Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter
Open Door, Open Heart
The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is dedicated to protecting and improving the health, safety, and welfare of animals in our community. We serve the residents of Santa Cruz County with openness and compassion, ensuring every animal that comes through our doors receives the care they deserve.
Our History and Commitment
Since 2002, we have proudly served as the county’s only full-service, open-admission animal shelter. With facilities in Santa Cruz and Watsonville, we remain committed to providing a safe haven for over 6,000 stray, abandoned, or injured animals each year.
How We Help
As a socially conscious shelter, we operate two locations that function as hubs for animal rescue, veterinary care, and community support. Our work is powered by a dedicated staff, supportive foster families, and numerous volunteers who provide essential socialization and love. Beyond our shelter walls, we offer low-cost spay/neuter services and community outreach programs to keep pets healthy in their homes.
A Meaningful Connection
Adoption is a joyful journey, and we believe in creating successful, lasting partnerships between pets and their new families. Our team takes the time to get to know each animal's personality, ensuring that your new companion is a wonderful fit for your lifestyle. Whether you are looking for a playful dog, a calm cat, or a small exotic friend, we are here to support your transition.
Start Your Adoption Story
Ready to meet your new best friend? We invite you to view our available animals online or visit our Santa Cruz or Watsonville locations to begin the application process. We look forward to helping you find your perfect match!
Trust Assessment
SilverRated Sep 2, 2026
Municipal ShelterPhysical Facility
Online Review Highlights
- Dedicated and compassionate staff
- Clean and safe facility
- High fees and perceived lack of transparency regarding impoundment policies
Coverage We Reviewed
Good Times
10/9 - Ruff Estimate: How Santa Cruz County Pet Owners Can Prepare For, and Pay, a Surprise Vet Bill
Learn how to manage emergency vet costs with pet insurance, payment plans, local financial assistance in Santa Cruz County and pet emergency savings.
Good Times
8/26 - Santa Cruz Food: La Placa, Melo Bread and More
La Placa Italian Cuisine opens its new Scotts Valley home, Melo Bread debuts in Watsonville and more Santa Cruz County food events arrive.
NBC Bay Area
8/20 - Santa Cruz Co. Animal Shelter to host free adoption events
The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter will be hosting free pet adoption events for the next two Saturdays.
Good Times
Improves Trust
7/8 - Best of Santa Cruz County 2026: Family & Pets | Good Times
Discover the Best of Santa Cruz County 2026 Family & Pets winners, from schools and preschools to veterinarians, pet services, toy stores and more.
Good Times
Improves Trust
7/8 - Jesse Williams Brings Hardcore Heart to Purrrrrrfest
Santa Cruz musician and animal activist Jesse Williams organizes Purrrrrrfest, a benefit for the Santa Cruz Animal Shelter’s Bogey Fund.
KSBW
7/3 - July 4th pet safety from your local Central Coast animal shelter
Animal experts urge pet owners to prepare for fireworks during the Fourth of July.
Press Banner | Scotts Valley, CA
5/29 - Strictly Business | Behind the Scenes of Saving Animals - Press Banner | Scotts Valley, CA
At the Santa Cruz Gala event last month, hosted by the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce, I was lucky to be seated next to Nancie Newby, executive director of the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation. Sometimes at large events you can be seated with people you have never met before and either the experience […]
Lookout Santa Cruz
Improves Trust
5/21 - A most worthwhile day: Adopt-a-Pet on June 6
There are certain occasions that deserve a place on your calendar, and June 6 is one of them. On that Saturday, the Santa Cruz SPCA and the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter will once again join more than 150 other shelters across California for the third annual Adopt-a-Pet Day, a coordinated effort to place at […]
Lookout Santa Cruz
5/14 - Scotts Valley Neighborhood Newsletter for Thursday, May 14
Thursday news for Scotts Valley.
