ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County Animal Services saw a successful adoption rate for the 2024 fiscal year. 

According to the agency’s fourth annual Year-End Report, OCAS achieved a 91% live release rate for dogs and 88% for cats, leading to an overall live release rate of 89%.

“It’s been a challenging year in regard to pet intakes and we’ve struggled at various points recently with a high number of animals in care,” said Diane Summers, Manager for Orange County Animal Services. “But we’ve also succeeded in helping so many vulnerable animals, and the Year-End Report helps tell those individual stories, and is proof that our staff, volunteers, foster parents, and rescue groups are working hard every day to make miracles happen for these individual pets.”

The report collected data between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2024.

Over 8,000 animals found new homes during that time period.

Brutus at Orange County Animal Services was recently adopted (OCAS)

Other statistics include:

• Shelter Successes:
  • 8,086 pets adopted and 1,234 pets reclaimed by their owners
  • 7,436 spay/neuter surgeries performed
  • 1,775 pets fostered with 179 new foster parents recruited
• Community Support:
  • 402 fosters parents, 330 volunteers and 127 rescue groups actively supporting the homeless pets of Orange County
  • Extensive engagement on social media with more 85,000 followers on Facebook and 76,000 on Instagram
• Overall Data:
  • 14,854 domestic animal impounds
  • 31,483 citizen requests for response handled
  • 66,517 shelter visitors
  • $111,081 awarded in grants to local nonprofit organizations

“We’re proud to make our data readily available,” said Summers. “We want our community to fully understand the scope of our operation and the state of animal welfare in Orange County. This year, we will need strong adoption and foster care support, especially for our dogs.”