenging circumstances, these brave individuals, along with with our behavioral and medical teams have ensured these pups are now safe and receiving the care they deserve. While it's easy to feel anger or frustration towards those responsible, let's remember to focus on the positive impact we can make together. Please refrain from making negative comments. Now more than ever, we urgently need fosters and adopters to provide loving homes for these deserving dogs. Donations of large wire or airline crates would be helpful as well. It's important to note that these particular dogs may not be available yet but adopting or fostering dogs in our care that are available, will directly help not only these dogs but any more that may be on their way in. Let's spread compassion and support as we work to give these pups a brighter future. We're open until 6pm today and we're open tomorrow from 12pm to 7pm, we’d love to see you here!

Meet Brown Sugar!

Duval: your response of support for our intake yesterday has been overwhelming and we are BEYOND grateful to our community for being so willing to help those pups. ❤️ Another way you can help? The sweet man in this video is Brown Sugar. He's about 1.5 years old and has been in the shelter since DECEMBER. He's nervous, he's stressed, and he'd love a foster home to relax in. Please help us by adopting or fostering a long length of stay dog while the dogs from our case are being evaluated by our vet staff and prepared for adoption. Dogs like Brown Sugar would love to meet you (and are on standby to offer many, many snoot boops)!

Space Dunk Oreo (named after the new snack because she’s so sweet!) is ready to wiggle her way into your home #jacksonvilleflorida #adoptashelterpet #shelterdogsrock #adoptashelterdog

Midnight NEEDS you to see how cute she is, like right now 🐑🥹 #jacksonvilleflorida #adoptashelterpet #shelterdogsrock #adoptashelterdog #adoptabledogs

It’s Friday, We’re in Love (with kittens) 🎶🎵 #adoptashelterpet #jacksonvilleflorida #kittensofinstagram #blackcatsofinstagram

Portia channeling her inner #ElleWoods and working hard to get into Harvard Law… or to get adopted, whichever comes first 💕 #legallyblonde #jacksonvilleflorida #adoptdontshop #shelterdogsrock

Expectation vs. reality 🤣 #shelterdogsrock #jacksonvilleflorida #jacksonvilledogs

How has Scooby-Doo been at the shelter for 340 days?! Can you help him solve this mystery? #jacksonvilleflorida #adoptrescuefoster #shelterdogsrock #adoptashelterpet #jacksonvilledogs #gooddog