Good Times
Harms Trust
4/22 - Santa Cruz Animal Shelter Faces Maintenance, Staffing Concerns
Staff and volunteers raise concerns about conditions, maintenance issues and staffing shortages at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.
Recent Videos
10/12 - Thank you Kappa Gamma Delta @ucsckgd for a very productive morning of working in the shelter’s garden! Struggling plants were watered, pruned, transplanted or removed all together. Leaves were raked and taken to the canine enrichment yard where pups can enjoy a romp in a big mound of dry crispy leaves! KGD, you made a huge impact on the wellbeing of the shelter animals, and the overall appearance of the shelter grounds. Thank you all for all you do! You are appreciated! Phyllis Shreve, Green Team Lead #community #volunteer #greenteam #maketheworldabetterplace #adopt
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10/12 - We had a great time yesterday @scmbrew for their anniversary party. Thanks to all who came and said 👋 We had adoptable dogs Bruno, Dante, Luna and Ruger along with staff and volunteers. We always have a good time with our friends at Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing. #community #chooseadoption #spayandneuter #adoptdogs #santacruzcountyanimalshelter
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10/10 - Dorian is the most gentle, loving dog! He enjoys sniffari, treats, and loves chilling with his people. Dorian is available for adoption @officialscanimalshelter. ❤️🐾
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10/9 - HI, I’M RUSTY. AND APPARENTLY I’M A VERY GOOD BOY. 🐾 At least that’s what my foster moms keep telling me. Like, ALL THE TIME. It’s honestly getting a little embarrassing. A little about me… I’m a roughly 4-year-old German Shepherd, weighing in at a very handsome 97 pounds. Yes, I’m a big boy. Yes, I’m ridiculously good-looking. I know all my basic commands because, well, MANNERS, people. I sit and patiently wait for my food until I’m told it’s time to eat. I’m a gentleman, not a savage. I don’t jump on people, I don’t pull on the leash, and I politely ask to go outside when nature calls. I LOVE walks and hikes. The second I know we’re going somewhere, my whole body gets wiggly with excitement! I might even make a great running buddy, but my foster moms say 90-degree weather isn’t ideal for testing that theory. Whatever. TBD. I’m also a BIG fan of cuddles and belly rubs. Working from home? I’ll sit quietly at your feet and supervise. Going to the bathroom? Don’t worry. I’ll provide security. Free of charge. Eating dinner? I’ll sit politely and stare into your soul. No begging, just aggressively hoping. Now, in the spirit of full transparency… Cats and I? Yeah, we’re not friends. Nothing personal. We just have different ideas about how the world should work. So a cat-free home for me! As for other dogs? I’m open to making friends! I just appreciate a proper meet-and-greet and slow introductions. No need to rush a good thing. My foster moms keep calling me the “perfect dog.” I don’t want to brag, but they’re not wrong. But here’s the thing… I’m still waiting for MY people. My forever family. The humans who will take me on adventures, give me belly rubs, let me supervise their bathroom breaks, and love all 97 pounds of me. My foster moms say whoever gets to call me theirs is in for one hell of a treat. And honestly? I can’t wait to meet them. ❤️ Love, Rusty 🐾 P.S. Did I mention I’m ridiculously handsome? Because that feels important. 📍 Available for adoption through Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter! @officialscanimalshelter
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10/9 - Meet Gloria, the extra large female Cane Corso. Gloria came into the Shelter after being found at a skate park in Santa Cruz as a stray. She had no identification or microchip. Aptly named after Gloria the hippo in Madagascar, this Gloria is a big baby. When she first arrived, she was hesitant to interact with people and easily overwhelmed by all the barking dogs around her. After we moved her away from some loud neighbor dogs, Gloria was less freaked out and started coming out with staff and volunteers. Gloria would thrive with an adopter who will prioritize her weight loss journey. Gloria’s current weight puts a lot of strain on her joints and body and can lead to other health problems moving forward. Adopters should plan to work with their veterinarian on an appropriate diet and exercise plan that will get Gloria in better shape. Gloria has been soft and sweet with people – often coming over and leaning up against them for attention. She may not always realize how big she is so a home with sturdy children should be best. Gloria has met dogs at the Shelter and played with some (although she does not have a ton of stamina). Any resident dogs should meet at the Shelter prior to adoption. We do not have any history of Gloria with children or cats. Gloria is available for pre-adoption. Come meet her, fall in love and take her home after her spay surgery. The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation is now offering “Pawsitivity Bucks” with every dog adoption. This $200 training voucher is a way for newly adopted canines and their guardians to connect with local positive reinforcement based behavior consultants and get their relationship started off on the right paw! Visit our website at scanimalshelter.org for more information.
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10/6 - PupDate🐶🐾 “This is Seamus. I adopted him from you roughly a month ago, he was known as Frank at the time. Just wanted to let you know he has a good home and is loving it here. And thank you guys. He has really helped me with the loss of my previous dog, Finnegan.” There’s nothing we love more than seeing our adopted pets thriving in their forever homes. Thank you for sharing this beautiful update with us, and most of all, thank you for choosing adoption. Every adoption changes a life — and when you choose to adopt, you give an animal the love, safety, and second chance they’ve been waiting for. Could your new best friend be waiting for you? Come visit us today and see who might be the perfect addition to your family. The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is open to the public from 11am to 6pm every day (except county holidays) and located at 1001 Rodriguez Street at the corner of 7th Avenue in Santa Cruz, CA. Our telephone number is 831-454-7200. Last meet and greet ends at 4:30 pm. Visit our website at scanimalshelter.org or click on link in Bio.
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10/5 - Just wanted to say a HUGE THANK YOU to our community for helping us raise over $1,300 for @officialscanimalshelter at the WOOFhouse Howl-o-ween 👻🐶 @woodhousebrews 🥰 What’s YOUR favorite thing to do in October?! 🎃 Bonus points if it involves your pet hehe. Mine is officially taking my whole pack to the pumpkin patch at @rodoni_farms_santacruz 🐶🍂 ps… BEASLEY my foster dog Shepard is still looking for a forever home if you wanna adopt the sweetest pup on earth!!!! I’ve gotten to meet some of the raddest humans ever as I’ve been branching out more into my local community, especially through supporting local businesses and getting involved with the shelter. Truly a bunch of warriors with hearts of gold 🥹🫶 So many amazing, supportive local businesses came together to make this the most adorably awesome event, and the Nauticult pulled through as always 🎃🖤 My heart is SO full seeing what we can make happen when we all come together for a good cause 🐾 Huge thank you to @ekai for this amazing footage, and to @calebscollars @p.i.c._photo @wishbonepetco @rodoni_farms_santacruz, @woodhousebrews, everyone who donated, volunteered, showed up, and my whole squad for making this happen! Pls give some scritches to your pets for me!!!! #SantaCruz #SantaCruzEvents #AdoptDontShop #SupportLocal #SantaCruzLocal
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10/5 - A huge thank-you to our amazing award-winning Dog Enrichment Team for making and handing out 20+ enrichment boxes for our shelter dogs! 🐾❤️ Packed with treats, these boxes give dogs a chance to use their minds and senses while they’re in their kennels—providing mental stimulation, engagement, and a little extra fun during their shelter stay. This is just one of the many ways our volunteers help make shelter life better for the animals in our care. Want to make a difference? Come join our team! Sign up for a volunteer orientation today and become part of the SCCAS volunteer family. 🐶💙 Click on link in bio or visit our website at scanimalshelter.org for more information on how to get involved. #volunteer #dogenrichment #makeadifference #scanimalshelter #adoptashelterpet
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10/2 - 🎃 SANTA CRUZ 🎃 Tonight’s the night… we’re turning @woodhousebrews into the WOOFHOUSE 🐶 to kick off everyone’s favorite szn 🦇🖤 for the cutest cause! Spread the word, share dis, and leave some love below so everyone & their pet gets an invite to HOWL-o-WEEEEN! 👻🐾 📅 TONIGHT | 6–10 PM 📍 @woodhousebrews 🐾 DOGS WELCOME (pls bring em 🥺) 🎃 Dog costume contest + prizes 🎟️ Lots of raffle prizes 📸 Professional dog photos by @p.i.c._photo 🎃 Pumpkins by donation — thank you @rodoni_farms_santacruz! 🦴 @calebcollars will have a booth set up — come snag some fresh Halloween pupper shwag! 👻🐶 🎧 DJ Thug Shells all night 😎 💻 Strimiiing live so the GLOBAL CULT can catch all the cuteness 🍻 @woodhousebrews is donating a buck a beer and has delicious food so come nom! ANDDDD come meet my foster dog BEASLEY 🐕🦺 this sweet boy is looking for his forever home ❤️ and is oh-so-very adoptable. Grab your crew, bring your pups, throw on a costume, get some adorable photos, snag a pumpkin, shop some pupper shwag, dance your butt off and help us raise some 💰 for the animal shelter! A HUGE WOOF 🐶❤️ to all the incredible local businesses and humans who donated raffle prizes and helped make tonight happen, including @wishbonepetco and SO many more! We seriously couldn’t do this without our amazing community showing up for the animals 🥺🐾 ALL PROCEEDS GO TO SUPPORT @officialscanimalshelter ❤️ Now… WHO’S READY TO HOWL?! 🐺👇 #SantaCruz #SantaCruzEvents #AnimalShelter #Fundraiser #Halloween
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10/2 - Meet Rusty, the 4-year-old German Shepherd looking for a family to love. Rusty arrived to the Shelter after his previous caregiver was unable to continue caring for him due to his own medical needs. Rusty is a loyal, sweet Shepherd who would thrive in a Shepherd savvy household. He has been in a home with adults and children as young as 11 years old and has done well. In a recent temporary home, he slept in bed with the 11 year old child. Rusty coexisted with a senior lab in the home after a slow, thoughtful introduction. He has also met other dogs at the Shelter. Rusty may do well in a home with another dog but is required to meet at the Shelter prior to adoption. Rusty may not enjoy high traffic dog areas like dog beaches or West Cliff. Due to prey drive observed in a previous home, Rusty is required to go to a feline free home. He is house trained (would whine at the door when he has to go out) and does fine when left home alone. The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation is now offering “Pawsitivity Bucks” with every dog adoption. This $200 training voucher is a way for newly adopted canines and their guardians to connect with local positive reinforcement based behavior consultants and get their relationship started off on the right paw! The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is open to the public from 11am to 6pm every day (except county holidays) and located at 1001 Rodriguez Street at the corner of 7th Avenue in Santa Cruz, CA. Our telephone number is 831-454-7200. Last meet and greet ends at 4:30 pm. Visit our website at scanimalshelter.org or click on link in Bio. Thank you for your support! The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is an open door shelter. We will not turn away any Santa Cruz County animal in need.
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10/2 - Meet 12 of our wonderful kitties looking for forever homes!🐈⬛🐾🐈 And they’re just 12 of the 55 cats and kittens currently waiting at our shelter for someone to choose them. Each one has their own personality, quirks, and special way of bringing joy to a home. They’re ready to trade their shelter kennel for a cozy bed, a sunny window, and a family to love. Could one of these sweet faces be your new best friend? Come meet them and all the other wonderful cats waiting for their people. Choose adoption. Change a life. Find your new companion at Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter. We are open to the public from 11am to 6pm every day (except county holidays) and located at 1001 Rodriguez Street at the corner of 7th Avenue in Santa Cruz, CA. Our telephone number is 831-454-7200. Last meet and greet ends at 4:30 pm. Visit our website at scanimalshelter.org or click on link in Bio. Thank you for your support! The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is an open door shelter. We will not turn away any Santa Cruz County animal in need.
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